Alpine Passes Trail

The Simplon pass connects the canton of Valais with the Val Divedro and Domodossola in northern Italy. It is considered one of the most beautiful pass crossings in the alps. It was already used in the Stone Age and in the 17th century by smugglers and mercenaries, because the Gondo gorge was considered insurmountable. The first road was commissioned by Napoleon between 1800 and 1805. He also ordered the construction of the hospice in 1801. This was only completed in 1831, after his fall, by the monks of the Great St. Bernard. In 1906, a good hundred years later, the 19 km long railway tunnel was opened.

Starting from the hospice, a leisurely trail leads past the Hotel Monte Leone down to Blattu. After crossing the Chrummbach stream, you ascend to the Bistine pass. Along the way, you have a good view of the Hübschhorn, the Galehorn and Böshorn as well as the valley floor with the Simplon road. A little further north on the Alpine Pass Trail you come upon lake Hopschu. It is embedded in a mosaic of different types of vegetation: high moors, alpine meadows, dwarf shrub heaths and dry areas. Further up, the foothills of the high moor appear. After a good two hours, you reach the Bistine pass and enter the Nanz valley. The next three hours of hiking are pure pleasure: lovely paths, few metres in altitude difference, companions such as sheep, goats and marmots, the waterfall at Fulmoos. Finally, you follow the Suone on the opposite side from the water intake to the Gibidum pass.

The Gibidum pass is located a little above Visperterminen. The highest vineyard (Rieben) in Europe, situated on a protected southern slope at 1150 m a. s. l., is cultivated here. The hiking trail now makes a 180-degree turn in the direction of the Saas valley. You cross the Sädolwald natural forest reserve with its primeval forest-like larches and stone pines, some of which are over 600 years old. Here you may also encounter the rough-legged owl, the barred owl, the black grouse, the ring ouzel or the cuckoo. After a final short ascent, the last part of the long hike leads downhill to the car-free village of Gspon.