To the Albigna hut

For most inhabitants of Bergell and Valchiavenna, the name Albigna recalls the large dam wall and the reservoir that has significantly changed the appearance of this side valley. But the mountain frame around the basin, characterized by walls of light granite and ice flows over glaciers, has naturally remained unchanged. Originally, the refuge stood in the place now occupied by the big wall. In 1956 it was rebuilt in a beautiful location on a ridge above the lake. You can get from the dam to the hut on a walk of a just over half an hour.

If you want to start on foot in the valley, turn right into the forest just above the cable car station. After a short time, you will reach a forest road, which you follow to the bridge over the Albigna. From here, the route leads along a footpath over the Motta Ciürela and from there along the ridge above the Albigna up to the dam wall.

Take the cable car up in the morning, enjoy the day with tours around the hut and descend to the valley on foot in the evening.

Even the ride up in the mountain railway is quite exciting and offers a sweeping view of the Bergell valley. Once you have crossed the deep abyss of the Sasc Prümaveira, the view wanders over the walls of the Piz Balzet, which tower over the rock jump at the entrance to the valley. From the mountain station, climb up the right-hand side of the dam wall, where the lake soon appears and the view opens up over the entire basin. The refuge on the left is clearly visible. You then walk over the dam to the meadows on the other side. A marked path begins here, which leads up a long, sloping ascent to the Albigna hut (2336 m). 

If you want to start on foot in the valley, turn right into the forest just above the cable car. After a short time, you will reach a forest road, which you follow to the bridge over the Albigna. From here, the route leads along a footpath over the Motta Ciürela and from there along the ridge above the Albigna up to the dam wall.

Various interesting hikes can be undertaken from the hut. You could follow the path to Pass da Casnil up to a beautiful high plateau in front of Piz Balzet (45 minutes from the hut). There, at a few small ponds, you have a great view of all the mountains in the valley, especially the north face of the Cima dal Cantun. On the descent, continue past the cable car station and you will come to a flat, narrow road - once used by vehicles brought up from the valley by a larger, more powerful cable car. You pass the foot of the Spazzacaldeira wall, where there are countless climbing routes. The path leads around the deep crevasse at Sasc Prümaveira and descends on wide slopes through the larch forest. A final section between high trunks runs over a not very steep shoulder and up to the footbridge over the Albigna stream. A track brings us back to the main Bergell road not far from Pranzaira.