Twelve Days on the Via Alpina

Published on 2018-8-14 by Michael Stanton

Introduction

I had about two weeks, and having already done the whole Green Via Alpina trail in 2017, I decided to get some portion of the very long Red trail. Why not start at essentially the same place around Vaduz?

Day One

A walk from Buchs, Switzerland up to the Gasthof Sücka above the village of Steg. A little rain in the afternoon.

The day begins at the Lindau train station

First break at the little water tank

The Gasthof Sücka, and Steg below

Looking down on the Rhine

Day Two

I left early hoping to get some views before the promised rain started. I reached the Pfälzerhütte pretty early and drank coffee while it rained hard outside. Then a mysterious walk in Austria for an hour or so before dropping into Switzerland at the Gross Furgga (2358 m). With beautiful views the rest of the way to my destination for the night at the Schesaplana Hütte.

Oddly significant Tarot cards

The Schesaplanahütte

Looking down the Valpeida

Day Three

This would be a long day. I walked a long time through such amazing country, especially enjoying the Schweizer Tor. I had a long rest at the Carschinahütte, talking to a Japanese couple who really liked this part of Switzerland. Then I walked by the Carschinasee and down to Sankt Antönien where I stayed for the night.

Looking east to the Kanzelköpfe

A bird of prey

Austria/Switzerland border

Near the Schweizertor

The Chläsi ridge coming down from the Drusenfluh

A look into the Gafia

At the Carschinahütte

Day Four

This day was pretty easy...just go up to the pass and down into Gargellen. I needed to buy hiking poles and sunglasses, which I could do there. I also hiked up the Ronggspitze.

Horses, large and smallish

The Ronggspitz (2551 m).

People on the Ronggspitz

Overseer of the Val Calda

Looking into the Vergaldnertal

Day Five

Again, not too terribly long. I walked up the beautiful "warm valley" and then to the Tübinger Hütte, coming into the Silvretta Range and leaving the Rätikon behind for good.

The lower Valgalda

Blueberries along the Alpeltibach

The upper Garnera Valley

Day Six

Today was a long one. First in light rain up to the Hochmadererjoch, then rather tiredly to the Bielerhöhe for a long lunch. Finally, in decent weather to the Getschnerscharte where the storm caught me, making for a wet and uncomfortable steep descent to the Jamtalhütte. At least they had a drying room!

A mysterious ridge of the Westliches Gamshorn (2987 m)

Crossing the Jambach

Day Seven

Up through the Futschöl Pass, down into the Urschai and thence to F-tan and Scoul. Beautiful weather all day.

Looking down on Breites Wasser

Finanzerstein and it's little shelter

Val Urschai

The Urschai

The Unter Engadin near Ftan.

Day Eight

From great lodging in Scoul, I hiked down the up to S-charl, having to take a detour up to Avrona since the gorge was closed for construction work (landslides the previous year). After dinner in S-charl I hiked up above the trees on Mot Mezdi to get a nice look around.

A Key-maus in S-charl

Piz Pisoc and friends from S-charl

Day Nine

Through the S-charljöchli and down to Taufers. Good weather.

Two women near the Cruschetta

Day Ten

Steeply up through empty forest to Piz Chavalatsch, then down to the Obere Stilfser Alm. Here, I departed from the official trail in order to stay high and create an extra long day for the following day. The official trail goes down to Stilfs.

Me on Piz Chavalatsch

Looking down on Taufers from Piz Chavalatsch (2763 m).

The Obere Stilfser Alm

The Ortler from the Obere Stilfser Alm

Kaiserschmarrn at the Obere Stilfser Alm

Day Eleven

Up to the Stilfserjoch in good weather, then through the Bocchetta di Forcula into the wild Valle Forcula. Beautiful despite rain in the afternoon. I stayed at the M. Scale Rifugio at Lago Cancano.

The Ortler

The magnificent Braulio valley.

Looking down to Prad am Stilfserjoch

Lago Cancano

Day Twelve

With approaching bad weather, I decided to call a stop here. Guido gave me a ride to Bormio, then I came up with many buses and trains. Good times!

Me and Guido, who runs the excellent M. Scale Rifugio and Restaurant