Gsponer Höhenweg (High trail)

Access and descent with the cable car. This direction was chosen because 1. The mountain railways in Gspon run longer in the evening than Kreuzboden (to be on the safe side, check the timetable). 2. It goes down more than up.

Hike the scenic high-altitude trail from the meeting point of the Saas and Matter valleys in Stalden to Kreuzboden in the Saas Valley. The easy trail offers magnificent views of the Mischabel Group, including the Dom, Lenzspitze, and Alphubel. Here and there, you'll have to negotiate boulders, but otherwise, it's a pleasant hike with approximately 750 meters of elevation gain. From Kreuzboden, you can combine the hike with a climb of the Weissmies (from Hohsaas or ascend to the Weissmies Hut, description here --> https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/2461904197) and/or a hike along the continuing Almageller high-altitude trail (description here --> https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/2487644848). Tip: The Saastal Card is not valid for the cable car in Stalden; it must be purchased at the ticket machine on site. The cable car to Gsporn always departs at :25 and :55.

On what was unfortunately our last day of hiking in the Valais Saas Valley, we set off early downhill to Kreuzboden. This is where our long descent begins on the Gspon High Trail, a panoramic trail that absolutely captivated me. It might sound like a leisurely stroll at first glance – but the first few kilometers, in particular, are not all that easy, as they include several sections over scree, boulders, and slabs. You'll be rewarded with stunning views of the majestic peaks of the Mischabel range, the glaciated Allalinhorn, and the Saas Valley. You should definitely stop off at the rustic Hoferälpji. Delicious snacks are served here high above Saas-Balen among clucking chickens. The rest of the Gspon High Trail captivates with its diverse landscapes and incredible tranquility, which you can enjoy here. It leads through beautiful larch forests with windswept trees – blueberries and wild strawberries are available for snacking along the trail. Then again, you hike with breathtaking views over open slopes and vast plateaus like the Siwibode Plateau. The trail winds up and down through the landscape in tight bends, never getting boring. At Finilu, the first signs of civilization await with the tiny St. Wendelin Chapel and the quaint settlement on the hillside. Finally, we reach the mountain village of Gspon, situated at almost 1,900 meters above the Vispertal Valley, which looks like something out of a picture book. Here, I truly feel that the world can only be a peaceful place—what a peaceful and idyllic setting, car-free, of course! We spend the night at the rustic Pension Alpenblick, which offers simple but cozy rooms with shared showers in the hallway. The view from the terrace is picture-perfect, and light meals are served for dinner. The mountain view from here: priceless!

From Stalden with the gondola to Gspon. From there first follow the Suonenwanderweg - small brook on the left, narrow path on the right - along. beautiful to go. Then the mountain trail alternating through larch forest, over scree to a top-class high alpine pasture. Then again alternately over scree and for a long time over block fields in the blazing midday heat. In the end, the road had dragged on forever. Then finally the Kreuzboden station in sight. All in all a very nice high trail, partly a bit exposed, sure-footedness and stamina required.

We park in the Saas-Grund gondola parking lot (day ticket 12 CHF) and purchase the special "round trip ticket" (52.40 CHF per person). The round trip ticket includes the ascent to Kreuzboden, the descent from Gspon to Stalden, and the return PostBus from Stalden to Saas-Grund. The high-altitude trail offers stunning views and varied paths. For the final stretch before Gspon, we take the path along the irrigation channels.