Sentiero Cristallina

This stage starts at the Capanna Cristallina SAC hut, which is at an altitude of 2,577 metres. The pass of the same name connects Val Bavona with Val Bedretto.

The old Cristallina hut was the victim of a snow avalanche in 1999, and the current SAC building has been in operation since 2003. From the sun terrace of the large hut, you have a fantastic view over the area around Lake Robièi as far as the Basòdino glacier. If you are lucky, you will be able to watch the majestic ibexes in the rocky areas.

The descent runs along a scree slope into the wild Val Torta. The Ri di Cristallina flows through a beautiful flood plain. You have a view of the Passo del Narèt towards Val Bedretto from here. After descending around 700 metres, you reach the Alpe di Cristallina.

The hiking trail to Airolo merges with the Alpine Passes Trail from this point. It extends from St. Moritz in the canton of Grisons to St. Gingolph on Lake Geneva – in the opposite direction. You follow paths and gravel roads to Alpe di Pesciüm, moving through open larch forests and beautiful meadows. The newer pass road over the Gotthard can be clearly seen in the distance, while the old Val Tremola pass road is concealed in the valley of the same name.

The path then leads steeply down to the Pesciüm-Sasso della Boggia valley station. You are already in the Valle Leventina here, which extends from Airolo to Biasca. Continuing along the main road, just above the Gotthard motorway tunnel, the fascinating five-hour mountain hike ends at the train station in Airolo.

Airolo is regarded as the portal to the south and was shaped very early on by traffic over and through the Gotthard: from the stagecoaches to the opening of the railway tunnel in 1882 and the road tunnel in 1980. Despite the heavy transit traffic, Airolo is a highly-frequented holiday resort as well as a ski resort in winter.