Grüben – Zinal

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Stage2 of the northern section of the Tour du Cervin: this takes you to the Val d’Anniviers.
NB: Originally, we had planned to walk all the way from Grüben to Zinal, but in two stages: stage 1 from Grüben to the Hôtel Weisshorn, and stage 2 from the Hôtel Weisshorn to Zinal. For financial reasons, this wasn’t possible; so we carried on to Saint-Luc, from where a bus service took us to Zinal.
The first section (up to Meidu) does not follow the classic Tour du Cervin route; the section through the forest and mountain pastures between the end of the track and the buildings at Jäniltigu Oberstafil is no longer marked at all; that said, there are no particular difficulties: the track reflects the route I took, based on the path as shown on the maps and the terrain.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Tour du Cervin

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.56 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Very difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,284 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,845 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 9,117 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5,446 ft
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Description of the walk

(S) From the Schwartzhorn Hotel, followthe road to the right for 200 metres.

(1) Then take the footpath.

(2) Cross the stream at Jäniltigu. Please note: the path is poorly marked; you need to head straight west into the woodland and then join a track.

(3) Follow this track uphill.

(4) When you reach a hairpin bend, leave the track and head back up into the forest (which is not very dense; follow the grassy patches). You will then emerge onto the slopes of an alpine pasture.

(5) It’s easy to follow the cow tracks.

(6) You’ll eventually reach the alpine pasture buildings and then, after 100 metres along the track, join a well-marked path heading south-south-west; follow this to the left until you reach the Tour du Cervin path, a classic route.

(7) Turn right. You will then reach the Meidu–Oberstafel alpine pastures.

(8) Continue along the path which climbs west-north-west towards Lake Meidsee.

(9) Then head due west towards the Meidpass.

(10) The descent is steeper until you reach one of the branches of the Torrent de l’Armina.

(11) Continue descending to the left along a much quieter path.

(12) At the junction, follow the path on the left which leads to Lac de Combavert.

(13) Turn right onto the path which rejoins the main track shortly afterwards. Keep to the left. The path continues to the Combavert mountain pasture buildings.

(14) Pass the buildings on your left, then keep to the right.

(15) Head down the Sentier des Cascades, which runs entirely through woodland but, as indicated on the signposts, is very rugged as it follows the course of the torrent and its waterfalls as closely as possible. An alternative is to take a ski run, but this is less interesting. Return to the track.

(16) Cut across this track and then continue straight ahead. When you reach the cross, keep to the right onto the Route du Funiculaire. Walk past the funicular station before reaching Saint-Luc (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : mi 0 - alt. 6,017 ft - Grüben (Hotel Schwartzhorn)
  2. 1 : mi 0.15 - alt. 5,945 ft - Path
  3. 2 : mi 0.4 - alt. 5,899 ft - Crossing the torrent
  4. 3 : mi 0.49 - alt. 5,984 ft - Path through the woodland
  5. 4 : mi 0.86 - alt. 6,473 ft - Sign indicating to leave the track
  6. 5 : mi 1.12 - alt. 6,755 ft - Start of the mountain pasture
  7. 6 : mi 1.31 - alt. 7,031 ft - Jäniltigu Oberstafil
  8. 7 : mi 1.95 - alt. 7,444 ft - Junction with the Matterhorn Trail
  9. 8 : mi 2.1 - alt. 7,644 ft - Meidu – Oberstafel
  10. 9 : mi 3.44 - alt. 8,760 ft - Lake Meidsee
  11. 10 : mi 4.11 - alt. 9,117 ft - Meidpass (2,800 m)
  12. 11 : mi 4.58 - alt. 8,602 ft - End of the steep descent
  13. 12 : mi 5.12 - alt. 8,182 ft - Fork in the road towards Lac de Combavert
  14. 13 : mi 5.5 - alt. 8,005 ft - Lake Combavert
  15. 14 : mi 6.45 - alt. 7,218 ft - Combavert mountain pasture
  16. 15 : mi 6.69 - alt. 7,037 ft - Torrent des Moulins, Sentier des Waterfalls
  17. 16 : mi 7.2 - alt. 6,188 ft - Back on the trail
  18. E : mi 8.56 - alt. 5,456 ft - Saint-Luc: bus stop

