Over the Sertig Pass into Val Tuors (Bergün)

Sunday June 26, 2022 -- One of the other reasons for spending a couple of days in one region is to be able to get out and up into the mountains earlier than we can if we do a day trip from home.

Every time we are in this region we discover side valleys and mountain passes which we would like to cross. One of these passes is at the back of the beautiful Sertig Valley, where we had been once before in 2017 (photos worth looking at HERE).... In fact, exactly one year ago when we spent two days in Bergün doing the High Trail from Mount Darlux into the Tuors Valley (photos also worth looking at HERE), we became aware of the long valley descending on the North side of the Sertig Pass, and have often talked about doing this hike.

This was Urs' particular wish for Sunday, but I was hesitant: The hike to the pass requires an ascent of 900 meters in one stretch, and I don't know that I have done as much in one hike in the past 10 years. But I was willing to try, as I'd only need a small pack, and we had informed ourselves that even though the pass is at over 2700m (8860m), there was very little snow, unusual for this time of year. Since we could start early with the first bus into the valley, we could also be assured that few other hikers would be in this area, which turned out to be the case. (In fact, on the bus ride into the valley, there was only one other passenger besides us).

(To compare, here is a photo of what the Val Ravais-ch looked like from across the valley on our 2021 hike, exactly a year earlier. There was much more snow there last year, and we would not have been able to do this hike at this time last year:

Val da Ravais-ch from Sertig Pass to Chants in the Tuors Valley, June 28, 2021

I'm very proud of my accomplishment on this one: The ascent was marked at 2-3/4 hours, and we did it in 3 hours of walking time (3.5 with our breaks), even though the first hour was a long steady uphill road, which I usually don't do well on. The air temperature was perfect for the climb, the views out of this world. And we saw many marmots!  Although cold at the summit, it was simply glorious! We had heard that the alpine lakes were very beautiful and indeed they were. Even the long descent to the back of the Tuors Valley was not arduous, although it did seem to never end. Trail markers at the summit suggested 2 hours to descend, but for sure it was longer. Also, we had to reserve the 16:10 Alpine Taxi to pick us up for the return to Bergün, but having started early enough, we still had time for a drink at the Kesch Gasthaus in Chants.

Absolutely one of the best hikes we've done so far.

A wonderful bus ride up the Sertig Valley with just three of us in the bus with the driver. This hamlet is called Sertig Dörfli, near the back of the valley. The fabulous peaks are part of the Ducan Range. 

Final bus stop at the Walserhuus hotel/restaurant where I had an 8-CHF cup of herbal tea back in 2017! We didn't stop for a drink this time!

Not sure what the 6.5-hour measurement means. Maybe right to Bergün? Individual times indicated along the way would relate to a 5-hour hike. We probably had 5.5 hours total walking time. 

Fantastic 5+ hour hike over the Sertig Pass from the back of the Sertig Valley and down into the Tuors Valley. A steady 900m climb in one stretch, probably the highest I've done so far!

Heading South to the end of the Sertig Valley. Our trail heads up the valley on the left. One day we will do the valley on the right, but that trail is currently off-limits due to extreme danger of rock fall. But our descent on the other side is behind those peaks.

This side valley heading up to the Sertig Pass is called the Chüealptal. (Cow Alp Valley?)

A coffee break after the first hour of hiking

Always this beautiful landscape ahead of us. The pass is slightly to the right

The whole walk up the hill was next to the Chüealp stream. The sound of the water is the nicest sound in the mountains. 

This was a day for marmot-spotting! We saw several of them!

VIDEO:

This marmot was so busy munching on alpine flowers, that he didn't even notice us!

Till now the trail was a wide dirt road. Crossing the stream we got to the real uphill mountain trail!

VIDEO:

There is nothing nicer than the sound of the stream when we are hiking in these valleys.

This is the Chüealpbach, a stream which joins two others at the village of Sertig Dorf to form the Sertig River.

A look down on what is called the Chüealp-Grünsee (Cow Alp Green Lake)

Also here the hillsides were all pink from flowering alpine roses

Self-timed photo: In my rush to get back I fell onto the rocks! A bruise the next day...

We encountered only about half a dozen people on the trail this day. It is magnificent to be almost alone in these mountains. 

So many pretty flowers up here, surviving in the rocky landscape

Getting closer now... (By the way, you would think this landscape would be perfect for ibex or chamois, but we saw only the marmots)

Here near the pass there was still the smallest amount of snow

This was the only snowy section and no problem to cross. The pass is just above

A final look down the Chüealp Valley before getting to the pass

This fellow told us about the huge tour he had done till now.... but I'd still rather walk up the pass trails than have to carry a bike...

Success!!!! 900-m ascent to the Sertig Pass at over 2700m altitude! Very pleased at my achievement, and the exertion is immediately forgotten in this landscape... 

South of the pass is a magnificent mountain called Piz Kesch (3417m), and a glacier called Vadret da Porchabella. 

Close-up view of Piz Kesch and the glacier. Breathtaking. 

A closer-up shot of the glacier....

Off he goes on his bike after I took a few photos of/for him at the summit. He's heading down the same valley we are going... 

One of the most beautiful high-alpine landscapes we have been in.

I believe the mountain on the right is Piz Ducan. Below is a beautiful lake with an unusual name: "Lai da Ravais-ch-Suot"  ("Lai" is the Romansch word for "Lake")

The geological formations never get boring

 It was here with this view, that we had our picnic lunch. Down below on the hill between the lakes, I had a 15-minute nap before continuing down the valley behind the second lake.

Descent to the final lake: Lai da Ravais-ch Suot

According to this sign at the end of the lake, it should take another 90 minutes to descend to Chants in the Tuors Valley. I'm sure it took us longer. 

A final look at the upper region near the lakes, before the long descent down the valley.

Another marmot!

A long 90-minute, 5-km, 700-m descent down the Val Ravais-ch, following the Ravais-ch stream the whole way. The path was very good, not steep, not rocky. It was very nice to walk down and the valley was just bursting with meadow flowers of all kinds. And always ahead of us we could see where we had walked the year before.

VIDEO:

Ava da Ravais-ch

The stream down the Val da Ravais-ch

Loads and loads of beautiful globe flowers

A look down-valley at Piz Freglas and Piz Darlux on the other side of the Tuors Valley. We walked below those peaks above the tree level last year. 

The whole valley was covered in magnificent meadows of alpine flowers.

Lots of different flora: Sempervivum Montanum (I will never remember that), or Mountain Houseleek (I will never remember that either). 

We reached the little "Buvette" at Chants at 15:40, with enough time for something to drink before the reserved alpine taxi came to pick us up at 16:10 (about 8 other people besides us rode down in the taxi. The cost is 10 CHF per person). 

What our 5-hour hiking trail looks like on Google Satellite maps. (Starting on the right)

A look down the Tuors Valley in the direction of Bergün, where the Taxi will take us in 20 minutes. 

From Bergün we took a couple of trains back to our hotel in Davos (approx. 1 hour). This is the Railway Museum in Bergün, and even though we have traveled through Bergün many times, Urs has never been inside the museum!

Look at all the hikes we have done in this area! There are still a few options we have planned for another trip. 

The Davos Region where we spent three days June 25-27