Ristoro La Ciasela

Ristoro La Ciasela sits at 2,050m in the Ligurian Alps, accessible from the village of Triora. The approach takes 2.5 hours from Triora itself, following established mule tracks through beech and chestnut forest before opening into alpine meadow. The hut lies on the GTA (Grande Traversata delle Alpi) long-distance route, making it useful for multi-day ridge traverses in this less-crowded corner of the Maritime Alps. Most hikers arrive from the south via the Colle di Manara saddle (1,678m), a 1.5-hour push from lower trailheads.
La Ciasela operates as a rifugio with basic mountain shelter. The hut sleeps around 20 people in mixed dorms. Meals focus on local Ligurian dishes—pasta with pesto, polenta, cheese—and they cook on request rather than maintaining set meal times. Water comes from a spring. There's no shower, and heating is minimal. The season runs late May through September, though opening dates shift with snow melt. The location works well as a base for day hikes into the Gelas massif or as an overnight stop on longer ridge walks.
Book direct by phone with the keeper; contact details available through the Triora tourism office or via the GTA official website. July and August weekends fill quickly—book at least 2-3 weeks ahead. Outside summer months, confirm the hut is open before heading up.