Two-Day Hike from Furka Pass to Bedretto Valley -- DAY2 to Bedretto Valley

This item posted on December 17, 2022 --  (Photos from Day 1 are HERE)

July 17 & 18, 2022 (Sunday and Monday) -- After a restful night in the Swiss Alpine Hostel Rotondo below the Witenwasseren Glacier at an altitude of 2567m above sea level in the Gotthard Massif of the Central Alps, we headed out on a very challenging hike which ended up being about 8 hours of walking!

Originally we had planned a different and shorter ascent to the ridge, but I really wanted to see the Glacier Lake and experience more of the Glacier. So we hiked up to the peak called Hüenderstock which was exciting, being so close to the Glacier. We were also surprised by a large area of unmelted snow over the trail, which we had to cross very carefully. It was also fascinating to know that this is a triple continental watershed where rainfall and glacier water feeds into three major European Rivers.

The crossing of the crest wasn't difficult, but it was time-consuming, as the entire crest was a heap of boulders which we had to navigate, finding just the right ones to move forward. Fortunately the trail has been revamped in the past couple of years so that there are many markers to indicate the best way to go through. 

And then we had to cross a small glacier which had already melted enough to have lost the trail...

Once we reached the Cavanna Pass into the Bedretto Valley, we had already been walking for over five hours, and then we had a very long 1-1/2 hours and 600m descent to the road at Alpe di Cavanna. But from there, the nearest bus stop was almost 6 km away, along a wide mountain road, the most excruciating 90 minutes of the 8-hour hike!

Nevertheless, it was a fantastic 2-day tour, and something we don't often do. Weather conditions were perfect, as well as the fact that only 6 of us spent the night at the hostel. And we were able to escape the extreme heat in most parts of the country. 

(Now we only have the eastern part of the Four-Headwaters-Trail to complete).

A look out the hostel window at the Witenwasseren Glacier at 7 a.m. as we are getting ready for the day. 

The price of an overnight in an alpine hostel usually includes dinner, breakfast and what they call "Hiking Tea" brewed early in the morning by the staff of the hostel. The tea was too warm for such a day, a problem which we solved later. 

Our pretty accommodation for the night, high up in Alps: Rotondohütte, or Rotondo Hostel (Swiss Alpine Club). Our room was where the open window is, right above the entrance.

8 a.m. and we are ready to head out to the glacier and glacier lake at the center of the photo (barely visible)

Our second day of the 2-day hike was a really long one, almost 15km, of which just over 5 km were along the boring road trail from Alpe di Cavanna to the nearest bus stop on the Gotthard Pass road. Plus we descended over 1300m on this day alone! The hike actually was more like 7-8 hours, because of the terrain along the Ronggergrat

Heading off to the glacier, it only took 15 minutes to get there. 

Originally we were going to descend from the hostel to that small lake and then up to the ridge on the right, which would have been faster, but not as exciting!

It is always exciting to be so close to the alpine glaciers. Our first goal is to get to the top of that hill called Mt. Hüenderstock

The glacier water is very cold, so we set our hot "hiking tea" into the water for a few minutes, and it quickly became cold and refreshing for the day!

At the foot of the Witenwasseren Glacier

It was spectacularly beautiful here, a fantastic morning, clear skies, great visibility, comfortable and not hot!

My favourite photo

Starting on the uphill section of our hike. It looks impossible, but volunteers of the alpine clubs spent a lot of time marking the rocks which you had to follow. 

A look down at the glacier lake and the Rotondo Hostel. Way at the back is the Urseren Valley, from where we accessed the Furka Pass by bus the day before

This was actually a lot of fun!

It was like doing a puzzle, always looking for the next marked rocks to follow

So proud to have made it to the summit of Mt. Hüenderstock, 2862m above sea level, with the fabulous glacier behind me.

