Two-Day hike high up in the Churfirsten Mountain Range -- Alp Tschingla

 Weekend of August 14 and 15, 2021 -- After walking for over four hours the day before, from the high plateau of Palfries near Sargans, to the alpine hamlet called Lüsis (those photos are HERE), we slept surprisingly well and longer than expected in our sparse room at the Gasthaus Lüsis. In this hot weather, it might have been better to start earlier, but we obviously needed our sleep.

After a breakfast of homemade breads and jams outside in the lovely early morning light, we headed off by 9 a.m. to continue along the high trail below the craggy peaks of the Churfirsten mountains, in particular the most famous of them all: Mount Chäserugg (which you can reach via cable car from the other side). It took us less than 90 minutes to reach Alp Tschingla, also a popular place (even more basic than where we stayed) to spend the night. Although we met no one till that point along the trail, there were surprisingly many people enjoying refreshments on the terrace. A free table in the shade was enough to invite us for another mid-morning Panaché (unfortunately not cold enough!)

Along the following three kilometers we were passed by several other hikers, as this is part of a popular round-tour trail from Walenstadtberg 800m below. At this point we had gone as far westward as we had planned, and the steep descent was followed by three kilometers on the paved road heading East again, to the Walenstadtberg Clinic where we were able to catch a bus again back down to the valley.

Besides the heat, it wasn't a particularly difficult hike, and mostly we were surprised that there is so much vehicle access up to here! In fact, we basically walked on a forestry road between Lüsis and Alp Tschingla. From the lake below, you would never think that there is so much going on up here!

At 08:30 in the morning, from our farm-hotel terrace, this is the beautiful view westward across Lake Walensee. On this side, in the sunshine below, is the clearing where we will end our hike, after first walking for about three hours just below those cliffs on the right. Down below is Walenstadt

Here is the farmhouse where we spent the night. (They probably converted the original farmhouse with many bedrooms into paid accommodation opportunity. Our room was one of three rooms on the middle floor, with a shared bathroom)

Breakfast outdoors on what was to become a very hot day....

View toward the East up the Seez Valley. In the center below is the city of Flums

This is part of the Churfirsten Range directly above Lüsis. (Tscherlacher Chämm and Tristencholben)

Another 4-hour stretch just below the peaks of the Churfirsten Range. Ca.12 km from our accommodaton at Lüsis to the Walenstadtberg Klinik which has bus access. 

We were glad for the shade at this time of the morning as we headed toward Alp Tschingla

Another look behind us at where we had come from the day before (the high plateau at the middle left)

Always we are being watched....

Panorama view as we head westward beneath the crags of the Churfirsten mountain. We were really surprised at the road access this high up, something we cannot see when we travel by train on the far side of the lake

Just above us is the summit of the Churfirsten range (I believe we are just below the Chäserrugg, although it might not be visible from here)

Arriving at Alp Tschingla. The large playground really surprised us!

Splendid backdrop behind Alp Tschingla

Urs checking if we can secure a table in the shade. (This farm also offers accommodations and apparently they had been fully booked the night before)

A nice table in the shade for mid-morning refreshments, before continuing along the trail

I got a real kick out of the playground with a view. The mountain across the lake is called Mürtchenstock

Playground with a super backdrop.

We came about 1hr 20 minutes from Lüsis, have another two hours to Hochrugg, then another 45 minutes down a paved road to the Clinic in Walenstadtberg. Altogether over four hours

Looking behind us we get a really good view now up the Seez Valley and the Palfries Plateau where we started the hike the day before

Continuing westward along the peaks of the Churfirsten mountains

Since leaving the Alp Tschingla, we were back on alpine trails, which are more interesting to walk

Urs always makes a large detour around any cows, even baby cows, if they are standing across our trail!

Another look at the East end of Lake Walensee. Directly below here is where we are ending our hike

Newly-built dry-stone walls, mostly to keep the cows from falling down the hill (they use this trail!)

This photo shows how high up we are! Right below in the middle is where we are ending our hike, 800m below, and even that is still 500m above the lake level. 

A welcome shady spot at the Obersäss Farm for our lunch.

A welcome shady spot at the Obersäss Farm for our lunch.

We still have another stretch heading West before returning to the lower populated areas to the East

Panorama View. Across the lake is Mt. Flumserberg, a popular ski mountain. Below is the road which we will walk heading back eastward

Here we start our descent to the road, reaching it directly below on the left. One can actually continue toward the West till right above Quinten, about mid-lake

Starting the descent, which was a long series of zigzags

Heading downhill

Below us is a farm called Alp Schrina, which seemed to be quite popular (outdoor restaurant). The other building is Hochrugg, and from there we had to walk 45 minutes along this road to the bus stop at the Walendstadt Clinic

Waiting for the bus at the Walenstadt Clinic, and looking up, up, up to above the trees, to that higher plateau where we had walked all day. (700m higher up)

From the train heading back home, this is what we see everytime we pass here. It is hard to imagine that there is a trail and road up there.

This is what the entire 2-day hike looked like. It was actually over 8 hours, and about 25 km.

How the two-day hike looks on Google Earth Maps (mint green track starting at Palfries, ending at the Walenstadtberg Clinic). The other tracks are other hikes we have done in the area, including a previous round-tour hike on the Palfries High Plateau