Alp Sura Trail (611 www.schweizmobil.ch)

from Swiss mobility website: www.schweizmobil.ch

611 : Alp Sura Trail

Guarda–Alp Sura–G


Length | Number of stages
5 km | 1 Stage
Ascent | Descent
460 m | 460 m
Hiking time
3 h 15 min
Fitness level
difficult


A beautiful snowshoe tour above Guarda – Schellen-Ursli's village – with its richly decorated Engadine houses. This circular route takes you across open terrain and some stretches of forest up to the viewing pulpit at Alp Sura.
In the eastern part of the Engadine village of Guarda, with its listed houses, an Alpine trail climbs up towards Val Tuoi. The first stage of the ascent takes you across open terrain, and then the trail branches off to the right in Clüs. It continues through tranquil forests, past the wildlife conservation area to Alp Sura.

Alp Sura is above the tree line, at the foot of Piz Cotschen. It's worth taking a break here, if only to admire the view of the Engadine mountain world: to the north, the towering peak of Piz Buin; on the other side, Piz Macun; and far below you, the Inn snakes its way through the valley. You've reached the tour's highest point here. Due to the Alpine hazards, you are advised not to continue any further into the valley without a mountain guide.

The descent takes you along the Alpine road at the start. After the first prominent bend to the left, you join the old path to Perlas and across the clearing. You traverse some sparse forest to reach Clüs again, and then the road to Guarda. To conclude the tour, it's advisable to plan a little more time in this Engadine village. Guarda is renowned for its villagescape, with a picturesque village square and splendid houses adorned with sgraffito (scratched plaster). One of them inspired Alois Carigiet's drawings of the house where Schellen-Ursli lived. This spot in the Lower Engadine is also the setting for the well-known history surrounding the traditional Chalandamarz spring festival.