Adler’s Nest refuge (2365m), trail 7A

from Stafal to Adler’s Nest refuge, ex Rifugio del Lys

Adler’s Nest refuge

Trail 7A starts from Stafal and arrives at the Adler’s Nest hut (2365m, formerly Rifugio del Lys,a name still used as the destination and starting point of this and some other trails in the Aosta Valley Cadastre of Trails). It is 3338m long and the total positive elevation gain is 539m.
The approximate time for the climb is 1h40. The trail is rated of difficulty E.

The Adler’s Nest is the current name of the Lys refuge, built in 1906 by the CAI of Gallarate (here you can find more information, and some photos showing the refuge at the beginning of its history). It is a stone’s throw from the arrival of the Stafal-Gabiet gondola lift, Gabiet Lake, and the other refuges/restaurants in the area: the Gabiet See Refreshment Bar, the Gabiet Refuge (overnight stay is possible), and the Albergo Del Ponte(overnight stay is possible). If you want to go further, following trail 6B in about an hour’s walk you will reach another hut with overnight accommodations, theOrestes Hutte (exclusively vegan cuisine).

Adler’s Nest is the starting point for the many trails to the various destinations on this side: among the main ones, the Alta Luce(trail 7c), Blue Lake and Punta Telcio(trail 7B) , the Rifugio Città di Mantova and Capanna Gnifetti(trail 6A), Zube Pass and Rothore/Corno Rosso(trail 4), Col d’Olen and Passo dei Salati(trail 6).

Because it is so close to the arrival of the gondola, few decide to ascend it via Trail 7A, which starts from Stafal and goes all the way up the Moos valley, a very short distance from the gondola route.

I, too, have never walked this trail uphill, except once in February 2021, during the lockdown for Covid: in fact, since it was completely snow-covered, I did not follow the entire trail but for the final two-thirds I simply walked up the Moos ski slope.

Instead, I have ridden it downhill several times, which allows me to give a couple of broad indications here. Undoubtedly I noticed that it is a trail without the slightest technical difficulty, for the first two-thirds very gentle and then rather steep in the last third, very well marked at least in the second half (from the point where you leave the Moos trail onwards). I never walked the initial section, because I always stayed without ever leaving it on the Moos track dirt road that runs practically parallel to it. I vow to walk it at least once uphill as soon as possible so that I can update this page with more detailed photos and information.

More information on level of difficulty, ascent times, maps and GPX tracks

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Adler's Nest, formerly the Refuge Del Lys.

Wood sculpture at the end/beginning of 7A/7B

Wooden sculpture at the end/beginning of 7A/7B next to the gondola lift

1. Start and finish

Trail 7A starts from Stafal , the elevation is 1840m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.8568699995, 7.81362081222

The arrival location is Adler’s Nest/Lys Refuge. The altitude is 2365m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.8572184107, 7.84677011066

2. The route

Trail 7A starts from Stafal (along with 7B and the TMR trail), just before the grocery store, see photo from Google Street View:

The departure of 7A/7B from Stafal

After a few dozen meters you enter the ski slope, which appears as a rather flat dirt road that meanders up and follows the course of the Moosbach stream. At the end of the flat section of the road, when the track turns right past the creek to go up into the forest, leave it and take the path that starts on the left (be careful, it is not immediately obvious). One enters the trees, crosses over a new bridge over the stream, ascends again and crosses a second small bridge: up to this point the slope has always been rather gentle, but from here a rather steep ascent begins, with narrow hairpin bends, thanks to which a step of about 200 meters in height difference is overcome. You soon come to a shelf that looks like a balcony over the Moos valley, with a fascinating wooden sculpture: the view is unfortunately disturbed by the plant a few meters away.

Wooden sculpture at the end/beginning of 7A/7B next to the gondola lift

It is now very close to the arrival of the gondola, above which the Adler’s Nest is perched: many more sculptures and artifacts from the past can be seen there (look out for the collection of old skis hanging from the ceiling inside the lodge). On the roof above the entrance to the hut sits a tiny cabin from the old cable car: one cannot help but shudder to think of the times when even two people used to squeeze into that little pod-surely rocking at the slightest breath of wind…

The ovetto of the old gondola

This is the map of the trail, according to the SCT Trail Cadastre of the Aosta Valley.

Download the trail in GPX format

3. Personal excursions

27/02/2021

I have only walked this trail uphill once, in February 2021, with lifts stopped due to the lock-down for Covid. I climbed up to the Salati Pass.

I did not actually walk the trail entirely, but I followed the entire Moos trail to Adler’s Nest, and the Salati trail from there on. Thanks to crampons, it was not difficult to ascend the steep sections of the black trail: quite another matter in summer, when it is definitely advisable to follow Trail 7A.

I walked this trail in the summer only downhill, which allowed me to give a few pointers on this page, but I took virtually no photos. I will remedy this as soon as possible.

Download the trail in GPX format