Flavio “Cico” Del Giorgio is a dynamic 60 yearold mountain fanatic who CAI has entrusted with the overseeing of the Chiara and Walter bivouac situated at 2660m at the Passo di Lei. 

He’s a natural choice and totally committed to the task. Dedicated to Chiara Giuriani and Walter Borzi the ‘yellow dot’ was established in 1982 (CAI, Chiavenna) and has become a must for trekkers tackling the right slope of Val Bregaglia heading for the Valle di Lei, a challenging 5 hour outing.
The most popular route is that from Borgonuovo up to Savogno and along the entire Alpigia as far as the lake. The hut serves as an essential night shelter for trekkers engaged in long excursions and is equipped with 8 beds and a small gas ring to heat up tea, or a warming broth. There’s a stream to the rear. Cico’s role – quite simply – is to ensure that everything remains in working order.

In his own words “In winter I get there on skis for occasional inspections, in spring I’m there more regularly, and in summer I head off from Chiavenna about every 10 days”. “The bivouac provides safe shelter for vast numbers of trekkers” he enthuses ”for the most part foreigners. The visitors book is full of comments of all kinds: the weather, the panorama, the trek itself alongside personal reflections. People are very respectful of the refuge. They understand what we are up against here. We ask that they keep consumption to a minimum. The shelter is invariably clean and I often find contributions left behind. People who are walking in the mountains – especially at this altitude – do so with a sense of responsibility”. 

From this invaluable ‘yellow dot’ Valle di Lei is a popular destination via the Val di Cà linking with the Pian del Nido basin where there’s a further bivouac. Particularly seasoned hikers might also head off to the Avero area which leads to Pizzo Stella. And it’s thanks to the unstinting work of volunteers like Cico getting about safely at high altitude in Valchiavenna has become a reality.