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

High Trail in the Bedretto Valley near the Nufenen Pass, and a Crossing into Italy

Friday August 6th, 2021 -- FINALLY!!! One nice day with plenty of sunshine and devoid of rain! (This is the third of three separate weeks we took off for hiking this summer, and we have not had a lot of luck with the weather).

There were lots of nice places to chose from this day. Although I have to say, given that we have had very little "warmth" this summer, our choice of going to the Nufenen Pass, where it is usually cold and windy, was a bit unusual. But the icy wind meant that we managed our 1-hour ascent to the Corno-Gries Alpine Hostel in just 45 minutes!!! Once we got there, we found an out-of-the-wind bench to enjoy an early morning beverage, before continuing on the fabulous high trail toward the San Giacomo Pass into Italy, and as the day progressed, the temperatures rose a bit. But up high here on the trail at about 2300m above sea level, it probably didn't get warmer than 20 degrees. It was only as we did our final descent to All'Acqua in the Bedretto Valley that I had to change from pants into shorts.

We both love the Bedretto Valley, which is situated East-West at the foot of the Gotthard Massif, starting in Airolo at the entrance of the old Gotthard Tunnel, all the way to the Nufenen Pass into Goms in Canton Valais (the highest pass with a paved road in Switzerland, and one of the last passes to open to traffic in the spring). From near the pass you can easily cross on foot into Italy. Urs has done many hikes in this area in his younger days, and I have been here five times since coming to Switzerland in 2013 (twice on my own). This is the area where the mighty Ticino River has its source.

As we knew this would be our only hike in a 10-day stretch or so, we made it a good one: Five hours, 16 kilometers, great luck with the weather, superb trails, spectacular views, and barely noticeable ascents. This is my favourite kind of hiking...

Heading up the Bedretto Valley by bus, toward the Nufenen Pass. Right up ahead is the mountain flank which we are going to walk across this day. 

The first goal of this day is a visit of the Corno-Gries Swiss Alpine Hostel, which you can see like this from the bus. We started our hike from the Pass Road just below the Nufenen Pass. We have often seen this structure on our many trips here, and had determined to hike up there one day. 

Always these cows across the hiking trails!

How pretty!

Our hike starts at the Cruina Alp next to the pass road. Looking down the Bedretto Valley, the red line is approximately where we are doing the hike. 

A bit of colour in this otherwise very colourless landscape!

It took us only 45 minutes out of the suggested 60 minutes to reach the hostel! The unusual remote and isolated location of this building, as well as its unusual structure, is what attracted us to come have a look. 

Unfortunately, the building is very exposed to the cold winds up here. We did find a bench out of the wind to have some refreshments. Behind the building, had we continued uphill, we could have crossed the Corno Pass. A plan for another time. (In fact, most of the hikers coming up this way cross that pass)

It was too cold to sit at the picnic tables, but it makes for a very nice view down the Bedretto Valley!

A view of this unusual structure from the back side. The upper section are the dormitories, the center is the kitchen and dining hall, the bottom has the washrooms and entrance.

For us, the hiking trail is to Passo San Giacomo down-valley. From there to All'Acqua at the valley bottom, but via a longer route

And off we go, toward Alpe San Giacomo and the pass into Italy. (The slopes to our right form the border, so we are walking very close to the border). 

A bit more colour, but not much! The blue flowers are my favourites. 

Behind me are the pass road toward the Nufenen Pass and the mountains on the North side of the Valley

Looking behind us, you can just make out the Corno-Gries Hostel. On the left is the Corno Pass, and on the right is the Nufenen Pass (descends to Canton Valais on the other side). 

The wonderful Bedretto Valley stretched out below us. The hiking trail was very good and easy to walk. Also interesting for us is to see the other side of the valley, where we did another fantastic hike in September 2018 (Those photos are HERE)

A look behind me at Urs on the trail, and the fabulous pass road to the Nufenen Pass. At 2478m, it is the highest paved road pass in Switzerland. No wonder it's one of the latest to open to traffic in spring!

A zoomed view of the Nufenen Pass

Another look backwards at the pass road and the high trail on this side of the mountain. The dominant mountain in the background is called the Nufenenstock. We started our hike on the pass road, and hiked up into the couloir next to that mountain, before continuing on this high trail.

Ahead of us the trail continues toward the San Giacomo Alp

Always some water courses to cross along the way. 

The fantastic Pizzo Grandinagia ahead of us (Urs remembers crossing that pass ahead with his father when he was a teenager. That's not where we are going, though. We are headed around the corner to the right!)

And about 20 minutes later we were at the Passo San Giacomo, on the border between Italy and Switzerland! In the above photos, I am standing in Italy, and Urs is standing in Switzerland! The yellow trail signs are the Swiss ones, and the red/white signs are the Italian ones. 

We crossed the border and walked along the road on the Italian side for about 10 minutes until we could get a view of the Lago Toggia with its dam. Then we returned and crossed back into Switzerland. 

Something interesting we noticed about all the power lines here which bring electricity from Switzerland to Italy: The Swiss towers have six lines, but the Italian ones have only three! So the final tower on the Swiss side switches from six power lines to three (photo on the right)

Back on the Swiss side, we had our picnic lunch here, then continued down to Alpe San Giacomo

Very nice and large high moor region here. 

This large meadow is called the San Giacamo Alp

The Chapel of San Nicolao has been a pilgrim chapel since the mid 1400's

So many interesting features mean the long hike never gets monotonous

Now heading back into the Bedretto Valley, soon to start our descent toward the valley bottom. Above the tree line on the opposide side is where we walked in 2018.

A straight-on look up the Bedretto Valley toward the Nufenen Pass on the right, and the Corno Pass on the left. To me, an absolutely stunning landscape, even with the power lines in the way!

Trying out a self-timed photo!

One more break here before the final descent through the forest. 

As we got lower, the air got warmer, and eventually I did have to change into my shorts. 

A look down at All'Acqua where we caught the bus back out of the valley. 

And a final crossing of the Ticino River before reaching the main road. This bridge has been massively washed out along both banks, and we were very surprised that the trail had not been cordoned off here (there WAS an alternate route to the road)

Waiting for the bus, a look up the hill at the extent of our final descent from the high trail. 

Since this was one of only two real hikes we were able to do in a whole week of hiking vacation, we made it a good one! 16 kilometers and almost full five hours of walking time, which we completed in 7.5 hours! Not one bit tiring. A fabulous and successful hike. 

What the trail looks like on Google Satellite maps

The mint-green trail is the one we did this day. We've been in the Bedretto Valley at least six times, more if you count the area around Airolo. 

Where the upper Bedretto Valley is located.