Two-Day hike high up in the Churfirsten Mountain Range

Weekend of August 14 and 15, 2021 -- This was a tough one to organize. For weeks now we have had little good weather, and finally, on this weekend, there was sunshine and high temperatures forecast for both days, which meant we could do one of the 2-day trips we have long planned to do.... The biggest problem was that it was the last weekend of school holidays, and all the alpine hostels in the higher elevation areas we wanted to hike in were fully booked. And we feared that most of the other areas for day trips would be swarming with other avid Swiss hikers...

We travel often along Lake Walensee in Eastern Switzerland on our way to Canton St.Gallen or Grisons, and always admire the fabulous Churfirsten mountain massif, where we have also done a lot of hiking, but mostly lower down nearer lake level. We have long wanted to walk higher up nearer the craggy peaks, but any trail from public transit to public transit would take at least 6 hours or 1000m ascent, simply too much for us in one day. But we found a mountain farm offering basic rooms where we could overnight on a two-day hike with two four-hour stretches on each side, and this farm happened to have a room free. Furthermore, to get to the start of the hike on the high plateau called Palfries, you have to reserve the trip in the former military cable-car, and there just happened to be only two of four spots free for the entire Saturday morning, namely for the 08:45 trip. 

So it all seemed to work out for us, to get there in any case. You'd have to say we were happy it wasn't raining for a change, and with the drier weather this week, the trails were no longer muddy, but it's the heat I'm no longer used to that made the hike somewhat difficult for me. And it was a shame that the air was hazy, as the views from up under these fabulous peaks is simply stunning. It might have been a better choice to do this hike in the fall, when this hillside gets more sunshine than lower in the valleys... 

(Photos from DAY2 are now available HERE)

(Also, we did a round-hike on the Palfries upper plateau in May 2018, those photos are HERE. We had better visibility that day)

From Sargans we took a bus to the cable car station at Ragnatsch. On the way there we got a good view of the Churfirsten Mountains, especially where we were going to walk on the second day. This valley bottom is called the Seez Valley

The Palfries Cable Car used to be for military use only, but they opened it to the public in 2016, so not so long ago. It transports 8 people at a time about 1000m above the valley bottom. 

The Palfries cable car is popular, especially on weekends, and you have to reserve your spot online ahead of time. It transports 8 people every 15 minutes. 

From the cable car station it's a 15-minute walk to the parking lot (Palfries is also accessible by car on a toll-road). From here, we are walking to the Sennis Kurhaus / Spa Hotel (ice cream expected!) and ultimately to Lüsis, so over four hours of walking. It was 9:15 when we started from here.  

Taking the mountain trail toward Malbun and Sennis. We have walked this section before

Somewhere we missed a trail marker and ended up walking 100m higher up than originally planned, without any particular problem, to the base of Mt. Alvier, where surprisingly many people were ascending (an hour from here to the Alpine Hostel). We went left toward Lüsis, practically alone on this trail

A glimpse of Lake Walensee below as we head westward along the Churfirsten Range

A few alpine roses

Across the Seez Valley is the entrance to the Weisstannen Valley, which is a valley we have also visited twice. 

There is a large protected moorlandscape up here. The waters collect together to form the Berschnerbach River which flows into the Walensee Lake 1300m below

Ahead is the farm called Malun. We plan to stop there for an early lunch. From last time, we know there is a view bench near the farm. 

I am somewhat disappointed that we have only this hazy view of Lake Walensee, but it's better than fog, clouds or rain!

Colorful Fireweed, and in the background is the mighty Mt. Mürtschenstock on the South side of Lake Walensee

Ah, we found the view bench! 

Behind us is the farmstead at Malbun

Something poisonous

Heading downhill we got to the Sennis Spa Hotel at about noon. This is actually a popular destination for people who come up with the Palfries cable car (you can easily do a round trip from here back to the cable car, which is what we did the last time we were here).

At 12:30, Urs got his dessert at the Sennis Restaurant! I just prefer the cold Panachés

From the Sennis Kurhaus we had to go uphill again to continue along our way, the only ones going in this direction. This view is behind us. This farm is called Büchel

A look back at the entire Palfries-Malbun region we just walked through 

Ahead of us and below we have the first real view of Lake Walensee and the mountain flanks we are walking along on Day 2. From here, we had quite a steep descent, which I would not have wanted to do if the trail had been wet. 

Through the trees we get a look at the upper plateau with the smattering of summer homes called Lüsis, and the farm where we are spending the night, before continuing the next day below those peaks

After a steep descent of about 300m, we round the corner to another summer hamlet called Verachta

This tiny group of summer houses is called Verachta

From Verachta, another 45 minutes on a fairly level trail to Lüsis. We have come about 3.5 hours from the cable car station at Palfries

A fairly easy, although quite warm, final stretch to Lüsis, high above Lake Walensee

These pretty flowers called Monkshood are actually very poisonous

Before the last stretch into Lüsis we rested on a bench. This photo is unfortunately very dark, probably because we are now looking into the sun. 

