Two-day trip to Europe's Highest Altitude Pilgrim Church: Ziteil

Saturday, August 10, 2024 -- With this long heat wave we have been having, we sought to escape to higher elevations this fine weekend, but most Swiss Alpine Hostels have been booked out for weeks on weekends, so we decided this would be a good time to visit the highest elevation pilgrim church in Europe: Ziteil, in Canton Graubünden, at 2430 meters above sea level. We know the priest who runs the hostel there (only on weekends) and the hostel accommodates about 100 people. Our friend Paul told us that there were not a lot of guests expected on this weekend, and he could even offer us one of the rooms to ourselves.  

This meant a return to the Surses Valley, where we had been in June of this year, when there was still so much snow at this elevation at the time. If we started at the top of a very cool bus run in a village called Obermutten (which we had long wanted to do), we could do a very nice 2-day hike of about four hours of walking on each day, ending with a cable-car ride back down to the town of Savognin, where we had started one of the two hikes in June (those photos are HERE).

(Side note: The highlight of the day would have been the 1718-built wooden church at Obermutten--which we didn't know about till we got there--, a federally-protected monument and the only church made entirely of wood in Switzerland.)

What we had not anticipated was that even at this elevation, it was quite hot in areas where the breeze wasn't blowing, and the terrain at these elevations takes longer to walk than the program maps it out. Also, we covered about 900 meters of uphill walking, which was exhausting. So the four-hour hike took us about seven hours before we reached the church at 5 p.m., only to find out that dinner was at 6:30! But we met some nice people, and Paul the Priest is also a trained cook, so he prepares and even serves all the dinners for his overnight guests as well! And the poor guy was exhausted, as he had had to play host to the new Bishop of Chur and about 100 people at noon the same day!

The room we got put in was right above the church area, and falling asleep exhausted at 9 p.m., we slept long and well until the 6 a.m. church bells woke us up!

Our day starts with a train ride to Thusis, and from there we took one of the small van-buses for the 40-minute ride up the mountain to Obermutten. As there is only one bus in the morning, we had to leave home before 6 a.m. (total 3½-hour trip) so that we could start our hike at 10 a.m. 

On the way from Thusis in the direction of Tiefencastel, we pass the St.Cassian Chapel, always a lovely picturesque view across the Domleschg region. After a lovely stretch through the Schinschlucht (Schin Gorge) in the Albula Valley, the bus heads up the winding road at the Solis Viaduct. 

This is the Solis Viaduct over the Albula River, a bridge we have crossed by train more times than I can count. This time we are here on the bus, as it heads up for the 40-minute drive along the narrow, winding, (and mostly dirt) road to Obermutten. 

The bus climbs a fascinating narrow winding road with lots of hairpin turns, through four mountain hamlets along the way. 

The chapel in Mutten at the corner of one of the hairpin turns. 

Looking out the front window of the van as we climb on the narrow road, sometimes paved, but mostly a dirt road. It's amazing that we can use public transport to get up here! A fantastic experience that we have wanted to do for a couple of years now. 

End of the line at the uppermost hamlet of Obermutten (1863 meters above sea level). There is even a restaurant up here! We got here at about 9:15 a.m., and decided to have a coffee at the restaurant before starting on our hike, so that we could use their bathroom!

The view from here is into the Lenzerheide vacation region; I think the valley is called Hochtal. We have done a hike previously on that clearing at the back, in the municipality of Vaz/Obervaz. (Photos of that hike from there back to Thusis are HERE). 

After a 30-minute coffee break, we sauntered around Obermutten for a while, admiring all the wooden houses here. We were not in a hurry, as we didn't want to be in Ziteil too soon, and we assumed we'd be "on the trail" for about five hours. 

Everything here is made of wood, even the village fountain!

The highlight of this mountain village is the little church. Built in 1718 (according to the inscription above the door), it is made completely of wood: Roof, walls, floors, ceilings, and even the organ. 

