High Altitude Cappuccino

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Solalex, 1470 m Highest point: Pas de Cheville, 2040 m End point: Derborence, 1480 m Total elevation gain: 560 m Total distance: ~14 km round trip Total time: ~5h one way with a 5-year-old; ~3h30–4h for a well-trained adult Technical difficulty: T2 – Mountain hike Download GPS file The hike from Solalex to Derborence is a classic in the region. It is also part of the Muverans Tour, a 50 km hike around the Grand Muveran. It starts in Solalex, a hamlet at the end of a valley in Gryon. There are two restaurants that are well frequented. The one on the right has amazing desserts; I recommend the Coupe des Alpes. In front of you there is a circle of mountains, and that is where you are heading. There is also ample parking where you can leave your car. The first hour of the hike climbs most of the elevation gain on a wide path that goes first through the forest and then up a grassy pasture towards Refuge Giacometti. Just 100 m before the refuge, there is a...

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Klein Matterhorn, 3880m Highest point: Breithorn, 4168m Total elevation gain: 380m Total distance: ~8km Total time: 3h40 Technical difficulty: Easy 4000er, but glacier travel with crampons and crevasses Download GPS file The Breithorn (4168m) is known to be one of the easiest 4000ers in the Alps. The reason is that you can go all the way up to 3880m at Klein Matterhorn and start from there. You can go up from Italy or Switzerland. I chose to do it from Italy because it is my country of origin and because it is cheaper. So, at Cervinia, I met my guide and we got the ticket to Klein Matterhorn. If you want, it is even cheaper to stop at Plateau Rosà, at 3480m. However, the first part is not the most interesting, as you go across the summer ski slopes. Overall, I recommend starting at Klein Matterhorn, even though it is €50 more expensive (for a total of €117 to go up to 3800m and come back from 3400m). The last part is also the super-new and fancy cabin...

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Parking area near the road to Iffigenalp Highest point: Iffighore, 2378 m Total elevation gain: 1100 m Total distance: 12 km Total time: 5h30 Technical difficulty: Moderate Download GPS file As I was preparing for the Breithorn, I did this hike in an extended version. Otherwise, in its normal form, it is also ideal for families. Above Lenk, on the left side of the valley, there is a little road that leads you to a panel indicating that the continuation to Iffigenalp is a timed road that you can take uphill between 30 and 45 minutes past every hour, and downhill between 00 and 15. So you have to time your arrival. But we did not have to, as for the extended version we just left the car in the small parking area next to the panel and continued on foot. You start along the road and, after a few minutes, reach the Iffigfall, which is worth a detour. Then a path acts as a shortcut across the switchbacks the road makes. After crossing the road 2 or 3 times,...

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Moiry Dam (2,250 m) Highest point: Sasseneire (3,253 m) Total elevation gain: ~1,000 m Total distance: ~13 km Total time: 5–6 hours Technical difficulty: T3 (steep mountain trail with a short easy scrambling section) Download GPS file After exploring most of the 3000ers in the Moiry Valley, I needed to climb the Sasseneire to complete the series. The hike starts at the Moiry Dam. Don't stop at the parking area at the bottom of the dam—drive a little further. A tunnel brings you to the top of the dam (2,250 m), where there is also a restaurant. There is ample parking there. Cross the dam and continue following the large gravel road along the lake. The marked hiking path branches off soon after, but you can also stay on the road. I recommend doing both: take one uphill and the other downhill. The path offers fantastic views of the lake, whose water is an almost unreal shade of blue, while the road is gentler. I followed the road uphill until Alpage ...

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Horneggli (reached by chairlift from Schönried) Highest point: Horneggli – 1,760 m Total elevation gain: +300 m Total distance: 6 km Total time: 2–2.5 hours (we took around 4 hours with lots of stops) Technical difficulty: Easy – suitable for families and children Download GPS file The Horneggli to Rinderberg hike, near Gstaad, is a beautiful family hike that is perfect for kids but still enjoyable for adults. I did it with my 5-year-old daughter. We started in Schönried, where a chairlift takes you up to Horneggli at 1,760 m. From there, the path is always wide, easy to follow, and well marked. The sign indicates 2 hours 10 minutes to Rinderberg. We actually took almost 4 hours with many, many stops, but I think adults could comfortably complete it in about 1½ hours. The first section passes through a sort of wild flower garden, with small panels identifying the different flowers. Shortly after the start, the trail splits. The main path continues to ...