Bocchetta di Eclou (2526m) and Punta Valnera (2754), trail 4

From the Staller Waterfall to the Bocchetta di Eclou (Continuation to Punta Valnera)

From the Bocchetta Pass, looking toward the Gruebe Alp.

Trail 4 starts from the Staller Waterfall in the hamlet of Greshmatto and arrives at Bocchetta di Eclou (2526m). It is 3996m long and the total positive elevation gain is 1146m. The approximate time for the ascent is 3h27. The trail is rated of difficulty E.

Staller waterfall, the trail starts a few meters to the right

The waterfall formed by the Staller stream, which cuts through the Queen’s Path at one point (heading to Savoy Castle), is one of the most famous, photographed and visited spots in Gressoney, itself a destination for placid walks for families with strollers and light footwear. A few meters from this idyllic setting, as is often the case in Gressoney but never more so than at this point is the contrast strong, a path starts that in a short time throws the hiker into a lonely, rugged and challenging valley.

Zoom from Punta Valnera on the center of Gressoney-Saint-Jean

Well traced almost to the end, the last section up to the Bocchetta is quite steep and requires a surplus of effort that makes the finish all the more satisfying. The Bocchetta di Eclou pass connects Val d’Ayas with the basin of the Estoul lakes, which can be reached in a very short tampo via the Val d’Ayas trail 6B. Once at the Bocchetta, it is possible to reach, in about an hour, Punta Valnera (2754m), one of the peaks just above the village of Gressoney Saint Jean (perfectly visible from the summit). You can get there in two ways: either along a rather challenging ridge trail (via the continuation of Trail 4), or by following an alternative route without any technical difficulty that reaches the Valnera Colletto and then climbs directly to the Peak. Punta Valnera is about half an hour from the Valnera Pass (2676m): you can descend to the Pass and return to the valley no longer from the outward route, but directly following Trail 5.

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

Photo Gallery

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The view of Gressoney-Saint-Jean as we ascend along Trail 4

The intersection with the W trail at 1870m

In 2021 some pious soul mowed down the dense rhododendrons that until the previous year stood in the way

Staller Alp (2020m), from the top of the trail

Alpe Gruebe (2280m): the pass is the first opening from the right

Chamois on the snowfields above Alpe Gruebe

The Bocchetta Pass, from the top of the scree above

The lakes of Estoul, on the slopes of Ayas (August 2020)

The lakes of Estoul, on the slopes of Ayas (June 2021)

Past the scree, the ridge towards Punta Valnera

Circled in red are one of the bolts to follow, the collar on the left and Punta Valnera on the right

From Punta Valnera, Estoul Lakes and Mount Bieteron (2764m)

1. Start and finish

Trail 4 starts from Staller Falls in Greshmatto, the elevation is 1380m. See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.7722603433, 7.8254485547

There are several parking spots along the road below the Staller Waterfall. You can also leave your car at the large parking lot by Lake Gover and continue to the waterfall by taking the Queen’s Trail to Savoia Castle.

The arrival location is at the Bocchetta di Eclou. Altitude is 2526m. See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.7767443234, 7.79620719365

2. The route

The trail starts near the famous Staller Stream Waterfall, which is located along Queen’s Trail 15.

From the road, the signs for trail 4: climb up to the waterfall

From the road, the signs for Trail 4: Climb to the waterfall

As soon as you reach the waterfall, the trail starts to its right.

The start of trail 4 next to the waterfall

It begins to climb steeply and steeply in the shady larch forest, at first skirting the waterfall and then moving to the right. You pass a ruin and start climbing again, always occasionally moving to the right: it is after you have overcome about 400 meters of elevation gain that you come out of the trees into a wide clearing where you will find ruins of Alpe Roncké, at 1878m…

Alpe Ronché, 1878m

… and the intersection with the 1W Walserwerg trail.

The intersection

with the 1W trail at 1878m Continue for about fifty meters along the trail to the left, until an obvious fork indicates the branch to Trail 4, upward.
Below, however, continue along trail 1W.

The detour from Trail 1W to Trail 4

From here you gradually leave the shelter of the trees: the trail climbs at a gentler gradient than the first section but still sustained, crossing large expanses of dense wild rhododendron bushes that hide the tributary rivulets of the Staller stream.

