Hiking (mountain trail, in places narrow and exposed)
Alpine route (equipped or very exposed section, snow field, blocks)
R62
St. Antönien » Gargellen
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5h10 |
10.2 km
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938 m
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940 m
Leave St. Antönien on the valley road heading towards the north east and turn right at Litzirüti into the valley. Follow the Gafier stream for a short while, and then dip into the Alpeltitäli, where the climb to the St. Antönier Joch pass begins. At the pass, cross the national border into Austria and head down through the high Gargellenalpe meadows to Gargellen, the stage destination.
From St. Antönien Platz with its very beautiful Gothic church, built in 1493, a short walk takes you to the turnoff that leads into Gafia. At the little settlement of Dörfji, turn towards the St. Antönier Joch pass, also called the Gargäller Joch. The trail leads steeply upwards over the alpine meadows, where farming still takes place even at the higher altitudes, to the St. Antönier Joch pass at 2,379m. (Bündner Wanderwege BAW) The Antönier Joch pass forms the border between Austria and Switzerland. Just below the pass, there are two possible trail alternatives. Either follow the steeper but direct trail across the high meadowland of the Gargellner Alpe through the Gargellner Alptobel ravine and via Rüti to Gargellen (1,423m), or turn off to the right just below the pass and follow the easier trail at the foot of the Gargellner peaks to the mountain station (2,130m) of the Schafbergbahn steam rack railway. It is possible to travel comfortably down to Gargellen with the railway. (Christina Schwann, OeAV)
Natural and cultural heritage
The Suggadinbach stream flowing from the Gargellental valley marks the border between Silvretta and Rätikon. This stretch of the Via Alpina route is thus still situated in the Rätikon mountains. For geologists, the old, direct trail is a discovery path through the famous Gargellen Window, in which the younger Jura limestone layers of the Sulzfluh nappe are exposed below the crystalline primitive rock of the so-called Silvretta nappe. The clearly visible 5 to 30 metre-high limestone walls just above Gargellen form the window frame, so to speak. Over this, colourful rocks from the so-called Arosa Zone can be seen in places. But the surrounding mountain peaks are mainly composed of massive amphibolite rock from the projecting Silvretta nappe. The various rock parameters can also be recognised through the noticeably greater species diversity of alpine flora here, as both calcicolous and calcifugous plants can be found over just a small area. The trail over the St. Antönier Joch pass – on the Prättigau side also referred to as the Gargäller Joch pass – is one of the ancient connections between Montafon and Prätigau. Although it was of no great significance for transport using pack animals over longer stretches, it was nevertheless a connecting trail between the Walsers of Prätigau and Vorarlberg. In addition to this, it was one of the most used smuggling routes. Today, the Gargellen - St. Antönien connection is also a popular daily stage in the three-day Madrisa round trip. Using straw remains, it was possible to prove that hunters had wandered through the Gargellental valley as far back as primeval times. In the Middle Ages, several pastures were cultivated by farmers from Walgau and Montafon. A number of “Maisäße” (summer pastures for cattle) were also developed over past centuries. A connecting path between the Garneratal and Gargellental valleys has already existed for a long time, described in 1610 as a “gefahrlicher fueßstaig” (dangerous footpath) and by the end of the 19th century probably only used by chamois hunters. The mule track leading to Klosters in Graubünden over the Schlappingerjoch pass was for centuries incomparably more important in the Gargellental valley. Travellers with pack animals, who until the middle of the 19th century were very frequent, delivered wine from the Veltlin area to Vorarlberg, which was the most important transported merchandise. Cattle from Montafon were transported in the opposite direction to Upper Italy. (Christina Schwann, OeAV)
Other long-distance trails and alternative routes
Just below the pass, turn right to the mountain station of the "Schafbergbahn" train, with which you travel down to Gargellen. The Riederkopf north of the St. Antöner pass (2,552m) marks the border, with good mountain views of the Rätikon and Silvretta, the sea of summits in the Graubünden mountains over to the Bernina chain, and on clear days even Mount Rosa. Approx. 50min from St. Antönier pass. 02 Zentralalpenweg, Der Große Walserweg
Der Große Walserweg ~ Geocenter Medienservice Stuttgart (ISBN 3-930187-00-0)
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Comments
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.
POPEYE GG - 2019-02-04
Samedi 7 juillet 2018
Etape sans difficulté, cependant il a fallu quitter le chemin et emprunter la petite route pour raison d'éboulement de terrain, au voisinage du joli refuge Edelweiss à 1660m d'altitude (N46° 57.888' E9° 50.832'), qui offre un hébergement évitant de descendre jusque St-Antönien.
Enfin, juste après la ferme de Gagellenalpe, le chemin était complètement défoncé par les vaches, on s'enfonçait et on tachait le bas du pantalon!
A Gargellen, je recommande l'hôtel La Marmotta (62€ en DP).
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Saturday, July 7, 2018 Stage without difficulty, however it was necessary to leave the path and take the small road due to landslide, near the pretty refuge Edelweiss to 1660m of altitude (N46 ° 57,888 'E9 ° 50,832'), which offers accommodation avoiding going down to St-Antönien. Finally, just after the Gagellenalpe farm, the path was completely broken by the cows, we sank and stained the bottom of the pants! In Gargellen, I recommend the hotel La Marmotta (62 € in DP).
The first thing you think when you arrive in Gargellen is "how to get out of here". But the tourist office is very helpful. They advised Edelweiss and Marmotta. Both are hotels, but cheap in comparison to Switzerland. Gasthaus Taschen does not take hikers anymore: what did we do wrong?
Simon Bühler - 2018-08-03
Ich empfehle das Edelweiss in Gargellen. Sehr freundlicher Chef, tolles Frühstücksbuffet und faire Preise. Kein Abendessen, aber es gibt mehrere Restaurants im Ort.
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I recommend the Edelweiss in Gargellen. Very friendly boss, great breakfast buffet and fair prices. No dinner, but there are several restaurants in town.
pratesi michel - 2015-09-06
pour la descente sur Gargellen ne pas chercher une gare et un train à crémaillère! ( Schafbergbahn) mais rejoindre directement la gare supérieure de la remontée mécanique bien visible (téléski)
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for the descent on Gargellen not find a station and a rack railway! (Schafbergbahn) but directly to the upper station of the visible lift (lift)
Alpinisten - 2013-08-31
Wer sich abwärts etwas schonen möchte, der kann mit dem Lift nach Gargellen abfahren. Sehr angenehme Frühstückspension: Haus Täschner, Familie Winkler, Tel.: +43.5557.6138
Automatic translation
[Google]
Anyone who wants to protect something down, which can leave the lift to Gargellen. Very pleasant Bed and Breakfast: House Bag makers, family Winkler, Phone: 43.5557.6138
|
5h10 |
10.2 km
|
938 m
|
940 m
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.