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ALP GRIMMELS
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Alp Grimmels [528 Kb]
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Alp Grimmels was the second walk we did in the Engadine while staying at
Susch; the day before we had hiked to
Alp Trupchun,
ten kilometers to the south. Like Alp Trupchun, this walk is also
in the Swiss National Park.
Alp Grimmels is a small meadow on an otherwise forested knoll, located about
midway between Zernez and Ofenpass. There are two trailheads available for
the Alp Grimmels walk, separated by one kilometer along the highway,
which allows the possibility of doing a loop walk. We drove to the second
(furthest from Zernez) trailhead, at which there is room for only a few
cars to park alongside the highway.
We did this walk on 3 August 2003.
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Looking toward Ofenpass [283 Kb]
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From the trailhead, elevation 1805 meters,
the trail climbs through the forest for about two kilometers until reaching a
low wooded pass, elevation 2100 meters. About half a kilometer beyond
and 45 meters lower is the open meadow of Alp Grimmels, with a rest area to
stop and watch the
red deer which often graze here during early morning and evening hours.
No wildlife was present at noon when we visited, but the views of the
surrounding area are pleasant.
To the east one looks over Il Fuorn toward Ofenpass;
to the north is a view up Val Ftur and Piz Sampuoir.
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Descending through pine forests [527 Kb]
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We enjoyed a lunch break at Alp Grimmels, then continued on the loop trail
which descends through a dry pine-forested valley.
The highway is reached again at about 3.5 kilometers from Alp Grimmels.
From this trailhead, which has a much larger parking area,
a trail parallels the highway back down to the second trailhead and our car.
After reorganizing our gear, we started the long drive back to Geneva, taking
the same scenic route we had used to drive east two days earlier.
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