Lake Vei del Bouc

One of the most classic excursions in the Park. The climb isn't short, but it isn't overly strenuous, either, because the many switchbacks limit the steepness of the incline to manageable levels.

A few dozen meters downvalley from San Giacomo di Entracque (1209 m), the track crosses a bridge over the Gesso della Barra torrent. Passing by the picnic grounds and the turnoff for Ponte della Rovina and Trinità di Entracque on the left, the route follows the paved road, closed to private traffic, that crosses through woods full of magnificent beeches and firs before coming to the former Royal Hunting Lodge and the Principessa Elena barracks, which now serve as lodgings for summer camps and are owned by religious groups.Behind them (fountain), the road becomes unpaved as it penetrates the Vallone di Moncolomb, climbing up in switchbacks, still through shady beech woods. After a long tract in the woods, having passed by several secondary paths and turnoffs (mostly shortcuts), the track passes by the humble Gias dell'Aiera (1342 m, 30 minutes from San Giacomo), the point of departure of an old mule track used by Savoy hunting parties. The route continues on the unpaved road, which, when it levels off, comes to the mouth of the Pra del Rasur. Passing by the old (and not easy to spot) mule track on the left for the Vallone Frassinetto, the track emerges from the woods and also passes by the short extension to the Gias del Rasur on the left. The dirt track descends into the broad pasture meadow below and runs through it on the orographic right of the torrent until reaching its end at the ruins of the lower Gias del Vei del Bouc (1437 m, 40 minutes from the Gias dell'Aiera). Near the ruins of the gias the dirt road ends at a fork, and two mule tracks diverge: the one on the right leads to the Pagarì Refuge, but the route follows the track on the left, for Lake Vei del Bouc. The mule track climbs gradually up the slope on the side of the valley in a series of switchbacks, passing through a copse of beeches twice before reaching the mouth of the Vallone del Vei del Bouc.Following the footpath, the route traverses to the southeast, crosses a brook and begins to climb again in a very long series of broad switchbacks up the sun-kissed slope.At an altitude of about 1840 m, where a switchback veers left, the route leaves the original path, obstructed by a rockslide, and follows a recently cleared trail to the right. The trail, which stays close by the torrent that spills out of the lake, snakes uphill among grassy slopes and detritic rubble before rejoining the old mule track followed previously.The route follows the track to the right, and comes to a turnoff after just a few meters: veering off the main path leading to Colle del Vei del Bouc, the route takes the turnoff to the right and crosses the footbridge over the torrent spilling out of the lake. After a couple of turns on the mule track, which reappears at this point, the route comes to the basin of Lake Vei del Bouc (2042 m, 2 hours from the lower Gias del Vei del Bouc).There is a Park Service building in the meadow near the lake.