Two-Day Hike from Furka Pass to Bedretto Valley -- DAY1 to Rotondo Hostel

This item posted on December 17, 2022 --  (Photos from Day 2 are HERE)

July 17 & 18, 2022 (Sunday and Monday) -- Another heat wave is upon us and we have another week of vacation, so we planned a two-day trip into the Gotthard Massif where the air would surely be cooler than down in the valleys.

We chose Sunday/Monday because we needed to stay at an Alpine Club Hostel for the 2-day hike but those hostels are always booked out for the weekends during the summer. The Rotondo Hostel accommodates 65 people, but only four had reserved from Sunday to Monday, so that's how we decided. As it turned out, there really were only six of us there for the night; what a treat compared to 65!! We even had a four-bunk room to ourselves. Dinner and breakfast at the hostel as well. 

We started at the Furka Pass at 9:00 (leaving home at 6 a.m.) and walked a long 5 hours, crossing below the Mutten Glacier. We had pleasant weather, even rather on the cool side (the day started cloudless, but as is often the case, clouds blocked the sunshine exactly where we were). The most interesting section was the final crossing of the Telligrat (Telli Crest) before getting to the hostel: It looked like a vertical wall of piled up boulders, impossible to cross. And yet hiking clubs have recently put in a lot of effort to make a path of steps up the mountain, marking them with white paint so you know exactly where to go. Till recently the trail was rated White/Blue (higher difficulty) because you had to find your own way through the rock pile, but now it was actually even quite easy. 

At the end of the day we had wonderful evening light on the Witenwasseren Glacier directly across from the hostel, and it was at this moment that we changed plans for the next day, opting for a longer but more interesting route (at least the first part) up Mt. Hüenderstock next to the glacier...

Interesting Note: Mt. Witenwasserenstock is one of a few mountains which is a triple watershed. In fact, this one is called a continental watershed, because rains which fall here flow down three sides of the mountain, eventually reaching three major rivers: Rhône, Reuss and Ticino, which continue on to France, Germany/Holland (via the Rhine), and Italy. 

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As usual, each excursion starts with a few photos of the trip to the start of our hike, in this case the Furka Pass:

Train from Andermatt and Hospental to Realp across the Urseren Valley (Canton Uri)

From Realp (below), the bus takes you up the winding Furka Pass Road (the James Bond film "Goldfinger" features a race down this road)

The Furka Valley opens up near Tiefenbach. Below is the original railway which connected to the Goms Valley in Canton Wallis/Valais (a smaller tunnel near the pass). Now the base tunnel goes right below all these mountains from Realp. This stretch of railway is used for tourist trips in summer, and the bridges are dismantled in winter to prevent damage. Also below is the Furkareuss River.

Start of our hike at the Furka Pass. It was definitely a 5-hour hike to the Rotondo Hostel. At this pass is the border between Canton Uri where we started, and Canton Valais

From the Furka Pass you get the most stunning view to the Grimsel Pass (where those lakes are), which is the border with Canton Bern. So basically you pass from Uri to Valais here, and then into Canton Bern after going up the Grimsel Pass Road. At the arrow is a frame for the "Grand Tour of Switzerland", so we did a detour that way first. 

We did a 20-minute detour to the "Grand Tour of Switzerland" frame. The peak in the center of the frame is Mt.Finsteraarhorn, the highest mountain in Canton Bern. (4274m)

A final look down at the old Furka Railway and the Furka Pass road which descends to Gletsch, from where the Grimsel Pass road ascends to the Grimsel Pass. On the right you can just see part of the moraine from the mighty Rhône Glacier

Across the valley a large herd of Valais Black-Nosed Sheep grazing near the precipice...

Drawing the trail on the map is grossly underestimating the time required to do this hike. As per the sign at the Furka Pass, it was definitely five hours of pure walking. The descent to the base of the Mutten glacier was laborious, and it takes extra long to cover terrain that consists mostly of rocks.

Across the valley is a collection of buildings (possibly military) and a hotel called Furkablick ("Glimpse of Furka"). High up on the barren hillside, below the Sidelen Glacier, is a tiny hostel, a popular starting point for rock climbing. We have hiked up there before, combining that hike with a visit to the Rhône Glacier. Those photos are HERE

Heading up to the lakes

This high altitude is a good place to be on this very hot day! (2600m or 8530 ft). That is the Furkapass road in the background (and Furkablick Hotel)

There are three small lakes up here at 2650m

In the background across the valley is the Sidelen Glacier

Heading uphill to the first saddle we have to cross. View is to the north to the Sidelen Glacier. This is all in the beautiful Canton Uri

Far to the northwest in the Bernese Alps, this peak is Mt. Lauteraarhorn, also over 4000 m

Crossing the saddle at the Stotzigen Firsten, 2750m above sea level. A look back down at two of the three lakes, and the Furka Pass Road. 