Other walks in the area

Walking Gruben - Sankt Niklaus

Visorando Member
Gruben - Sankt Niklaus
↔10.22 mi ↗+4,055 ft ↘-6,407 ft ◔8h 15 ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Oberems (Valais)
This thirteenth stage takes place in the high mountains and, depending on the season, may involve crossing snowfields. The trail is shared with the Apenpässe-Weg, marked with green vignettes No. 6. From the hotel, the trail climbs towards the Augstbordpass, crossing alpine pastures to Grüobu Oberstafel. Then the landscape becomes increasingly rocky until you reach the Augstbordpass. At the pass, you will have earned a well-deserved break. The descent continues through numerous scree slopes and rock fields, but the path is always well marked. From Abiheiji (Twraa Ridge), the route to Jungen is more pleasant and the path is often paved. From Jungen, there is still an 850-metre descent to Sankt Niklaus. (You can take the cable car to avoid this last descent.)

Walking Gruben - Zinal

Visorando Member
Gruben - Zinal
↔12.78 mi ↗+3,150 ft ↘-3,629 ft ◔8h 35 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Oberems (Valais)
Another high-altitude stage with a stop in Saint-Luc, then transfer to Zinal by post bus.

Walking Gruben - Grachen

Visorando Member
Gruben - Grachen
↔10.56 mi ↗+5,505 ft ↘-6,040 ft ◔9h 40 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Oberems (Valais)
Today's stage is divided into three parts: on foot from Gruben to Jungu, by cable car from Jungu to Saint-Niklaus, and by bus from Saint-Niklaus to Grachen.

Walking Hotel Weisshorn - Gruben

Visorando Member
Hotel Weisshorn - Gruben
↔6.57 mi ↗+1,932 ft ↘-3,586 ft ◔4h 40 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint Luc (Valais)
This twelfth stage takes place once again in the high mountains and, depending on the season, may involve crossing snowfields. The trail is shared with the Apenpässe-Weg, marked with green stickers no. 6. From the Hotel Weisshorn, descend to the Combavert barn. The ascent to the Meidpass begins on a good path that passes close to Lake Combavert. The route is pleasant until the junction with Lake Armina. The final climb is over scree. The descent, which is steep at first, becomes gentler as you approach Meidsee. Then scree and pastures alternate until you reach the hamlets of Oberstafel and Mittelstafel. A good path then descends to Meiden/Gruben.The Meidpass is the French/German linguistic border.

Walking Hotel Weisshorn - Zinal

Visorando Member
Hôtel Weisshorn - Zinal
↔7.43 mi ↗+1,217 ft ↘-3,396 ft ◔4h 30 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Saint Luc (Valais)
After a night in this historic hotel, the third stage will take you to Zinal, a traditional village in the Val d'Anniviers. You will soon discover the Weisshorn and Bishorn mountains. At the small Bella Vouarda pass, you can admire the so-called imperial crown with five peaks over 4,000 metres high. As you descend towards Zinal, you will follow the end of the famous Sierre-Zinal race, more commonly known as the "Race of the Five 4,000s".

Walking Topalihütte – Jungu

Visorando Member
↔6.94 mi ↗+1,860 ft ↘-4,055 ft ◔4h 50 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from St. Niklaus (Valais)
Jungu/Jungen (1,954 m) is a village situated above St-Niklaus. The journey is made by cable car. If the cable cars are not running, an intercom at the Jungu station allows you to contact the operator: payment is made at the bottom.The descent down the Wasulicke features several sections secured with fixed ropes and ladders, as the ground is quite unstable and sloping. The descent is currently not particularly exposed: a 45° slope, which allows for a fairly safe descent with the safety measures in place. There is currently no route across what remains of the glacier. This forms the second stage of the Tour du Cervin, passing through the western part of the Matter Vispa valley.

Walking Jungu – Grüben

Visorando Member
↔7.79 mi ↗+3,848 ft ↘-4,318 ft ◔6h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from St. Niklaus (Valais)
The first of the three stages that make up the northern traverse of the massif from east to west.No particular difficulties: you just need to take care on the first section, which follows a narrow path along the cliff face. Fixed equipment (ropes) secures the most exposed sections.The route starts from the same cable car used on the previous stage to descend to St-Niklaus.

Walking Bella Tola Hut - Gruben

Visorando Member
Cabane de Bella Tola - Gruben
↔6.40 mi ↗+1,660 ft ↘-3,337 ft ◔4h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Saint Luc (Valais)
We started out in the Saint-Luc ski area before joining the Tour du Cervin trail to finish the stage in Gruben.

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