Bec d'Ovaga, from Alpe Casavei

Access

Take the motorway and exit at the Romagnano Sesia - Ghemme tollbooth; continue along the main road in the direction of Biella; after passing Romagnano Sesia and the bridge over the Sesia, turn right at the roundabout after the bridge and follow the signs for Doccio, Crevola, Parone, along the road that runs along the Sesia on its orographic right-hand side, until you reach Crevola. Pass Le Piane and reach Alpe Casavei, where you can park along the road.

Introduction

The Bec d'Ovaga or Res is a beautiful peak at the beginning of Valsesia. It is an exceptional vantage point over the east of Monte Rosa and the Vercellese and Novarese plains. The peak, with the Spanna refuge just below, can be seen high up on the left from the road to Varallo; it is not a very high altitude excursion, which is why it is an excellent winter destination when there is snow higher up. The Spanna refuge is managed by the Varallo section of the National Alpine Association.

Description

Leaving the car behind (809m), walk along the track that runs steeply through the wood until you reach the dirt track, which you follow among the beech trees until you reach Alpe Campo, where it ends (1070m, 0h50').
Take path , which climbs up through the wood, has a section with beautiful steps carved into the stone, and arrives at the little chapel of Alpe Pastore. Shortly after the little chapel, on the ground, a signpost indicates an alternative path to the right for the descent, to be taken on the way back; we continue the ascent in hairpin bends through the wood, while above us we get a better and better view of the hut; the path becomes steeper, comes out of the wood, and shortly arrives under the wall of the Spanna hut and in front of the little chapel (1600m, 2h00').Behind the hut (be careful in case of snow or ice), a steep and somewhat exposed path reaches the summit of Bec d'Ovaga, at 1640m, in 10 minutes, with its fantastic panorama. Back down to the hut, retrace the uphill route to the fork where we had noticed the signpost, before the little chapel, and turn left; the path climbs and descends, freshly marked, moving almost horizontally for a good stretch, then enters a splendid beech wood, and we follow it effortlessly downhill, walking through more than half a metre of very light leaves; Once upon a time they were also used to make mattresses, and the women of the valley would gather them, making sure they were very clean, and sell them for this purpose; when I was a child at my grandparents' house, I also slept on one of these straw mattresses, in the cot; the only drawback was that when I turned over, the leaves rustled and I woke up... After a long descent into the forest, the trees finally thin out and we arrive at the meadows of Alp Casavei. In the middle of the meadows is the Cappella dei Poveri (Chapel of the Poor); we cross the meadows to the right, take the dirt track, and shortly return to the car (1h15').