From the valleys of Zermatt to Tourtemagne via Topali and the Schöllijoch

Benoit, novo-monde dot com

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My parents and some of their friends go hiking on average once a year with a mountain guide they know (Yvan Bender)… This gives them the opportunity to go on nice hikes, a bit more challenging, without having to worry about the itinerary and the security (since they are with a professional mountain guide).

Image summary: A photograph of the Bishorn and Weisshorn mountains in the Wallis region, showing their snow-covered peaks, glaciers, and rocky slopes under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

Bishorn and Weisshorn

This year, they were planning to do a version of the Barrhorn (3610m) that I had not yet tested (I had hiked the “easy” side from the Tourtemagne hut and back)… They planned to start from the village of St-Nicolas in the Zermatt valley, to sleep at the Topali hut through the Wasulicke, to climb to the Barrhorn through the Schöllijoch and to come back down on the other side at the Tourtemagne hut … an itinerary that instantly excited me!

So with my sister we took the chance to join their group… especially since we don't often have the opportunity to go hiking for 3 days in the middle of the 4000m mountains of Wallis with our parents.

Hike difficulty

Be careful, if you want to do this route without a professional guide, be aware that there are technical passages that require a secure footing and experience of this kind of terrain. The passage of the Wasulicke is listed as T.4 and the one of the Schöllijoch is listed as T.5 and is more like a small Via Ferrata than a trail (by the way, I recommend you to have a harness with the via ferrata lines and a helmet for this section… but you can judge for yourself by looking at the pictures below).

If you don't know the S.A.C hiking difficulty scale, I suggest you take a look at the document below:

S.A.C hiking difficulty scale (in french)

From Saint-Nicolas to Jungen with an old cable car

The village of St-Nicolas is located in the upper Wallis and more precisely in the well known valley that leads to the village of Zermatt and its famous Matterhorn. As St-Nicolas is easily accessible by train, we all met at the train station of Martigny or Visp to make the trip together.

Once we arrive to the village, we head to the old cable car of “Jungenbahn” which goes up to the alpine pasture of Jungen and which will allow us to save a good 900m of ascent.

==This gondola is totally old school!== There are only 2 gondolas (one at the top, one at the bottom) and there can't be more than 4 passengers at the same time. This means that for a group of 10 people like us, it took 3 gondolas and a good half hour (each trip lasts about 10 minutes) for everyone to get to the top 😉

But honestly it's an experience to live! The ascent is really impressive… we are like suspended above the Zermatt valley with the view on the Mischabel and the Monte Rosa range! We have known worse panoramas!

Image summary: A photograph of the small, red Jungenbahn cable car ascending above the Zermatt valley in the Swiss Alps. The gondola is suspended on cables against a vast mountain backdrop featuring the Mischabel and Monte Rosa ranges, with a deep valley floor visible far below.

Image summary: A high-angle, wide-shot photograph captures the Zermatt valley in the Swiss Alps, viewed from the elevated alpine pasture of Jungen. The scene overlooks the village of St-Nicolas nestled in the deep valley floor, surrounded by steep, forested mountain slopes and the distant, snow-capped peaks of the Mischabel and Monte Rosa ranges. A small, red cable car is visible in the lower right, suspended over the dramatic drop into the valley.

Image summary: A landscape photograph capturing a high-altitude view of the Zermatt valley. In the foreground, a steep, forested ridge features a small cluster of buildings perched on a grassy plateau. The valley floor stretches deep into the distance, flanked by massive, rugged mountain slopes, and terminates in a dramatic range of snow-capped peaks, identified as the Mischabel and Monte Rosa range, under a clear blue sky.

Image summary: A photograph of the Jungenbahn gondola system in Switzerland, showing a small red cable car suspended on a line above a steep, forested mountain slope. In the background, a deep valley contains a town, framed by high mountain peaks including the Mischabel and Monte Rosa ranges under a clear blue sky. A large metal support tower stands in the foreground near a small cluster of buildings on the grassy hillside.

Useful Infos

For the train timetable, you just have to go on the S.B.B website and for the Jungenbahn gondola, a ticket costs 12chfs per person and all the information is on this website.

Hiking from Jungen to Wasulicke pass (3113m)

It's time to start the serious stuff and to begin the climb to the main difficulty of the day: the Wasulicke. Even if the cable car helped us to gain a little bit of elevation, we still have more than 1000m to climb to the pass. But the weather is good, the mood is great and we set off all motivated.

The first part of the ascent in the Jungtal (Jung valley) is done on an easy and well marked path. Behind us we leave the hamlet of Jungu to hike up through the pastures to the Jungtal alp.

Note: special mention for my godmother's beautiful backpack (2nd photo below) which is older than me and has an incomparable style… I love it!

Image summary: A photograph of a group of hikers walking along a trail in the Jung valley, surrounded by alpine pastures and grazing cattle. The hikers, wearing backpacks and carrying trekking poles, follow a path through the grassy landscape with rocky mountain peaks visible in the background under a clear blue sky. A black cow with a bell around its neck rests in the foreground near the trail, while other cattle are scattered on the hillside.

As we continue to climb, the ground becomes more and more mineral, between scree and moraine. No major difficulty for the moment but we have to be a little more careful where we put our feet. Around 2800m, we reach a flatter area with a small lake and we take a little break before tackling the last part of the climb which is also the most difficult!

Image summary: A photograph showing a hiker walking along a rocky trail beside a small, calm mountain lake at approximately 2800 meters elevation. The surrounding landscape is dominated by steep, mineral-rich slopes, scree, and patches of snow leading toward a high mountain pass.

As often in the mountains, we see where the pass is in front of us but we wonder where the trail is going to take us up there 😉. I'll be honest, this last part to the Wasulicke is not a walk in the park! It's a steep climb in the rocks and several exposed passages are equipped with handrails or ropes to help you. If you have a good footing, this passage is no problem… but if you are afraid of heights, you'd better not do it.

Rather than making nice theories, here are some pictures to give you an idea. This passage is marked in white-red-white (mountain hiking trail) and is listed as T.4 on the C.A.S website. But I have to say that I have already done blue marked trails that were easier… So let's say that this trail is a demanding red 😉

Image summary: Two hikers ascend a steep, rocky mountain slope at the Wasulicke pass, which is marked with white-red-white trail blazes. The challenging, exposed path is equipped with a fixed rope handrail to assist climbers as they navigate the rugged terrain toward the summit.

The Wasulicke passage is nevertheless at 3113m and really offers a magnificent alpine panorama on the 4000m+ peaks in the surroundings. It was worth the effort! On the other side, we have a breathtaking view on the Mischabel (Nadelhorn 4327, Dom 4546m, Täschhorn 4491m) and in the distance we can already see the Topali hut with the Monte Rosa range (4634m) in the background.

Image summary: A photograph of a massive, snow-covered mountain range under a blue sky with scattered clouds. The foreground consists of dark, jagged, rocky peaks, while the background is dominated by a large, glaciated mountain massif featuring prominent snowfields and steep, icy slopes.

From Wasulicke to the Topali hut (2674m)

We “only” have to go back down 3,5kms to the Topali hut from the pass. The trail is easier on this side and if you've made it to the top on the other side, you'll have no problem going that way.

This balcony trail is really beautiful! We cross several small valleys and during the descent we see the Barrhorn and the Stelli glacier which appears on the right. From this side, we wonder how we are going to reach its summit the next day because this face of the mountain is so steep.

Finally after 1h30/2h of hiking from the Wasulicke, we arrive at the Topali hut. Located on a ridge at the foot of the Barrhorn, it offers an exceptional view on the Zermatt valley and the surrounding summits. As the dining room of the hut has a magnificent glass window, we could enjoy the panorama in the warmth of the hut with a good beer in the hand. #Whatelse 😉

Image summary: A photograph shows the Topali hut, a modern, rectangular, metallic mountain shelter perched on a rocky ridge. A group of hikers with backpacks is walking along a trail toward the hut. In the background, snow-capped mountain peaks and a glacier are visible under a clear blue sky.

Infos Day 1

- ==Distance==: around 11kms from the top of the cable car

- ==Elevation change==: around 1200m d+ for 500m d-

- ==Duration==: 6-7h

- ==Difficulty==: T.4 on the C.A.S scale. I let you have a look at this document if you don't know the C.A.S scale of difficulty

- ==Useful links==: the night with half board at the Topali hut costs 74chfs. You will find all the information on the hut's website.

From the Topali hut to the Schöllijoch (3342m)

We had already noticed when we arrived at the hut the day before that the signs for the next part of the itinerary were turning blue… which means that we are going on a more demanding alpine route. But well, this is the advantage to hike with a professional mountain guide, we don't have to take care of the security questions and he can secure us in case of need.

As the weather forecast was not the most glorious for the afternoon, we take off from the hut early in the morning. The colors on the surrounding summits are magnificent with the sun slowly showing its light.

Image summary: A landscape photograph captures the Brunegghorn and Abberg glacier at dawn, with the peaks glowing in soft pink light against a dark, rocky foreground.

The first part of the climb does not represent any particular difficulty. We go up on a nice path offering a beautiful view on the Brunegghorn and the Abberg glacier. As often in the morning, we have the chance to see in the distance some ibexes that are much more in their environment than we are 😉

We continue to climb on the moraine and soon we arrive on the Schölli glacier … This one is flat, with very few crevasses and is crossed easily on foot without special equipment. On the other hand the weather is turning and it starts to rain a little… not so good because we just reach the Schöllijoch passage.

Image summary: A photograph shows a group of hikers walking across the icy, rocky terrain of the Schölli glacier toward a steep, towering rock face. The hikers, wearing backpacks and outdoor gear, are trekking in a line across the glacier's surface, which is covered in patches of snow and ice, as they approach the Schöllijoch passage.

The Schöllijoch is the most difficult part of the day (T.5 on the C.A.S scale)! It is first composed of a big ladder and then a sort of Via Ferrata which let you climb the last 80 meters to the pass. In our case, after a particularly hot summer (we did this hike at the end of August), there was no more snow to reach the bottom of the ladder. We had to pull ourselves on the ice to the bottom of the ladder with the help of a rope which was fixed for this purpose (photo 1 below). An operation not necessarily easy for everyone even if we were secured by our guide.

Add to that the risk of rock falls at the bottom of this passage (it's better to wait a bit further down the glacier if there are people in the passage)… and you'll understand why the Schöllijoch is not necessarily for everyone.

For people who are used to this kind of passage equipped with ropes and ladders, this is not necessarily a problem (besides, a group before us passed there without any particular equipment). But as far as I am concerned, I would feel comfortable going over the Schöllijoch without a guide, only with Via Ferrata gear and a helmet. But for people like my parents, they would have never climbed this pass without the help and safety of our mountain guide.

Here are some pictures to give you an idea… not for people prone to vertigo (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them):

Image summary: A wide-angle photograph capturing a rugged, high-altitude mountain landscape near the Schöllijoch pass. The scene features steep, rocky cliff faces and a glacier below, with small figures of hikers visible as they navigate a narrow, challenging trail along the mountainside.

From the Schöllijoch to the top of Barrhorn (3610m)

After the thrill of the Schöllijoch, we divided into 2 groups for the rest of the program. A group who had their adrenaline dose and preferred to go down directly to the Tourtemagne hut. A 2nd group ( including me) who still wanted to go up to the top of Barrhorn despite the rather uncertain weather.

From the Schöllijoch it is only 300m uphill on a fairly easy path to the Barrhorn summit. The path first passes under the “Inners Barrhorn”. Behind us, the view on the Brunegg glacier, the Bishorn (4151m) and the Weisshorn (4505m) is impressive. In front of us, we can still see the summit of the Barrhorn even if the clouds are dangerously catching up with us.

We first arrive at a small pass between the Inners and the Üssers Barrhorn. At the edge of the cliff we have an impressive view on the Stelli glacier 300m below! Then we start the last climb but unfortunately we are caught by the clouds just before reaching the top… Well, even if we didn't have the view, we still have the beautiful satisfaction to have reached the top of Barrhorn! We take a small picture next to the summit cross and we quickly go down to the hut.

Image summary: A photograph of two hikers posing next to a summit cross on the rocky peak of Barrhorn, Switzerland, at an altitude of 3610 meters. The hikers, wearing outdoor gear and backpacks, stand on the uneven, dark stone summit against a backdrop of dense, overcast clouds.

And if you want to see pictures with good weather on the top of Barrhorn, I recommend you to have a look at the post I wrote when I went up from the Tourtemagne hut:

From the summit we have “only” 4,5 kms and 1100m down to the Tourtemagne hut. No special challenge except for the Gässi couloir (T.3) just before the hut ( but if you have climbed the Schöllijoch, you can do it without any problem 😉 )

We will finish the day with a good well deserved beer at the hut, which also has a rather nice view just in front of the Tourtemagne glacier.

Image summary: A landscape photograph of the Tourtemagne glacier, showing a large ice field nestled between rugged, rocky mountain slopes under a cloudy sky. Meltwater from the glacier cascades down the steep, dark cliff face in several thin, vertical waterfalls that converge into a stream at the base of the valley.

Infos jour 2

- ==Distance==: 9,5kms

- ==Elevation change==: around 1000m d+ for 1100m d-

- ==Duration==: 5-6h

- ==Difficulty==: The Schöllijoch is listed T.5 on the C.A.S scale

- ==Useful links==: The night in half board at the Tourtemagne hut costs 83chfs. More info on the hut's website.

From the Tourtemagne hut to Gruben via the Meidhorn (2875m)

Image summary: A photograph of the Meidhorn, a prominent rocky spur rising above the grassy slopes of the Tourtemagne valley. The peak is captured under clear blue skies, showing its rugged, craggy summit contrasted against the surrounding alpine landscape.

The view of the Meidhorn from the Tourtemagne hut

The sun is back for this last day of hiking and Yvan, our guide, suggests a challenging variation to spice up the descent to the village of Gruben: a climb to the Meidhorn, which we can see very well from the hut.

