Start : Hotel Croux [http://www.hotelcroux.it/] in Courmayeur.
(S) From the Hotel Croux, go left then left again up Via Circonvallazione then right (South-East) at the roundabout along Viale Monte Bianco.
(1) After 140m or so, turn left again opposite the small Church of Saint Pantaleon to walk along Strada Del Villair. Before leaving the village this road becomes Rue Val Sapin.
(2) After 1.5 Km, before crossing the Torrente Sapin, go past the car park Parcheggio Bertone. Cross over the stream and begin the steep climb up the mountainside heading North-East. The path sometimes follows the track but also cuts across the hillside to shorten the route before leaving the track down in the valley.
(3) Turn left and climb North-North-East in a zig-zag pattern over 500m to reach the Rifugio Giorgio Bertone.
(4) From here there is a choice of route: valley (if the weather is inclement) or mountain (if the views are clear). The preferred choice is the high-level route over the Monte de la Saxe (at 2,346m) that more or less follows the ridge North-East and only climbs 350m.
(5) However, the route continues up to Tête de Bernarde (at 2,533m) and then up to Tête de la Tronche (at 2,584m).
(6) The route drops down to go over the Col Sapin (at 2,435m).
(7) It continues descending steeply to cross two streams near Tza de Sécheron (at 2,265m).
(8) Then it's another steep climb to reach the Col Entre Deux Sauts (at 2,521m)
(9) The route continues East for a while before swinging North to head downhill into the trees.
(10) Just beyond the trees on the right a stream follows the same descent as the path to reach a marshy area known as the Vallone Di Malatra. At this point the path bears left (North-West) through the trees to reach Malatrà Damon.
(11) Continue heading downhill North-West) to the crossroads at Malatrà Desot.
(12) Bear left (West) along the path then right to reach the Refugio Walter Bonatti https://www.rifugiobonatti.it/ (E).
