Map
Elevation Profile
Useful Links
Short Description
“Gastlosen Tour” trail leads around and through the Gastlosen mountain range in the south of Freiburg, Switzerland.
The imposing namesake peaks form a near vertical wall through the landscape, and remain visible throughout the hike.
There’s a variety of biomes to enjoy along the way, as well as views of the Bernese and Wallis alps along the southern portion of the tour.
Notes
- If arriving by public transport, the cable car is (almost) mandatory, as you’d have to walk from Jaun otherwise.
- There is an unadvertized free public parking area very close to the trail in the west. Though some experience with one lane mountain roads is advisable.
- Signage sometimes confusing. Often (in the South West) there will be a signaled left turn that actually leads to a different, wrong path, while the main road ahead is missing signs. Consult your map along the way.
Impressions
The weather forecast for the following week had it snowing down to 1600m and we had to assume this weekend posed the last chance to go hiking at altitudes close to 2k. We chose to visit the ironically named Gastlosen (lit. “Guestless”) mountains for this occasion. (I tried to look up the etymology of that mountain range but came up short).
As usual, we decided to skip the cable car, but this time it didn’t add much to the hike since there is a parking area very close to the trail in the west. I thank sattelite imaging for letting me find it while planning the trip, because I get the impression they prefer if people take the cable car.
(Uncharacteristically, we got up early (at 6AM, gasp!) to avoid the traditional Saturday congestion on the Zurich-Bern highway A1.)
Some twisty one lane mountain road driving later, we could see from the number of parked cars that a) this lot wasn’t exactly secret, b) that we weren’t the only ones to have the idea to visit today and c) these mountains really weren’t very aptly named.
A short walk from the parking lot, the “official” tour was reached. We decided to turn right, meaning we’d do the steepest ascent in the frosty shade and then enjoy the stroll back to the north side in the sun.
We soon reached “Soldatenhaus”, then Wolfs Ort, and got to enjoy some views of the Fribourg mountains and Gruyere region.
Just a little while later, the south side greeted us with warm rays of sun, and a panorama of the Bernese and snow covered Wallis alps.
From there on it was the expected enjoyable stroll in the sun, Gastlosen mountains to the left, alps to the right, and autumn forests ahead.
Along the way, we met four score and seven hikers, give or take three score, and one very patient little model, helping me practice my macro photography technique (with a normal kit lens):
Finally, having passed the north point, the way back to the parking lot led through mostly the aforementioned autumn forests, now partially lit by the afternoon sun.
A lovely, easy, medium length day hike, despite being more popular (and populated) than expected. Would recommend.
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.
The unofficial beginning of the official trail (we turned right). The north side of the loop, ascent. 
The north side of the loop, ascent. 
The north side of the loop, ascent. 
The north side of the loop, ascent. 
The north side of the loop, ascent. 
A look back. 
A look back. 
The north side of the loop, ascent. 
Another look back. 
View during the ascent to the turning point in the south. 
Jenny enjoying the view during the ascent to the turning point in the south. 
View of Hochmatt mountain and Gruyere region. 
View of Gruyere region. View of Hochmatt mountain. 
A random farmhouse. 
View during the ascent to Wolfs Ort (the turning point). 
View during the ascent to Wolfs Ort (the turning point). View of the Bernese (foreground, behind the tree covered mountain) and Wallis (Background, snowy) alps from the sunny south side. 
View of the Bernese (foreground) and Wallis (Background) alps from the sunny south side. 
The southern portion of the trail. 
The southern portion of the trail. 
Lunch 🙂 Picture courtesy of my wife. 
What are these stone heaps? 
The southern portion of the trail, Gastlosen to the left. 
Picture of me taking a picture, courtesy of my wife. 
Bireflue, probably 
Pfadflue? Marchzähne, almost certainly. Note the holes that look like a giant started to drill there, then changed his mind. 
Me, thinking about climbing. 
Descent to the north corner. 
Autumn forest 🙂 
View near the north corner. 
View near the north corner. 
Fuzzy Blue Butterfly 🙂 Anyone know the species? Fuzzy Blue Butterfly 🙂 Anyone know the species? 
Ascent to the north point and the cable car station (not for us) 
Ascent to the north point and the cable car station (not for us) 
Descent from the cable car station. Descent to the starting point. 
Last bit of forest road before the parking space comes into view.
NEWSLETTER
Don’t miss a hike 🙂
Basic Data
| Date of Hike: | 2021-10-23 |
| Participants: | Roman, Jenny |
| Technical Difficulty: | T2: Mountain Trail |
Stats
Roman’s Version
| Km | 12 |
| Net Hours (Est.) | 4.3 |
| Net Hours (Act.) | 4.5 |
| Ascent (m) | 820 |
| Descent (m) | 820 |
| Max. Alt. (m) | 1928 |
| Loop? | Yes |
| Cable Car? | No |
“Official” Version
| Km | 11 |
| Net Hours (Est.) | 4 |
| Ascent (m) | 780 |
| Descent (m) | 780 |
| Max. Alt. (m) | 1928 |
| Loop? | Yes |
| Cable Car? | Yes |