The route begins just after the car park, on the left, with a sign for Solcio. You will soon reach the village of Valera. Pass by an old wash house and continue on the left towards the houses located upstream. A little further up, you will encounter the farm road. Follow it uphill until you come to a crossroads. Leave the road and continue on the left along a path marked by signs to Alpe Solcio. During the climb, you can enjoy an otherworldly silence and a fairytale atmosphere, especially when the snow is fresh! After passing the hamlet of Baratta, continue into the more open terrain. After coming to a beautiful, recently-restored chapel dedicated to the Madonna, enter the dense forest, where light, filtering through snow-laden fir and larch branches, creates very striking effects.
Exit the clearing where the Quartina di Sotto huts are located and you will find yourself back on the farm road where the track is well-trodden. Climb further up and in a few minutes you will reach the junction that marks the start of the Maulone track, one of the busiest routes during the winter that leads to the Crosta refuge. After two bends and a flat section, you will reach Alpe Solcio. Ascend a little further and you will arrive at the Pietro Crosta refuge (1751 m) in 2h 45m.
This route (an alternative to the ascent from Maulone) is recommended to those who prefer less busy paths. Sometimes this means risking being the first to mark out the track, though this will give you an exclusive experience of a pristine landscape!
