On the road again

1 September 2023.

Sorry I haven’t written. We’ve been very busy since arriving in Switzerland on August 23!

On every trip we seem to find ourselves on a hike we would not have taken had we known what was ahead. In 2021, we climbed a mountain. In 2022, we took a route in the Alpe di Siusi that was short enough, not too much elevation change, but included a steep, downhill, dolomite-strewn trail suitable for mountain goats, not necessarily septuagenarians.

This year’s happy error was the panoramic trail from Muottas Muragl to Alp Languard in Switzerland’s Engadine. This route featured in nearly every hiking source I could consult. Some called it “easy” or “moderately strenuous.” We’d call it, at the very least, challenging. The expected 2 hours became 3-and-a-quarter. It was only 4.25 miles long so our pace was slow. That should tell you something about the trail. Incredible vistas, gorgeous weather (sun and high-50s, Fahrenheit), rocky downhills, steep climbs, some narrow paths with frightening drop-offs, streams to cross (waterproof hiking boots held up nicely), and best of all, tilting flagstones over a scree field. 

My sister-in-law would have hated it!

The trail maintenance effort to create this flagstone path across the scree field is laudable. Still, a bit unnerving to cross as the stones canted much more than you can see, first one way, then another, and a few of them rocked in place when weight was placed on them.

Thank goodness we had our trekking sticks and terrific boots! 

Many many young people, as well as those in our age bracket, strode confidently along the trail. Others pussyfooted like us. I did have to stop feeling sorry for myself when we saw a woman older than us (!!) slowly and determinedly making her way. Luckily she had a minder with her. If it took us over 3 hours her pace would have been at least 4 hours. 

This may be the most crowded trail we have taken in all our years of hiking in Switzerland and Italy. Luckily groups arrived in time with a funicular and quickly dispersed. Occasionally we had to stand aside for a couple dozen students to trek past us, all very polite with a pleasant “Greützi!” Here a group lunches with a view of St. Moritz.

But it was beautiful! We are terribly proud of having done it. This route was on our list for 2018, the last time we were in Pontresina. At that time, the weather and trail conditions prohibited the trek. So, done and dusted: we did it. Non mai di piú!

From the trail, incredible view of Piz Bernina, the highest peak in the area, 14,283 feet above sea level.

Pontresina is one of the Italian-speaking valleys in this region, the Engadine, so it has been fun to exercise those Italian linguistic muscles. I have been studying German this summer, though, and I find a mixture spews out from time-to-time. German articles (der, die, das) with Italian nouns, for example. Das burro, anyone?

We also hiked to the Morteratsch Glacier below Piz Bernina the other day. Fresh snow the night before made for a stunning scene. This is a lovely 4.5 mile out and back. The trailhead is reached by a little mountain train of the Rhaetianbahn.

Surprisingly, in Appenzell, our stop prior to Pontresina, we encountered some Swiss who did not speak English and I managed in German. I was pretty happy since my academic efforts in the language ended in 1972. Duolingo has helped me refresh. 

We’ve had weather from 93F/34C to 37F/3C. Pack for that! (Actually, we did!) We only got drenched once, so far, in the last 20 minutes of a lovely hike in Appenzell. Rivers have raged and retreated, snow has fallen at higher elevations. No doubt the weather gods will throw more curves in the coming weeks, but we are prepared with layers of all types, Gortex, and great shoes.

Herewith, a few shots from our days in Zurich and Appenzell.

From the upper left: Morning in Zurich, Already 70 degrees; Cow parade in Appenzell, viewed from our room; The BarFussWeg or Barefoot Way. We did not do it barefooted. Some did. Yuck. It is tick season!

From the lower left: Along the Barefoot Way, many surfaces, some not friendly to bare feet; Cows always enhance the experience; Final picture a cloudy day for the Appenzeller Loop, a lovely walk through the landscape.

As they say in Deutsch, Bis bald! (See you soon!)

Tags: Alp Languard, Morteratsch, Muottas Muragl, Pontresina