Aided path of the Waterfalls

Introduction:

The Aided path of the Waterfalls is an easy itinerary that extends along the gorge made by the Gaina stream in the province of Brescia. The itinerary does not present technical difficulties and presents a beautiful landscape suitable also for families and children.

Starting location:

The starting point of the itinerary is the village of Gaina in the municipality of Monticelli Brusati, Brescia. In Monticelli Brusati you pass the bus station and proceed for a couple of minutes until you see an indication (white sign) indicating Gaina on the left. Take the uphill road that soon becomes narrower. We reach the village where the road saddles. We hold the right and immediately we meet a parking lot where we will stop.

Directions for Google Maps available here.

Approach:

From the parking lot straight ahead we will see a brown sign indicating "Cascate". We continue on the initially paved road until we reach a crossroads where we will evaluate which route we decide to take: the easy one or the one for experts (10 'from the parking lot). The option we present in the report is to walk the expert trail on the outward journey and the easy one on the way back.

Via Ferrata:

We go down to the bed of the stream where we initially proceed both on the right and on the left orographic side depending on where it is dry. Large stones are used to cross it. We come to a saddle that leads us back to the easy path. We ignore the saddle and proceed towards a waterfall where the aided path begins. We start by going up a metal ladder of about ten meters and then continue alongside the stream in a beautiful environment between stratified rocks and woods. At this point, after a first curve, we will notice that the gorge in which the stream flows narrows and begins - finally - the aided part. We start on the orographic left with some chains that allow us to continue on inclined rocks. At a certain point we will have to pass on the orographic right for a short traverse which, with the help of 3 brackets for the feet - avoids us to put our feet inside the stream. We continue slightly diagonally and cross the stream again. We now follow a rocky ledge that rises diagonally next to the stream (pay attention to the wet rock).

We cross the stream again and - except in summer - we will bathe our feet in this stretch. On the other side of the stream we find the chain near a waterfall where we meet the only vertical aided stretch. Go up this 6-8 meter wall with the help of brackets and cross the stream again. We are in the final stretch of the route where we soon continue on the path to the last beautiful waterfall. Next to this waterfall, the second staircase goes up beyond which this easy and pleasant trip ends (1h 15 'from the start - 1h 30' total).

Descent:

From the end of the staircase, go up the track to a crossroads that will indicate if we want to return to the village with the easy or expert trail. So in fact we could go backwards for the aided path or for a quicker return we use the easy variant that extends higher than the stream. We follow the path and reach the village then the parking lot (30 'from the end of the route - 2h total).

Notes:

This itinerary, even in its variant for experts, does not present significant technical difficulties. It is also suitable for beginners and has low exposure in all its features. Attention should be paid to the humidity due to the torrent which could make some passages a little more difficult but we always remain on easy difficulty levels. If traveled in the summer it could present the stream dry or with low flow.

Opportunities:

The Aided path of the Waterfalls is a beautiful itinerary that could be combined - energies permitting - after one of the most difficult routes in the area. For example the difficult one Ferrata the Corno del Bene or the Aided path Trentapassi. Passing through Val Trompia you could also reach some interesting trips such as the Via Ferrata Caspai, the Via Ferrata Nasego or the Parco delle Fucine di Casto.