Starting from Oropa, this time after a simple homemade breakfast, we walked back past the Basilica and continued toward the mountains. At first, I was alone on the trail, but before long other hikers began to appear. A notable point along the route was a cable car station, where several hikers had arrived. From there, another cable car was supposed to continue higher into the mountains, but it was not operating.
In the distance, a large building was visible high on the mountainside. As I approached, it became clear that it was another former cable car station—completely abandoned, with no cables remaining. Upon reaching the mountain pass, I was immediately overwhelmed by swarms of mosquitoes and decided to move on without stopping.
At around 2,500 meters of altitude, dense fog set in. On the far side of the pass, progress became much more difficult, with the trail crossing fields of coarse, loose rocks. The long traverse toward Rifugio Coda felt endless, and several sections were exposed, requiring careful footing due to the risk of falling.
When I finally reached the refuge, I was chilled to the bone. Only then did I realize that I had developed hypothermia, brought on by the combination of fog, altitude, and prolonged exposure—something I had not fully noticed while still moving.