An Attempt at the Strada Alta (Failed Plans A and B)

October 22, 2016 – So, not all of our hikes work out the way we plan them, especially if we didn't really think out a Plan B.

Saturday's forecast was for wonderful weather in most of Switzerland, but as luck would have it, our train had a malfunction, and we missed the connection for our original plan (Gommer High Trail). A quick decision to change plans took us 10 minutes through the tunnel to South of the Alps where it is usually also sunny, but this day there were thick clouds for a change, and very cold. And the Strada Alta (high trail) in the Leventina Valley which starts in Airolo turned out to be mostly along paved roads....

Now, I can handle paved roads if the weather is warm and sunny, or I can handle cold and cloudy if the trail is interesting, but I hate paved roads in cold weather, so we gave up after 2 hours into the 5-hour hike and walked back to the valley to catch the bus/train back home.

Most depressing was emerging back to the other side of the tunnel into wonderful sunshine. Should have just stayed North of the tunnel, but sometimes quick thinking doesn't always have the best results. I crawled into bed to bemoan the loss of perhaps one of the last nice days before 5 months of winter...

The day started out very promising as we head South toward Göschenen in the hopes of catching our connecting train (no such luck).

Just South of the Gotthard Tunnel looking North over the Alps where the skies are blue and the weather maybe warmer...

Along the Strada Alta (High Road) in the Leventina Valley.

Looking down into the Leventina Valley from the Strada Alta (High Road) near Airolo.

After 2 hours of walking mostly along paved roads, I was too cold to continue, and here in Altanca we headed back down to the valley bottom.

Cross-roads in Altanca, with the option of heading back into the valley.

Heading down from the Strada Alta (High Road) to Piotta in the valley.

Altanca

Our hike down the hill is along the Piotta-Ritom Funicular / Power Plant line. This old building must have been related to the Power Plant.

Under the Ritom Railway, one of the steepest funiculars in the world.

The Ritom train is one of the steepest funiculars in the world (over 87% gradient).

New wagons have replaced this original, in one of the steepest funiculars in the world (87%)

The Ritom train is one of the steepest funiculars in the world (over 87% gradient).

We valiantly walked 2 hours of 5 along the Strada Alta (high road) in the cold along paved roads before I gave up in Altanca.