Salero Pass and Lakes (2,687 m), Trail 8 (new)

From Stafal to the Rothorn Pass/Salero Pass/Salerforkò

The little valley of the Rothorn photographed from the Rothòre

Salero Lakes from the Salero Pass

Trail 8 starts in Stafal (1,841 m) and ends at the Rothorn Pass (also known as the Salero Pass or Salerforkò) (2,687 m). It is 4,860 meters long, and the total elevation gain is 855 meters.
The estimated time for the climb is 2h20. The trail is rated of difficulty E.

On the right side of the Bettaforca valley, near the Albergo Ristoro Sitten hotel (where you can stay overnight), lies the Rothorn valley, which ends at the Rothorn pass, just below which are the two Salero lakes. From the Rothorn Pass, on the Ayas valley side, trails 10 and 11 start, crossing the Contenery valley.

Trail 8 does not present any technical difficulties. Since you can skip the first part and take the cable car from Stafal up to Sant’Anna, it’s always very crowded. Along the initial part of the trail there is a magnificent view of Mount Rosa, towering majestically behind the climber.

Before returning to the valley, near the cable car departure station, it is worth making a short detour to admire the chapel of Sant’Anna.

Please note: Until 2025, this trail was numbered 8A and started in Sant’Anna.

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

Photo Gallery

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The dirt road to the Bettaforca Pass starts from Jutz.

The path climbs in the direction of the opening at the top

The marshy shelf below the Salero lakes.

From the Rothorn Pass, the two lakes of Salero

From the Rothorn pass, the Contenery valley to the Ayas valley.

From the Rothorn Pass, the Bloabhòre and the saddle connecting it to the Rothorn

1. Start and finish

Trail 8 starts from Stafal, the elevation is 1841m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.8598466868, 7.81251405414

The arrival location is the Rothorn Pass. The altitude is 2687m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.8499741979, 7.78268867397

2. The route

Leaving the car in the giant parking lot in Stafal, we drive up the road to the bridge over the Lys. Take the left side of the river (orographic right) on the dirt road that passes by the houses. A little further on you will find the yellow marker for Trail 8. Soon you will catch a glimpse of the wonderful Oagre Chapel, well hidden by all the recent construction.

Oagre chapel dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows

The dirt road climbs to his left at a very gentle slope, initially running along the side of the “Murmeltier” toboggan run. After several hairpin turns, and after crossing a ski slope, you’ll reach the Sant’Anna plateau (2,180 m), next to the top station of the Stafal-Sant’Anna cable car. I definitely recommend taking a short detour to the famous Chapel of Sant’Anna, which is located a short distance away if you continue along the road leading away from the cable car station.

Sant’Anna’s Chapel

Next to the cable car station is the Rifugio Jutz, and higher up, on a hill, you can see the Albergo Ristoro Sitten . Next to the rifugio Jutz, a dirt road branches off and climbs toward the Bettaforca Pass.

The dirt road to the Bettaforca Pass starts from Jutz.

Head up the dirt road until you reach the last curve leading to the Ristoro Sitten : on the left, you’ll see the trail markers pointing to Trail 8.

The path climbs in the direction of the opening at the top

From the signpost marking the start of Trail 8, looking at the trail and the slope that will soon be climbed, and then taking in the view of Sant’Anna and the nearby Albergo Ristoro Sitten.

You almost immediately cross a small bridge over a stream, and move to the opposite side of the valley. You’ll soon come to a fork in the trail; the left fork leads to the old Trail 8A. Anyone who would still like to try walking along it will find several sections with high wooden steps.

The new trail, on the other hand, climbs more directly up the slope above.

This first section is quite steep and climbs in sharp turns. Once you’ve overcome this first (and only) challenge, you emerge onto a marshy plateau at about 2,480 meters, where the Salerobach stream splits into a thousand rivulets. The old Trail 8A came in from the left: you crossed the stream by walking over a series of rocks. With the new trail, that’s no longer necessary.

The marshy shelf below the Salero lakes.

Still keeping to the right, the trail continues to climb at a gentler gradient, first skirting a stony basin…

The stony basin

…and then arrive at Lower Salero Lake (2627m)…

Lower Salero Lake

…and, a few meters above, to Upper Salero Lake.

Upper Salero Lake

Continuing along the trail, a final very short stony ramp leads to the Rothorn Pass (2687m), the final point of the route.

From the Rothorn Pass, the two lakes of Salero

The view from the Salero Pass.

One more step:

Southwest of the Rothorn pass (and about 200 meters in elevation gain), an unnamed saddle set at 2852m divides the Rothorn (3152m) on the left (more easily reached from Gressoney-La-Trinité and following TRAIL 10 ) from the Bloabhòre ( 2912m) on the right (also more approachable from Valle D’Ayas). According to some guidebooks (I never did), by looking for your way through the sea of rocks, you can reach this saddle quite easily: it is an excellent vantage point over Gran Paradiso, Grivola, Rutor, Mont Blanc and the southwestern peaks of the Aosta Valley.

From the Rothorn Pass, the Bloabhòre (right) and the saddle (2852m) connecting it to the Rothorn (left)

To the north-northeast of the Rothron Pass, some guidebooks point out the possibility of ascending along an obvious gully to a small lake at 2745m from which there would be an excellent view of the Rosa range and the Lys.

Below is a 3D view of the area in which I have highlighted the Rothorn pass and these two optional destinations.

3. Map and GPX track

This is the official map of the trail as recorded in the SCT Trail Registry of the Aosta Valley.
You can download the GPX track of the trail if you want to use it later in your favorite app.

Download the trail in GPX format