This is one of the forts of Vinadio. What a day. After a good breakfast and a nice chat with the woman who runs Albergo Strepeis and the posto tappa I took a taxi to Vinadio (had to because there is no public transport). The turist information was closed and maps of the region I needed were not available. What to do?
I decided to take the bus towards Cuneo and the go to Entraque to the proceed to San Giacomo, Trinita and Palanfre as suggested by the Gta guide. While travelling in the bus the Sede del Parco Alpi Maritteme called me and offered advice, so I stopped at their office at Valdieri (which is pretty) and after at least an hour of research and diskussions we figured out a plan. The idea was to walk up to rifugio Valasco, sleep there two nights and do a nice trek to the lakes above the hut and then go back down to Therme di Valdieri where Maurizio would join me Saturday morning to go on a nice trek to rifugio Genova and then San Giacomo.
Nanni Vilani from the Sede del Parco was incredibly helpful and friendly and even drove me up to Therme di Valdieri. From there it is an hour's walk to rifugio Valasco. The weather was ok so I walked up and round myself infront of a closed hut. They had assured me that the rifugista was there and the hut open, but it was closed. Considering the time I hurried to go back down to avoid getting into the dark. But I was worried about what to do when I got back down to Therme di Valdieri, because the albergo there was closed and there are no buses etc to go back down towards Sant'Anna di Valdieri and Valdieri. I was really lucky (there was nobody about and it was late, after five) to meet a young man who was coming down from a peak and offered a ride. We descended together and when we were almost at Terme di Valdieri I had connection with my phone again. Nanni had tried to call and tell me that the rifugista had gone down into the valley to go shopping and would go back up late. But I had almost arrived at Terme di Valdieri. I knocked at the food of the Albergo Turismo there and they let me stay even though they are officially closed. They have treated me nicely and fed me well and even found a way to allow me to have a warm shower even though there was no heating anymore because of works in the house. Great people. I am very grateful.