Stockalper Trail from Simplon Pass to Gondo -- Part I

Sunday June 13, 2021 -- On our second day at the Simplon Pass, we left the Hospice early (after a standard hostel breakfast) for the +5-hour / 20-km hike we had planned for the day: "Local Trail no.90: Via Stockalper", a themed trail describing the restoration of the very old mule trail by Kaspar Stockalper, a local wealthy politician from Brig. Along the way we learned a lot about the region from information placards: Even though the trail was restored in the 1600's, it fell into disrepair after Stockalper lost his fortune. But some of the buildings along the trail are even older than that.

There was such a wide variety of interesting things along the way: High alpine landscape, miles and miles of meadows, old villages, several of Napoleon's original bridges from the 1805 road he built, another pass of the hamlet of Gabi, and finally a 2-hour walk through the Gondo gorge which included a sighting of an ibex, metal walkways beside, under and on top of the highway, but most surprisingly an 300-m stretch through a poorly-lit tunnel which is part of the old Gondo Fort, a military installation built to protect from invasion by the Italians in WWII. The hike ended at Gondo on the Italian border.

A note of interest: Even though Napoleon's Road over the pass has been mostly renovated and modernized, the course he chose in 1805 has been pretty much retained. Also, apparently, this was the first navigable road in the western Alps.

Since the stretch we did is "officially" TWO of the three sections of the Via Stockalper Trail, and since I have so many photos, I will also split this album into two:

PART 1: Simplon Pass to Simplon Dorf (Simplon Village)

This 10-km section takes about 2.5 hours of walking time, passing through both high alpine landscapes and then through the most fantastic meadows. Mostly the trail runs parallel to the Simplon highway, but we were barely aware of any vehicle noise. We took 3.5 hours for this stretch, taking time to read all the information placards. Of particular interest was the first of Napoleon's bridges, and the Rossboden Glacier which was the site of one of Switzerland's largest glacier slides (it took over five years for the 50 meters of ice to melt, after it thundered into the valley, sweeping away 38 houses and barns).

Glimpse out of our hostel window at 7:20 in the morning. That's the direction we're heading after breakfust, but not up the hill, rather down the valley to the left.

Early morning start from the Simplon Hospiz. It is 8:30 and I'm a little worried about the wispy clouds maybe blocking our sunshine, but it wasn't a problem.

Heading to the trail through the alpine landscape. Most of the way down we're walking parallel to the highway.

The early morning light was fantastic. It's not often we get to start a hike so early in the mountains. This view is to the North side of the Simplon Pass, to the mountains of the Rhone Valley

On the Via Stockalper Trail from Simplon Pass heading South

Below is the Old Hospiz built by Stockalper, and hosted by the Priors of the Order of St.Bernard from 1800-1836 while the other one (where we overnighted) was being built

We were kind of disappointed that someone had decided to park their RV for the night, directly in front of this historical building. Nicknamed "Alte Spittel", this hostel built by Stockalper was completed in 1666 and is one of the most significant buildings on Swiss Alpine passes.

Trying to hide the RV on this photo of the Old Hospiz (which now belongs to the military)

Up high in the mountains, a waterfall

A small alpine farming community named Niederalp

It was so cool and refreshing so early in the morning, on this, the hottest day of the year so far

Following the Via Stockalper Trail (or Stockalperweg). From Simplon Pass to Simplon Dorf takes 2.5 hours.

More pretty Globe Flowers

Placards such as this one give us information about the Trail. For example, this section of the Stockalper trail still contains some of the original constructions of the 1600's (stone walls, stone steps etc.).

A long section of beautiful meadows. It was a real pleasure to walk this.

This building (the nearer half) dates from the middle ages and was used for individuals to refresh horses and to overnight while crossing the pass. Later, the other half was added to create a private residence.

I am always impressed when I see the "avalanche wedges" built up onto the back of the buildings

The trail often follows parallel to the highway, but we barely noticed it.

Fields and fields of yarrow

This tiny community is called Maschihuis. There is a bus stop next to the road here.

One of Napoleon's original bridges

A group of bikers passed us twice.... they probably rode the entire Stockalper Trail from the Simplon Pass to Gondo, and loaded their bikes there onto the bus for the trip back.

This settlement of Egga was built in 1557 after the original village was destroyed by an earlier glacier slide. It was also just South of this village that the other huge glacier slide took place in 1901, destroying 38 houses and barns and depositing 50m of ice in the valley bottom. It took about five years for the ice to disappear

From the trail, the only glimpse we got of the Rossboden Glacier (from which the massive blocks of ice broke off in 1901) was through the trees. The area of the slide is now covered in dense larch forest

Descending into the village of Simplon Dorf. These meadows are so pretty.

Simplon Dorf. The end of Section 2 of the Stockalper Trail. (Usually completed as a day hike). Here we took a picnic break before setting off on the next section of the trail.

Simplon Dorf

We had originally planned to stop here for something to drink, but it might have taken too long and we weren't sure how much time we needed for the next section through the Gondo Gorge.