Maritime Alps – Day 5: The Final Stretch
MARITIME ALPS
Day 5: The Final Stretch
August 27, 2024
PART I
As with any other trek I have ever done, waking up on the last day came with this bittersweet feeling of pride for having made it this far, and anguish cause it’d all be over soon.
Luckily, the weather was on our side. A soft, golden light painted the granite cliffs above us, with a light layer of mist rolling over Lago del Chiotas. The air was fresh and crisp, and there were no signs of rain.
The trail to Lago della Rovina, the lake we had sighted the day before, featured a steep descent alongside the dam wall of Chiotas, following a series of switchbacks that offered us splendid views of the lake below throughout. While the land at the top was somewhat barren, probably due to the altitude and the herds of sheep and goats feeding on the vegetation, the landscape began to soften as we got closer to the lake, with the entire area eventually becoming covered in forest.
As we neared the lake, the air became thicker, warmer and more fragrant with pine and wet soil. It was evident that we had entered a lusher Alpine environment, with forests, waterfalls and streams from the lake making for the most picturesque of walks.
Here, we had a few more animal encounters: a huge ibex eyeing me curiously before running off towards the lake, and a herd of donkeys and horses grazing in a pasture nearby. It was all so idyllic and tranquil!
Lago della Rovina
The emerald lake, surrounded by mountains and a rocky shore dotted with alpine grasses, wildflowers and scattered stones, was truly a sight to behold. Along its banks sat a few fishermen, peacefully enjoying their morning, seemingly without a care in the world.
This felt like the perfect place to mark the transition from the wild solitude we had gotten used to over the previous few days back to inhabited land. This part of the trail also helped soften whatever animosity was left between Alessia and me, especially when she recounted all the times she used to come here fishing with her late father. The journey that led us here might have been long and fraught with all sorts of drama, but at the end of the day, she was still my ride or die, and, for one, I’m glad I had shared this experience with her.
As we enjoyed our break and ate our last remaining apples, we casually chatted with some of the fishermen as they prepared to take their catch back home, with one of them having caught a bucketful of trout. Oh, and we also got to play around with the two cutest dogs they had brought along: a Koolie and a Bavarian Mountain Hound. So, so cute!
Back to Entracque
The rest of the way back to Entracque was uneventful, if not boring. The trail was an asphalt road through the forest, meandering alongside the streams that feed into the Gesso River.
With the Maritime Alps highlights now behind us, it was just a very long walk that took us right past Lago della Piastra, where we had parked the car. There, we gave each other a congratulatory high five and a super tight hug. Finally, we had accomplished what we had set out to do. It may not have been the most gruelling of treks, but it certainly wasn’t an easy one either. Beyond the physical demands, we had also faced and overcome our fair share of emotional challenges. So yeah, we did good.
Starved and famished, our one and only thought was food. We headed to a fancy restaurant in Entracque and had the most delicious wild boar stew, along with a couple of beers and an Aperol Spritz, of course.
PART II
Uomini e Lupi
Not wanting the adventure to be over just yet, we decided to stop by the Centro Faunistico Uomini e Lupi, a wildlife centre dedicated to the wolf population of the Maritime Alps and the broader relationship between humans and wolves.
The centre offers an interactive museum experience featuring exhibits that explore the biology and behaviour of wolves, the history of our relationship with them, and the myths, legends and cultural depictions surrounding them. Perhaps the most interesting part was learning how, during the twentieth century, wolves had almost disappeared from the Alps after centuries of persecution, hunting and conflict with humans. Legal protection and conservation efforts eventually allowed their numbers to recover, and by the 1990s, Italian wolves had begun recolonising the Western Alps and expanding into nearby countries such as France and Switzerland.
The museum also details the heartwarming story of Ligabue, a male Italian wolf who became a symbol of resilience and the natural return of wolves to the Alps. After being struck by a car in Emilia, he was rescued, rehabilitated and fitted with a GPS collar. Upon release, Ligabue embarked on an extraordinary journey, travelling from the Apennines to the Maritime Alps. His movements were meticulously tracked, providing invaluable data on wolf dispersal patterns and habitat connectivity. So wholesome!
After going around the museum, we then headed to the highlight of the centre: the wolf enclosure. The fenced area on the mountainside serves as a home to rescued wolves that cannot be reintroduced to the wild. The staff emphasised that sightings could not be guaranteed, given that the wolves might hide or seek shelter away from the observatory. When that happens, many visitors apparently leave the premises disappointed, dishing out bad reviews. As silly as that might be, given how unpredictable nature is, Alessia and I could not quite share such an experience.
There, in flesh and blood, we could see at least five of the majestic beasts. While we could only observe them from afar and in a controlled environment, it was still an incredible experience. They are such gorgeous beings!
Back to Marene
Just like that, our adventure was over. That said, the rest of the day was still a hectic one. After the drive back to Marene, we had all kinds of chores to run.
First and foremost, I had Alessia drop me off by a corn field where I fulfilled yet another bucket-list goal of getting lost in a maize field (if only for a few minutes). Then, our main priority once we got back home was one thing: showering. God only knows how badly we needed it. Though we had been lucky enough to have working showers, with lukewarm water, throughout the trek, there’s nothing quite like a proper hot shower in the comfort of someone’s home to get rid of all the dirt and grime that accumulates while trekking.
Then, after promising Gianna and Federico we’d tell them all about our adventures at dinner, we headed to the town centre to start checking things off our list of errands. I, for one, needed to buy a gift for Gianna, given that she had so graciously hosted me. Alessia suggested an orchid, which Gianna absolutely loved. Then we went to the stationery shop to pick up a parcel for her. After that, we stopped at a photography studio to print some of the best photos we had taken during the trek to give to her grandfather (I also snuck a Taylor Swift photo from The Eras Tour knowing how much Alessia dislikes her!). And that left us with one more stop: Grandpa’s.
Passing on the Torch
As we stepped onto his porch, I was met with this strong, familiar feeling of nostalgia. It felt like I had been there way more than just once. Like I had just visited grandpa again, a routine which had not quite existed.
When he opened the door and welcomed us with a huge smile, it felt as if I had known him a lifetime. As if he were my grandpa. And lemme tell ya, the way he spoke to us certainly did make me feel like I was family. I could see the gleam in his eyes, the glimmer of pride when we told him all about our trek and what a beautiful experience it had been. Hearing Alessia tell him how perfect it all was admittedly made me flinch a bit, especially when we presented him with the photos and she chose the one at the panoramic view of Lago del Chiotas as her favourite. The very same one we would’ve missed if we’d gone back! But hey, water under the bridge and all.
Trying to put myself in his shoes, I wondered if he resented not being able to go up into the mountains himself anymore. But, the way he spoke, I could tell he was purely happy for us and that he was satisfied with a lifetime’s worth of exploring those mountains. He had made the most of his time and he had no regrets. In fact, it felt as if he was passing on the torch. He gave Alessia a book on alpinism and, leaving me speechless, he gave me a Club Alpino Italiano keychain – one usually reserved for members of Italy’s historic mountaineering association. What a friggin’ legend.
I swear, I was on the verge of tears the entire time. With a big, strong hug and a heartfelt goodbye, we then went on our way. With it still being too early for dinner, we went to Savigliano again so that Alessia could show me around a bit. After a short tour of the city, we went to a park where we chilled for a while and enjoyed the sunset. Then we headed back to Marene and had dinner with Gianna and Federico, all the while recounting everything we had seen and done.