Bortelhütte walks

Classic stage of the Mineralien Tour. In Rosswald, signs point to the Saflisch Pass trail, Binn. The climb is quite steep up to the Fleshboden chairlift station. The path is always well marked and becomes more pleasant up to the Saflisch Pass. Stay on the AlpenPässe Weg to Binna Stausee. Descend to Binn via the Via Alpina Blue. The Saflischpass is the French/German language border. Markings: White-RedBwhite. AlpenPässe Weg - Via Alpina Blue D4

This sixth stage marks the return to Switzerland. You will cross the Passo dei Gialitt and pass through the last Italian mountain pastures of "Camoscella" and "Vallescia". After the Swiss mountain pastures of "Alpjerung" and "Corvetsch", you will descend towards the Simplon Pass road and rejoin the Stockeralper Weg at Alter Kaserne. This beautiful trail will take you to Gabi and then Simplon Dorf.

Although Napoleon was responsible for the construction of the Simplon Hospice, this Alpine pass, already frequented by the Romans, has been developed many times. In the 17th century, Kaspar Stockalper developed a mule track here. From the Simplon Hospice to Simplon Dorf and Gabi, you will follow this path, known as the Stockalperweg. After Gabi, crossing the Furggu pass, you will descend into the steep-sided Zwischbergen valley.

This sixth stage will take you from the Hospice du Simplon to Gspon. The route begins with a crossing of the Bistine Pass. The scenic path winds its way round the Gamsa valley to Lake Fulmoos. The route continues along the opposite bank to the Gebidum Pass. The path then follows a gentle slope down to Saldoti. A steeper descent through the forest leads to Gspon.

Following on from ‘From the Great St Bernard Pass to the Simplon Pass’, here is ‘From the Simplon Pass to the San Bernardino Pass’. This is not the return journey from the Great St Bernard Pass to the Simplon, following a language study trip to Italy, but rather the continuation of the route towards the San Bernardino Pass in the Canton of Graubünden. This hike requires a very high level of fitness, as several stages involve more than 1,300 metres of ascent or descent. After two days in Wallis (the German-speaking part of Valais), the atmosphere becomes entirely Italian: two days in Italy (Val Formazza), nine days in Ticino (Tessin in Italian), and two days in Grigioni (Grisons in Italian). Lake Maggiore and Locarno are also on the itinerary.

Departure from the Simplon Hospice. From the hospice, take the Stockalperweg on the right after the tunnel under the Simplon road. Follow the signs for Rothwald. At Rothwald, the trail continues on the other side of the road and leads to Wäse and then Wintrigmatte. The trail bypasses the Furggubaum torrent at Scrickboden at the foot of the Furggubaumlicke and begins to climb towards the Bortelhütte. The trail descends towards the Schiess torrent (small bridge) and climbs slightly towards Stafel, which offers a panoramic view of the Bortelhorn. A gravel road leads to the top of the village of Rosswald.Markings: White-red-white.

This stage is common to both the Walser Tour and the Valrando Mineral Tour. A few houses line this path in Freichi and then in Blatt. The Ofenhorn can be admired all the way to the Binntal Hütte. Although this is German-speaking territory, French is surprisingly the dominant language in this hut. The Binntal Hütte belongs to the Swiss Alpine Club: Delémont section.

This hike is inspired by the Walser Tour and the Mineralien Tour. This magnificent route crosses numerous mountain pastures, where the dwellings are very varied: from wooden chalets to stone chalets. The hamlet of Salecchio Superiore consists of magnificent wooden chalets, several centuries old, all very well preserved. The chalet that houses the dormitories of the Rifugio "Zum Gora" dates back to the 17th century. In Italy, the route at the foot of the peaks bordering Switzerland, including Monte Leone, takes us through two regional parks: the Parco Naturale dell'Alpe Veglia and the Parco Naturale dell'Alpe Devero.

This fourth stage will take you from Binn to Rosswald. The route begins with a gentle descent towards the small lake of Ze Binn. The climb to the Saflisch Pass is quite steep as far as Grummela. At the pass, you’ll enjoy views of the Valais peaks over 4,000 metres high. The descent towards Rosswald offers magnificent views of the Rhône Valley.

This stage is common to both the Mineralien Tour and the Walser Tour. The Geisspfadpass marks the border between Switzerland and Italy. In Binn, cross the small bridge over the Binna, follow the road to Fäld for about 1 km, and a sign on the right indicates the path to Geisspfadsee and Mässersee. This path joins the one coming from Fäld at the Mässerchäller chalet (1,879 m). Follow the signs for Maniboden. The climb to the Geisspfadpass is then very easy. The descent to Piano della Rossa is through large scree, with passages equipped with chains and ladders, but no particular difficulty. The descent to Crampiolo is very pleasant.Markings: White-Red-White]. Via Alpina Blue D3 and D2