GR20 – Day 16

6/27/19 De Carrozu to Ortu Di Piobbu

Stage two today. Choice of an easy route through a valley or high route over the mountain. We opted for the high route and so we started with a climb. We gained around 3,000 feet of altitude on a rocky trail with several short sections of scrambling to get to the first pass (Bocca).

From there the amount of scrambling increased as we followed the ridge, dropping a bit and climbing a bit and dropping again. Most of the traverse was perfectly fine. We came across couple spots where we had to pay extra caution, one was short ledge with three or four exposed steps, the second one had us down climb a 10 foot drop onto a small exposed spot from where we had to climb back up on the other side. The rest of the scrambling was quite tiring but not not super difficult.

When we started descending, it was a long downhill on a boulder field that eventually led us onto a rocky path through a forest of short leafy trees. There was little shade but we came across a beautiful cold water source so we stopped and made cold coffee which was very refreshing.

Refuge Ortu Di Piobbu burned down earlier this year. Temporary arrangement were made so that hikers still can get accommodation and food. We were told that this was not really a nice place. We found otherwise. There were several really nice sites in the shade of trees, and several more in the open with views of the valley. Plenty of shade to enjoy an afternoon drink with friends. And the guardian was a friendly guy. Nothing to complain about.

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NOTES:

As of June 27th, camping was €7.00 per person

Dinner was €19.00 per person. There was not much to the dinner, legume soup, pasta with little sauce and corn, and a pudding for dessert. I could have easily eaten two of these dinners.

Store does not carry bread or crackers but they had Corsica cookies and snickers bars.

Campsites in forest were lovely but I noticed large amount of flies every time we walked through. The sites in open are on sun during the afternoon but we did not have any flies buzzing around and the view was lovely.

Water source is 80 meters from the Refuge and to get to it, there is a small uphill.