This building, which is a federally-protected monument, is the only church in Switzerland which is made entirely of wood. The organ is particularly pretty. 

The village even has a museum! According to the sign, the directest way to the pilgrim church called Ziteil is about 3½ hours. This was too short of a walking distance for us, so we changed plans (according to our hiking map) and decided to take a longer route which measured just over four hours.

We were surprised to find one of the "Grand Tour of Switzerland" photo frames up here! (I am collecting them....). It surprised us to learn that anyone can drive up this road withouth paying a toll. I wonder how many do it? It would be hard to pass other cars along the way, and I would hate having to live here and have tourists come up all day.... 

The more direct route from Obermutten to Ziteil would have been to go straight up toward the peak called Muttner Horn. We chose a longer route via Alp Stierva, which should have been about an hour longer (4¼ hours instead of 3¼ hours), but it took us much longer than that, about 7 hours! Most people coming to Ziteil drive up to Munter, and walk the 90 minutes from there along a wide road, as apparently did the Bishop of Chur and his entourage this same day.   

Heading out of Obermutten at about 10:10. 

A look back at the lovely upper pastures (currently having hay harvested) and the mountain village of Obermutten. On this wide road it was already very hot this morning, and the more direct route would have continued like this for a long uphill stretch. 

The alternate and longer stretch which we chose to do was lower down but partly through forested sections and along a narrow dirt path, which is more pleasant to walk. And it didn't seem so hot here. We could see up ahead that we would be walking all along that crest there, after first making a detour to the left. 

A much more pleasant narrow trail with views of Vaz/Obervaz and into the Lenzerheide Valley. 

Now that is a very cool fungus! And HUGE!

First good look now behind us at the hillside where the bus took us up to Obermutten, on that winding road. And at the very back are the fabulous peaks of the UNESCO Sardona Tectonic arena. (Right about here, Urs suggested a short-cut to the crest, but I wanted to walk all the way to the little buvette at Alp Stierva first. The shortcut might have saved us almost 45 minutes of walking, as well as 100 meters of ascent!)

A very, very zoomed view of the Tschingelhörner peaks in the Sardona Tectonik arena. 

The first of many marmots we saw this day!

The winding road from the Solis Viaduct to the top village of Obermutten. 

A close-up look at Obermutten, where we started our hike. 

And this is a close-up look at the larger village of Mutten, lower down the mountain. (The small chapel we passed earlier is on the far left, inside one of the hairpin turns). 

Getting closer to Alp Stierva, the most northern part of this trail before we climb to the ridge. There is supposed to be a small terrace with self-serve drinks there (called Tigia Alp Stierva), and we needed a break. 

With our luck, by the time we got to the "Besenbeiz" at Alp Stierva at exactly noon, there was a group here that had come up with their electro-bikes, and one of the guys was smoking! (1 in 4 Swiss people smoke, and they can't even let it be when they are in the mountains). So we didn't stay, and started on the steep uphill section. 

Now we are on the beautiful crest of the mountain, with a good look all the way to Lenzerheide... and looking for a place to eat our picnic lunch!

Ahead of us to the south is the large alpine pasture called Alp Stierva. And far in the back at the arrow is approximately where we need to get to, although not directly, but rather along the crest on the right. 

A very nice and clear view up the Albula Valley from Tiefencastel (directly below) to Filisur, and the valley that leads to Davos at the back on the left. And directly on the left is the large Brienz/Brinzauls Landslide from 2023. (By the way, this is right in the heart of the Ela Nature Park). 

A close-up look at how close the landslide from just over a year ago got to the village of Brinzauls. The villagers had to evacuate the village for seven weeks as they waited for the mountain to come down (it had been expected).  

The perfect place to stop for our picnic (at 13:20), right on the edge of a steep drop! And a great view, also to the Domleschg valley bottom on the right, where we started our bus ride in Thusis. (and at the far back on the right is the city of Chur in the Rhine Valley). 

