Cima del Carro

Overview

North of the Levanne group, surrounding the not small lake Serrù, at the western border of the Val dell'Orco, there is the subgroup of the Grande Aiguille Rousse (3482m).

The Cima del carro is the southern summit of the group and is normally very often climbed in late spring (a little less in summer) due to the amazing ski mountaneering route and the very amusing descent.

This is absolutely not a ski route for beginners, some stretches on the ascending route require good practice on very steep snow that are almost the higher limit for the sealskins ...

Both the ascent and way down slopes require absolutely safe snow.

Getting There

From Italia
- Torino - Road SS460 to Cuorgnè
- Milano - Motorway A4, then A5, exit Ivrea, road to Cuorgnè

starting from Cuorgné, pass through Pont Canavese, Locana, Noasca and Ceresole, and follow the road of the Colle del Nivolet up to the dam of Lago Serrù.
(in spring maybe you must start walking from little west of Ceresole Reale.)

From France
- Lyon. Follow to Chambery, Lanslebourg then Bonneval (Isère)

Route from Italy - Val dell'Orco

Once at the dam of Serrù lake you have to cross the dam, border its E side, to get a small lake (Pratorotondo).
Now follow to the wide valley ending against the rocky wall of Cima d'Oin.

Go on along the valley up to ~2600m then follow the ridge on the left up to a notch just left of the big tower that is the easternmost summit of the ridge.
Once at the notch go down on easy terrain to get the Carro valley and glacier, follow toward right the steep glacier passing left of the seracs and right of the big spur (3193m) dividing the glacier into two parts.
After these slopes you get the final plateau leading, toward left (S) to the summit.

difficulty : BSA - for good ski mountaneers
difference in elevation from the lake : ~1100m
time required (from the lake) : 4 hours


DESCENT :
go back a little along the route then turn to the right to follow the Eastern part of the Carro glacier
Cross it all to get a steep slope (S of the rocks) that leads down to the Carro valley (very dangerous with unsafe snow)
Along the bottom of the valley till a small road and down to an abandoned building site and, few further, you get the road of Nivolet at ~1900m , not far from Chiapili (see Ref. Muzio

Of course in Summer, on foot, the best option is coming back along the ascending route to avoid 300m of difference in elevation to get back to the car ...

Accomodations

- good and cheap hotels in Ceresole Reale
- a hiking refuge : Mila 1583 m, at the W border of the lake of Ceresole
- a real refuge : Muzio 1667m, at Chiapili di Sotto (on the road to Nivolet - best option)

Images

View Cima del Carro Image Gallery - 6 Images