Morterasch - Boval Hutte - MorteraschWalk 8025
Canton - Graubunden/Grisons - Upper Engadine
Author - Lou Johnson
Length - 11.5 km / 7.2 miles
Ascent - 650 metres / 2145 feet
Descent - 650 metres / 2145 feet
Time - 5.00 hours
Grade - moderate
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A walk into the mountains that includes excellent views of glaciers and the mountain range that includes Piz Bernina, which is the only 4000+ metre peak in Graubünden.
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Start & End - Morterasch station on the Bernina Railway. Trains operate from Pontresina to Alp Grüm with connections from other parts of the Engadine. See Transport Map for the Upper Engadine Region.
Leave the railway station and take the broad track that goes south towards the foot of the Morterasch Glacier. Look out for a wooden sign on your right that directs you to the Boval Hütte and take this narrower path that leads into forest.
The path begins to climb through the trees to reach a path junction where you keep left. The views improve as the trees become more widely spaced with the foot of the Morterasch Glacier down to your left.
Ahead a wonderful mountain vista helps you forget the climb. Some sections of the path follow the moraine but the policy appears to be diverting walkers to a parallel path off the moraine. After a steady climb you begin to gain height more quickly with the path zigzagging up the mountainside with some fixed cables in exposed sections.
Levelling off again you might think the Boval Hütte is close but sadly there is one final section of steep ascent up to the hut, which offers a breathtaking panoramic view of mountains and glaciers.
A leisurely stay is recommended before returning by the outward route back to Morterasch station.
Suggested Maps
Landeskarte der Schweiz - 1:50000 - Sheet SW 5013 - Oberengadin - Engiadin'Ota
Landeskarte der Schweiz - 1:25000 - Sheet SW 2521 - Engadin
Oberengadin, Bergell-Puschlav, Wanderkarte - 1:50000
Recommended Books
Walks in the Engadine - Switzerland
A walking guidebook to 100 day walks in the Engadine, Val Bregaglia, neighbouring valleys and the Engadine National Park. Varying from gentle rambles to adventurous high-level routes for the experienced mountain walker. Each route ranges from 2 to 10 miles long, visiting forests and meadows, high mountain landscapes, lakes and passes.
Tour of Mont Blanc
An essential guidebook for walking the Tour of Mont Blanc. The 170km route typically takes 11 days to trek around the Mont Blanc massif. The TMB is recognised as one of the world's classic treks. The book describes both anti-clockwise and clockwise directions, with variants and information about huts, refuges and facilities en route.