Hiking Tips Saas-Fee EN

ENGLISH
ANNOUNCEMENT
SIX SAAS-FEE HIKING TIPS
SAAS-FEE | SAAS-GRUND | SAAS-ALMAGELL | SAAS-BALEN

Dear hiking fans,
The Free Republic of Holidays isn’t only known for its unique
mountain landscape and year-round ski resort – with over 300 km
of hiking trails, the Saas Valley also offers many beautiful tours for
hikers of all abilities, complete with breathtaking views and many
more delights. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a leisurely walker
looking for a rustic mountain restaurant with great food, a thrillseeker
keen to conquer hanging bridges, glaciers and steep cliffs, or
an extreme endurance hiker looking to tackle challenging routes
that take five hours or more.
In this small brochure, we have put together six suggestions for
beautiful and unforgettable hikes through our unique mountain
landscape. You can find additional hiking trails on the hiking map
or at www.saas-fee.ch/bergtouren.
Enjoy a fabulous hiking holiday in the Free Republic of Holidays
Saas-Fee!
Partners:
This brochure was put together with the help and support of GPS-
Tracks.com.
Reproduced with permission of swisstopo (BA 160139)
You can access all the tours described in this brochure by scanning
the QR code with the app on your smartphone.

General information
GENERAL INFORMATION
Content
- General information.....................P.5
- Important Phone...........................P.5
light paths:
- Saas Valley Riverbank Trail........P.6
- Mattmark Circular Trail................P.7
moderate paths:
- Almagell High-Altitude Trail.........P.8
- Chamois Trail..................................P.9
advanced paths:
- Glacier Trail.....................................P.10
- Swiss Trail........................................P.11
When hiking, please pay attention to the weather conditions, any notices about the
condition of the trails, and the operating times of the cableways and PostAuto buses.
EQUIPMENT:
• Appropriate footwear with slip-resistant soles
• Appropriate clothing (windbreaker/sweater, change of T-shirt, etc.)
• Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)
• Water/drinks
• First aid kit (plasters, thermal blanket, etc.)
• Trekking poles
• Hiking map
• Citizens’ Pass (in the Saas Valley)
LEVELS:
- Easy: Accessible hikes for visitors of all abilities, with gentle ascents and descents.
These require a basic level of fitness and appropriate walking shoes, but no mountaineering
equipment. We recommend bringing refreshments (e.g. water and a
snack).
- Moderate: Longer hikes with steep ascents and descents; may lead across sloping
terrain. These require an intermediate level of fitness. Good walking shoes are
important to ensure surefootedness. We recommend bringing refreshments (e.g.
water and a snack).
- Advanced: Challenging tours across glaciers, scree, sometimes climbing aids like
iron footholds, and along steep cliffs and sloping terrain (may be marked blue-white).
These require a high level of fitness, surefootedness and hiking experience.
Good hiking shoes and equipment are a must. We recommend bringing refreshments
(e.g. water and a snack).
TÉLÉPHONE IMPORTANTS
emergency call: 144
Saas-Fee/Saastal Tourismus: +41 27 958 18 58
Saastal Bergbahnen AG: +41 27 958 11 00
Bergbahnen Hohsaas AG: +41 27 958 15 80
Postauto: +41 58 454 26 16
HUTS / RESTAURANTS ON THE PATHS:
Restaurant Almagelleralp: +41 79 613 79 85 / +41 79 629 78 08
Bergrestaurant Hannig: +41 27 957 14 19
Restaurant Terminus Plattjen: +41 27 957 15 16
Britannia Hütte SAC: +41 27 957 22 88
Restaurant Mattmark: +41 27 957 29 06
Restaurant Kreuzboden: +41 27 957 29 45
4 5

easy
easy
SAAS VALLEY RIVER-
BANK TRAIL
(easy)
This trail starts at the Saas-Balen village square and
leads westwards towards the round church. From there,
it branches off in a southerly direction up the valley
before reaching the Saaser Vispa river. Hikers then follow
the river to the hamlet of Biedermatten, which belongs
to Saas-Balen but seems to be part of Saas-
Grund. The path then continues through the old
hamlet and over the meadows to the next bridge,
which crosses over to Tamatten, a hamlet that is part
of Saas-Grund. Keeping to the right-hand side of the
river, hikers then continue past Saas-Grund and arrive
at the road that leads to Saas-Fee. The trail crosses
over the road and continues to the Kapellenweg
campsite, where hikers have the option to branch off
and follow the Chapel Trail to Saas-Fee. Those who
stay on the Riverbank Trail walk past the next hamlet
of Unter den Bodmen, through the forest and along
the river to Saas-Almagell.
MATTMARK CIRCULAR
TRAIL
(easy)
The path around the Mattmark reservoir is a popular
circular trail with high-Alpine charm.
The west side of the trail (to the right of the lake, facing
uphill) is suitable for pushchairs, and the entire
circular trail is also good for joggers and bikers, with
the option of switching to tarmac roads.
At the southern end of the reservoir, the trail leads to
the Distelalp, which is also the gateway to the Monte
Rosa Trail that leads over the Monte Moro Pass (the
Golden Madonna) towards Macugnaga.
A number of folk tales and dramatic legends are associated
with the waters of the reservoir, which was
inaugurated in 1969.
Technical details
Starting point
Saas-Balen, 1,483 m a.s.l.
End point
Saas-Almagell, 1,670 m a.s.l.
Duration
2 hours and 30 minutes
Distance
7.8 km
Difference in altitude + 200 m / - 13 m
Maximum altitude 1,670 m a.s.l.
Fitness level *
Difficulty level *
Technical details
Starting point Mattmark restaurant, 2,100 m a.s.l.
End point
Mattmark restaurant, 2,100 m a.s.l.
Duration
2 hours and 30 minutes
Distance
8.5 km
Difference in + 110 m / - 110m
altitude
Maximum altitude
Fitness level *
Difficulty level *
2,253 m a.s.l.
6 7

