Bivacco Elio Bonfante alle Camoscere
The place
Sleeping places: 12. Places on mattresses: 12. - 2 blankets + pillows on all mattresses (12 places) - Very good insulation - Crockery, coffee maker, jerrycans - Benches, table, desk - Very clean, well maintained and with everything needed to keep it that way (brooms, bucket, sponges, etc.) - Lighting powered by solar panels (3 fluorescent tubes) - Just above the fog early in the morning in July, then... inside it. - Surrounded by ibex in the afternoon - Allows climbing the Pelvo d'Elva, the Chersogno and the Rocca la Marquisa in the same day. - Equipped climbing wall 10 min away. From Prazzo, head to the hamlet of Campiglione. Set off on the road leading to the Chiotti barns. Follow the path toward Monte Chersogno via the Colle del Chiosso. At the pass, take the path on the right. Pass the fonte Nera spring and find the bivouac 5 minutes further on. From the Val Varaita: climb to the Colle di Biccoca, then follow trail T6 toward the Camoscere lake. Leave the lake on the right, continue and find the bivouac 10 minutes further on. From Saint Anne de Bellino, via the Col de Sagnères and its scree, or via the (wet) northwest couloir of the Colle Camosciera, the Pelvo d'Elva there and back, then the traverse via Monte Camoscere toward the lake and the bivouac (harder - 4/5 h). Club Alpino Italiano, Sezione di Bra. Always open. Official site: http://www.caibra.it/bivacco.html
Getting there
Deux accès principaux — depuis la Valle Maira (granges de Campiglione/Chiotti, sentier T5 jusqu'à la Fonte Nera puis à droite vers le bivouac), ou depuis la Valle Varaita via le Colle della Bicocca (accessible en voiture) puis sentier T6.
The setting
Situé dans le Piano Vallonello, près du Lago Camoscere, au pied du Monte Chersogno et de la Rocca la Marchisa (Alpes Cottiennes, commune de Prazzo, province de Cuneo). Sert de base pour l'ascension de la Rocca la Marchisa (3072m) et du Monte Chersogno (3026m).
A bit of history
Bivouac dédié à la mémoire d'Elio Bonfante, alpiniste mort au Dente del Gigante en 1992. Construit au début des années 2000 et inauguré en 2006 par la section CAI de Bra.
A word from the warden
Non gardé en permanence mais géré par la section CAI de Bra ; structure en bois, ouverte toute l'année, 12 places, panneaux photovoltaïques, eau non potable sur place et eau potable à la Fonte Nera (~10 min à pied).
