Snowshoeing
Gspon-Trail
Staldenried – Gspon
6/14°
Enjoy the absolute tranquillity of nature high above the Vispertal valley on the Gspon Trail. The sunny plateau is the touristic heart of the municipality of Staldenried. Small yet beautiful, it offers spectacular views of the Valais mountain landscape.
Difficulty
EasyLength
3.44 kmDuration
1:21 h
Description
Car-free, Gspon is a small but popular holiday destination offering a hotel restaurant, village shop, holiday apartments and group accommodation. The region is a jewel, not least because of its picturesque Valais houses and storehouses, which lend it a special charm. Gspon is located in the region with the lowest rainfall rate in Switzerland, and it has the highest tree line in the Alps. Speaking of altitude: this little Valais hamlet is home to the highest football pitch in Europe, the Ottmar Hitzfeld Arena, which is also on the route of the Gspon Trail. The easy snowshoe hike at more than 2,000 metres in altitude leads around the alpine landscape of Gspon, which benefits from lots of mid-winter sunshine. You’ll be able to enjoy the magnificent view of the village and the surrounding four-thousand-metre peaks throughout most of the hike. The Gspon Trail makes a fun family snowshoe hike, as it’s perfect for children with experience on similar terrain.
Turn-by-turn directions
The starting point of the Gspon Trail is the mountain station of the Staldenried-Gspon cable car at 1,899 metres in altitude. From there, the 4.08km trail leads up to the Ottmar Hitzfeld Arena, below the valley station of the Gspon ski lift and via the hamlets of Summerhüs and Ze Hiischinu towards the high-altitude trail. From Grifolegga, the trail leads to Wierli lake under the canopy of the forest via a pleasant and well-maintained path. The last part of the trail towards Scheidbodo, Waldegga and back to the Ottmar Hitzfeld Arena makes for a diverse, pleasant tour in the snow.
Start
Gspon (1892m)
Destination
Gspon (1891m)
Author's recommendation
Take a break at Wierli lake to enjoy the tranquillity and the exceptional alpine panorama.
Stop off at the Rondell après-ski bar on the way back and round out your snowshoe experience with a delicious Gspon coffee.
Technical information
Altitude
1988m
1812m
Ascent
+186m
Descent
-184m
Technique
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Getting there
Information
Public transport
Accessible by train and bus. From Visp station to Staldenried and by cable car to Gspon.
Approach
Motorway A9 direction Visp. Main road direction Saas-Fee / Zermatt junction Staldenried.
Parking
Parkings in Stalden or Staldenried.
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion
