Taf pass (2404m), trail 1B

From Colle Garda to Colletto Taf via Monte Rena, Taille and Taf

Mont Rena from Punta della Regina

Trail 1B starts from Garda pass and arrives at Taf pass (2404m). It is 1882m long and the total positive elevation gain is 590m.
The approximate time for the route is 2h00. The trail is rated EE difficulty.

The warning along the ascent to Mont Rena

NOTICE: according to the Catasto Dei Sentieri della Valle D’Aosta, this trail is broken in the middle, and divided into two sections: the “not present” section is therefore not officially passable. Those who decide to attempt to hike Trail 1B completely do so at their own risk.

For this reason very little frequented, just a stone’s throw from the crowded Punta della Regina, 1B is a remarkable route that theoretically connects the Garda pass (near Punta della Regina) at the Colletto Taf (above the Frudière Lakes), passing sequentially through the peaks of three mountains: the Mont Rena (2514m), whose summit is reached directly, the Mont Taille (2561m) and Mont Taf (2523m), whose peaks are reached after a short detour from trail 1B. From the summit of Mont Taille it is possible to continue to reach also Punta Weismatten (2454m): I have not done it yet, so this route is not described in this sheet.

The dangerous grassy stretch

Indimidating signs at the entrance from both Garda pass and Taf pass warn those who venture out that it is“very difficult!” and indeed this is a trail reserved for those who are not afraid to tackle a couple of rather dizzying passages. One, in particular, between the Rena and Taille, is at the trail break, according to the cadastre, and in fact is in my opinion one of the most dangerous of all the trails in the valley, because it requires crossing a treacherous, decidedly steep grassy slope for about 10 meters. There was probably a “walkable” trail here at one time, but then there must have been a landslide that wiped out the trail, and grass grew on the landslide over time. Warning: steep grass is dangerous. If the same slope were on rock you would overcome it with almost no thought, but with grass it is a different matter, because it is slippery and offers no stable footholds. Therefore, I recommend extreme care should you decide to walk this trail.

More information on level of difficulty, ascent times, maps and GPX tracks

Photo Gallery

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The ascent to Mont Rena from Punta della Regina

1C goes straight ahead, 1B goes up to the right

View from the summit of Mont Rena (2514m)

Mt. Rena from which you have just descended

The rope passage, and the rock formation to be circumvented

The dangerous grassy stretch seen after the crossing

The sign pointing to the summit of Mount Taille

From the summit of the Taille, the 1B trail going up to the Belvedere

From the summit of Taille, the 1B trail up to Punta della Regina

From Mount Taille the mountain you can see is not the Taf

The trail goes around this anonymous mountain

View toward Taille and Rena from Mont Taf

The signal at the exit from 1B, for those entering it from the Taf pass

1. Start and finish

Trail 1B 1 starts from Pass Garda, the elevation is 2279m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.7459375688, 7.80675572038

Trail 1B part 2 reaches Taf pass, the elevation is 2404m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.7356155053, 7.82254107636

2. The route

When we arrive at Gombetta Lake, in front of us we can see the Garda Pass. Continue along Trail 3A, which would lead to the top of Punta Regina to the point where, below the hill, there is a fork to the left.

As you can see in the image below, going to the left you have to walk very few meters, and then you have to be immediately careful because the 1B trail going up to Mont Rena rises vertically from the trail we are on, and it may be very inconspicuous if the vegetation is particularly lush. If you continue straight ahead, take trail 1C, which goes to Pra Bianco Pass. Therefore, be very careful not to get too far ahead.

As you can see in the image below, trail 1B is half-hidden by that bush on the right, while 1C continues straight and clearly visible.

1C goes straight ahead, 1B goes up to the right

Past the entrance into 1B, the rest of the track has no more obscure points. You continue to climb the trail with turns, reach a large cairn…

The cairn along the ascent to the Rena

…and continue over more rocky terrain, where an ominous inscription is encountered:

The warning along the ascent to Mont Rena

We are not intimidated and continue with a firm heart: the terrain becomes steeper and sometimes slightly exposed, and it is sometimes necessary to rest your hands on the rock. Thus the first stage is reached: the Mont Rena (2514m) .

