Hike Report – ‘Flueela Schwarzhorn’ (SM 792-M)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

NEWSLETTER

Don’t miss a hike 🙂

Why should I?

Leave this field empty if you're human: