ViaStockalper
Overview
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Distance 9 km
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Duration 2 h 20 min
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Ascent 90 m
Intro
Descent on the south side of the Simplonpass through fascinating Alpine cultural and natural landscape with alp settlements and hamlets to Simplon village. Almost always along the Stockalperweg trail. Museum on the history of the pass in Simplon village.
Description
The stage starts out on a barren, rugged high plateau at an altitude of 2,000 metres. Numerous lakes are scattered between imposing peaks on the Simplon pass plain. A detour to the Simplon Eagle is well worth the effort. At its feet, you can admire the Bernese alps to the north and the Fletschhorn to the south. The imposing hospice is also more visible here. It was commissioned by Napoleon and is still run by the canons of the Great St. Bernard.
The trail leads through the plain past small streams running between rocks and a richly varied flora.
Passing the observatory, the descending trail winds its way down along pleasant stone steps. Two prominent buildings now come into view in the barren landscape. The "Old Spittel" was completed in 1666 and the Barral house, 120 metres long but only seven metres wide, in 1924. The Immensee Missionary Society opened it as a holiday home for aspiring priests from all over the world. Both buildings are nowadays used by the army.
A narrow path leads downhill through the rocky landscape and the sparse larch forest. Passing underneath overhanging cliffs, the trail continues to Engiloch. The path is flanked by dry-stone walls, the small Chrummbach stream and the covered pass road. At Maschihuis, the original stone mule track is still well preserved. The wide valley floor between the huge, barren mountain slopes is a quite impressive sight.
Between the hamlet of Egga and the village of Simplon, the break-off of the Rossboden glacier in 1901 left a fifty-metre-high layer of debris and ice. Today, the large boulders are overgrown by a lovely larch forest. Shortly after passing the forest, the village of Simplon appears. Due to its houses made of stone, it has an almost Mediterranean character. The stage ends at the Hotel Post, at a distance of 31 kilometres from both Brig and Domodossola.
In the village of Simplon, the Ecomuseum is dedicated to the natural environment and its historical context. The museum is housed in a building that dates back to the 14th century. With its wooden ceilings and thick walls, visitors are taken directly into the past, back to the first flight over the alps by the Peruvian Geo Chavez, for instance.
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 |
Simplonpass
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|---|---|
| Destination |
Simplon Dorf
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| Elevation level - Direction |
Alps, One way
|
| Altitude (meter above sea level) |
1700 m
|
| Ascent |
90 m
|
| Descent |
620 m
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| Distance |
9 km
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| Duration |
2 h 20 min
|
| Duration back |
2 h 55 min
|
| Technical requirements |
Easy
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| Physical requirements |
Medium
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| Season |
June - October
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| Theme |
With panoramic view, Over a pass
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| More information | https://schweizmobil.ch/en/hiking-in-switzerland/r... |
Quick Facts
Route number
