LAGO NAMBINO MOUNTAIN HUT
«When I arrived in Milan, I thought, ‘I’ve missed out on the underground until the age of 20! It felt like I’d landed in fantasyland’. Then, after a few years, I asked myself whether it was really worth missing out on everything else… Contact with nature, the fresh air.» This image stands out in the story told by Luca D’Acquisto (30), manager of the family business, which includes the Rifugio Lago Nambino in Madonna di Campiglio, handed down through four generations. It is located 1,780 m above sea level and nestled between the Adamello mountain range and the stunning Brenta peaks.
«I grew up outdoors with my cousin. We used to spend the whole day in the woods and mountain streams, climbing trees, building wooden huts, shing for trout…»
Two opposite lives, between the city and the Dolomites. The life of mountain hut keepers is fascinating, but running a mountain hut also means hard work: settling in an isolated environment, that can be only reached on foot. «In summer we all live in the hut, while in winter there are a lot of things to think about: keeping the trail accessible, clearing the yard, getting wood for heating.»
It is the story of a family spanning four generations and nearly a century in a hut that seems to have stepped out of an old fairy-tale book, on the shores of an alpine lake: in the 1930s Luca’s great-grandaunt inherited a part of the land. Later, his great-great-grandfather Giovanni and his grandfather Renzo saw the potential for a business and expanded the property with rooms and a restaurant, until in 2007 the refuge was demolished and rebuilt completely from scratch.
Another noteworthy project is certainly the ‘Patascoss-Nambino Accessible Nature Trail’, so that everyone can reach the hut, including people with disabilities. This path is only open during summer due to avalanche risks in winter.
An enchanted place- in summer, it is painted with every shade of green, while in winter, it is wrapped in the purity of nature, in a white, snow-covered landscape. Even the lake freezes completely.
«If I had to choose the most beautiful season, I’d say autumn: the surface of the lake reflects all the colours of the foliage, in a stunning display of changing shades.»
If in doubt, go see it in every season: it is open every day, from June to September and from Friday to Sunday from October, including holidays. It is a 25-minute walk from Madonna di Campiglio.