A view all the way to the resort city of Lenzerheide. 

VIDEO:

360-degree panorama view from our picnic spot.

Now we  have a long walk southward along the crest which we had been admiring at the start of the hike! The shortcut which Urs had suggested would have been right about here, coming up from the right. 

There is nothing more marvelous than walking along a crest with such clear views in all directions. You feel like you are up on top of the world, literally.

Another look into the Albula Valley and the landslide of June 2023. 

Also me, on the crest. By now we had been walking for four hours, with only one 15-minute break!

To the west, a first glimpse of the peaks called the Grauhörner (Grey Horns), a massif just north of the Rheinwald Valley, where the Posterior Rhine (Hinterrhein) has its origin, and one of our favourite valleys. 

At this spot we arrived at the junction of the other, shorter trail from Obermutten, which would have been straight down the center of this photo, along the Muttner Horn. 

And from here we get this superb view into the valley to our right (west) where the Posterior Rhine flows through the Via Mala Gorge to Thusis. The main town below is Andeer, and the peak on the right is Piz Beverin, a mountain we are familiar with from our excursions to the Glas Pass in the next valley over on the right. 

On our left, the huge alpine pasture called "Alp da Stierva". And below is the Surses Valley, where we spent two days in June of this year. 

Various sightings of marmots along the way! They are busy getting ready for winter already. 

Luckily we didn't have to walk over that rocky peak at the back! Our goal is the green summit ahead (with a cross you can barely see), called Feil, and past there we descended to the left. 

A 10-minute break at the cross on the summit called Feil, before heading down from the ridge. 

Here we are quite high up at 2600 meters above sea level! We came from Obermutten, heading to Ziteil. It's the next destination from here, but still at least another hour from here, and it's already 3 p.m. (Paul suggested we get to the hostel by 5 p.m. to check in.)

Far ahead of us in that next valley should be the destination of our hike. 

Below this interesting mountain is a long road, the only road to Ziteil, and only our friend Paul has permission to drive on it (and three other people at his discretion). All other visitors to this, the highest pilgrim church in Europe, must park their cars further down and walk 90 minutes along this road. 

Getting closer now. This final cross marks the last stretch to the alpine church. 

From the cross on the hill we get the first view down to the city of Savognin, the main city in the Surses Valley, from where we started one of our June hikes. To the right along the road is the church. 

We have finally reached Ziteil (a pilgrimage church and hostel which accommodates about 100 travelers) at 4:45 p.m., after almost 7 hours on the trail! This is the highest altitude pilgrim church in Europe, 2430 meters above sea level. 

Details of the Ziteil church and hostel. We found out dinner was at 6:30 p.m., and they wouldn't let us go to the rooms till after dinner, so we had to wait around for 90 minutes. Good thing there was still some sunshine to enjoy, but not too much longer. (We are glad we came now, and not in September, as the building would be in the shadow of Piz Curver much earlier in the afternoon). 

A final evening look down to Savognin at 6:40 p.m., as dinner was served. The flanks on the east side of the Surses Valley had sunshine for much longer, as we up here are already in the shadow of the mountain to the west. 

Our friend Paul runs the hostel here, and is responsible for making sure he has enough food available for all the guests, who are not even required to reserve ahead of time! He greets the guests, cooks the meals, and even helps serve them! We actually had a nice time chatting with other guests and hikers, about 20 people in total. 

Finally at 8:30 p.m., Kathy (who helps out up here on weekends) showed us to our "private room" right above the chapel, while Paul conducted "rosary prayers" in the chapel, with anyone interested. We fell asleep at 9 p.m. and were woken up by the church bells at 6 a.m.! (Breakfast at 7 a.m. and we were ready to start on Day2 of our hike by 7:30!)

What this first day of our 2-day hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

Location of Ziteil and the Surses Valley within Switzerland.