In 2021, dense rhododendrons that until the previous year were obstructing the path were mowed down

In 2021 dense rhododendrons that until the previous year obstructed the path were mowed

down At 2000m, shortly after fording a stream to the left, at a yellow marker…

The sign a few meters from Alpe Staller (2000m)

…you can see a vague trail that leaves the main path to the left: if you follow it for a few meters, you will overlook the other side until you see the Alpe Staller, which otherwise would always remain hidden.

Alpe Staller, 2000m

Continuing on the main trail, ford the stream back to the right and continue the ascent moving gradually up the right side of the gorge.

You ascend the right side

of the gorge After a change of slope at 2217 meters,Alpe Gruebe (2280m) finally appears, in the middle of a wide basin dominated on the left by Mt. Ciosè. The Bocchetta Pass is visible on the far right of the final ridge.

2217m, Alpe Gruebe and the final basin appear.

You get to Alpe Gruebe via two different paths, one to the left and the other to the right (yes, there are two different sets of yellow vignettes, probably from different eras). I always follow the one on the right, which climbs keeping to the edge between the meadow and the boulders on the right: there are numerous bolts and cairns that make the path quite intuitive.

Alpe Gruebe (2280m): the vent is the first opening from the right

Alpe Gruebe (2280m): the nozzle is the first opening from the right

The trail turns behind Alpe Gruebe on the right, and heads left toward a stream whose sound can be heard. You climb by keeping to the left at first, ascending to the rock face above, and then making a handful of wide turns when you are in the final quarter of the ascent. Below is the detail of the route, from Alpe Gruebe (lower right) to the vent (upper left).

Gruebe to the vent

This is undoubtedly the most strenuous section of the trail because it is decidedly steep.

the steep final stretch to the vent

It is not without breathing a sigh of relief that we finally reach the Bocchetta di Eclou pass (2522m).

The cairn at the Bocchetta di Eclou

A video from June 17, 2022 with the view from the Bocchetta di Eclou.

From the Bocchetta Pass, looking toward the Gruebe Alp.

The lakes of Estoul, on the slopes of Ayas (June 2021)

Mount Bieteron and the lakes of Estoul (June 2022)

The Bocchetta Pass, from the top of the scree above

Continuation towards Punta Valnera

From the Bocchetta Pass it takes about an hour to reach Punta Valnera (2754m), following two different routes of varying difficulty.

The first (in red in the map below) follows the continuation of Trail 4 along the ridge leading to the point: definitely not recommended for those with vertigo, as there are 3 easy climbing passages, but one of them is quite exposed (in red in the map below).
The second (in yellow in the map below), without any technical difficulty, leaves the ridge after a few meters, descending on the side of the slope on the Val D’Ayas side, and continues practically straight until it crosses the Val d’Ayas Trail 6A, which climbs from the Estoul Lakes. Trail 6A points directly to Colletto di Valnera (2681m), from which, in a very short time, you will reach Punta Valnera (2754m).

The map also shows (again in yellow) the possible alternative return which, from the Valnera pass, descends to the Valnera pass from which you can then return to the valley via trail 5.

Connections with Punta Valnera

The first section is in common: continuing northward from the Eclou pass, climb up the short scree slope following the obvious tracks until you pass the rocky spur that allows you to look out again along the east side of the mountain.

Past the scree, the ridge towards Punta Valnera

You pass a helicopter landing pad, and it is shortly after that the two paths fork.

The helicopter platform

1) Punta Valnera via Colletto Valnera

After less than fifty meters from the helicopter pad you will see on the left an obvious trail, with yellow bolts, that leaves the ridge and points toward the distant notch. To the right, however, Trail 4 continues along the string of wooden avalanche guards. In the photo below you can clearly see one of the bolts to follow, just off the route along the right ridge; the distant Valnera col and punta Valnera, on the right.

Circled in red are one of the bolts to follow, the collar on the left and Punta Valnera on the right

The trail traces in this first section are very shaky, there are sparse markers and a few cairns here and there: when in doubt continue to proceed keeping horizontal, without losing too much altitude. One must continue in this way until crossing the very obvious tracks of the Ayas Valley Trail 6A, which climbs vertically from the Estoul Lakes.

Trail 6A climbs up to the Valnera Colletto

In less than a hundred meters of elevation gain, you will reach the “bocchetta” (2681m)…

The Valnera collar, and Valnera point to the shoulders

… and with a final scramble over crumbly terrain we arrive at Punta Valnera (2754m).

2) Punta Valnera along the ridge (trail 4)

From the helicopter platform, continue straight past the avalanche guards until they end.

The path climbs next to avalanche guards

Continue to climb along the bump on which you are climbing, following vague tracks but mostly pointing to the cairns that here and there indicate the way.

One of the cairns to follow

When you reach the end of the hump, you have to go around the rocky antecedent that precedes a small notch, beyond which the rocky ridge to the summit starts. There is only one tricky spot here, where if you are fooled by the trail markings you would attempt to climb in adherence by cutting through a wide but steep flat rock: you actually manage to go around it on the left, with a few exposed but certainly less risky steps.

You don’t have to go up directly, you go around to the right

Past the anticima, you can see the entire ridge to Punta Valnera. The route is less dangerous than it may appear from this point.

The ridge appears after the summit

There are three or four points where climbing is needed, but it is always very easy and safe climbing because the rock is never vertical: only one is slightly exposed, but it is overcome with a few elementary movements.

One of the easy climbing sections, the paddle to give the proportions

One of the easy climbing sections

Also among the points to be overcome is a step of about two meters downhill, over which one is able to “unclimb” without problems or danger.

The step you descend disarramping

The last section is directly on the ridge, which is quite aerial but never dizzying: it reaches the summit directly without any additional steps. From Punta Valnera, the view sweeps from south to north over the entire range that continues beyond the Eclou vent to Mont Nery, over the Estoul Lakes, over Mount Bieteron beyond the Valfredda Collet to the west, over the Corno Bussola to the northwest, and over Punta Valfredda to the north.

Punta Valnera, 2754m

A video from June 17, 2022 with the view from Punta Valnera.

From the summit, the lakes of Estoul (June 2022)

From the summit, Estoul Lakes and Mount Bieteron (June 2021)

Overview from the summit toward Corno Bussola on the left and Punta Valfredda on the right

From the summit, the route to the Valnera Colletto

3) From Punta Valnera, return from Colle Valnera.

Instead of taking the outward route, you can return to the valley along Trail 5, descending to Valnera Pass (2675m) , which is located north of Punta Valnera.

The descent to Colle Valnera

You have to descend to the Valnera Pass, and instead of returning to the Bocchetta di Eclou by turning south (left coming down from the point), you have to take the opposite direction (north, right coming down from the point). You descend into the basin below, and come following the trail to a fork (indicated by clear yellow markers) that points in the direction of 5C, which descends, on the left, to the Arp hut in Val D’Ayas. Instead, one must continue right along trail 5 (from Val d’Ayas), which climbs about 50m of elevation in about 20 minutes to Valnera pass (2676m) .

Valnera Pass and the ridge towards Punta Valfredda (June 2021)

The

Valnera pass and the ridge to punta Valfredda (June 2021) From the pass, you can then return to Gressoney-Saint-Jean along trail 5 (from Gressoney’s Golf Course, the end point of trail 5, to the Staller waterfall, add about one kilometer). This is the map of the trail, according to the SCT Trail Cadastre of the Aosta Valley.

3. The GPX track

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

Download the trail in GPX format

4. A recent hike

16/6/2021

I hiked this trail in June 2021 by taking precisely the route described on this page, that is, ascending to Bocchetta di Eclou, continuing to Punta Valnera, and descending to Colle di Valnera from where I returned to the village via Trail 5. Of note on this day:

A big mistake: I started very late, given the season (at 8 a.m.), and I suffered quite a bit from the sun, which pelted me relentlessly as soon as I left the tree line.
Winter 2020/2021 was very snowy: I found qundi several snowfields on the route from Bocchetta to Valnera Colletto. I passed them without any particular problems, but they prevented me from following the correct trail at times.
I spotted (and photographed as always from too far away) a herd of chamois on a small snowfield above the Albe Gruebe.
I lost the trail just above Gruebe Alp, following vague tracks that turned out to be wrong, but fortunately managed to find it again just above thanks to the GPS track I had uploaded to my phone.
Descending down the deserted Valnera, I met a female ibex with a gorgeous cub who stood watching me in amazement, letting me get quite close.

Download the trail in GPX format