Riding up on the chairlift to the Alp Languard from Pontresina is a treat in itself: the ride first takes you over a ski slope that has turned into a very special meadow: where kids romp about in wintertime, ibexes will come to graze in springtime – right in the centre of the village and seemingly undisturbed by the many who come to watch.
Next, the lift will make a steep climb through the pine forest. The view opens up towards the Val Roseg and the Piz Corvatsch on the right. Straight ahead, the Piz Palu with his broad snow-icy shoulders will take your breath away, and, to your left, you will see the cows graze that provide the milk to the regional dairy for their cheese speciality. Once you reach the top, you may well be tempted by the inviting Alp Languard eatery right next door – but it will have to wait. After all, we have come to hike.
The first mountain railway in the Grisons
The Engadin offers myriad beautiful hikes: a whopping 580 kilometres of hiking trails criss-cross our alpine valley, offering anything from a leisurely stroll to a demanding trek to a veritable mountain hike.
The Alp Languard at 2200 metres is a perfect spot to start a hike in the Engadin. Along a gently sloping path, the «Höhenweg» will take you to Muottas Muragl. The mountaintop lookout is one of the Engadine’s old-time excursion favourites: the funicular up to the top was built in 1907, making it the canton's first-ever mountain railway.
Another less well-known favourite is the hike from Alp Languard to the Paradis cabin at 2540 metres nestled at the foot of the Piz Albris. The fascination of the Alpine flora along the route will compete with the thrill of spotting a marmot, steinbock or chamois through your binoculars. The mountain hut is famed for its fruit pies; later on, zigzag your way back down to Pontresina.
Where Giovanni Segantini lived
Those who prefer a steep climb will do up their hiking boots and head for the Segantini cabin from Alp Languard. Here, if not before, it will become apparent why proper footwear is a sensible choice for any hike. The way up the mountain is steep, and twisting one's ankle may be quick in this terrain. Providing support and stability for your ankle will help prevent foot injury and is recommended even for an easy hike.
At the top, from the terrasse of the cabin, you will be spoilt with a panoramic vista that may well be the most spectacular sight in all of the Engadin. Here, at 2731 metres above sea level, local artist Giovanni Segantini painted his world-famous panoramas. Taking in the unbroken view over the Bernina Pass and the string of lakes along the Engadine valley, you will understand why Segantini wanted to paint at this very spot.
The Alp Languard, the Paradis and the Segantini hut are just three of many dozens of cabins in the Engadin mountains, and there is a tremendous choice of trails. Hiking in the Engadin is a dream come true, provided you have the right gear. Discovering the slowness of walking is also to re-discover the Engadin. A fascination that won't let go of you anytime soon.
This story by Christian Gartmann has been published in the Skiservice Magazine, Summer 2018