Once dismissed as a pleasure for old people, hiking has become a trend. Stressed city dwellers enjoy the slowness of movement, which also allows you to do something for your fitness.
The Engadin is a real Mecca for hikers.
The ride on the chairlift from Pontresina to Alp Languard is tough: First, it's over the ski meadow, which has become a very special pasture. Where the children frolic in winter, Capricorns regularly graze in spring, right in the middle of the village and watched by numerous onlookers.
Soon, the lift climbs steeply upwards through the pine and pine forests. On the right, there is a view of Val Roseg and Piz Corvatsch. Straight ahead, Piz Palü majestically carries its thick snow and ice cap on its broad shoulders and cows graze to the left, which supply the regional cheese dairy with milk for their alpine cheese.
Once at the top, the Alp Languard excursion restaurant right next to the mountain station attracts visitors. But it'll have to wait, after all, we're here hiking.
The first mountain railway in Graubünden
The Engadin offers countless beautiful hikes: The hiking trail network of our high valley measures a whopping 580 kilometers. The pleasure is varied: From a simple walk to a challenging circular hike to a veritable mountain tour, you can experience everything here. Alp Languard at 2200 meters is a very good place to start hiking in the Engadin. From here, the “Höhenweg” leads comfortably and without too much climb to Muottas Muragl. The view and pleasure mountain of the Engadin was opened up by a mountain railway as early as 1907, the first in Graubünden.
The trail from Alp Languard to the Paradise Hut at 2540 meters at the foot of Piz Albris is just as popular among experts. Along the way, it's not just the alpine flora that inspires; anyone looking for groundhogs, ibexes and chamois with binoculars will get their money's worth. The hut is known for its heavenly good cakes, then it's time to zigzag back down to Pontresina.
Where Giovanni Segantini lived
If you like it much steeper, take the ascent to the Segantinihütte from Alp Languard under hiking boots. At this stage at the latest, it becomes clear why good footwear is a good idea for every hike. The trail leads steeply up the mountain and you bend your ankle all too quickly. To avoid injuries, the ankles should be well supported even during easy hikes. Once at the top, you will be spoiled by what is arguably the most spectacular panoramic view of the Engadin on the hut's terrace: Here, at 2731 meters, the painter Giovanni Segantini created his world-famous panoramic paintings at the end of the 19th century.
A panoramic view from the Bernina Pass to the Engadin Lake District quickly makes it clear why Segantini wanted to paint right here. Alp Languard, Paradis- und Segantinihütte are just three of the many dozens of huts in the Engadin mountains and the selection of trails is huge. Well equipped, hikes in the Engadin are a dream. Anyone who discovers slowness on foot will also discover Engadin in a whole new way. A fascination that won't let you go anytime soon.
This article by Christian Gartmann was published in Skiservice Magazine summer 2018. www.issuu.com/designterminal/docs/ssc_summer2018_rz_issuu