Trail 2 starts in Stafal, just before the grocery store; see the photo from Google Street View:
The departure of the 2 from Stafal
Shortly after the start, a sign indicates a detour for the trail to the right: walk a short distance on level ground until you reach the wonderful chapel of San Grato, built in 1643, a virtually unknown jewel, hidden by a house that stands right in front.
The Chapel of San Grato
You reach the paved road and cross it, following the yellow marker post that invites you to climb along a dirt road. After a few dozen meters you can see signs on the left inviting you to climb to the right.
The detour on the initial dirt road
You climb up a steep meadow with several turns until you reach a wide dirt road, which in winter is part of the return route to Staffal.
You go up the meadow until you reach the road visible above
Continue along the dirt road for about two hundred meters: at a fork, follow the signs for trails 11 and 2, heading uphill to the left.
Turn left at the fork
Ignore the signs for Trail 11: after about 100 meters, you’ll come to an uninhabited cabin, with the signs for Trail 2 clearly visible next to it.
The cabin with signs for Trail 2
From here it starts to get serious. The trail climbs to the left of the hut, initially along the ridge (passing by other ruins), then moving to the center of the small valley on the left, until it passes the area of trees.
Abandoning the trees, the trail climbs halfway up the hillside
Once the trees are over (about 2140m), the trail continues at a gentler slope, skirting a rocky front on the left. One passes two rocky steps and, circling around the shoulder of the relief, finally comes to see the esplanade where the beautiful huts of Welfsch Gaveno (2643m) stand.
The lodges of Welfsch Gaveno, 2453m
You reach the mountain huts by following the trail—which isn’t always very clear—passing them on your way as you continue almost level until you come to a junction with
TRAIL 6A, WHICH
comes from the right (and which leads to Gabiet: this is where you join those heading up to Punta Telcio or Lago Blu from the Gabiet cable car station).
The intersection with trail 6A
After passing a small and picturesque waterfall…
Waterfall on the Endrebach stream
…The trail continues for a flat section until it reaches at 2511m a small dam that bars a small artificial lake.
The dam as seen from above trail 2; the trail approaches it from the right
At the dam, the trail forks: we continue left uphill, following the signs for trail 2.
At the first fork in the road, turn left
A little further on, there is another fork in the trail: here, too, continue to the left, following the signs for trail 2.
At the second fork in the road, turn left again
As soon as you take the left fork, you’ll come to a small, unnamed pond (no, this isn’t the Blue Lake). Go around the pond on the left and follow the clearly marked trail.
The trail climbs toward Lago Blu
After climbing up a steep but easy rocky gully, the Blue Lake (2,687 m) suddenly comes into view behind a small hill . On clear days, the Vincent Pyramid is reflected in its waters.
The Blue Lake in October
As soon as you arrive at the lake, you’ll see a white spot on a rock: head to the left, keeping the lake on your right, on a slight uphill slope at first.
Don’t follow a yellow arrow a short distance away that points downhill, unless you want to take a look at Lago VerdeGreen Lake (2,634 m).
Green Lake, as seen from the Blue Lake elevation
Continue on, keeping Blue Lake on your right. When you see a yellow arrow, be sure to head strictly in the direction indicated by the arrow, as shown in this photo.
The arrow indicates the direction to follow
You pass the first step at 2,731 meters: in the distance, you can see the ridge you’ll be climbing, beyond a dried-up pond. Several cairns can be seen along the ridge even from a distance.
The ridge to head toward
You’ll pass by the beds of a few dry ponds; continue straight toward the ridge, following the yellow arrow.
The yellow arrow indicating the trailhead
Once you reach the ridge, follow it. You’ll find markers here and there, but don’t worry if you can’t always find the next one: keep going with confidence; at the end of the ridge, the markers will become frequent again.
Climb confidently along the ridge
At the end of the ridge, there is a trail marker indicating that you should turn right: head uphill toward the yellow trail markers visible a short distance away, which lead to the left.
The arrow at the end of the ridge
At 2,754, you reach the new slope, where you can see the summit of Punta Telcio and the challenging traverse across the scree field
The ridge with Punta Telcio: to the right, the col which is reached from the traverse
Once past the scree field, you’ll reach the final ridge after climbing a small hill at 2,769 meters, where you can finally catch a glimpse of the other side, along the Salza valley, beyond which the Alta Luce stands out—accessible via
TRAIL 7C
.
Alta Luce from the pass for Punta Telcio
Once the pass is reached, Punta Telcio and the cockerel on the summit cairn are quickly reached by climbing the simple grassy ridge, staying to the left (to the right the mountain drops steeply).
Overview from Punta Telcio northward
From the summit, you can’t see the avalanche barriers, but on the other hand, you’re truly spoiled for choice: the 4,000-meter peaks of the Monte Rosa massif, the headwaters of the Lys River, Testa Grigia, the Rothorn, Punta di Netscio, Punta Ciampono, Mont Nery, and Stafal: on clear days, everything is perfectly visible, thanks to this peak’s central location.
Overview from Punta Telcio southward
