Hiking in Switzerland – Gabrielle and Urs: July 2022

Three-Day trip to Canton Valais (Simplon Pass and Visperterminen). Photos of Day 1 are HERE.

DAY 2, Sunday July 31: This is the main hike we came for, a 20-km, 6-hour hike from the Simplon Pass to the Gibidum Pass (in the Vispa Valley), one which we had been planning for a long time and which required three nice days in a row. (This is another section of Trail no.6: "Alpine Passes Trail" which we are not able to do as a day trip).

And what a perfect day we had for this superlative hike which included a two-hour ascent to the Bistine Pass, another two hours along a spectacular high trail to the back of the Nanz Valley, and another 1.5 hours along one of the oldest irrigation channels in Switzerland: The Heido-Suon, believed to have been originally built by the Romans. A short visit to the Gibidum Lake and another 30 minutes descent to the chair lift at Giw ended with a ride down to the village of Visperterminen, where we had reserved a hotel room for the second night (we had been in this hotel also in 2021, on a three-day trip here over Easter Weekend).

This is one of the longest hikes I have done, but because all conditions were practically perfect with so many fantastic things to see (not hot, a really good trail, several glaciers, magnificent waterfalls, and long stretches along a water channel), I managed quite well although I did get some blisters on my feet, which needed soaking in the lake! The only drawback of the day was that we didn't get a head start on the day hikers who came up with the first bus at 8 a.m. Two Italian women walked the entire way up to the pass mostly within earshot of us, chattering away non-stop. I hiked up in good time, trying to keep enough distance from them!

Leaning out our hotel window at 07:45, this is the fantastic view we got of Mt. Fletschhorn and the Rossboden Glacier, so much better than the day before!

Heading out on our hike at about 08:00

According to our map, that long, straight trail section should have taken 45 minutes. I was a bit apprehensive about this, as it looked like a dirt road, and I have a difficult time hiking dirt roads at that incline. But it was a normal trail, and we did it in 35 minutes as well!

A look behind us at the region of the Simplon pass, as we climb the trail.....

Up ahead is the Bistine Pass, the end of the first 2-hour section

Across the valley we can see where we had hiked the high trail from the Simplon Pass to Simplon Dorf the day before

A look eastward at the Chaltwasser Glacier below Monte Leone (at the Simplon Pass). We saw the glacier much more clearly later in the day from the Gibidum Pass

Two hours uphill hiking (540 altitude meters) and most of the ascent is behind us as we reach the Bistine Pass

Two hours from the Simplon Pass to the Bistine Pass, 2 more hours to the Ochsehorn junction trail, and two more hours to the chair lift at Giw (including a detour to the Gibidum Lake). We were on the trail for 8.5 hours, and as it turns out, could have actually made it back home that same day.

As we crossed the Bistine Pass, this is the view we got of the Valais Alps (Mt. Bietschhorn is the dominant one), the Nanz Valley below, and the Gibidum Pass and lake directly across from us. We have to walk to the back of the valley on the left, and it takes another almost four hours to walk to the lake.

Time for a coffee break at the Bistine Pass. Hard to believe that we will be walking that trail across the valley later on (that is the Heido Irrigation Channel, one of the oldest in Switzerland)

Admiring the panorama as we head to the back of the Nanz Valley

VIDEO:

Panorama of the Nanz Valley

A fantastic look North into the beautiful Gredetsch Valley, where we have also been before.

The other side of Mt. Fletschhorn (or the massif) now comes into view! This glacier would be the Gamsa Glacier

A look to the back of the valley, our trail is high up there above the alpine pasture. First we have to climb past a waterfall to get up there. The trail continues on the right hand side at the level of the arrow.

At this point we are half-way, having done 3 hours of walking. I would say 2.5 hours to the Gibidum Pass from here, and another 30 minutes to the charlift. It would take too long to walk all the way to Visperterminen

We had a large variety of trail, but always very good to walk on. This view to the North again shows the Gibidum Pass

Down below on an upper alpine pasture is a single small farm with a few sheep.

One more climb ahead of us, to the left of the waterfall, to get one level higher...

VIDEO:

The Waterfall

We stumbled across this lovely spot below the Gamsa Glacier, and decided to have our picnic lunch here. All that rubble is the glacier moraine, debris left behind when the glacier receded.

Picnic lunch at the back of the Nanz Valley, below the Gamsa Glacier

Time to continue on above the waterfall

Many small ponds were dry due to lack of rainfall, but this one survives.

Another look back at the Gamsa Glacier

The start of the Heido irrigation channel. The water is channeled from that which comes from the Weissmies massif to the South (which includes the Fletschhorn)

Getting a good look at the rest of the trail, which first goes past some cliffs, and then resumes along a very easy almost flat trail along the irrigation channel for about an hour.

The trail first follows the cliffs below

Another look down the Nanz Valley and past the long farm below. By now we walked most of the other side of this valley!

Several smaller waterfalls coming over the cliffs! On this section the water for the irrigation channel passes through a pipe underground.

Now we are past the cliff section

Here at the junction of the trail to Mt. Ochsenhorn is the 4-hour mark of the hike!

Here is a fun section! Around the corner, the water emerges from the pipes into a regular channel which we followed right to the lake.

A pleasant easy walk from here on along the Heido Irrigation Channel.

Following the Heido Irrigation Channel, one of the oldest in Switzerland.

Fantastic mountain landscape, the Valais Alps

A look back at the waterfall, the alpine farm, and the glacier moraine near where we had our picnic lunch.

The back of the Nanz Valley, what splendour!!!

Never boring

Nearing the Gibidum Pass and Lake (you can just see the lake behind me)

Nearing the Gibidum Pass (it did seem like it was always just out of reach!)

A wonderful surprise was that we got a view of the whole Aletsch Arena (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) from here. We have done a lot of hiking in that area! I'm not 100% sure, but the peak at the back on the right could be Mt. Finsteraarhorn, at 4273m the highest peak in the Bernese Alps. The Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps, almost 1 km deep at its deepest section.

To the East and just past the Bistine Pass where we crossed several hours earlier, is the Chaltwasser Glacier.

As we reach the Gibidum Pass, a look back at the mountain that is part of the Fletschhorn massif: Spectacular

From the Gibidum Pass it's another 30 minutes to Giw, the chair lift summit station for the final trip down to our hotel in Visperterminen. To walk down would be an hour longer. We're doing the 30-minute detour to Gibidumsee (the lake) first

We spent about 30 minutes at the lake, a good foot soaking helped! Water level here is low as well.

A view down do the city of Visp and down the Rhone Valley as we start on our descent to the chair lift at Giw.

Summit station of the Giw chairlift. A good look up the Visp Valley. Here it branches into the Matter Valley on the right (goes to the Matterhorn) and the Saas Valley on the left. The next day we ended up walking over the forested hill on the left, as we came up here again with the chair lift.

If you spend a night here in Visperterminen, the chair lift is free. Our hotel was right next to the chair lift station, so no additional hiking!

Supper at the hotel, and then early to bed again! They actually had Hawaiian Pizza on the menu....

Once again, the 6-hour hike along Alpine Passes Trail no.6 from Simplon Pass to Visperterminen via Bistine Pass and Gibidum Pass. One of our best hikes yet.