Tschamut to Sedrun in the Surselva Valley

(November 8, 2015) -- This unusual warm weather we have been enjoying means we have a longer hiking season, but we have to plan our travel well to avoid places where the cable cars don't run anymore (revision before ski season) or narrow valleys where the mountains cast shadows.

Sunday morning we headed through the Gotthard Tunnel to just South of the Alps to hike in the Bedretto Valley, but as we took the bus up the valley we quickly saw there would be little sun all day. So we headed right back through the tunnel again and up high into the Alps where we would be sure to have lots of sunshine (and no snow!)

Just East of the Oberalp Pass we did an 11 km hike (3.5 hours) in the Surselva Valley (where the Rhine River has its source) from Tschamut to Sedrun. Great for hiking but the ski areas have all their snow machines up and ready to make snow but it's just not cold enough.

First attempt for a hike was the Bedretto Valley, but there is shadow all day, so we headed up higher to the Surselva Valley, East of the Oberalp Pass

Heading toward the Oberalp Pass from Andermatt, looking West

Oberalp Lake at the Oberalp Pass, Switzerland

Oberalp Lake at the Oberalp Pass, Switzerland

Oberalp Lake at the Oberalp Pass, Switzerland. The old wagons of the Gotthard-Matterhorn train have windows you can still open. I prefer those to the modern cars.

Dammed Lake across from Tschamut in the Surselva Valley. This is a destination for next summer.

Little village of Tschamut in the Surselva Valley. It lies quite a bit lower than its train station. 

Tschamut in the Surselva Valley, Switzerland, the starting point of our hike. From here we first have to climb steep upwards almost 200m.

This is near the ski area of Milez. There are avalanche barriers everywhere

Ski village of Milez, desperately hoping for snow!

Looking down the valley toward Sedrun from the ski village of Milez.

We didn't take the direct route to Sedrun, but walked along the hillside.

Looking East down the valley toward Sedrun from the ski village of Milez.

They are desperately waiting for snow here. Hard to believe we are at 1900m above sea level, and those peaks are almost 3000m up with little snow.

Lunch time at 1900m above sea level, November 8, 2015, and no snow yet! 

At the back, in the dip, is Lake Toma, the source of the Rhine River. That is 2300m and the North side, so it has snow.

Enjoying the last rays of sunshine!

Heading down to Sedrun to catch the train back home. 

Sedrun, Switzerland

On the way back to Andermatt and Goeschenen