UKC

I'm curious about the Petit Col Ferret on the Italian-Swiss border. On the TMB I followed the standard route from the Rif Elena over the Gran Col Ferret.

From what I saw from the Elena hut and from pictures I took the Petit Col Ferret looks horrendously steep and lumpy on the Italian side-although it might be an illusion of perspective-but much less so on the Swiss side.

The IGN map shows a path from Elena. Has anyone crossed it or got any first hand knowledge or picture of it?

In reply to mypyrex:

Bump

In reply to mypyrex:

I've ski toured up the Swiss side (and then up the Tête de Ferret). It's gentle easy terrain. It's certainly steeper on the Italian side. I guess the route goes over the Grand col Ferret as there is more opportunity for a longer zig zag approach to it on the Italian side and I suspect also that the terrain is probably more stable. In respect to the latter, there are too many footpaths that have been built recently in the alps with very little forethought, that have created monsters that need constant attention. The Europaweg springs to mind...

In reply to jon:

Thanks. Interesting. This appears to be the Swiss side:
https://media.camptocamp.org/c2corg_active/1439017501_1275836179BI.jpg

In reply to mypyrex:

Yes, it is very steep on the Italian side. A somewhat eroding footpath on steep grass as I remember from about 12 years ago. Regularly spaced border markers on the watershed, just to be clear where Switzerland starts and Italy ends.

In reply to thread:

Sadly, when I crossed the Gran Col in early September, there was little to see and it was f@cking cold. Otherwise I was going to walk towards the Petit Col. I suppose it would be feasible to ascend from Italy to the Gran Col, traverse to the Petit Col and down into Switzerland that way. Just by way of a variation.