"Tour du Lac de Moiry 2500" with Overnight across from the Moiry Glacier

Tuesday and Wednesday Sept.8-9: One time this year we wanted to spend a night in an Alpine Hostel overlooking a glacier. There are several such hostels in many side valleys in Canton Valais, particularly the French-speaking section. Lots of research showed us that many require a climb of 1000m (probably too much), or are situated at very high altitudes with vestiges of remaining snow from an early summer snowfall.

Back in 2017 we had an opportunity to discover a fabulous reservoir lake (Lac de Moiry) in such a side valley, the beautiful Val d'Anniviers, and we walked around that lake on a day hike at the time, but on a low trail ("Tour du Lac de Moiry 2250"), as it was October and it had snowed, and we were unsure of the condition of the higher trail. Sitting at the foot of the magnificent Moiry Glacier, we spied the Alpine Hostel high up on the cliff and determined, one day we would hike up there. 

(Fotos of that hike are also posted,  --> Click Here)

That became the plan. We phoned ahead, there was no snow (even though the hostel is located at 2825m). Total ascent in two sections: 800m. Few reservations expected because it was a week-day. (We found out later that every weekend this summer the hostel had been fully booked with 78 people, but this night we were only twelve! Good for us, as we didn't have to share the 4-bunk dormitory room).

At the back of the Val d'Anniviers, in the ski village called Grimentz, we spent the night in a quaint hotel so that our trip with public transit was only a 20-minute bus ride at 9:45 a.m., pick-up directly in front of the hotel. About 4 hours and 30 minutes of walking on the high trail (at 2500m) along the East side of the lake, and lots of breaks for photos, we arrived at the Hostel at 3:30 p.m and got to bask in the sunshine and spectacular views for three hours before they called us in for supper....

Next morning we left before 8 a.m. and descended in the shade of the mountain, with equally fantastic weather, going up the hill again on the West side of the lake, arriving back at the dam at 1 p.m. in time to enjoy a local specialty called Génépi (a herbal liqueur made of a plant that grows only on glacier moraines) before our long, 5-hour trip back home....

Our Hotel at the very South End of the town of Grimentz. The host said we had a "Superior" room. It was very nice and quiet and reasonably priced.

The bus stopped right next to the hotel, and from here it was a 20-minute ride up to the lake at the back of this valley. Staying here at the hotel meant we could have a leisurely breakfast before boarding the bus at 9:45 (Grimentz doesn't get a lot of sun in winter, as you can tell by the shade here at 9:45)

The road that comes up from Grimentz to the Moiry Dam (photo taken from the dam)

Moiry Dam. Before starting on our hike on this side, we walked across the dam for an early morning look at the back of the lake. Across is the trail we descended the next day.

Early morning light on the Lac de Moiry and the Moiry Glacier at the back, to the South

We started our ascent at the parking lot down by the dam, climbing over 500m up on the East side of the lake.

No ibex or chamois on this day, but a couple of marmots were whistling at us!

After the first 300m climb up from the dam, our trail heads South, where we climbed another 200m or so.

Some places along the trail receive little sun at this time of year, and were wet and slippery. In this one place a mud-slide seems to have come down recently, and we had to cross carefully.

As we head South, we are blown away by the magnificent scenery in all directions, especially looking back where we came from.

Coffee break above the beautiful turquoise-coloured lake

A break to take in how lucky we are to experience this.

The moon above the peaks to the West

A little detour above a ravine

Sometimes I set up the tripod for a photo of both of us together

Finally we get a glimpse of the Moiry Glacier. Our trail descends to the moraine on the left, and then another 300m or so climb to the hostel.

We have lots of time this day to admire our surroundings, as there are no buses to catch! (There is a car park below at the little lake, so very practical for people who want to get a close look at the glacier without hiking in!)

Close-up of the beautiful Moiry Glacier. The hostel is above the moraine on the left.

Alpine flora currently in bloom.

On this trip we saw no Valais Black-Nosed Sheep, but rather the famous Eringer Fighting Cows native to this area (they originate from the Val d'Hérens, one valley over to the West)

Descending to the moraine

Walking along the moraine before the steep ascent to the hostel

The magnificent glacier moraines -- debris left behind when the glacier recedes -- show us that this whole depression was once filled with ice. 

There were surprisingly many people descending from the hostel, as there is a car park at the South end of Moiry Lake, and so the Hostel can be reached in a day trip, to have a drink and admire the glacier before returning to their cars.

Close-up of the surface of the glacier tongue

I was very tired and it took us a long time to cover the last section of the trail, zigzagging up along the rocky debris.

Not much further now, the roof of the cabin has come into view.

The original Moiry Hostel, Swiss Alpine Club

It's 15:30 when we reach the hostel terrace. Our dormitories this night are in the newer, modern section, as there are only 12 of us spending the night, and the rooms are smaller in the modern section.

We basked for three hours in the sunshine up here, above this magnificent glacier.

