The Alps 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4:
3. The Engadine, in Southeast Switzerland

Index to this page: Morteratsch , Scuol , Guarda , St. Moritz , Bregaglia Valley & Soglio , trekking advice , map

More Alps Pages: 1. Berner Oberland, Switzerland , Swiss Travel Tips , Weather & Hiking Season ~ 2. Haute Route: from Chamonix/Mont Blanc to Zermatt/Matterhorn ~ 4. Swiss Trivia Page

Photographs Copyright 2005 by Tom Dempsey. Page last updated March 5, 2010.
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Click here to launch a slide show of 114  images our Engadine trek, in Southeast Switzerland in 2005.

Morteratsch

Above: Hiking to Morteratsch Glacier, photo by Carol Dempsey. Piz Bernina rises on the upper right.

Above: Tiny hikers explore a ridge above Pontresina, across the valley from Piz Palü's glaciers.

Left: Morteratsch Glacier flows by a teahouse.

Below: Carol rests by the Swiss flag above Morteratsch Glacier.

Left: Piz Palü, Morteratsch Glacier, silhouetted hiker. [ Published in Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures 2006-2009 "Inn to Inn Alpine Hiking Adventures" Catalog. ]

Above: Yellowing fall foliage, Morteratsch Glacier, and the Bernina Range.

Above: Hikers walk at Alp Languard, a chairlift station above Pontresina, with good views of the Bernina massif.

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Scuol village

Above: An old covered bridge crosses the Inn River (or En), near the main church in the town of Scuol, Lower Engadine, Switzerland.

Left: Window in Scuol.

Left: The main church in the town of Scuol. [ Published in Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures 2007 "Inn to Inn Alpine Hiking Adventures" Catalog. ]

    Below right: Fountain in the town of Scuol. [ Published in Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures 2006 & 2007 "Inn to Inn Alpine Hiking Adventures" Catalog; image available with or without a person in the image. ]

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Guarda village

Above: Preserved 17th century town of Guarda.

Left: Carol walks through historic Guarda.

Left: House in Guarda.

Below right: Val Susauna church:

Left: Hiking into Zuoz.

Above: St. Moritz on St. Moritzer See (Lake), upper Engadine. [ Published in Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures 2006 "Inn to Inn Alpine Hiking Adventures" Catalog. ]

Left: Cinquefoil (potentilla) flower.

Above: Grevasalvas, setting for the movie Heidi.

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Bregaglia Valley & Soglio

Above: Tom Dempsey hiking in the Bregaglia Valley beneath the Sciora Range. (panorama stitched from three images)

Left: Hiking with poles (a very common practice in Europe) beneath the Sciora Range, Bregaglia Valley.

Above: Green fields, and meandering paths on the edge of Soglio village, with the Sciora Range beyond, in Switzerland. [ Published in Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures 2008 "Inn to Inn Alpine Hiking Adventures" Catalog. ]

Left: Soglio and the Sciora Range.

Below right: Four hikers in Val Bregaglia.

Above: Soglio sunset, Switzerland.

