Two-day ski tour through the Leventina

Today we’re taking it easy: the Airolo-Pesciüm-Sasso della Boggia cable car takes us to Varozzei, our starting point. There we put sun cream on our faces, skins on our skis and off we go! The sun is shining on us as we ascend on slopes of varying steepness to the former smugglers’ crossing Passo Sassello. However, thick clouds of mist soon gather and an hour later we have to abandon our climb to the summit Pizzo Sassello (2,277m).

Arrival at Rifugio Garzonera

Three and a half hours later, we reach our camp for the night: the Garzonera self-catering cabin, which is snowed in and deserted. The cabin has no running water in winter so we have to melt snow. And as soon as the wood-burning stove has heated up, it gets really snug. We enjoy a delicious porcini mushroom risotto – cooked in the cosy little kitchen.

Departure for Ambrì

On the second day, we wait in vain for the weather to improve. After an hour, we decide to continue the tour despite the thick fog. We climb over a prominent ridge towards Poncione Sambuco. Unfortunately, all we can do is visualise the mountain panorama in our mind’s eye, as we can’t actually see anything. A weather-related GPS devices safety descent leads us to the alpine cabins of Gioett. We make the last few turns on a forestry road that takes us directly to the ice rink in Ambrì.