Senda Sursilvana
Overview
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Distance 14 km
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Duration 4 h 15 min
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Ascent 500 m
Intro
A section that particularly delights flora lovers. But those with an interest in geology will constantly look up towards summits known to hold mountain crystal. The interesting composition of the route makes this section a “kings stage”.
Description
The route starts high up: The 2,044-metre-high Oberalp Pass connects the longitudinal valleys of the Rhone and Vorderrhein and forms the border between the cantons of Grisons and Uri.
For a long time, this pass was not of great importance and was almost exclusively used by locals. Military and strategic considerations then led to a road being built in 1863/64. Tourists were first transported over the pass in a five-horse stagecoach, later by postbus and, from 1926, finally on the cogwheel-driven Furka-Oberalp Railway, today the Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway.
From the Oberalp Pass you are in the Surselva, the valley of the Vorderrhein River, until it merges with the Hinterrhein near Reichenau. The Surselva region, created in 2016, covers the same area as the Surselva district. Besides the main valley, the side valleys Val Medel, Val Sumvitg, Val Lumnezia, the Valser Tal and the Safiental are also part of the district.
A gravel road leads from the pass up the mountain to Alp Tiarms, where you then switch to an attractive path. Passing Val Vals, a 153-metre-high arch dam can be seen on the opposite side. This stores the 41 million m3 of water from the Lai da Curnera. The path continues winding past Val Giuv.
At the end of the stage, you’ll find yourself right above the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Porta Alpina was the project name for an underground train station in the middle of the Gotthard Tunnel with a connection to Sedrun. It would have been the deepest train station in the longest tunnel in the world and would have had the highest and fastest lift in the world. However, the project was not pursued further for financial reasons. This stage ends in Sedrun. Although there is no connection to the fast Gotthard railway, it is connected to the attractive Matterhorn-Gotthard railway.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Oberalppass
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Sedrun
|
| Direction |
One way
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| Altitude (meter above sea level) |
1800 m
|
| Ascent |
500 m
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| Descent |
1100 m
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| Distance |
14 km
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| Duration |
4 h 15 min
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| Duration back |
4 h 50 min
|
| Technical requirements |
Medium
|
| Physical requirements |
Difficult
|
| Season |
May - October
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| Theme |
Over a pass, With panoramic view
|
Quick Facts
Route number
