Viganò Leonardo e Figli In Ballabio

18/02/2024: 04/29/2023 . Elisa da Rongio refuge. I stopped for lunch on this trek from Rongio. Enviable position, beautiful, sunny refuge, I ate really well, friendly welcome, true and sincere compliments. Good portions and reasonable price. Directions to get there. Go above Mandello to Rongio, take the green Val Meria and go all the way up. First on the orographic left side to cross the stream as soon as you enter the valley on a small bridge, ending up on the opposite side. Here begins the path that immediately passes by the Grotta Ferrera or Acqua Bianca and the crossroads for the Gardata path. Then off to the very long valley between shrubs and broad-leaved forest. The last stretch passes under the imposing Sasso Cavallo and the lateral Sasso Carbonari, finally reaching the refuge surrounded by greenery on the coast that joins the Grigna and the Grignone, also called the high crossing. The small but comfortable refuge overlooks the panorama of the valley, after this long walk, well-deserved and good refreshment.

27/12/2023: Boxing Day 2023, to dispose of it we start directly from Mandello. Stop and exploration of the Ferrera cave, headband and good footwear required, about an hour. Better to read up first so you don't get lost. Climb to the Elisa refuge from the endless mule track, it never flattens out to the refuge, definitely an excellent workout. From the refuge you can take different itineraries, continue uphill or descend towards Gardata and Era