A Leisurely Walk from Susten Pass down the Meien Valley in Canton Uri

Sunday August 28, 2022 -- We couldn't pass up another nice day for walking in the mountains, but having recently returned from five straight days of hiking in the Engadine, we didn't want anything strenuous, nor too far from home.

We decided on a walk down the Meien Valley (Meiental) in Canton Uri, a hike we have done before (July 2018) but at that time there was too much snow still to be able to start at the Susten Pass (those photos are HERE). So this time we rode the bus right up to the pass, where we first took a short detour to admire the Stein Glacier and glacier lake (and a beautiful view into the Haslital Valley where we encountered so much fog on a recent hike), before returning to the pass and following mostly the old historical Susten Road. (Our one detour on an unofficial mountain trail was not as charming as we had hoped). 

Last time we stopped to buy cheese at the large dairy at the back of the valley (Hinterfeld), and this time we did the same, also enjoying our picnic lunch there. The backdrop of craggy peaks and glaciers was just as magnificent as last time, a reason I actually prefer to hike in Canton Uri as opposed to where we recently were in Canton Graubünden/Grisons, which, although much wilder, I found more monotonous. Also here, there are cows and cowbells, which I very much enjoy on my hikes in the Swiss Mountains.

Part of the "fun" on this walk was watching all the show-offs in their sports cars and motorcycles playing "leap-frog" and trying to out-do each other with speed and passing and revving their engines. There's just something about a winding pass road which brings the child out in them... 

Our excursion starts with a bus ride up the Meien Valley, with a look at the old Susten Road below, the one we walked down later 

Here at the back of the Meien Valley is the Hinterfeld Dairy (on the left), where we had our picnic lunch and bought some cheese to take home with us. 

The new Susten Pass Road (higher up) is apparently an engineering marvel. We started our hike at the Susten Pass and walked down the old Susten Road, which is the zigzag trail heading down from the pass

The small lake at the Susten Pass. We walked to the small rise behind me for a better look at the Stein Glacier and the Steisee (Stein Lake) below

Panorama view of the Stein Glacier and lake, the Susten Pass Road and the Hasli Valley (Haslital) on the West side of the Pass (This is Canton Bern, by the way. The pass forms the border between Canton Bern and Canton Uri). 

VIDEO:

Panorama view of the Stein Glacier and Hasli Valley from the Susten Pass

A look down the Haslital. When we were here a couple of weeks earlier, this valley was all in fog. 

Close-up of the Stein Glacier. Glaciers are so spectacular. 

Now we head up to the actual Pass above the tunnel and pass road. A look back down on the West side of the pass. 

And this is a look down on the East side of the Pass, the Meien Valley which we are now walking down (along the old Susten Road). This is Canton Uri. 

Our walk down the Meien Valley (Meiental) from the Susten Pass to Meien Dörfli. We could have walked another hour right out of the Valley to Wassen in the Reuss Valley, but we have done that before. This time we wanted to do a leisurely Sunday walk. (3.5 hours instead of 4.5 hours!)

A look down to the Meienreuss river and the old pass road. 

The new Susten Road (very popular with motorbikes and Porsches!!!) was built 1938 to 1945 with lots of attractive bridges, tunnels and stone walls to provide touristic value. 

Urs never gets too close to cows on the trail. 

Down at river level

Behind Urs are both the new Road and the Old Road which we walked down. 

The bridges and walls that support the new Susten Road add appeal.

At this section of the new road is where we started our hike last time. There was lots of snow on this hill at the time. 

Around the corner we get the first glimpse down the Meien Valley

For a long time down this road we have the backdrop of the fantastic peaks and the many glaciers there

Buying cheese and coffee with our picnic lunch at the Hinterfeld Dairy. The sign says "I'm out getting the cows", which they sometimes hang in the door window!

Another look back at the Susten Pass road as we continue down the valley. 

Here we took a detour off the main trail so that we could see the valley from higher up, but for most of the way it was muddy and overgrown. 

Glaciers in every direction you look here!

This close-up view is of the Swiss Alpine Club's Süstli Hostel. In 2016 we walked up from the Pass Road to this Hostel. 

You can barely see the Swiss Alpine Club Hostel on the upper right ridge. We have hiked up there before, starting from the road at the center of the photo. The small buildings on bottom left are a milking station, so that the cows don't have to descend to a barn every evening. 

Down below us is a hamlet called Färnigen, a popular resting spot for merchants in the "olden days" crossing the pass along the old Susten Road. 

Färnigen on the Old Susten Road

The name of this house is called "Gabrielenhaus".

The old historical hotel, rest-stop on the Old Susten Pass Road

Continuing down the valley along the Old Susten Road

Below is the Meienreuss River, which joins the main Reuss River in the Reuss Valley, which is the perpendicular Valley to this one, up ahead. 

A close-up look back up the Meien Valley. A view which does not cease to fascinate

A broader look up the Meien Valley

The next cluster of houses we walked past is called Fürlauwi

There are always some interesting details along the way

Approaching the Church and school at Meien Dörfli 

A final view up the Valley from the Church at Meien Dörfli

And here below the church is where we caught the bus back out of the valley to Wassen and Göschenen. 

The previous time we walked down the Meien Valley in 2018, we started on the pass road before the actual pass (too much snow) and walked completely out of the valley to Wassen. This time we started at the Pass but walked only to Meien Dörfli, 3.5 hours (from there it would have been another hour to Wassen) 

The village of Wassen in the Reuss Valley, at the entrance to the Meien Valley