The summit of Mont Rena (2514m)

From Mont Rena you can still see the Mollino Refuge.

The Mollino Refuge from Mont Rena

Descending from Mont Rena you encounter the difficult points of the route: first a rock along which you have to descend with the help of a rope, and immediately after another rock formation that you have to go around with a very easy but very exposed passage.

The rope passage, and the rock formation to be circumvented

The trail shifts to the right of the ridge, and it is a few dozen meters later that you come to a point where you are faced with a very steep and uneven grassy slope, with apparently no trail, that you must cross. I recommend not relying on the uncertain support of snowshoes, which are best kept in the backpack: slow, short strides, and grasping at tufts of grass assaying their hold.

The photo below shows the slope, before the crossing. You should NOT proceed horizontally, because you would end up on those rocks you see in the center of the picture, and there it would be really impossible to continue. It is necessary to move upward.

The dangerous grassy stretch

In fact, in this photo, taken after passing the section, it can be seen that the old trail evidently climbed, given the placement of the almost erased markers.

Past this point, a second signaling is encountered that warns those coming from the Colletto Taf of the difficulty of the piece about to be tackled, but for those of us coming from the Colle della Garda it means that the difficulties are over.

The beginning/end of the difficulties

From here on, in fact, we return to a trail that is not always very obvious, but no longer dangerous. Continue always keeping to the right of the ridge, and you come to a grassy slope above which it is evident that the summit of Mont Taille is located.

This is the first point where you have to leave the trail: you ascend in the direction of the summit, without any well-defined trail to follow, moving first on grass and then on stones (the terrain is always safe and without difficulty) aiming at the highest point, which is also easily identified because there is a small sign there (I will not spoil the surprise for those who are curious to know what is written there).

The sign pointing to the summit of Mount Taille

This leads to the summit of Mount Taille (2561m) .

The summit of Mont Taille (2561m)

From the summit, descend back along the outward route until you cross trail 1B, which you abandoned, and continue south, staying on the right side of the ridge, until you reach a wide pass. Pass the pass and turn back to the right of the short ridge, and turn (still staying to the right) around an anonymous rocky mountain, whose elevation is even higher than that of Mont Taf (which it in fact hides).

The trail goes around this anonymous mountain

Once past this anonymous mountain, the silhouette of the very nearby Mont Taf immediately appears : you go around it this time on the left until you reach a grassy shoulder, below the obvious summit, where you will glimpse an uncertain trail climbing to the right and leaving the main 1B trail.

Mont Taf as seen from the trail

Following this trail and scattered cairns, you will reach the summit of Mont Taf (2523m) in no time .

The summit of Mont Taf (2523m)

Descending from Mont Taf, you return to the main 1B trail that you had abandoned, and follow it downhill until you reach Taf Pass, where it crosses trail 1A coming from Weismatten and the warning sign “Very Challenging!” addressed to those entering 1B.

The signal at the exit from 1B, for those entering it from the Taf pass

From here you can of course turn around and redo the whole ridge in reverse, but the best solution is obviously to take trail 1A and return to Weismatten.

Longer alternative for the return trip: take 1A in the opposite direction, that is, descending to Frudière pass, and at the pass take trail 1 back to the valley in Zer Trino.

3. The GPX track

This is the map of the trail, according to the SCT Trail Cadastre of the Aosta Valley.

Download the trail in GPX format

4. A recent hike

20/08/2021

On this hike I started from the valley and climbed up to the Weismatten following trail 2. From Weismatten I climbed up to the Garda pass following trail 3A. From the Garda pass I followed trail 1B described in the current sheet, and then returned to the Weismatten following trail 1A. At Weismatten I descended to the valley following trail 2 again.

A nice gallop, somewhat disturbed by the not-perfectly-clear sky, with clouds that in places shrouded the tops of the three mountains on which I was climbing.

Download the trail in GPX format