Rifugio Lago Verde, Mountain hut in Prali, Italy
Rifugio Lago Verde is a mountain hut at 2583 meters in the Germanasca Valley of the Cottian Alps, situated beside a natural alpine lake with distinctive green water. The facility contains 56 beds, communal dining areas, and functions as a departure point for exploring surrounding peaks and mountain terrain.
The refuge emerged in 1968 from a former military building when local climbers sought a strategic mountain shelter at this elevation. The structure was expanded twice, in the 1980s and 2006, to provide more capacity and improved facilities for visitors.
The refuge is named after Don Severino Bessone, a co-founder of the local Alpine Club section whose work shaped the region's climbing culture. Visitors today experience this heritage through the simple hospitality and mountain traditions that still guide daily life at the hut.
The hut operates from June through September and serves as a base for multi-day mountain expeditions in the region. The simple facilities and communal meals mean visitors should come prepared for mountain conditions and modest amenities.
The building was originally a military structure with just eight beds before being transformed into a modern accommodation facility. This conversion shows how a simple military installation became an important hub for mountain explorers.
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