From the Nufenen Pass into the Obergoms Valley

Saturday Sept.21, 2019 -- On Saturday Urs had some other commitments, but the day was so beautiful, so I headed into the mountains on my own, to complete another section of the "Four Headwaters Trail" of which we now have the Western section done. (This trail showcases the sources of four of Europe's major rivers: The Rhône, the Reuss, the Rhine and the Ticino. Even though we haven't completed the full 82 km yet, we have been to the source of all four rivers.)

Starting at 2500m above sea level at the cold and windy Nufenen Pass (source of the Ticino), I descended 1200m (3.5 hours) into the Goms Valley where the young Rhône River passes on its way to the Mediterranean. Since I still had time, I caught a bus on the road toward the Rhône Glacier, to complete a 3-km piece on a hike to Oberwald that we couldn't complete a few years ago due to rain. That was another 200m descent... total 1400m and 14 km and I had sore muscles for two days afterwards....

I was also fortunate to see the historical Furka Steam Engine do its scheduled run into Oberwald at 16:30. The locomotive on this particular run was manufactured for sale to Vietnam in 1923, and when the Vietnamese abandoned the locomotives after use, the Swiss went looking for them, purchased them back, and spent 12 years on this particular one, refurbishing it for 2 Mio. SFr. to use for historical train trips on the old Furka Line between Realp and Oberwald. 2019 was the first year that it has been in operation, so definitely a treat to see. This is, by the way, the most powerful, small-gauge cogwheel locomotive in Europe. I think Urs was a bit sad that he hadn't come along...

Actually, my plan for the day was to hike to the Gotthard Pass (starting at a Bus Stop higher up on the Gotthard Pass Road), but when I got to Airolo, that plan had to change quickly! Luckily, there was a bus leaving at the same time for the Nufenen Pass, so that was my final decision, although each driver tried to sway me to their destination! (Apparently the Gotthard Pass itself was fog-free, but I wanted to hike lower down)

At the Nufenen Pass (almost 2500m altitude) the sun was shining, but there was a very biting, cold wind blowing, so I was eager to get going on the descent.

This is the route I took to get from the pass to Ulrichen in the Obergoms region. It took me about 3 hours 30 minutes to walk. 

This is the Griessee Dam and the highest-altitude Wind Turbine in Europe

Heading down this valley called the Agenetal (the name of the river here is Agene), then into the perpendicular valley through which the Rhone flows (known here as the Rotten). I was totally alone, no other hikers in the valley (lots of motorbikes, though)

Crossing the river after the first steep descent

Behind me on the left is the Nufenen Pass, and on the right the wind turbines from Lake Griessee (the descent to here starts on the road from the Pass to the Lake) 

Heading down the Valley toward Ulrichen. Here it was a pleasant slope for most of the way

A suspension bridge with no other people on it. In fact, there were no other people hiking here at all.

Crossing the suspension bridge

The town of Ulrichen in the Upper Goms (Rhone Valley) in sight. From here it was another 35 minutes to the train station in Ulrichen. In another couple of weeks, these forests of larch trees will be blazing yellow.

Crossing the Rhone (Rotten) River at Ulrichen

The Rhone River has its source at the Rhone Glacier just below the peak at the back

From Ulrichen I took a bus (10 minutes) to Oberwald, and from there another bus (7 minutes) heading to the Grimsel Pass, but I got out at a place where we had had to end another hike some years ago, and started from there, completing the walk to Oberwald in 50 minutes, even with the detour. My old App showed me that I had to cross a river, but there was no bridge so I had to backtrack, and I ran.... My train was leaving exactly 65 minutes after getting off the bus. 

The piece from Oberwald to Ulrichen we did in 2013, and the hike from the Furka Pass to almost Oberwald we did in 2016. I just had to complete the last piece (approx. 1 hour) to Oberwald.

View from the start of my second hike....

The trail crossed the historical Furka-Oberwald cogwheel train line... would have been cool if the train had passed right here!

The sign is encouraging! At this point I had 55 minutes till my train departed! 45 minutes was going to be a breeze. I didn't count on doing a detour down at the river (Trail no.49, by the way, is the Four-Headwaters Trail, which we had walked previously from the Furka Pass to here)

Lots of pretty mushrooms in the forest

Down at the river I couldn't find the bridge. Turns out I need to update my App. The new trail is elsewhere.

Back in Oberwald in time to see the historical Furka Train descend the mountain into Oberwald. 

The historical train with the brand new renovated locomotive was just descending the hill, so I ran to the train station (another 10 minutes) so I could try to photograph it close up. 

VIDEO:

Historical Furka-Oberwald Train approaching Oberwald Train Station... AND heading back toward the Furka Pass again.

The locomotive was too fast for me. It unlatched and moved to the front of the train before I had a chance to capture it from the side

A few pictures of the new locomotive. 

These are the original locomotives abandoned in Vietnam. The Swiss brought them back at great cost to renovate and upgrade. One of them is now in use on the historical Furka-Oberwald train line.

Heading home from Oberwald the train passes through the new base tunnel to Realp (dotted line), then via the Urseren Valley to Andermatt. This is the Four-Headwaters Trail with the sources of the four major rivers. We have also once been at the source of the Aar River, another important river in Switzerland. 

Heading to Andermatt along the Urseren Valley

Heading to Andermatt along the Urseren Valley

Heading to Andermatt along the Urseren Valley