I took Friday off in order to join a three day snowhoeing trip with the SAC. I met with Susanne on the train at Zürich main station. We were headed for Rueras in the canton of Graubünden. Switching trains in Andermatt we boarded a narrow gauge train climbing the Oberalp Pass using cog wheels. Quite a sight to behold. Looking at the map I thought the winding line cannot possibly be a railroad. Consequently riders consisted almost exclusively of skiers and ski tourers in full gear.
Getting off at Dieni Beate picked us up and we walked the last bit to our vacation apartment. A very nice loft in a renovated old house in the center of the village. It was large enough for 10 people or so. We were only five: the two guides and couple Beate and Marcel, Susanne, Vreni and me. Thus everyone got a comfortable room to himself.
No time to settle in we take the cable car up Stavel Sut il Tgom and don our snow shoes around 10:00 in the morning. Hiking along a nice ridge on well compacted snow quickly gets us to the minor summit of Garvers dil Tgom (2489m). Decision time. Either follow the original plan and continue to Piz Maler (2790m) or head back down.
Snow conditions have been deteriorating quickly with the day getting warmer. Thus we prudently decide that we shouldn't risk wet snow avalanches and retreat.
Stopping for a cake and hot chocolate (this should immediately become a "tradition" in our three days here) we get home around half past three. Leaving enough time for chilling and an extensive Swiss cheese raclette.
~11km, ~500m up, ~1100m down
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