Now on the other side and heading south toward the large moraine region of the Mutten Glacier straight ahead. 

The descent into the Mutten Valley was a bit tedious. The water from the Mutten Glacier forms the Mutten Reuss, a tributary to the Furkareuss River which eventually becomes the mighty Reuss River when it meets the Gotthardreuss River at Hospental!!!!

Now this is an interesting bridge...

We've been on the trail for three hours already, and I am so ready to plunge my feet into the ice-cold glacier water! We also had our picnic lunch here, at the bottom of the moraine

Location of our picnic lunch below the Mutten Glacier in the Mutten Valley. No other people around!!!

Crossing the Mutten River, water which flows out from the Mutten Glacier

High alpine vegetation! I love the happy colour of the arnika, and the pretty mini-daisies

A view down the valley, and the Muttenreuss river heading toward Realp to the north, to flow into the Furkareuss River

We love the cotton grass! Always lovely to come across it in the mountains

One of many streams along the way. By now it's 2 p.m., and I had to put my feet in this ice water again!

Alpine flowers which give some colour to the otherwise barren landscape

A splash of colour. In the background on the right is where we crossed from the Furka Pass side. 

A splash of colour

Before heading up the final hill of rocks, a look back from where we crossed from the Furka Pass side! We've come a long way!

The painted sign assures us that we are still on the way to the Rotondo Hostel. But really, how is it possible to get up to that pass over the rockslide! 

The crossing is up there! It looks impossible, and not long ago hikers had to find their own way up there, but it turned out to be so well-laid out that it was almost too easy. We started the climb at 4 p.m. 

The way up through the rock-slide was marked with paint and white dots on every second rock, so you knew exactly where to step through!

Heading up the rock-strewn hillside to our second crossing of the day. Below in the background is the town of Realp, from where we took the bus up to the Furka Pass earlier in the morning (to the left). 

(Interesting side note: That dark square on the otherwise barren hillside is a forest planted especially to help prevent avalanches in winter!)

Near the top now, and it wasn't that difficult! It took us 30 minutes, although it was only about 100 meters altitude difference. 

A long level stretch now before rounding the corner to the hostel

The whole upper plateau was carpeted in tiny daisies, it was so pretty

This barren landscape is what we really love. It has a magnificent beauty. 

A look-out point where we can see down into the Mutten Valley, and the Urseren Valley with the town of Realp

Around the corner we get the first glimpse of the Witenwasseren Glacier to the south, dwarfing the Rotondo Hostel where our hike for the day ends. 

The Rotondo Hostel (Swiss Alpine Club), our accommodation for the night. Besides the staff, there were only 6 guests! We had dinner here, and then had a 4-bunk room to ourselves. 

At this point is when we decided to change plans for the next day. We were originally going to descend to the left, but I wanted to see the lake, and get a closer look at the glacier, so we climbed up the mountain on the left-hand side of the photo instead. 

The original plan was to descend to this lake below the hostel, and then ascend to the ridge on the right. Our new plan to ascend nearer to the glacier meant more time on the ridge. We ended up crossing at the Cavanna Pass into the Bedretto Valley to the South, after the long tough ridge hike!

Enjoying the last of the afternoon sunshine at the Rotondo Hostel, with this magnificent backdrop. This was at about 5:30 p.m. (At the arrow is where we walked up to the next day)

Final rays of sunshine on the Witenwasseren Glacier. Mt. Witenwasserenstock, the peak right in the middle, is a triple watershed for three major Swiss Rivers (Reuss, Ticino, Rhône) 

The trail we walked this day has been specially prepared in the past couple of years to form part of the current "Four-Headwaters Trail", as the watershed hier provides a significant source of water for three of the four rivers featured in the themed trail 

Region of the Gotthard Massif where we did this 2-day hike with overnight at the Rotondo Hostel

Map of the entire 2-day hike we did, including the Day2 section from the Rotondo Hostel over Passo di Cavanno into the Bedretto Valley (Canton Ticino). Altogether it was over 11 hours of hiking and a total of about 26 km (more if you calculate for the steep ascents and descents). The mapped time doesn't take into account the difficult terrain.