by Pieter@Overseashiker | Oct 15, 2021 | Kesch-Bergell Trek, Switzerland, Thru-hike
The Kesch-Bergell Trek part 2 consists of the spectacular Kesch Trek. A four day hut-to-hut mountain hike. Because the first hut on the route (the Grialetschhütte) was closed all season, I hiked the trek in 3 days. And I included the ascent of the 3.147 m high Flüela...
by Pieter@Overseashiker | Oct 1, 2021 | Kesch-Bergell Trek, Switzerland, Thru-hike
The Kesch-Bergell Trek is not one continuously marked trail, it is not even one trail! This year I built a 12 day route from various longer and shorter trails in the canton Graubunden, Switzerland. The core of my plan was the Kesch Trek, a 4-day hike to and from the...
by Pieter@Overseashiker | Sep 28, 2021 | Gear, Kesch-Bergell Trek, Switzerland, Thru-hike
For the Kesch-Bergell Trek in 2021 I swapped some of my gear for lighter variants. But I also carried some heavier items than last year. This resulted in a base weight just below 7 kg (15.4 pounds), not bad for a 12 day hike in the Swiss Alps. Lighter Gear The major...
by Pieter@Overseashiker | Mar 5, 2021 | Haute Route, Switzerland, Thru-hike
The tenth and final day of the Haute Route started with the nerve wrecking Charles Kuonen suspension bridge and featured more sketchy passages along the trail to Zermatt, the end of the thru hike. Haute Route 10: Europahütte to Zermatt Start: Europahütte, 2.220 m...
by Pieter@Overseashiker | Mar 1, 2021 | Haute Route, Switzerland, Thru-hike
On day 9 of the Haute route I hiked the valley bottom of the Mattertal to the village of Herbriggen, because the first half of Europaweg to Zermatt was closed. Then I climbed out of the valley again, up to the Europahütte, halfway the Europaweg trail. Haute Route 9:...
by Pieter@Overseashiker | Jan 16, 2021 | Haute Route, Switzerland, Thru-hike
Day 8 on the Haute Route was a hot and very tough day. From the Meidsee down to Gruben, ascending again to the Augustbordpass and then all the way down to the village of Sankt Niklaus. A total of more than 2.600 meters of exhausting descent. Haute Route 8: Meidsee to...
by Pieter@Overseashiker | Dec 26, 2020 | Haute Route, Switzerland, Thru-hike
A long and spectacular day 7 of the Haute Route brought a view of Val d’Anniviers with the Bernese Alps in the distance. Then the first view of the Matterhorn peak and excellent wild camping at the Meidsee at the end of the day. Haute Route 7: Zinal to Meidpass and...
by Pieter@Overseashiker | Dec 8, 2020 | Gear, Thru-hike
I have been buying different brands of trail food breakfasts for a few years. But once I became aware that these expensive meals were not much different from what I make myself for breakfast at home, I started preparing my own hiker’s breakfast. Hiker’s Breakfast...
by Pieter@Overseashiker | Nov 30, 2020 | Haute Route, Switzerland, Thru-hike
A sunny sixth day on the Haute Route: I hiked along an incredibly blue lake to Col de Sorebois. Leaving the amazing view of the mountain range east I decended to the village of Zinal, where I found the first campsite of my thru hike. Haute Route 6: Cabane de Moiry to...
by Pieter@Overseashiker | Nov 30, 2020 | Haute Route, Switzerland, Thru-hike
Day 5 on the Haute route was a day of rain, snow and mist. And because of poor visibility quite demanding. Especially the climb up to Cabane de Moiry on a rocky zig zag path with 29 turns in complete mist was exhausting – but beautiful. Haute Route 5: Les Haudères to...