Engadine Trekking Advice:  Sample Itinerary for 5+ days Right: Carol hikes into Zuoz village, in the Engadine, Switzerland. Tom Dempsey’s rating system: **** four stars = Fantastic world-class experience.    *** three stars = Wonderful - must do.    ** two stars = Worthwhile & enjoyable.    * one star = Interesting, but optional - worthwhile only if you have extra time & energy. ** Day 1: Stay at in Scuol**, which has very attractive historic buildings and a covered bridge, with high mountains for an impressive backdrop. I recommend the Hotel Guardaval** in Scuol, with a great view, & very friendly staff. ** Day 2: Walk from Scuol** to Guarda***, via Tarasp** historic castle and Ardez** (great sgraffito examples). Alternative Route: Or hike a longer, more remote & higher route, which starts from atop Motta Naluns ski lift, hiking via the pleasant & remote Tasna valley* (which we did) along high pastures & forest (alps) to Guarda***. Stay at Hotel Meisser** in beautifully preserved historic Guarda*** (call ahead). * Optional Extra Day: Hike from Cinuos Chel Brail train station to Val Susauna* (a small village with a pretty church in an isolated valley) to Zuoz*, which is bigger but has a pleasant town square. A nice view of Upper Engadine opens out as you approach within a mile of Zuoz and on into the town. ** Day 3: From Muottas Muragl funicular**, hike to Segantini Hut and down to Pontresina via Alp Languard's Sessellift (chair lift)**. Optional extension: From Alp Languard, you can also add (or do on its own) a great loop trip along a ridge to Chamanna Paradis** Restaurant (we brought sack lunches & didn't eat there), which has a spectacular view of Piz Bernina massif and Morterasch Glacier. Nice moderate grades and great views, but very popular, so don't expect solitude. Pontresina lodging: Hotel Steinbock** which had a tasty buffet included with their excellent dinner. Pontresina serves as a practical tourist town, with a more modern character. **** Day 4: hike from Morteratsch (second train stop from Pontresina towards Bernina Pass) to Boval Hut. Boval Hut offers close views of Morteratsch Glacier amid an impressive cirque of the icy Bernina Massif. Optionally stay overnight in Boval Hut for a good sunrise light on the spectacular massif. This hike is one of the most rewarding walks in the Alps, with truly spectacular scenery, one of my favorite day hikes in the world! The trail is well graded, not too steep, only 5 or 6 miles round trip and 2700 feet gain/loss. I recommend returning via the lower trail to make a nice partial loop. *** Alternative Day 4 / Extra Day: continue from Pontresina on the Bernina Express*** train line (may be the most spectacular train in Switzerland, but we missed it) to the top of the pass, and get off at an interesting area such as Alp Grüm. Optional day hike to Sassal Mason hut. Optionally take the Diavolezza*** lift to stunning views, similar to Boval Hut but 1500-feet higher. I usually find views more meaningful if I have to sweat to reach them, but some Alps lifts take you to astounding places. *** Another Alternative Day 4 / Extra Day (which I would also like to have done):  Spectacular hike from Pontresina up the Roseg Valley to Coaz Hut & over Surlej Pass down to St Moritz. Or hike round trip to Tschierva Hut (a long day, 15.5 miles roundtrip, 2800 ft), also in Roseg Valley. Lodging in Sils Maria* [a quiet & pretty village on attractive Lake Segl*, accessible via the Post Bus line; probably more relaxing and better value than staying in St Moritz]: Hotel Edelweiss**, very luxurious; dinner in huge ornate ballroom with live piano; good breakfast. The best idea may be to stay in or explore the scraffito in the village of **Samedan, according to Rick Steves' Switzerland book (order from Amazon.com). * Optional Extra Day: Walk from Sils Maria to "pasturesque" Grevasalvas* (setting for the movie Heidi, with some nice old stone buildings), to Lake Lunghin, and optionally up to alpine Piz Lunghin** (weather kept us from ascending the peak), then descend to Maloja Pass to catch the Post Bus back to Sils Maria. *** Day 5: Walk from Cassacia (or Vicosoprano) to Soglio*** village on the Sentiero Panaramico***, a scenic trail marked with little yellow hiking signs (all three villages are on the Post Bus line). If you start at Cassacia (the Post Bus can drop you there), the first hour of the hike proceeds through pleasant pastures and woods, but within earshot of a busy highway, and follows powerlines, past a dam retaining pretty turquoise water, and within view of another dam (forming lake Lagh da L'Albigna) looming amazingly high on the other side of the valley. After a few hours the Sentiero Panaramico leaves the power lines and progressively gets more aesthetically pleasing, with more and more spectacular views of the Sciora Range*** the closer you get to Soglio***, which is a medieval-looking town with narrow streets, the highlight of the day. (From Cassacia to Soglio: 11 miles, 2000 feet up, 2900 feet down) Lodging in Soglio***: Hotel La Soglina*** has a great view and large, modern & comfortable rooms.

Study and bring these excellent guidebooks for Switzerland:

• Alps hiking guidebook: 100 Hikes in the Alps (order from Amazon.com), 2nd Edition, by Ira Spring, published by The Mountaineers 1992, reprinted 1995 1998, 2002.
• Tour guidebook: Rick Steves' Switzerland (order from Amazon.com) gives specific itineraries touring the highlights in a wonderfully a concise book. I highly recommend Rick Steves' books for touring any country in Europe, especially if you have limited time or budget. Each book contains everything you need to know to plan your own trip, except hikers should buy an additional hiking guide.
• Please support my photography by buying any books or consumer products at Amazon.com using any of these special links:

Switzerland Map

The following Switzerland map shows our 20 hikes in one month, August 29 to Sept 28, 2005, starting at the Zurich Airport, including Berner Oberland & Loetschental (Page 1), Chamonix and the Haute Route to Zermatt (Page 2), and the Engadine Valley (to top of this Page 3):

Click here to launch a slide show of 114  images from our Engadine trek, in Southeast Switzerland in 2005.

The Alps Page 3: The Engadine, in Southeast Switzerland
Index to the above page: Morteratsch , Scuol , Guarda , St. Moritz , Bregaglia Valley & Soglio , trekking advice , map

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The Alps 1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4
More Alps Pages: 1. Berner Oberland, Switzerland , Swiss Travel Tips , Weather & Hiking Season ~ 2. Haute Route: from Chamonix/Mont Blanc to Zermatt/Matterhorn ~ 4. Swiss Trivia Page
 
Copyright 2005 & 1981 by Tom Dempsey. Photographs may not be copied without permission.  Custom Print Prices.