Vier-Quellen-Weg

The Four-Sources-Route is an alpine hiking trail of about 85 kilometers. Over five daily stages, we discover, besides the sources of four significant rivers, also clear blue mountain lakes, bubbling brooks, and rocky transitions into other valleys. We cross wide plains with mossy areas or green alpine pastures with grazing cows. Depending on the season, we are delighted by the variety of flowers around Lake Toma or the colorful larch forests in Val Bedretto. But we don't just change landscapes; we also cross different language regions. We order our first coffee at Oberalppass in the Piz Calmut restaurant in German, a little later at the Maighel hut we are greeted with a Romansh "Bien di". Once over Lucendro Pass, we find ourselves in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland: Benvenuti in Ticino! The route ends in the canton of Valais, where a final ascent to the belvedere at Furka Pass awaits. The view of the Rhone Glacier is a final highlight.

For overnight stays, mountain huts directly on the path or hotels in nearby villages are available.

Visit the exhibition of Sasso San Gottardo on the Gotthard Pass: www.sasso-sangottardo.ch

Book "Hiking without Luggage" at Eurotrek www.eurotrek.ch

Stage 1

We follow the yellow hiking trail signs with the number 49 and take the path towards Lake Toma. At point 2065, we ascend in a southwesterly direction in several switchbacks to Lake Toma. At the lake's outlet, the hike leads along a newly created path to Lai Urlaun. Below the Maighel hut, the signpost now points towards Val Maighels until the junction at Plaunca Purtgera towards Maighel Pass. We walk on a zigzag path downhill to our daily destination, the Vermigel hut.

Stage 2

We start at the Vermigel hut towards Sella Pass and continue to the highest point of the Four-Sources-Route, Piz Giübin (2776 m). The descent takes place over a ridge with views over Val Canaria towards Madrano and Airolo. Below the Posmeda Pass, we take the direct path to the dam. The last part of the path runs on a road. The "Albergo San Gottardo" is located directly at the famous Tremola.

Stage 3

We leave the Gotthard hospice and walk past the fortress "Fort Hospiz" for a few minutes. The path goes under the pass road and continues to the dam of Lake Lucendro. At Alpe die Lucendro, the path first ascends gently, then increasingly steeply under the flanks of Pizzo delle Valletta. Then we cross a small valley notch and suddenly stand before a small lake, which is the source of the Reuss. The path then gently ascends again to Lucendro Pass. First along the southern flank of Fibbia and later on a steep zigzag path, we descend to Alp Rosso di Fuori. We are now on the "sentiero alto Bedretto". On this wide hiking path, we now pass Ri di Cavanna, Ri di Bedretto, and Ri di Ronco. From Alpe Pesciora, we reach our destination, Piansecco hut, in about an hour.

Stage 4

From Piansecco hut, we stay on the Sentiero alto Bedretto until the Nufenen Pass road. Below the road, our hiking trail leads down to the alpine huts at the Postauto stop "Cruina". We now start the hike to Nufenen Pass and reach a small side saddle of the Nufenen Pass. After a short descent, you reach the road leading to Gries Pass with its striking dam. Now we follow this wide road to Griessee and then reach a junction that leads down into the valley. We descend and encounter the so-called "Sbrinzweg". The mule track leads down to the Nufenen road. Below Aarenäst, you reach a hilltop with a view into a wild gorge. We cross the river on a sturdy suspension bridge. Then it goes through a forest down to the alpine pasture Kitt, where you cross the pass road. After crossing a wooden bridge, we stand at the first houses of Ulrichen. Those aiming for Obergesteln hike downstream along the Rotten and the golf course.

Stage 5

On a wide hiking path along the Rhone, we reach Oberwald. At the first fork after the Rotten bridge, we turn left and go under the Matterhorn-Gotthard railway. Past the St. Nicholas chapel and along part of the Furka steam railway, we reach in the upper part a bridge secured with ropes, which leads zigzag down to Rotte. Along the brook, it goes uphill to the portal of the steam railway's turnaround tunnel. Via stairs, you finally reach the pass road and follow it downhill for a few meters. Then you reach the hiking path again to Gletsch. Past the "Blue House," we hike over the plain of the Gletschboden. Afterwards, it goes down from the edge, where we then hike obliquely uphill to the steam railway track. We now cross the railway and take the path towards Muttbach bridge at Oberalpenstafel. Now a sweat-inducing ascent with many switchbacks lies ahead of us up over Rossboden to Furka Pass. At Furka Pass, we cross the road and ascend westward for a few minutes to a hill. Then it goes down on a well-developed path over rough terrain with many granite blocks, and we reach a hill with a magnificent view: namely our destination, high above the Rhone source. We do not approach the Rhone's source directly but view it from far above.