This sign is Lüsis indicates that our planned trail to Hochrugg tomorrow (via Alp Tschingla) will take 3 hours 45 minutes, PLUS from there we had to walk another 30 minutes or so to the bus stop at the Walenstadtberg Klinik. That fabulous tower in the background is called Tristencholben. 

Below us is the farm called Berggasthaus Lüsis, where we are spending the night in what turned out to be a very basic room with no electric outlets (had to charge up our devices in the hallway and shared bathroom!) And way below is the city of Flums. On the upper left is where we crossed from the Malbun region. 

DAY1 of a 2-day hike: About 14 km, and over 4 hours of walking in the heat, below the craggy peaks of the Churfirsten Mountain Range. 

A nice sunset dinner of Cordon-Bleu and various salads at the farmhouse where we stayed.

This is unique: The owners of the farmhouse also offer an outdoor sleeping experience! Too expensive for us, but there were guests in that bed next morning when I went out to photograph the lake after breakfast!

Shortly before sunset, the view from the Lüsis Gasthaus across Lake Walensee below. 

What our DAY 1 hike looks like on Google Earth Maps. We started in Palfries at the top of the cable car line, and overnighted in Lüsis, before continuing on via Alp Tschingla the next day. 

The area of Switzerland where the Churfirsten Mountains are located

Round Tour on the Palfries High Plateau above the Seez Valley (Sargans)

May 30, 2018 --  The Swiss are experts where their tunnels and trains, mountain trains and funiculars are concerned, and especially their cableways, which are everywhere and necessary to transport goods to villages and properties in high elevations where there otherwise might be no road access. It's also nice for us hikers to get into high alpine areas without first having to ascend 1000-2000 meters...

So we were very pleased a couple of years ago to find out that the "Palfries Cableway Association" opened a previously (since 1941) only-for-military-use cableway to the public in May 2016, a 3-km ride which accesses the Palfries High Plateau (previously part of the Sargans fortification) from the Seez Valley 1200 m below.

We had been planning to do that trip for the past two years, but because it was widely publicized at the time, it is a popular destination, and since the cable car carries only 8 people every 15 minutes, you have to reserve your time slot ahead of time. On the weekends it is almost impossible to find a decent time slot. So on this Wednesday morning, which dawned blue and cloudless, we decided short notice to head up there, as the Internet Calendar was showing very few reservations.

This turned out to be another successful outing, as we really encountered no one on our 14-km round tour which turned out to be part high alpine along a vertical line of craggy cliffs, and typical central Switzerland meadows and moor landscapes on the way back. And many views of Lake Walensee to the West, and the peaks of what is called Sarganserland to the Southwest. Ten days earlier we had hiked in the Weisstannen Valley across from here, into which we got the most stunning views from the Palfries Plateau.

Highlight of the day: We witnessed an avalanche, a huge piece of snow breaking off the top of a mountain and rushing down a narrow couloir. We were alerted to it by the massive noise it made. Nature really is mighty....

The Palfries upper plateau was part of the Fortress of Sargans properties

Palfries Cable Car, open to the public in May 2016, rises over 1200m right above the waterfall. Total trip is 3 km.

On the way up with the cable car looking NW to the Churfirsten mountain range

Up here we can look right into the Weisstannen Valley, which we walked out of 10 days ago. On the left is Mount Pizol (2,844 m), a popular hiking area

Just like a high alpine hike. My favourite.

The first gentians

The view behind us. At the back on the left is the road from the Palfries cable car station.

Down below is the moor landscape which was the return portion of our 14-km loop hike.

 

There were still many snow patches up here which we had to navigate

Entering the Sennis-Malun Nature Reserve

Our first view West across Lake Walensee

Here's where we had our picnic lunch, at the high alpine farmstead called "Malun"

Mount Gamsberg

VIDEO:

We heard a loud rumble and saw a large piece of snow break off from the top of the mountain and flow down a couloir, sort of like a waterfall...

 

Mount Gamsberg before and after the avalanche

Heading back, we first have to make our way to the small building up on the hill ahead.

Filling up on Swiss Mountain Water

Lots of water along the way

Alp Castilu overlooking Lake Walensee and the Churfirsten Mountains.

Wonderful meadows at the border of the Sennis-Malun Nature Reserve

Another farm house

Looking across the valley at the Malun farmstead where we had lunch, and Mount Gamsberg on the left (where we saw the avalanche)

A different type of gentian. I love the blue flowers.

On our way back along the moor landscape. That mountain looks like a person lying down.

Wonderful rock formations on these fabulous cliffs.

 

Alpine flowers

 

The tiny Palfries cable car, which we also rode back down into the Seez Valley

Our 14 km hike around the Palfries upper plateau. Took us 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Our 14 km hike around the Palfries upper plateau. Took us 4 hours and 30 minutes. This is in Canton St. Gallen in Easter Switzerland near Sargans and the border to Liechtenstein.