These peaks are fantastic. In the background, some sort of glacier in the Bernese Alps

We were surprised at a large expanse of unmelted snow where the trail was supposed to be. It was slippery and we had to go carefully

Making our way across a large expanse of unmelted snow

Once we made it to the crossing, we could see along the crest which we now had to cross to get to the Cavanna Pass. In the background are the mountains of Ticino and Graubünden. Spectacular

A close-up view of the Sidelen Glacier, and the Sidelen Hostel, another one of our favourite hikes. Those photos are HERE

Off we go to cross this rock-jumbled landscape

All we had to do was follow the markers, but it meant climbing over lots of boulders

It may have taken us a long time to get to the Cavanna Pass, but it sure wasn't boring!

We came over the saddle at the back, but luckily didn't have to cross the patch of snow on this side. It would have been way too steep to cross safely

The boulders are fascinating

Another look to the North into the Urseren Valley. The Sidelen Glacier is on the very left, and below is the glacier lake. 

Ahead of us is another small glacier to cross. It has no name. The official trail was over the part where there is water now, and we couldn't get down the slope, so had to find our own way over the rocks on the other side. 

That's a pretty ominous-looking warning sign

Crossing the mini-glacier and looking for an alternative path through the rocks, because the suggested trail has disappeared due to the melting ice.

Through the peaks to the south we get a glimpse of the Basodino Glacier, the largest glacier in Canton Ticino

A closer look at the Basodino Glacier, on the far side of the Bedretto Valley

In many places flat stones were arranged to make steps

Way behind us we get a glimpse of the Hüenderstock where we crossed from the glacier side, and this whole ridge which we crossed. It took us two hours to get from there to here!

A look into the Urseren Valley to the north, from the Hüender Saddle (our original plan was to ascend directly to here from the hostel. It would not have been nearly as exciting!)

The last stretch before reaching the Cavanna Pass from where we will descend into the Bedretto Valley

From the Cavanna Pass, we have to descend almost 90 minutes to the road at Alpe di Cavanna (600m) and from there another 90 minutes along the road to the nearest bus stop on the Gotthard Pass road (over 5 km).

Down below is the road which we are headed to. It follows the mountain flank at a fairly level altitude until the bus stop on the Gotthard Pass Road

On this side of the mountain we did feel the heat, and we were glad for any stream where we could fill up our water bottles!

Heading down the mountain into the Bedretto Valley

Above us is the Cavanna Pass where we descended from 

From the road at Alpe di Cavanna, we have another 90 minutes to the bus stop!!! It was over five kilometers, and the toughest part of the hike.

(Later in the year, in October, we walked along this road but from the back of the valley, and descended into the valley from the road on the left). 

A look along the beautiful Bedretto Valley all the way to the Nufenen Pass, the 2nd-highest motor vehicle pass in Switzerland. We were lucky that there was a wind blowing, or the 6 km along this road would have been impossible in this heat.  

Along the entire mountain flank we looked down into the Bedretto Valley. The city below is Airolo, at the southern exit of the original Gotthard Tunnel through the Alps. 

Ahead of us is the bus stop on the Gotthard Pass Road, just at the exit of the tunnel. From here we catch the yellow Post Bus to Airolo. We got to the bus stop at 4:30 p.m, 8-1/2 hours after starting in the morning, with no real pauses along the way, except to take loads of photos....

Our Day 2 hike as shown on Google Satellite Maps, from the Rotondo Hostel to the Gotthard Pass Road in the Bedretto Valley, via the Cavanna Pass

When we got to the train station in Airolo, we saw the cool old "Post Bus" which used to bring the mail over the pass road!

This time I also treated myself to an ice cream, we really earned it!

The entire 2-Day hike from the Furka Pass, to the Gotthard Pass Road. It was a fantastic and very successful hike in the beautiful Gotthard Massif. 

Our 2-Day hike mapped out on our hiking map. The actual total walking time was at least 12 hours, due to the terrain. 

The trails in this section of the Gotthard Massif have been improved so that they can become part of the "Four-Headwaters Trail" which highlights the source of four of Switzerland's major rivers. Mt.Witenwasserenstock (the red dot) at the foot of which we overnighted, is a triple continental watershed, distributing rainfall and glacier water to three of the four major rivers. 

We have pretty well completed the western half of the "Four Headwaters Trail". We are hoping to start at the Gotthard Pass and walk the eastern part soon (requires two days with overnight as well).

Location of the Gotthard Massif in the very center of the Swiss Alps.