First lap: the Alpe Sacchi loop, where Cusio changes face
There are rides that start with a pedal stroke and end with a memory.
The Alpe Sacchi ring, in the heart of western Cusio, is one of them.
The first appointment of the new column “The e-bike according to Mingus” It couldn't have started anywhere else: from an authentic, quiet, mid-mountain land, capable of changing its face with every bend. A land where the lake gives way to woods, chestnut trees give way to beech forests, and every climb seems to speak of something ancient.
With the Verbano Cusio Ossola e-MTB group, we set out from Omegna on a bright morning, the kind that makes you want to be outdoors even before you get on your bike. Lake Orta behind us, the scent of the woods ahead, and that wonderful feeling that only certain rides can provide: knowing that the day will be long, full, and shared.
From the Nonio lakes to the Cusio woods
The route gradually gains altitude, crossing the picturesque Nonio lakes, small bodies of water hidden among the greenery, almost unexpected. The climb alternates between dirt roads and nature trails, always rideable and never monotonous.
And this is precisely the magic of western Cusio: the scenery is constantly changing.
We begin amidst glimpses of lakes and small villages, then come the chestnut groves, with their broad trunks and fragrant undergrowth. Higher up, almost without realizing it, the landscape changes again. The air becomes cooler, the light filters differently, and beech forests begin to dominate the mountain.
In autumn, these woods fill with mushroom hunters, but every season holds something special. A suspended, silent, almost cinematic atmosphere.
The Feu de l'Umbrela: the giant of the forest
And he is also cinematic, the true guardian of this stretch of mountain: the Fo d'Umbrela.
More than a tree, it looks like a creature from a fantasy film. A huge, twisted, dramatic centuries-old beech tree, so perfect in its strangeness that it seems purposefully constructed. Its branches open like ancient arms, the trunk bends into incredible shapes, and all around the forest seems to stop to make room for it.
In front of the Fo d'Umbrela one inevitably remains silent.
Because some places don't need explanations: just look at them.
Stopping here isn't just a break along the way. It's one of those moments that transform a simple ride into an experience. E-bikes leaning against trees, jokes with friends, a few photos, and the feeling of being small before the power of nature.
Alpe Sacchi and the lake seen from above
Then you continue to climb, and slowly the panorama opens up.
Alpe Sacchi appears almost suddenly, amidst meadows and wide horizons. Here, the mountain changes character once again: the forest gives way to light, pastures, and views stretching toward Lake Orta, now distant and dwarfed by the altitude we've reached.
Yet that lake we started from is still there, visible from the refuge's tables, almost as if to remind us of the entire journey we've made.
The lunch break thus becomes an integral part of the trip.
Time slows. We eat, we laugh, we discuss the climb we've just made and the one still awaiting the group. All around, the silence of the mountains and the light wind blowing across the Alps.
These are the moments that make a ride with friends special: not just the ride, but the simple pleasure of being together.
Ranghetto, Camasca, and traces of mountain life
The descent continues past Ranghetto, a natural watershed between Cusio and Valsesia. A place that still retains the feel of a truly lived mountain, that of shepherds and mountain pastures.
Here, traces of a harsh yet authentic life endure, made up of seasons, pastures, and silence. The huts still tell a story of that past and seem to watch over the paths that crisscross these slopes.
From Ranghetto, you then reach Camasca, a small, secluded mountain pasture with houses nestled close together and large, open meadows all around. A simple place, yet one that immediately conveys a sense of the true mountain.
From here the road descends again towards Quarna and finally towards Omegna, completing the loop.
Pedaling to feel part of the territory
There are routes that are remembered for their technique, others for their effort.
This tour, however, stays inside for the atmosphere.
Because Alpe Sacchi isn't just a destination and an e-bike route. It's a journey through a constantly evolving landscape, yet one that always retains its authentic soul.
And perhaps this is precisely the meaning of “The e-bike according to Mingus”: using the bike not just to go far, but to truly experience places. Stop, observe, share.
Pedaling together, laughing during a climb, discovering a centuries-old tree hidden in the woods, having lunch overlooking the lake.
In the end, the best rides are the ones that make you want to start again right away.
