Topalihütte – Jungu

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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.

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

Details

n°103399151
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.94 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,860 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 4,055 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 10,240 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 6,519 ft
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Description of the walk

(S) From the refuge, follow the path towards Jungu (signs very close to the refuge). Follow the track which winds up the hillside towards the scree slopes of the Undere Stelligletscher.

(1) Take an ascending moraine ridge (small herds of goats may be present), then head off towards the north-east to reach the Stelline pastures.

(2) Continue along the path.

(3) The path veers eastwards and then climbs up to a rocky ridge.

(4) Then follow the top of the scree slope (do not go down too far; keep an eye out for the painted markings) heading north, then climb up to Wasulicke.

(5) The descent is on the right-hand side (traces of old paths further to the left, which must have led to what remains of the glacier, are visible but blocked off), using the safety equipment in place (fixed ropes, 2x2 small ladders) to avoid slipping on the rather unstable ground. A section through a couloir is marked as being exposed to rockfalls.

(6) Do not linger there; continue along the path. Leave the upper section to cross a rather rugged moraine.

(7) Carry on until the path becomes more pleasant, descending towards a meltwater lake.

(8) The path heads north and crosses the Junbach.

(9) Carry on until the path turns eastwards, soon leaving the scree behind.

(10) The path continues, descending gently towards the stream, to an alpine hut.

(11) Normally, the path goes to the west of the building, but the track cuts across to the east and the going is very easy as you’re in an alpine pasture. Then turn left.

(12) Next, of the various paths, follow the one that continues straight ahead along the flattest section of the slope; this keeps you higher up and avoids descending to the valley floor. The path reaches a rocky outcrop.

(13) Carry on until you reach a wooded area at the upper edge of the slope.

(14) The path then descends more steeply; a sign at a junction points eastwards towards Jungu.

(15) Continue to the right.

(16) Then head eastwards again, turning left and crossing a stream. Keep to the left and you will soon reach Lake Jungen, keeping to the left and then to the right. There is a bar-restaurant next to the lake. The cable car station is situated below (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S : mi 0 - alt. 8,720 ft - Topalihütte
  2. 1 : mi 0.73 - alt. 8,816 ft - Moraine ridge
  3. 2 : mi 1.05 - alt. 9,003 ft - Stelline pastures
  4. 3 : mi 1.48 - alt. 9,583 ft - Head east towards the ridge
  5. 4 : mi 1.58 - alt. 9,672 ft - Rocky ridge (2,949 m)
  6. 5 : mi 2.05 - alt. 10,210 ft - Wasulicke
  7. 6 : mi 2.31 - alt. 9,797 ft - Risk of rockfalls
  8. 7 : mi 2.57 - alt. 9,485 ft - Moraine
  9. 8 : mi 2.85 - alt. 9,177 ft - Small, unnamed lake
  10. 9 : mi 3.15 - alt. 9,058 ft - Jungbach Pass
  11. 10 : mi 3.57 - alt. 8,878 ft - Heading east
  12. 11 : mi 4.92 - alt. 7,864 ft - Alpine hut
  13. 12 : mi 5.02 - alt. 7,769 ft - Crossroads
  14. 13 : mi 5.48 - alt. 7,641 ft - Rock outcrop
  15. 14 : mi 5.74 - alt. 7,539 ft - Upper boundary of the wooded area
  16. 15 : mi 5.87 - alt. 7,398 ft - Crossroads – signposts
  17. 16 : mi 6.15 - alt. 7,159 ft - Crossing the stream
  18. E : mi 6.94 - alt. 6,519 ft - Upper station of the - Luftseitbahn St.Niklaus-Jungen (Téléphérique de Jungu)

Other walks in the area

Walking Herbriggen – Topalihütte

Visorando Member
↔5.85 mi ↗+6,791 ft ↘-2,152 ft ◔7 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from St. Niklaus (Valais)
See the guide on route moderation. The classic hike from Randa is very often closed. This hike starts at Herbriggen (accessible by train from Randa).The route is much steeper than the one starting from Randa; furthermore, once you reach Tälli, the ‘normal’ route is also closed due to rockfalls, and a new route has been marked out joining the alpine path linking the Topali Hut (Topalihütte) to the Barrhorn, which adds 400 metres of elevation gain. The difficulty rating is ‘very difficult’, to reflect the total duration of the hike, which takes into account the significant elevation gain covered in two main sections, and the steep nature of the first ascent. There are no technical difficulties other than the elevation gain (2,000 m elevation gain over 9.5 km).

Walking Sankt Niklaus - Zermatt

Visorando Member
Sankt Niklaus - Zermatt
↔12.37 mi ↗+2,178 ft ↘-541 ft ◔7h 35 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from St. Niklaus (Valais)
This fourteenth and final stage is the longest, but does not present any difficulties. The route from Sankt Niklaus to Zermatt is obvious. It follows the Matter Vispa, the river that flows down from Zermatt, and the rack railway line, which terminates in Zermatt. All the ingredients for a picture-postcard Swiss scene are there: the Matterhorn, glaciers, the torrent, churches with bulbous steeples, the little rack railway and the magnificent car-free village of Zermatt.

Walking Saint Nicklaus - Gruben

Visorando Member
Saint Nicklaus - Gruben
↔9.72 mi ↗+6,283 ft ↘-3,980 ft ◔8 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from St. Niklaus (Valais)
A beautiful mountain stage with a pass bearing the sweet name of Augstbordpass.

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 Route to the Charles Kuonen footbridge

Visorando Member
Circuit jusqu'à la passerelle Charles Kuonen
↔3.97 mi ↗+2,215 ft ↘-2,211 ft ◔3h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Randa (Valais)
After passing through Swiss stone pine forests, this circular hike leads to an impressive record-breaker: the Charles Kuonen Footbridge, the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world.

Walking Europahutte - Saint Nicklaus

Visorando Member
Europahutte - Saint Nicklaus
↔9.38 mi ↗+2,802 ft ↘-6,529 ft ◔6h 45 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Randa (Valais)
A new stage on the balcony at the foot of the great peaks separating the valleys of Zermatt and Saas Fee.

Walking Europahütte - Europaweghütte

Visorando Member
Europahütte - Europaweghütte
↔6.95 mi ↗+3,107 ft ↘-3,392 ft ◔5h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Randa (Valais)
Due to the closure of the large Himalayan footbridge over the Grabengufer scree, it is necessary to take the emergency path down to Tasch and then undertake a remarkable climb to the alpine hamlet of Täschalp, where the Europaweghütte lodge is located.

Walking Grachen - Saas-Fee

Visorando Member
Grachen - Saas-Fee
↔11.39 mi ↗+5,226 ft ↘-4,606 ft ◔9h 45 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Grächen (Valais)
And here is the last stage of this route, and what a stage it is! A pleasant climb to reach Hannigalp and find the famous balcony trail that overlooks the valley leading to Saas Fee.

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