Map

Thumbnail for the map of the modified Schweizmobil 'Flueela Schwarzhorn' (792) hiking trail, opens link to interactive web map.
Source1

Elevation Profile

Elevation Profile of the modified Schweizmobil 'Flueela Schwarzhorn' (792) hiking trail.
Source: Bundesamt für Landestopografie; Drawn with schweizmobilplus.ch

Useful Links

Original Route
Bus Stop
Free Parking
Weather

Short Description

Schwarzhorn (GR) is one of the easiest Swiss 3k peaks to reach, both because there’s a convenient starting point only 800 meters below the peak, and because there’s a relatively easy trail leading to the top. (Easy with appropriate shoes and some experience).

For my version of the route, I’ve included a detour along Piz Radönt to elongate it a bit, and to reduce the amount of backtracking.

Notes

  • “Easy” doesn’t mean without danger. There’s always some danger when hiking in the mountains.
  • Large portions of the route lead across boulder/rubble fields.

Impressions

It was a very hot summer’s day, with temperatures in the lowlands reaching around 34°C. A perfect day to flee to cooler altitudes, and to hike up to my highest peak so far: Schwarzhorn.

This hike has been on my wishlist for a while, but it’s only possible (or safe) to do in a short window in summer when there’s no snow on top. On this day, it was even warm enough to wear just a T-Shirt. Ideal conditions.

Tiny glacier creek.

For the first half of the ascent, the views were dominated by green, grassy, treeless slopes, trickling glacier creeks, and the views of the valley below.

The grass was soon replaced by rubble, as the main ascent to the peak began. The views meanwhile started including the alps and the Dischmatal valley, as well as the tiny glacier lakes in the rubble fields below. All gorgeous.

Image depicts the view when looking up to the top of Schwarzhorn during the last hundred meters of ascent: A rubble field at an angle, basically.
Did I mention Schwarzhorn is also known as “The most beautiful pile of rubble in Switzerland?”

Of course I was not the only one to have this idea today, so there was a steady stream of counter traffic on the way up, but luckily, it seems I was one of the last people to start, so by the time I reached the peak, I had it almost to myself. Ah, the benefits of being a late riser / night owl.

A view of the Swiss alps, Bernina Range in the distance, seen from the top of Schwarzhorn, Flüela, Switzerland.
View from the top. Centered in the distance you can see the Bernina Range (distinctly white).

And the views from the peak were absolutely breathtaking: Alps in all directions, and thanks to this being a very clear, high barometric pressure day, I could see the Bernina mountain range in the distance.

Image of Piz Radönt, as seen during the modified 'Flueela Schwarzhorn' hiking trail in Switzerland.
I love the color of these tiny glacier lakes.

While I was almost alone on the peak, I was completely by myself on my chosen detour on the way back, leading me across more rubble and boulder fields and by those beautiful turquoise lakes/ponds I’d been admiring from a distance before.

It was a wonderful atmosphere and feeling that I enjoyed thoroughly.

The “trail” during the descent.

Now stepping from boulder to boulder, more following the rough direction of the waysigns on poles than on a designated path as such, I appreciated my choice of shoes (trail runners as opposed to stiff hiking boots). The boulders soon gave way to rubble paths again, then grass came into view, and finally I was back on the main path again.

View during the descent.

This has been one of my best hiking experiences so far, and I’m sure I will return some day.

Would you like to share your own experiences with this hike? Do you have any questions? Something to add? Feel free to leave a comment below 🙂


Route Report / Gallery

Full size images without watermarks are available for licensing to interested parties. Check romans.pictures for a selection of my favorites, or contact me for details.

  • A very rusty (bubbly) metal door in the rock face, seen during the ascent to Schwarzhorn in Switzerland.
  • Image of a hiking trail in green grass leading to a boulder and rubble field where it continues. As seen during the Flueela Schwarzhorn hike in Switzerland.
  • A bent hiking trail waysign seen during the ascent to Schwarzhorn, Switzerland.
  • A view of the alps around Schwarzhorn, Flüela, Switzerland.
  • A view of the alps around Schwarzhorn, Flüela, Switzerland.
  • Image depicts the view when looking up to the top of Schwarzhorn during the last hundred meters of ascent: A rubble field at an angle, basically.
  • A view of the alps around Schwarzhorn, Flüela, Switzerland.
  • Image of a mountain flower, as seen during the modified 'Flueela Schwarzhorn' hiking trail in Switzerland.
  • A view of the alps around Schwarzhorn, Flüela, Switzerland.
  • A view of the alps around Schwarzhorn, Flüela, Switzerland.
  • A view of the alps around Schwarzhorn, Flüela, Switzerland.
  • A view of the alps around Schwarzhorn, Flüela, Switzerland.
  • Image of a man (named Roman) atop Schwarzhorn peak in Switzerland (3147m). He's standing in front of the peak cross, with a backdrop of the Swiss alps.
  • A view of the Swiss alps, Bernina Range in the distance, seen from the top of Schwarzhorn, Flüela, Switzerland.
  • A panoramic view of the alps seen from the top of Schwarzhorn, Flüela, Switzerland.
  • Image of Piz Radönt, as seen during the modified 'Flueela Schwarzhorn' hiking trail in Switzerland.
  • Small pond surrounded by grass in an alpine rubble field near mount Schwarzhorn.
  • Image of a mountain flower, as seen during the modified 'Flueela Schwarzhorn' hiking trail in Switzerland.
  • Image of a mountain flower, as seen during the modified 'Flueela Schwarzhorn' hiking trail in Switzerland.
  • Image of a hiking waysign pointing to Schwarzhorn in front of Piz Radönt, as seen during the modified 'Flueela Schwarzhorn' hiking trail in Switzerland.

NEWSLETTER

Don’t miss a hike 🙂

Basic Data

Date of Hike:2020-08-08
Participants:Roman (Solo)
Technical Difficulty:T3: Mountain Trail

Stats

Roman’s Version

Km9.27
Net Hours (Est.)4.33
Net Hours (Act.)3.75
Ascent (m)925
Descent (m)925
Max. Alt. (m)3147
Loop?Yes
Cable Car?No

“Official” Version

Km8
Net Hours (Est.)3.66
Ascent (m)820
Descent (m)820
Max. Alt. (m)3147
Loop?Yes
Cable Car?No
Share this on Social Media

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *