A Taste of Valais in 4 Days
July 2024The Valais region, also known as Wallis, is a paradise for mountain lovers and home to some of Switzerland's highest and most iconic peaks. While many worldwide recognize Zermatt and the Matterhorn, I believe the region itself is often underrated and still under the radar. I've always wanted to take a few days off to sample some of its beauty, and finally, I had the chance.
My partner and I planned our four-day adventure, choosing to explore Arolla, Barrhorn, and Cabane de Moiry. For the entire trip, we based ourselves in Bürchen, a small village above Visp and, as we later discovered, the birthplace of Swiss ski racer Ramon Zenhäusern.
Arolla
On the first morning, we drove a few hours directly to Arolla in Valais. Our goal for the day was an easy trail run along a panoramic 14km loop with an elevation gain and loss of 1000m. This offered a perfect balance of fun and effort, ensuring we wouldn't be too tired for the Barrhorn the following day.
The trail began gently from the parking lot, winding through vibrant green grassy slopes. As we progressed, the few remaining trees gave way to more rocky, alpine terrain. We soon approached the Cabane des Aiguilles Rouges, where, as the name suggests, we paused to admire the rugged Aiguilles Rouges d'Arolla behind us — a view that sparked thoughts for a future climbing trip. After a quick Rivella at the hut, we continued towards Lac Bleu, a well-known lake famous for its striking color and cool glacier water. We took a well-deserved break there, soaking in the beautiful scenery and briefly wading in the icy water — it was far too cold for a full swim.
Afterward, we picked up our pace, making our way mostly through woods until we returned to the car.
Barrhorn (3610m)
Day two's objective was to reach the summit of Barrhorn. Standing at 3610m, it's the highest mountain in the Alps accessible via a marked trail without special equipment, making it the undeniable main course of our trip. In total, we were faced a 21 km distance with an elevation gain and loss of just over 1700m for the day.
We left the parking lot at the end of the Turtmann valley around 8:30 AM. From there, the trail was straightforward and relaxed as we passed a dam and several lakes. The terrain became rockier as we neared the Turtmannhütte. The direct path to the hut was unfortunately closed, so we took a slightly longer route, which was no big deal but added some more distance — the 19 km day turned into 21 km. After a quick snack and drink break at the hut, we were back on our way.
We cruised along the well-marked trail until we reached a small rocky couloir called Gässi. This is the most "technical" part of the route, though still very easy and well-equipped with fixed metal wires to assist in a safe ascent.
Beyond Gässi, the path was again very straightforward. We navigated a rocky section requiring basic route-finding skills, and not long after, having climbed a small snow-covered slope, we reached the base of the final ascent. This last climb was steep and chossy but relatively short, requiring just a bit of endurance. And just like that, we were at the top! From the summit, we admired spectacular 4000m peaks like Weisshorn, Bishorn, and even Mont Blanc when the clouds briefly cleared.
After a 15-minute break, we began our descent, heading back to our base for a well-deserved Cordon Bleu.
Cabane de Moiry
Given our tired legs and a forecast for clouds and potential storms, we decided to take day three off. We headed to Saas-Grund and went up to explore the area surrounding the Weissmieshütte. From there, we obviosuly could admire the Weissmies (4013 m), which is already on our list for the near future.
On day four, our final day, we drove to the Barrage de Moiry, the dam enclosing the artificial Lac de Moiry. Our plan was a loop that followed the lake side to the Cabane de Moiry and then descended around the other side of the lake back to the dam. This route covered approximately 16 km with an 850m elevation gain and loss.
We began our trail from the parking lot, enjoying a gentle ascent and descent along the mountainside, through fields of deep green grass and colorful flowers — waiving at the occasional cows. The trail was a joy to run, continuing to the end of the lake until we reached the Glacier du Moiry parking lot. This is where most visitors park to hike up to the Cabane de Moiry or simply explore the area. Just after this parking lot was Lac de Châteaupré, a lake fed by water flowing down from the Moiry glacier — unreal scenery.
From here, the terrain transformed, becoming more rugged and dark, with even some snowy sections. We continued until we reached the base of the final ascent to the Cabane de Moiry. This last climb was steep but on solid, well-marked rocky terrain, making it a lot of fun. Soon, we were at the hut. The surrounding landscape was unreal; we felt minuscule amidst tall, snowy peaks and close-up views of the glacier. It was both easy and sad to imagine how glorious it must have been 30-50 years ago.
After a 15-20 minute break for some cake at the hut, we made our way back. At the first parking lot, we crossed to the left flank of the valley to run the portion we hadn't yet explored. We cruised along the amazing trail, soaking in the beautiful scenery all the way back to the dam where we left the car.
This remains one of my favorite trail runs ever. The trails are perfect for running, and the scenery is continuously stunning. While Barrhorn was great, this one surprisingly took the cake as the best highlight of the entire trip.
And with that, our trip came to an end and it was time to head back home.
Notes
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