Ascent from Riale to Rifugio Maria Luisa.

6km +550m a pedaled and very panoramic climb with hairpin bends to the right which are suitable for taking pictures. Before the refuge you will find a branch to the right and you will arrive with a steep climb to Lake Kastel.
Diga di Cartapesta" was the name of the earth barrier (14.50 m high, 87 m long and 3 m wide at the top) which closed off the lake to the south. On the night of 16 November 1923, after an enormous roar, it collapsed. The workers who were sleeping in the shacks nearby, just had time to escape. An avalanche of water and mud rushed downstream towards Riale and the Toce waterfalls. Fortunately, there were no human losses; instead some animals perished and the valley was covered in debris .
Later (1924-1928) the current dam was built. It too immediately showed infiltration problems and in 1955 gave way.
Only at this point were surveys made and it was found that the underlying soil was (and is) calcareous with gypsum and karst cavities. Therefore the project was definitively abandoned.
The two lateral sections of the dam were remodeled leaving a central opening from which a spillway emerges. Now the waters of the lake, which has returned to its natural state, do not even touch the old dam.

Wonderful panorama from the top of Riale, the Formazza valley, and Lake Morasco.

Enjoy the view🏞️