Gran Paradiso. Epinel. Cogne. Two weeks in Italy's Great Paradise.

Another post from the archives going back to the late 1980s period. A two week trip to Italy's Gran Paradiso National Park. We stayed at a pleasant flat grassy campsite in a side valley just off the main Valle d'Aosta in a hamlet called Epinel which had a small supermarket, a couple of hotels/bar... a campsite.... and very little else.

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This did not matter in the slightest as the local supermarket in Epinel had nearly everything we required food and drink wise, and the larger village of Cogne, with its own campsite, green meadows, a wider range of shops, bars, and an open air market for local produce was 5 mins in a car or a half hour walk away along a traffic free leafy back trail. Cogne can feel busy and hectic though, filled with climbers and tourists, whereas Epinel is much quieter, so probably better for families with younger children to keep an eye on them in a nice open camping ground of short meadow grass.

Tiny person on a rock tower here surrounded by the beauty and majesty of  Paradiso National Park. We were here to explore and Epinel was ideal for that with a handful of  easy 10,000 foot rock peaks directly above the campsite, free from snow in mid July; (Glasgow Fair trip again) several higher 12,000 foot snow peaks, yet still remarkably easy to ascend from the campsite, and soaring high above them all... the  undisputed Queen of the Graian Alps, Gran Paradiso itself at 4,061 metres or 13,323 feet high. ( Mont Blanc, The Matterhorn, 'called Cervino in Italy', and Monte Rosa, all share a border with France or Switzerland whereas the Paradiso range lies slightly separated and isolated on a detached spur wholly within Italian soil making it the highest single mountain completely within Italy. No part of it touching another country.

It's one of the easiest of the 4,000 metre peaks in the Alps, just a long pleasant snow plod but the shattered rocky arete of the steep summit ridge lends it plenty of interest with a massive drop on the other side and fantastic views in every direction. Note the tall rock pillar just right of the summit.

This is me standing on the top of said rock pillar with the lower 12,000 foot Frontier Range of the French/ Italian border spread out below. It looked an easy if vertical scramble so I just went for it although looking at other photos of this pillar online I'm amazed it's still standing as it's only just attached to the rest of the ridge by a thin band of shattered rock. Most of it hangs over the abyss like a natural version of the leaning tower of Piza. An angle not seen in this photo, where it looks straight. I must have been taking my bravery pills that day.

Unlike Mont Blanc the view from Gran Paradiso was absolutely stunning. No pounding headache, altitude sickness, freezing cold wind, or exhaustion either. Just exhilarating, warm, and fresh so we could enjoy it in style.  A night time thunderstorm had battered our tents, pitched halfway up the mountain, but the next morning dawned calm, clear, and magnificent with cloud in all the valleys but blue sky over all the high snow peaks. No wind on this mountain at all- sunny enough to sunbathe on the summit and that summed up this trip. It's a perfect area for beginners to explore the Alps. Interesting history, castles and small towns scattered across the Vale d' Aosta area; cosmopolitan Turin around an hour's drive away; loads of scenic balcony trails and a mind boggling number of wildflower meadows, (the best I've ever seen anywhere)

One of our rest days exploring Turin. Even with 3 or 4 sightseeing days during our trip when it was flat walking we still managed to clock up 30,000 feet of ascent and descent during our holiday here. Every non rest day saw us ascending at least 3000 to 4000 feet to do one of the rock peaks or a 12,000 foot snow peak, where we camped out overnight before tackling it in the early morning.

Alpine Ibex. The Paradiso National Park and the adjoining Vanoise National Park ( see separate entry on that park a few posts ago) were set up to save the Alpine Ibex, seen here, as they were almost hunted to extinction and down to the last 60 or 70 animals. The herds wander across the Frontier Range and back so both parks protect this huge tract of mountain upland and it really does feel like a 'Great Paradise' as every other animal in this vast region benefits as well. Alpine Ibex now number close to 1000 in this region. Magnificent creatures you can get fairly close to if quiet and patient and don't spook them away.

Smaller cousins- a family of Chamois here looking down at us.

Descending the glacier on Gran Paradiso... The entire world spread out below our feet. It's not often a human feels like a demi- god but it certainly happened to me here. A truly magical place.

Punta Fenilla ridge walk in the background. A rock peak reached from Epinel.. You could not design a better set of peaks for hill-walkers than these.

This is Punta Trensenta. Both peaks, not far apart, had a long easy ramp of perfect scrambling up slabs. Nothing too hard - just glorious indulgence- like fine Italian ice cream....trust your balance and the friction of the rock, being the key.

Then it got a bit harder and steeper... but still OK... and an easier variation round the side if you required that. Still Punta Trensenta here and a beautiful crack-line of great holds, hopefully leading us to the top. A wonder slab over a 1000 foot long, scrambling every inch of it without a rope, yet never too extreme or threatening. How often does that happen on a slab that length. No guide book or idea of route or prior knowledge of any difficulties ahead. Pure adventure on rock using just hope, toes, and fingers.  Just as well as it would be far harder to reverse it for 1000 feet, but not impossible.

And perfect summits as well. The cross on Punta Fenilla here with a slab scramble to the top. ... Unbelievable climbing... airy, exciting, yet safe and the way down off both was a slightly easier descent.....

Another rock peak traverse high above Epinel completed with easy scrambling. Tiny figures in this photo can be observed walking the ridge with Cogne far below in the valley. This trio of peaks I've never bettered for sheer enjoyment. Each a 10,000 foot stunner but climbed one after another a magical experience. This whole trip was full of them. Magical moments that is.

Easy but spectacular 12,000 foot snow peaks no problem either. Punta Del Rossa here, coming off the steeply inclined summit ridge. Ice axe and crampon territory.

Want something harder? La Grivola, at 3968 metres the other giant of the range but only accessible via a severe snow and ice climb with a stonefall risk thrown in for good measure. Definitely a roped experienced party required for climbing this peak.

Or how about tackling the Mont Blanc Range from the Italian side near Courmayeur, which we also did on this trip. A failed attempt due to severe winds high up but a great day nonetheless.

Above, John on the other side of  La Grivola glacier hanging over its cliff, balanced precariously above an alpine meadow.

More Ibex seen from our tents halfway up Gran Paradiso but looking at two other snow peaks in the range- La Tresenta, 3609 metres and Ciarforon, 3640 metres... so loads to do in this area... we just scratched the surface on our trip. One area I would definitely return to as I loved this region of Italy.

A high balcony trail view of La Grivola/Paradiso range with a thunderstorm just ending. Sunlight hitting some yellow globe flowers.

Our rest day exploring Turin, admiring a typical Italian grand fountain display. A 'rest day' might be a 10 mile walk around a city, as here, but it was relatively flat. Another rest day was up Valnontey from Cogne, a pleasant valley and alpine meadow jaunt in the early morning, then sampling an open air market afternoon of shops in the village centre.

A fantastic trip and well named. It was the Great Paradise for us.... hopefully still is.

A link to a terrific short video of Gran Paradiso and the area in question. Well worth watching as it's brilliantly done and full of interest. Captures the real holiday experience overall within the National Park perfectly. A work of art in its own right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw1w75sevQk