Rothwald Trail

For a small ski area, Rothwald am Brigerberg punches well above its weight. The region is an insider tip among winter-wonderland fans. You’ll see why soon after you start the Rothwald Trail: once you reach the valley station of the Rothwald ski lift, you head into the upper Rothwald, the highest larch forest in Europe, and the Jochtwald forest. With a little luck, you’ll be able to observe some of the native animals there without disturbing them. Once you’ve made the climb to the Mäderlicka panoramic restaurant, it’s worth taking a break to admire Valais’s powdery-white mountain landscape. You’ll be just as amazed by the Durstbachschlucht gorge, which is your next stop on the way down. Later on in the trail you’ll come to the Wasenalp mountain hut, which was completely renovated in 2008 and impresses with its modern infrastructure and abundance of cosiness and charm. You can treat yourself to a break here, too, and enjoy the wonderful view of the Valais and Bernese Alps, as well as the Rhône Valley.

This 6.4km snowshoe route leads from the valley station of the Rothwald ski lift via a marked trail into the upper Rothwald forest, then up through the Jochtwald forest to the Mäderlicka panoramic restaurant. From there, you hike down into the imposing Durstbachschlucht gorge up to the Durstbachbrücke bridge. The trail then continues to the Wasenalp mountain hut down over “Hackber” to “Obru Egge”. You then follow a relatively flat path to Hotel Ganterwald and the bus stop. Alternatively, you can take the sidewalk of the national road back to the departure point.

Motorway A9 direction Brig. Halfway between Brig and the Simplon is the Rothwald.