moderate
moderate
ALMAGELL HIGH-
ALTITUDE TRAIL
(moderate)
This trail starts on Kreuzboden, which can easily be
reached with the Hohsaas Bergbahnen cableways.
From there, the trail heads south along the first section
of the Alpine Flower Trail to the Triftgrätji. After the
avalanche barriers, the trail leads up the Grundberg
and into the wild and wonderful Almagell Valley.
After a quick break at the Almagelleralp mountain
hotel, hikers will be ready to take on the steep descent
to Saas-Almagell over the Chüelbrunnji and
the Spissgrabe. They will then be able to catch a
PostAuto bus from the village square in Saas-Almagell
to their chosen destination.
For an alternative route with a less demanding descent,
hikers can take the Adventure Trail to
Furggstalden instead. From there, it is possible to
get down to Saas-Almagell on a chairlift.
CHAMOIS TRAIL
(moderate)
The Chamois Trail heads south-southwest
from Hannig mountain station. After a short
walk, hikers leave the wide path and head towards
the Torrentbach and Spissen. At the
fork in the path, the trail continues along the
lower branch to Trift, where it then descends
in short but steep zigzags down to the next
turnoff. Here, hikers branch off to the right
and continue along Route 10 over the Gand
moraine to the glacial lake. From there, the
trail continues up across the ice grotto to the
Sperwerzucht and then on until it reaches
the riverbed. After a few minutes, it passes
the Fee-Vispa waterfall in the direction of
Oberi Schopfen. From there, it is a fairly
steep ascent to Berghaus Plattjen – the oldest
mountain hut in the Saas Valley – followed
by a half-hour uphill walk to reach the
Plattjen mountain station, where hikers can
catch a gondola lift back down to Saas-Fee.
Technical details
Starting point Kreuzboden mountain station,
2,397 m a.s.l.
End point
Duration
Distance
Difference in
altitude
Maximum
altitude
Fitness level **
Difficulty level **
Saas-Almagell village, 1,673 m a.s.l.
3 hours and 30 minutes
10.1 km
+ 204m / - 931 m
2,522 m a.s.l.
Technical details
Starting point Hannig mountain station,
2,336 m a.s.l.
End point
Duration
Distance
Difference in
altitude
Maximum
altitude
Fitness level **
Difficulty level **
Plattjen mountain station,
2,570 m a.s.l.
4 hours
9 km
+ 684 m / - 450 m
2,570 m a.s.l.
8 9

advanced
advanced
GLACIER TRAIL
(advanced)
This high-Alpine hiking trail sets off at
Felskinn mountain station and leads
across the Chessjen glacier to the Brittania
mountain hut. From there, the
trail leads down the slope behind the
hut (in a southerly direction), across
the Hohlaub glacier and the Allalin glacier.
The trail is well signposted.
The crevasses are clearly visible and
easy to cross.
At the end of the Allalin glacier, hikers
climb up the side of the Schwarzberg
over snow and scree before reaching
Schwarzbergchopf.
From there, the trail is marked red-white.
Some sections of the path are exposed.
A mountain road then leads
from the Schwarzbergalp down to the
Mattmark reservoir.
Technical details
SWISS TRAIL
(advanced)
This trail starts behind the Saas-Grund
artificial ice rink, heads south and branches
off to the left (facing uphill) above
Gasse towards the Chilchwald forest.
After a small section along the Suonen
Trail near the Chilchwald forest, hikers
climb a few metres in the Furwald forest
and branch off to the left towards
Eichballu.
Hikers then have to cross a well-secured
rocky section to reach the Predigtstuhl
just below the Chrome, before following
the final section to the Triftalp.
Technical details
Starting point
Felskinn mountain station,
3,000 m a.s.l.
Starting point
Saas-Grund cableway station,
1,580 m a.s.l.
End point
Mattmark restaurant, 2,100 m a.s.l.
End point
Triftalp, 2,072 m a.s.l.
Duration
4 hours and 30 minutes
Duration
1 hour and 45 minutes
Distance
9.1 km
Distance
2.9 km
Difference in
altitude
+ 309 m / - 1,091 m
Difference in
altitude
+ 522 m
Maximum
altitude
3,037 m a.s.l.
Maximum
altitude
2,072 m a.s.l.
Fitness level ***
Difficulty level ****
Fitness level **
Difficulty level ****
10 11

Saas-Fee | Saas Valley tourism
SAAS-FEE
T +41 27 958 18 58 | info@saas-fee.ch
SAAS-GRUND
T +41 27 958 18 55 | info@saas-grund.ch
SAAS-ALMAGELL
T +41 27 958 18 88 | info@saas-almagell.ch
SAAS-BALEN
T +41 27 957 21 43 | info@saas-balen.ch
www.saas-fee.ch
12