Rifugio Cristina overlooks Alpe Prabello, an oasis of peace (not for nothing "prato bello", beautiful meadow) at the foot of Pizzo Scalino, in the upper Valmalenco. It can be reached from the last hairpin of the road to the Campo Moro dams, or from Rifugio Zoia.
If we choose to start from Rifugio Zoia (m2021), we can park in the large pay car park just below the hut. From there a long, almost level balcony path takes us first to Alpe Campagneda, then gently uphill to Alpe Prabello (m2226, h1.00).
The hut, built in 1924 by Ersilio Bricalli and named after his wife Cristina, is still run by the family (now in its fourth generation), by his great-granddaughters Vania and Valentina.
With Rifugio Cristina behind us, it is worth walking towards the little chapel, and then on for about 5 minutes: we come to the end of the rocky "balcony", and from there the view opens over the whole Valmalenco and a fantastic larch wood. In front of us stand the Disgrazia and the Cassandra, with the peaks of the Bernina on the right.
We return to the car by the same path we came up (h0.45).
