Destination Magazin Nr.3/2019 EN

SNOWSHOEING ON GLACIAL MORAINE
We're hiking from Kreuzboden to the
Hohsaas mountain restaurant on snowshoes;
enjoying the fresh powder on the sunny
side of the Saas Valley, and a coffee at the
Weissmies Hut.
Text: Jeannine Zubler
Photos: Puzzle Media
The snow crunches underfoot. Now
and then, laughter drifts towards us
from the ski slopes. I stop for a moment,
squinting in the sunlight. Huge mountain
peaks, freshly covered in snow, tower in
every direction, topped by a clear blue
sky – not a cloud in sight. As I continue,
the terrain gets steeper and I adjust
my climbing equipment to make my
progress comfortable. My destination,
the Weissmies Hut, is in sight. The hourlong
walk has flown by.
The snowshoe trails in the Saas
Valley are well marked with regular
signposts along the entire route. A map
is always a good idea though, if only
for the extra peace of mind. If you want
to start your walk in the sun, take the
gondola to the Kreuzboden and start
from there. But if you’d prefer to log a
bit more vertical, you can always begin
your walk in the valley.
A pitstop at the Weissmies Hut
Roberto, the manager of the hut, serves up Alpine rösti and Saas
soup on the sun terrace, choice fuel for the walk ahead. We’ll need
the energy for the final climb! But we don’t let the impending workout
stop us from sampling his homemade Genepi. Here, at the Weissmies
Hut, skiers, snowshoers and sunbathers come together to indulge.
The Weissmies Hut sits at 2,726 metres above sea level. Built
in 1894 as a mountain hotel, it was always an ambitious project,
dreamt up before the convenience of cable cars and helicopters.
As a result of financial difficulties, the hut was later taken over by
the Olten arm of the Swiss Alpine Club. Since then it has served
as a refuge for climbers and hikers and has been both expanded
and renovated several times. The old hut still stands, a reminder
of simpler times; we revel in our modern-day luxury as we sip
elderberry cordial on the sun terrace.
Your efforts are rewarded with incredible views of 18 four-thousanders.
Do not forget avalanche equipment and warm
clothing. Snowshoes can be
rented from local sports shops.
Snowshoeing in the high alpine
Despite the avalanche kit, my backpack weighs next to nothing – I
don’t need much in the way of provisions today. We climb higher,
under perfect views of the Lagginhorn and Fletschhorn, the trail
leading through the glacial moraine. Recent high winds have swept
away much of the recent snowfall, leaving us from time to time to
search for patches of snow between the rocks. Our guide Enzio
points towards the Lagginjoch, from there you can see as far as Italy.
But today we’re headed for the Hohsaas mountain restaurant with
its unbelievable views of eighteen four-thousanders, the end of this
stretch provides a brilliant viewpoint for watching skiers whizz by
on the Trift Glacier.
Our final destination, though, is the 3,200-metre-high
Hohsaas mountain restaurant, just a few hundred metres away.
The former mountain hut is a modern mountain inn nowadays with
panoramic windows, a restaurant and accommodation for skiers
and mountaineers.
We sit down for a well-earned round of celebratory drinks
on the Hohsaas sun terrace and enjoy the view of the snowy
Weissmies. The vista beggars belief and we wait for the final lift of
the day to return to the valley
This snowshoe tour can be easily adapted to suit any
level of experience and fitness.
Some sections of the tour can be completed by gondola.
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