Becca Trécare
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Access
There are three possible starting points for the climb to Becca Trécare: Cheneil and Chamois in Valtournenche, and Saint-Jacques in Val d’Ayas.
To reach Cheneil (2,105 m), drive up the Valtournenche valley to the main town and follow the road to the car park at La Barma (2,023 m), from where a footpath leads up to the hamlet in about 10'. For Chamois, which is not accessible by car, take the cable car from Buisson, along the road to Breuil-Cervinia. For Saint-Jacques, the last hamlet in the municipality of Ayas, drive up the Val d’Ayas to the end of the road.
From each of these three locations, hiking routes lead to Colle di Nana (2,775m), a pass between Valtournenche and Val d’Ayas crossed by the Alta Via n.1; from Cheneil, you can also reach the south-west face and the base of the north-west ridge.
Ascent routes
Standard route via the east ridge – from Colle di Nana (2,775 m) - EE - 50’
South-west face, via Colle di Croux and the south couloir – from Cheneil (2,105 m) - F - 3h 15’
North-west ridge – from Cheneil (2,105m), with the base of the ridge at 2,480m – AD- – 1h 20’ to the base, then 2h00'–2h30' - (approx. 300m elevation gain on the ridge)
For the descent, retrace the east ridge to Colle di Nana and return to Cheneil via Colle di Croux; alternatively, from the scree saddle at the base of the east ridge, descend northwards into the scree gully and continue along the flat terrain to the grassy hummocks, where you’ll join the path leading down from the Grand Tournalin to Cheneil.
Traverses
Cresta del Diavolo, from Becca Trécare to Petit Tournalin – from Becca Trécare to Petit Tournalin – sections up to grade IV – 1h30
Introduction
Becca Trécare (3,033 m) is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, in the Aosta Valley, on the watershed between Valtournenche and Val d’Ayas. It forms part of the Tournalin-Zerbion Range, within the Aosta Valley Foothills supergroup of the Monte Rosa massif, and lies along the ridge that descends southwards from the Grand Tournalin, between the Petit Tournalin and the Becca di Nana, from which it is separated by the Colle di Nana.
The summit lies at the point where the municipal territories of Ayas, Chamois and Valtournenche meet. It resembles a rocky pyramid with a triangular base, with three ridges opening out towards the Vallone di Nana, in Val d’Ayas, and towards the Vallone di Chamois and the Cheneil basin, in Valtournenche.
The summit can be reached either via the east ridge, following a hiking route from Colle di Nana, or via the north-west ridge, a rock-climbing route.
Description
Becca Trécare is situated along the ridge separating Valtournenche from Val d’Ayas, to the south of the Grand Tournalin massif (3,379 m). Following the watershed southwards from the Grand Tournalin, one encounters, inthe Petit Tournalin (3,207 m), Becca Trécare, Colle di Nana (2,775 m) and Becca di Nana (3,010 m). The mountain is a rocky pyramid with a triangular base; from Cheneil it appears as a pointed peak to the right of the Petit Tournalin. Three ridges branch off from the summit: the eastern ridge descends to Colle di Nana; the south-western ridge, which features a secondary peak at 2,851 m to the west of the summit, slopes down towards Colle di Croux (2,697 m), a broad depression that separates it from Punta Falinère (2,762 m) and connects Cheneil with the upper basin of the Vallone di Chamois; the jagged north-west ridge has an elevation gain of around 300m, with the most challenging sections concentrated on the final rock faces, which are of good quality. The summit is narrow and features a wooden cross. Becca Trécare is the highest peak in the municipality of Chamois.
On the north face, a scree-filled couloir follows the boundary between two types of rock: green stones and calcsist. From the summit, the view is unobstructed in all directions, except to the north, where the Petit and Grand Tournalin limit the view; the Monte Rosa massif, Gran Paradiso and the Rutor are visible.
The name appears in various spellings (Trecare, Trécare, Trecaré). According to U. Balestreri’s interpretation, it means ‘the peak of the three boundaries’, as the mountain lies at the point where the territories of the municipalities of Valtournenche, Ayas and Chamois meet. According to others, the name may refer to the three corners of the summit’s triangular shape.
The first known ascent took place on 10 September 1889, by G.B. Origoni and Giuseppe Origoni, together with G.B. Carrel and Pietro Pession; the sources consulted do not specify the route taken. The north-west ridge was climbed on 7 September 1901 by Giovanni Bobba with Casimiro Thérisod and, for the first time in winter, on 22 January 1983 by Vittorio De Tuoni with Marco Barmasse. The south-west face was ascended on 19 July 1909 by G.B. Bozzino and the Volpi brothers.
Information
General information
Altitude: 3,033 m
Mountain range: Tournalin-Zerbion Range (SOIUSA: Pennine Alps, Monte Rosa Alps, Aosta Valley spurs of Monte Rosa)
First ascent: 10 September 1889 – G.B. Origoni and Giuseppe Origoni with G.B. Carrel and Pietro Pession
Municipalities: Ayas, Chamois, Valtournenche
Valleys: Val d’Ayas, Valtournenche
Mountaineering difficulty: EE / AD