Culural Hike: Arosa - Litzirüti

We start at the train station on the Obersee, hike through Arosa down to the Untersee and from there take the marked forest path to Litzirüti. Water, forest and the Arosa Railway are our constant companions. The short hike ends at the train station Litzirüti, from where we take the train back to Arosa or drive out of the valley through the Schanfigg in the direction of Chur.

Water everywhere

Three lakes and the still young, but already wild rushing Plessur accompany us on the way from Arosa to Litzirüti. The Arosa lakes, surrounded by mighty limestone mountains, delight the eye. Whether they also pleased the former sovereign of the Arosa, Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, we do not know. But we know that he was concerned about the rich fishing yield, because his subjects were overly amicable at the fishing grounds there. That was in 1545. Perhaps he would like the stylish wooden bathing establishment on the Untersee, which we reach after a short walk through Arosa. On a hot summer day, the first and certainly refreshing stop is recommended here. From the Untersee we continue our way to Litzirüti, next to us the railway line, below us the emerald green reservoir Isel. Its history also has to do with the early days of Arosa tourism. Around 1900, it was a must for spa hotels to be able to offer electric light to their noble clientele. The water for the first power plant was dammed in the Isel to a small lake. This was enlarged several times in the coming decades in order to be able to cover the increasing electricity demand of the health resort. Today, apart from the elevated weir, the lake nestles almost like a natural lake in the magnificent mountain landscape.

The water with its primordial power also accompanies us on the further way. The foaming plessure and the water-eroded Blau Rüfi, a huge erosion funnel in the steep terrain, give an idea of the forces involved in the persistent work of the water. Litzirüti suffered severe damage to houses, stables, roads and railway lines in 1935 when the small dam of the Lower Prätschsee broke.

After the Blau Rüfi we come across a strange stone pattern on the way. It is a station of the learning path schutz.wald.mensch, which leads from Arosa to Langwies and playfully shows the importance of the forest for humans. If you would like to eat what you have brought with you, you have a nice place here. There is a fire pit, wood and a seating area. We have no reason to hurry, our destination Litzirüti is almost tangible and so we marvel at the many small creatures in the small lake along the way. Again we reach the route of the Arosa Railway, which gains height here with a large double bend. "In da Brünscht" is the motto here, a small broom pickle invites you to stop for a bite to eat. However, our attention is focused on the eye-catching house with the tower-like building on the other side of the railway line. Until 1960, silver foxes, mink and raccoons were bred here and the furs were sold in Arosa. In the short descent through the forest, another installation of the learning path follows before we reach the flat valley floor in front of Litzirüti.

Author: Hansjürg Gredig, ZHAW Life Sciences and Facility Management

A stop at "in da Brünscht" restaurant is an insider tip.

Author: Hansjürg Gredig, ZHAW Life Sciences and Facility Management

We begin our hike at the train station at the Obersee lake and walk through the village Arosa towards the Untersee lake where a forest path leads to Litzirüti. Water, forest and the Arosa train are our constant companions. The short hike ends at the train station Litzirüti from where we take the train back up to Arosa (or down the Schanfigg valley to Chur).

Author: Hansjürg Gredig, ZHAW Life Sciences and Facility Management