Pian Cavallone: a balcony overlooking Lake Maggiore

This adventure takes place in the mountains, but far from my usual Dolomite destinations. We're in Piedmont, more precisely in the province of Verbania, on the eastern side of the region overlooking Lake Maggiore.
Guests of our friend Tomaso, a long-time adventurer, and today also accompanied by Guido, we set off on an exploration of places new to us and certainly far from my usual standards.
Our goal is the Pian Cavallone Refuge, located on the plateau of the same name overlooking Mount Todano (also known as the Balmitt). We reach the village of Caprezzo along narrow roads, where we find a single tavern, so characteristic that it was even mentioned in issue 4415 of "La Settimana Enigmistica" in November 2016.
We park in the large clearing of the Cappella di Porta, which also has a small picnic area. From here, we take the R05 trail, clearly signposted by the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) to the refuge.
The route initially appears as a wide dirt path, with obvious traces of vehicles used to maintain the forest we are entering. The climb is steep from the start, up to about 1,150 meters above sea level, where the road ends. A sign on a tree guides us to the actual trail, which winds through beech and fir trees in the damp undergrowth.
We are in the Val Grande National Park, the largest wilderness area in the Alps, a territory devoid of permanent human settlements. The park preserves historical treasures, such as rock carvings and the remains of the Malesco and Miazzina necropolises. Along the climb, several wooden educational stations offer valuable information on the flora, fauna, and local history. It is thanks to one of these that we are able to identify a peculiar bird spotted along the way: a beautiful treecreeper!
We continue along a pleasant, never-too-strenuous trail. The forest protects us from the sun but, at the same time, envelops us in persistent humidity, the perfect habitat for mushrooms. The environment is clearly suited to their search, and indeed we encounter some local hunters. A word of advice: make it clear right away that you're just hikers; you'll avoid the wary glances that will follow you for hundreds of meters!
Shortly before 1,450 meters, the slope eases. Light filters through the last trees, and soon we're out of the green lung. Here, I invite you to turn southeast to admire the splendid view of Lake Maggiore: a mirror of water reflecting the blue sky, framed by lush slopes. A stream carrying water to the refuge heralds the last short climb up the steps that, in a few minutes, lead us to the Rifugio Pian Cavallone, at 1,536 meters above sea level.
From the Porta Chapel, we climbed about 450 meters in altitude in an hour and a quarter of leisurely walking. We didn't stop and continued toward the Pian Cavallone Cross, crossing the splendid plateau that stretches before us. This natural terrace, nestled between the Val Grande and the Intrasca Valleys, is a place steeped in history, legends, and the toil of mountaineers and early explorers.
The most dramatic chapter in the history of Pian Cavallone was written during the Second World War. Due to its strategic position, the area became one of the first and most important centers of the partisan resistance in Verbano. As early as the fall of 1943, one of the first bands formed here, and the former Pian Cavallone Hotel became a shelter and field hospital for the partisans of the "Valgrande Martire" division.

• Mountain

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  Monte Todano

• Address

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  Intragna, Verbania, Piemonte

• Altitude

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  1655.00 m

• Refuges

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  Rifugio Pian Cavallone

• Information

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  Rifugio Pian Cavallone

Arriving at the Pian Cavallone Chapel, we still see signs of that period. From here, we glimpse a cross high up and, assuming it's our destination, we begin climbing, following a steep trail between grass and dirt. Checking the map, we realize we're climbing toward the summit of Monte Todano - i Balmitt (1,655 m). Soon, we reach it, conquering our first summit of the day!
Meanwhile, low clouds have enveloped the plateau, blocking our view of the lake. Satisfied with the summit, however, we quickly descend and, undaunted, head toward the true Pian Cavallone Cross, west of the chapel. The trail continues almost flat, crossing meadows reminiscent of the "Elysian Fields" from the film "Gladiator." At the end of this golden field, the metal cross finally appears.
We retrace our steps, this time heading to the refuge to satisfy an increasingly insistent hunger. Luca, the manager, welcomes us, kindly and cordially seating us outdoors, explaining the homemade delicacies on the menu. We devour everything so quickly that we also order a platter of local cured meats and cheeses. Honorable mention goes to a truly heavenly sheep's milk cheese: "I Vec" or "Pasturello," typical of Valsassina, Luca's native valley. While we enjoy the food, the cool air, and the silence, it's worth recalling a bit of the refuge's history. The Verbano chapter of the CAI, founded in 1874, identified this location as ideal for a base. After purchasing the land for the symbolic price of one cent per square meter, the refuge was inaugurated on July 29, 1883, one of the first examples of an alpine refuge in the region.
Back to our roots, after enjoying an excellent craft beer, we enter the refuge where Luca offers us the perfect digestif: a grappa made with pine cones from the larch tree that provided shade during lunch!
We say goodbye and thank Luca for his fantastic hospitality and head back up trail R05. The clouds finally begin to thin, offering us magnificent views of Lake Maggiore before re-entering the forest.
Like any self-respecting mountain place, Pian Cavallone also has its own legend. It is said of a beautiful blonde shepherdess with whom the rugged shepherd Martinas fell in love. Rejected, in a fit of rage, he killed her. He fled on his white horse, but the animal stumbled, dragging him into a ravine. Since then, it is said that on the nights of Ferragosto (August 15th), a headless horseman appears on a white horse, condemned to wander forever.
Lost in these stories, we almost reach the parking lot without realizing it. And right there, at the edge of the trail, we notice a large porcini mushroom... but we pretend not to notice, so as not to unleash the ire of the mushroom hunters who may still be watching us from the branches!
Thus ends this unusual adventure, in an area new to me but capable of offering the most authentic mountain experiences: nature, history, and flavors. An excursion suitable for everyone, where the effort is amply rewarded by the exceptional hospitality of the Pian Cavallone Refuge.