Lago Vago, overlooking the Forcola di Livigno, is known for its incredibly vivid colour, due to the presence of white copper sulphate (the white film is visible on the stones washed by the lake's waters), which reflects the sunlight and gives the lake a unique blue hue. Despite its beauty, the lake is relatively little known, partly because of the lack of facilities / huts and partly because of the somewhat "rustic" state of the path.
The hike starts at the 2315 metres of the Forcola di Livigno; there are a (few) parking spaces near the pass and Rifugio Tridentina. The route to Lago Vago is a hike of about 6 kilometres and takes 1.30/2 hours depending on pace. The path, narrow but well marked and easy to follow, heads into a wide basin east of the pass, then climbs its eastern slope in a few small zigzags.
As we climb one rocky step after another, the Bernina opens up behind us and keeps us entertained for a while. Further on, just as we begin to feel we have taken the wrong way, we follow the faint path on the level towards a boulder field (m2790, 1.20 hours), on reaching which the lake finally appears (100 metres below, on our left). We take one of the many paths that run haphazardly down to the lake to reach its turquoise waters (m2687, 10 minutes).
Experienced hikers/mountaineers can extend the hike to Monte Vago (m3050), reaching its slender north-west ridge and then following it up to the summit cross.
The return follows the same path (m2315, 1 hour).
