For this excursion, the starting point is generally Colle Bettaforca (2672 m), which can be reached either on foot along the farm road that climbs up from Staffal, or by ski lift (cable car + chairlift).
From the arrival point of the chair lift, follow the dirt road to the right, passing by a small lake, leading to the entrance of a trail that allows you to climb up a rocky shoulder from which there is a beautiful view of the Monte Rosa massif. The itinerary then continues to the left until reaching the two hills of Bettolina Inferiore and Bettolina Superiore. From here, one crosses a plateau rich in pools of water and small snowfields, and after a short, fairly steep section, one arrives at a particularly aerial and panoramic ridge that acts as a watershed between the Gressoney Valley and the Val d'Ayas. Following this ridge, equipped with ropes, chains and even a small wooden bridge, one finally reaches a rocky esplanade where the Quintino Sella refuge is located, an excellent starting point for the ascent to some of the four-thousand-metre peaks of Monte Rosa such as the Castore and the two Lyskamm.
The descent can take place along the itinerary of the ascent, or, having reached the col of the Bettolina Inferiore, you can deviate to the left and, following path no. 1, descend along steep pastures to Staffal.
