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Journal: |
During breakfast, the manageress asked which way I had hiked in
yesterday and then said that I was the first known person to come
through Richetlipass this year, which knowledge helps them inform
other hikers. I started hiking about 8:20am on a day the
manager said was going to be very warm. As I followed the
walking trail out of the village under the early sun and had to make
a few detours because collapsing riverbanks had taken out the trail.
Many times during the day, there was evidence of severe erosion and
collapsing cliffs, often taking the path with them. It's
amazing what the snow and ice can do. The climb up to Foopass
(2223m) started along back roads connected by single-track forest
paths. There were signs everywhere of people opening up the
high pastures for summer. Some were erecting fences, others
cleaning and airing farmhouses and others driving cows up the
tracks.
Happily, not too many cattle had been taken up to the
pastures yet, meaning the trail was generally in good shape.
There was nobody in evidence at all in the highest valley where I
took my first break and I had a great sense of isolation and peace.
This was shattered as I resumed walking when two Swiss Air Force
Harrier jets practiced some slow-flying manoeuvres above my head.
It was strange watching one jet practically stationary in the air.
The last bit of the climb to Foopass involved crossing large
snowfields which made it hard to work out where the track was, but
it wasn't nearly as steep or scary a climb as yesterday and I
reached the pass around noon. There were spectacular views in every
direction. It was impossible to do them justice with a camera.
From the pass the trail descended along a ridge after crossing
more snow and then, for the next hour, frequently crossed small
snowfields, some of them covering creeks, which always added a
little interest (in case of collapse). In other places I had
to cross fast flowing streams often getting my boots wet. It
was a very warm day and the streams always seemed to generate a cool
breeze and look very inviting. The descent continued along the
side of a ravine across scree slopes and was very exposed. The
loose rock made for tiring and slow walking and I was very conscious
of the blazing sun, resolving to make my hat more accessible
tomorrow. It seemed to take forever to get to the valley floor
and then a very long time to reach the village of Weistannen, where
I made a half-hearted attempt to get a room just before 4pm.
They weren't very cooperative and I decided to move on.
However, shortly afterwards, I saw a sign indicating three hours
walking to Mels, the next town with accommodation. Although I
was sick of the sun and a bit short of liquids, I decided to keep
walking and, maybe, catch a bus where the track crossed the road in
another 40 minutes.
The walking was relatively easy and I was
now in the shade of the forest more. I reached the road and
worked out there would be a bus in 25 minutes, but decided to keep
walking as I seemed to be making reasonable time and, as the sun got
lower, the temperature dropped a little. For the next couple
of hours the track stayed high on the side of the valley passing
many farms where hay was being cut and raked, sometimes by hand.
I saw a couple of scythes at work, and whole families involved.
Almost always on steep-sided hills. The views continued to be
stunning.
I finally reached the descent to Mels which was
exceptionally steep, technical and slippery on wet leaves. My
knees and feet had had enough by then. The last part of the
descent involved a long steel ladder. Not that difficult, but
I took it slowly with my heavy pack on. From there it was a
winding downhill road walk following the river and then through the
town outskirts. I struck out at the two hotels I found there,
so continued on to the adjoining town of Sargans where I found a
hotel with a reasonably-priced room but, as it turned out, an
exceptionally expensive evening meal selection. I was too
tired to go looking for somewhere else to eat. In retrospect,
I should have walked for another 15 minutes to the railway station
where I'm sure there would have been more accommodation and meal
options, but it was already 7:15pm and I had had enough for the day.
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