"MONTE CASTO" TRAIL
Trail running
The main purpose of this trail is to introduce people to the mid-mountain trails that run along the slopes of Monte Casto and within the Zegna Oasis, a wooded area where you might encounter roebucks and other wildlife. Most of the hikes on these routes can be taken throughout the year, as they do not extend to high altitudes. Bocchetto Sessera, Monte Casto and Pratetto could become a reference point for those who practice trekking, mountain biking, sky running, horseback riding.
RACE GENERAL DATA
| Event Type: | Sky running/trail race |
| Organization: | G.S.A. Pollone and Territorial Committee U.I.S.P. Biella |
| Media Partners: | La Stampa, Eco di Biella, Il Biellese, La Provincia, (F.S.A.) Federation for Sport at Altitude,Magazines: Correre, La Corsa, Montagnard, Runners, Running Attitude (France), Esprit Trail (France), Endurance (France) Web: www.podisti.net, www.corsainmontagna.it, www.adrenalinechannel.it , www.trailrunning.it |
| Sponsoring Bodies: | Comunità Montana Valle del Cervo La Bursch, Municipality of Andorno Micca, Municipality of Tavigliano, Zegna Oasis, ATL Biella |
| Twinning: | The race is twinned with the Trail des Frahans, a competition that takes place in Samoens in Haute-Savoie (France). |
| Charity: | Part of the proceeds will go to the action "Tatans et tontons pour le Nepal", which allows, thanks to fundraising, the schooling of some children in Nepal. |
| Main Sponsor: | Lafuma, French company that deals with outdoor, trekking, sky running |
ITINERARY 1
| Departure: | Andorno Micca "La Salute" Park |
| Arrival: | Andorno Micca "La Salute" Park |
| Length: | 21 Km |
| Overall gradient: | 900 m. |
| Route: | The ring winds through the territories of the municipalities of Andorno Micca, Tavigliano, Callabiana, and Selve Marcone. It reaches the summit of Monte Casto and develops mostly in wooded areas using paths and firebreaks. |
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ITINERARY 2
| Departure: | Andorno Micca "La Salute" Park |
| Arrival : | Andorno Micca "La Salute" Park |
| Length: | 42 Km |
| Overall gradient : | 1900 m. |
| Route: | In addition to the 21km of the previous loop, there are trails leading to the beautiful Monduro and Carcheggio, alpine pastures and the transhumance route, leading to Bocchetto Sessera entering the Zegna Oasis, to descend first to Alpe Scheggiola, touching the bottom of Valle Sessera at the Ponte plain (green campsite) to climb back to Bocchetto Sessera, and reach Alpe Pratetto. |
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ROUTE DESCRIPTION
The starting point is at the sports field "La Salute" of Andorno Micca (560m), after a short stretch on asphalt, you climb up the path to Piane di Locato. Crossed the village, begins a rapid climb in the undergrowth that allows you to reach the fire road of Monte Casto at about 1000m altitude. After following it for a short time, you take a path through the pine forest that leads to the cross of Monte Casto (1138m) from which you enjoy a beautiful view of the Biella Mountains. A gentle descent begins that leads to Selle di Pratetto, a plateau from which the view extends from Bielmonte to all the crests of the Cervo valley. Here you take the dirt road downhill that leads to the Strona farmsteads, past the huts, you cross the stream and with a traverse you reach the Monduro and Carcheggio mountain pastures, which are stupendously scenic; going up gently you arrive at Bunda Granda, where you enter the classic transhumance route uphill. The path is very panoramic and allows you to reach Bocchetto Sessera (1380m). You are now inside the Zegna Oasis, cross the road and take the downhill dirt road on the right, which then becomes a path and leads to Alpe Scheggiola (1090m), where a small path starts on the left, leading slightly downhill to the Sessera torrent in the area where there was a bridge destroyed by a flood. Continue up the stream until you reach the beautiful Baraccone mountain pasture. Cross the stream Sessera, on a beautiful stone bridge with a humpbacked back, shortly after the bridge go left, on the right you see the green camping huts. Climb gently not far from the stream and then cross it on a wooden bridge, another short stretch and you start to climb steeper slopes until you reach the equipped area of Druetto. Follow the dirt road downhill for 100 m, take the cross-country track "Corradino Sella" uphill, follow it, pass under the pasture of Monticchio, continue towards Artignaga and after a little more than a km turn left to reach the dirt road and go back towards Bocchetto. You pass the huts of Monticchio, after about 600m take the right "variant of the pheasant", follow it until you reach the ridge just above the Bocchetto, a point with a wide panoramic view, in short you go down to Bocchetto Sessera.
Follow the asphalt road downhill for one hundred meters, and then enter a path on the left. When you reach a promontory, go around it to the right downhill to find a path, follow it until you reach a dirt road that you follow to the right, shortly afterwards, before a group of mountain huts, go downhill to the left, cross a stream and continue across until you reach the asphalt road just above Pratetto. A short stretch on the road, past the trattoria, shortly afterwards turn left, following a path to reach the Selle di Pratetto, follow the path until you reach Trabbia, from here you reach Socco and take a long traverse until you reach Vincio Tavigliano. From here, you reach the hamlet of Socco and make a long traverse until you reach the hamlet of Vincio di Tavigliano, along the path, you reach Locato, go down to the Molinetto region (580m). Start climbing again, first on a dirt road and then on a path to reach the beautiful little church of the Eremiti, here you climb until you reach the Quadretto hamlet (760m), follow the dirt road that goes up and down to the hamlet of Colma and from here take the dirt road downhill that leads back to Andorno.
Means of transport: On foot
Length(km): 21
Uphill height difference(m): 900
