Hiking (mountain trail, in places narrow and exposed)
Alpine route (equipped or very exposed section, snow field, blocks)
R93
Riale » Ulrichen
Trail crossing
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6h50 |
19.6 km
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802 m
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1188 m
From Riale the route leads to Lake Morasco, continuing along the Morasco Valley, initially by road and then along a trail. The Gries Pass marks the border with Switzerland. Pass the Griessee lake and descend steeply to the Ladstafel, from where you must walk out of the Ägenetal valley or take the bus to Ulrichen, the stage destination.
Leave the Maria-Luisa CAI hut along the alpine road and descend in hairpin bends to Riale, also called “Z' Chärbärch”. It is worth while to go into the hamlet, even through many of the old houses and stables have been converted into holiday homes. After the hamlet, the trail leads along the roads up to the Lago di Morasco reservoir. At the end of the reservoir, head along an old mule track to the Bättelmatt. This mule track was probably already used in the Bronze Age and Roman times as a merchant trail. It played an important role for the Valser migration, as the 13th century saw an increasing number of people from Goms (in the Oberwallis region of Switzerland) come over the Gries pass and settle in the Pomatt area. Today, there are still place names to testify to this, such as Z’ Chärbärch, which the trail has passed earlier. Right at the end of the Gries valley, the mule track climbs very steeply up to the Gries pass. From here, continue along boulder-strewn slopes, above the Griessee lake to the Mändeli, the highest point in this stage. After the Mändeli, the old mule track, whose stone pavings are evident in several places, leads on a zigzagging route down to Altstafel and on to Ladstafel. Here, there is a very special stone bridge to be admired, built in the year 1761. On the valley floor,continue along the clearly visible mule track to Hosand, where the Nufenen pass road is crossed once again. The mule track takes you along the right-hand bank of the Ägenen to the Bodmerbrücke bridge. The sweeping, boldly structured suspension bridge provides a modern contrast to the paving stones of the medieval mule track that come into sight on several occasions. On the other side of the valley, head via Kitt to the hamlet of Zum Loch with its old stable barns and the charming St. Anna chapel. Pass the holiday homes, military barracks and larger, modern stables to reach Ulrichen. (Schweizer Wanderwege).
Natural and cultural heritage
Ulrichen Ulrichen lies almost right at the top of the Goms high valley at 1,346m above sea level at the feet of the Nufenen and Gries passes and close to the Furka and Grimsel alpine passes. Ulrichen was mentioned in a document for the first time in 1235 as “Ulrighingen”. A chapel was built in honour of Saint Nicholas in 1334. In 1815, a major fire destroyed the village centre, which then had to be rebuilt. Next to the village centre is the hamlet of Zum Loch. It houses a trans-shipment centre on the formerly important Grimsel-Gries pass road. The Gries pass was frequently used until the 14th century, even in winter. In the summer, around 100 horses used it every day. With the construction of the Gotthardbahn funicular in 1882, this international connection became quieter.
(Schweizer Wanderwege)
Other long-distance trails and alternative routes
Walser Trail.
Useful topographic maps
n° 11 ~ Istituto Geografico Centrale - Torino (1:50.000)
265T Nufenenpass ~ Swisstopo (1: 50'000)
Aletsch Goms Brig Simplon ~ Hallwag Kümmerly und Frey AG, Urtenen BE (1: 60'000)
Useful guidebooks
Brig Simplon Aletsch Goms / Chrisitan Fux ~ Rotten Verlag AG Philipp Mengis (ISBN 3-907624-52-1)
Websites relative to natural and cultural heritage
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.
Berta - 2018-07-05
Ganz in der Nähe vom Campingplatz gibt es Freddys Ferienwohnungen und Zimmer, hier haben wir ein schönes Zimmer bekommen um 43 SF pP ohne Frühstück.
Automatic translation
[Google]
Near the campsite there are Freddy's apartments and rooms, here we have a nice room at 43 SF pp without breakfast.
de noray - 2015-08-23
A Ullrichen on trouve une zimmer a 43 euro a 100 m du camplng(situee sur parcours en allant a zum loch)
Automatic translation
[Google]
A Ullrichen there is a zimmer 43 euro 100m camplng (situated on a path going zum loch)
The private room mentioned below (2011-08-18) is now closed. That leaves the three hotels at CHF 75+ the only alternatives to stay in.
Southbound hikers, at the train station is the last shop up until Prato-Sornico
Elisabeth - 2014-03-23
L'alpagiste du Bättelmatt n'aime pas les randonneurs : non seulement sa clôture électrifiée n'est pas signalée comme telle mais il n'y a pas de passage aménagé (par exemple : poignée avec ressort) évitant de recevoir une forte décharge électrique !!
Automatic translation
[Google]
The Alpine dairyman of Bättelmatt dislike hikers not only her electric fence is not reported as such but there is no passage arranged (eg handle with spring) to avoid receiving a severe electric shock! !
Andreas - 2012-09-12
Eine Alternative zu einer Übernachtung in Ulrichen ist die Galmihornhütte, ca. 2 Stunden von Ulrichen, oberhalb von Münster. Sehr freundliche und gute Bewirtung und man hat von der nächsten langen Etappe bereits etwas eingespart, da man wieder zügig auf den Gomser Höhenweg kommt.
www.galmihornhuette.ch/
Automatic translation
[Google]
An alternative to a night in Ulrichen is the Galmihornhütte, about 2 hours from Ulrichen above Münster. Very friendly and good hospitality and you have already saved a bit of the next long leg, because you quickly get back on the trail Gomser. www.galmihornhuette.ch/
Daniel - 2011-08-18
In Ulrichen all hotels are ***-rated, and prices 70+. Try the house behind Hotel Alpina opposite the Post-office. It has a sign saying "Zimmer". The old lady prefers long-stay guests, but a single night stay is OK. CHF 38, no breakfast. Kitchen, shop nearby. In the evening visit the village with its old wooden farmhouses.
There is also a camping for the ones who like carrying tents and cooking-gear across passes.
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6h50 |
19.6 km
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802 m
|
1188 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.