Resorts: Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses
The Grande Chenalette is an austere peak with very few visitors, unjustly so. The itinerary starts at the the Gran San Bernardo pass, at the magnificent lake, and crosses the border between Italy and Switzerland in a very striking environment. In a very short time you can find yourself in a high mountain environment.
From the parking area at the Great St Bernard Pass, follow the paved road to the left before reaching the actual pass, continuing to the museum and the historic St Bernard dog breeding kennels.
A mule track branches off to the left from the building and reaches the remains of the old lift system within a few minutes. A clear path, marked with white painted stripes, continues to the right. The route ascends through a rugged mountain environment, passing grassy slopes on the left before skirting a series of rocky pinnacles on the right. The trail then heads towards the ruins of the upper station of the former Hospice lift at 2,770 m.
Continue uphill to the right, following the red Ferret markings, on a path and scree slopes that remain well marked with white stripes accompanied by three warning triangles. At the third one, a metal ladder overcomes a rocky step and leads to a fixed cable.
A second ladder gives access to sloping rocks that allow passage onto the ridge. Following the ridge to the left for a few metres leads to the summit of Grande Chenalette, marked by a metal pole.
Early in the season, the scree-covered section is often buried beneath a large snowfield; particular care is required in these conditions, as the difficulty increases to approximately PD (Not Very Difficult) on the Alpine mountaineering grading system.
The descent follows the same route as the ascent.
Note - this information is not directly connected to the Cammino Balteo path but it is part of the Aosta Valley tourist offer.