Not much to do now except enjoy refreshments, the sunshine, and the knowledge that we are very lucky to be able to have this experience of overnighting so close to a glacier.

Moiry Hostel and Glacier

A large piece of the glacier has collapsed here. The glacier will melt quickly now, because the sunshine warms the exposed rock, and the ice around it melts faster than it normally would.

Stunning crags show how the ice piles on top of itself as the glacier moves.

As we sat on the terrace, we could hear pieces of ice breaking off the glacier. This wound is fairly new!

A view down the valley to the South end of Lac de Moiry (we came across the flank on the right). Both moraines are visible reminders of how much ice used to flow here.

VIDEO:

Moiry Glacier as viewed from the Hostel Terrace

Ready for our dinner at 18:30 in the sunny modern hostel dining room.

Most of the 12 hikers spending the night here came in groups of two, so we each got a 4-bunk room to ourselves. That was a bonus, not sharing with strangers.

The times provided to walk these alpine trails don't seem to take into consideration the terrain. With the steep rocky ascent to the hostel, the trail South on the East side of the lake on Day 1 took at least 4 hours, not 3:10 as the trail marker at the dam claimed! The way out was about 3:30.

Early morning on Day 2: The first rays of sunshine on the highest layers of snow. This was approx. 7:30 a.m.

A final photo of the glacier before we start our descent at 07:45. We descended in the shade right down to the smaller glacier lake at the car park.

Heading back down from the hostel, a look at the glacier all in shadow. Up above is the hostel.

At the bottom of the valley, we crossed by the smaller lake (Lac de Chateaupré) South of the car park, and headed to the West side of the valley, where we ascended again, but in the sunshine this time.

"Tour du Lac 2500" means a round trip of the lake at the elevation of 2500m. You can also walk around the lake at lake level, as we did three years ago (basically). That is called "Tour du Lac 2250"

Heading back up the hill so we can return to the dam by walking North along the West side of Lac de Moiry.

Another little alpine lake called "Lac de la Bayenna". Another break here to observe a couple of our "hostel mates" from the night before, who are crossing the pass behind me (something we actually would also have liked to do. It's a very long descent on the other side to Evolène in the Val d'Hérens).

Only a handful of other people up here besides us.

First of many stunning looks behind us back to the glacier, as we head out from Lac de la Bayenna.

Magnificent look-out point.

Up ahead where the young man passed us along the trail, was the best place for views both up and down the lake, and to watch the helicopter flying cargo from the next valley over.

Time for a couple of photos of me, one toward the glacier in the South.....

.... and another view toward the lake to the North.

VIDEO:

Panorama up and down the lake

One short narrow and steep passage. The rest of the trail was easy to walk.

There is always a lot of helicopter work being done in the alpine regions. Easiest way to transport goods from the next valley over.

As we get closer to the dam, the view behind us becomes more and more magnificent.

Time for a lunch break. This cabin is familiar to us, as we had come up to this pasture before descending to the lake, the previous time we were here.

Another 30 minutes from here back to the car park on the other side of the dam

A herd of Herens cows are still grazing at these high altitudes. They will soon go down to lower pastures.

Some fantastic reflections on the lake. Down below you can see the wide trail that runs around the lake at the lower level. 

A final zoomed view of the magnificent glacier

Descending to lake level

On the other side of the dam is the restaurant where we are planning to enjoy a local specialty before catching the 13:40 bus back down the Val d'Anniviers. Also, the zigzag road on the other side is where we ascended the day before.

View of the lake from the far West side of the Moiry Dam

Magnificent construction. The hydro-electric operation here provides 120,000 local homes with power.

A local specialty: Homemade ice cream with Génépi liqueur, made from plants that grow only on glacier moraines.

In 2017 we walked around the lake on the lower trail, because it had snowed and we weren't sure what the condition of the trail was higher up. But we went almost to the glacier tongue, and saw the hostel, and decided we were coming back some time to walk the upper trail in 2 days, with overnight at the hostel.

Heading back down the Val d'Anniviers toward Sierre (by bus). We had to take three different buses, a total of 90 minutes on the bus before reaching the Rhone Valley! And altogether 5 hours travel to get home.
The large town below is Grimentz, and our hotel was near the large parking lot below.

Heading through Grimentz down into the valley

As the bus heads down the East side of the valley, a glimpse back to the mountains behind Zinal shows what the peaks should have looked like while we were walking the Bisse des Sarrasins irrigation trail. 

Lots of pretty villages as we head down the valley.

Coming into Vissoie where we have to change buses again. Behind Vissoie on the other side of the valley is the hamlet of Pinsec, which we passed through two days earlier

Last stretch of steep and winding roads... across the valley is Vercorin and the Crouja valley where we walked two days earlier, and where the 14th Century irrigation trail was built into those cliffs.

Final descent to Sierre in the Rhone Valley. From here we can catch a train home.