So we divide again in 2 groups: one group that will go directly down to Gruben and another one that will make a small detour to the top of Meidhorn, a rocky spur that dominates the Tourtemagne valley.

We leave the hut when the 1st sun rays rise on the Bishorn. With such a weather, we are all the more motivated to do a last summit before going back home.

Image summary: A photograph showing the snow-covered peak of the Bishorn mountain illuminated by the morning sun, contrasting with the shadowed, rocky terrain in the foreground.

I will be honest, I found very little information about the Maidhorn on the internet… It's a rather unknown summit that offers a magnificent view on the whole Tourtemagne valley and the Weisshorn range. I will try to give you as much detail as possible because the path disappears in some places. You will also find at the end of the article the G.P.X track which should be useful.

From the hut we go down to the Tourtemagne lake and dam and then take the balcony trail along the eastern side of the valley. This part is really nice with a beautiful view on the Weisshorn behind us and we even have the chance to see a bearded vulture flying over our heads.

Image summary: A group of five hikers with large backpacks traverses a narrow, rocky mountain trail on a sunny day, with a deep valley and distant snow-capped peaks visible in the background.

After a small descent, we pass in front of 2 to 3 chalets (place called Bitzu Oberstafel) before arriving at an intersection where we take on the left until we reach the mountain pasture of Chalte Berg. We grant ourselves a small break to enjoy the magnificent panorama in front of us 🙂

Image summary: A photograph of the Chalte Berg mountain pasture, featuring several rustic wooden chalets nestled in a grassy alpine landscape. A flagpole with a red and white flag displaying stars stands prominently in the foreground. In the background, a dramatic mountain range rises under a clear blue sky, including the prominent, snow-capped peaks of the Weisshorn range and a visible glacier.

From the alpine pasture we continue on a path still visible on the right until we reach a kind of plateau (Äugsttälli on the Swiss mobile map) where the path disappears. Then it is just a matter of crossing this flatter area until you reach 2 to 3 small lakes at the foot of the Meidhorn.

On the other side of the lakes, we climb a grassy slope to reach a path that leads to a small pass before tackling the last ridge to the summit.

Image summary: A photograph of two hikers with large backpacks walking across a grassy alpine slope near a small lake, with a dramatic mountain range featuring snow-capped peaks in the background.

The small path that follows the ridge to the summit is not really technically difficult… but in some places it is quite exposed and you will not have the right to make mistakes. So if you are afraid of heights or if the conditions are not good (very wet or snow), I don't recommend to climb to the top. I didn't find an official rating but I would say that the ridge should be a good T.4.

The path to the summit is lined with Edelweiss and what can I say about the view from the summit cross! What a great panorama on the Weisshorn range and the Tourtemagne valley! It is simply magnificent! We make the most of it to take some souvenir pictures at the top before going back on the trail… we have a bus to catch in Gruben and we still have a good descent.

Image summary: A close-up photograph of Edelweiss flowers blooming on a rocky, alpine mountainside. The white, star-shaped flowers grow directly from the sparse, stony soil alongside patches of dry grass and a small cluster of purple wildflowers.

There is still a little more than 1000m of descent from the Meidhorn summit to the village of Gruben. After descending the ridge to the small pass, we follow this time the path that goes under the summit. During the descent, the path disappears at times but there are small cairns to find your way.

Then we reach a charming little river (the Meidbach) which we follow to find a well-marked path that goes down to the hamlet of Meide Mittlere Staffel. From there, we simply follow the signs to Gruben and go down along a nice path in the forest to reach the village.

We arrive just in time to have a drink on the terrace of the Schwarzhorn hotel before taking the shuttle which brings us first to the cable car of Oberems, then to the village of Tourtemagne then a last shuttle to the train station of Tourtemagne.

Infos Day 3

- ==Distance==: around 14,5 kms

- ==Elevation change==: around 700m d+ and 1350 d-

- ==Duration==: 6h

- ==Difficulty==: the trail disappears in some places and the last ridge to the top should be about T.4

- ==Useful links==: For more information on the shuttle + gondolas between Gruben, Oberems and Tourtemagne, you can go to this site or directly to the S.B.B website.

Map of the hike

You will find below the precise map of these 3 days of hiking between the valleys of Zermatt and Tourtemagne. To download the G.P.X, you simply need a free AllTrails account.

I hope you enjoyed this 3 day hiking itinerary which is rather off the beaten track and not so easy. By the way, if you don't feel like doing such an itinerary by yourself, don't hesitate to contact our guide Yvan who will be happy to give you advice and guide you (for the price of a professional guide in Switzerland, you have to count 650chfs per day divided by the number of participants).