After hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc in 2018, we were eager to complete another long hut-to-hut circuit in the Alps. For this, we again prioritized fantastic scenery and comfortable huts. We also hoped to visit a quieter set of huts and trails than the Tour du Mont Blanc and to visit a different part of the Alps. After considering many routes, we decided on the Tour of the Bernina, circling the Piz Bernina massif on the Swiss-Italian border. We hiked our 90-mile route in 10 days.
This is part of a series of posts on our 2021 Tour of the Bernina. Posts include:
- An overview and notes on planning the Tour of the Bernina (this post)
- Arrival and a day hike at Oeschinensee
- Tour of the Bernina – Stages 1-3: Pontresina, Chamanna Coaz, Maloja, and Fornohütte
- Tour of the Bernina – Stages 4-6: Fornohütte, Rifugios Longoni, Carate Brianza, and Bignami
- Tour of the Bernina – Stages 7-10: Alp Grüm, Berghaus Diavolezza, Boval Hütte, and Pontresina
You may also be interested in our packing list for hut-to-hut hikes.
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Background
We originally planned this trip for August and September 2020, but canceled due to the pandemic, taking the trip a year later in 2021. In the year between, we revised our plans, adding detours to stay at additional huts overlooking stunning glaciers and alpine lakes. Our total circuit was 10 days, on a route totaling 89 miles and 34,277′ in elevation gain.
For this trip, we originally were scheduled to fly in and out of Zurich, which was most convenient for trains to and from our start point, Pontresina. As travel recovered, airlines were constantly changing their schedules, so we ended up needing to adjust to fly home from Geneva. We also added a buffer day–to get over jet lag and just in case of lost or delayed luggage–at the start and a transit day at the end. Because travel went smoothly, we visited Oeschinensee for a day hike at the start of the trip. We made a brief stop to Lucerne on our way to Geneva on the last day of the trip.
Why the Tour of the Bernina
We considered a number of other routes for this trip, including the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt, circuits in Gran Paradiso National Park (Italy), variations of the Via Alpina 1 & 2 in Switzerland, and Tour of Monte Rosa (Switzerland & Italy). Each of these had a lot to offer, and I expect that we will hike some in the years to come. Some, however, did not align with our priorities or had uncertainties:
- The Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt overlapped with sections of the Tour du Mont Blanc, and we wanted to prioritize something different. It also seemed like it had the potential to be busier than we preferred.
- Gran Paradiso National Park looked stunning, but it also was relatively close to the Italian parts of the Tour du Mont Blanc.
- The Tour of Monte Rosa had one glaciated section (Theodul glacier), which we were unsure about.
Of all the options, the Via Alpina 1 and Tour of the Bernina stood out most. I started to work out itineraries for each using the relevant Cicerone guides: Via Alpina (Amazon); Tour of the Bernina (Amazon).
I got quite far into the planning of each, including beginning to book hotels, before we made a decision. Ultimately, two factors tipped the balance in favor of the Bernina. First, trying to fit the Via Alpina to the huts and towns where we wanted to stop started to leave some awkward length stages (either too short or too long). This possibly could have been addressed with more research, but it created enough friction that we looked to other options. Second, the Bernina – especially the western and southern portions of the circuit – felt more wild. This was an appealing contrast to our experiences with the more developed stretches of the Tour du Mont Blanc.
Adapting the Tour of the Bernina
For our 2020 plans, we booked pretty closely to the itinerary recommended in Gillian Price’s guide (Amazon), proceeding counterclockwise. We would start and end in Pontresina, Switzerland.
Between making our plans for 2020 and replanning for 2021, we had some time to reflect on our priorities for this trip. Three huts, perched among glaciers and alpine lakes, stood out: Fornohütte, Chamanna Coaz, and Boval Hütte. Coaz and Boval were on our planned route, but the way our stages worked out, we would pass through rather than stay. Fornohütte represented a detour from the route. I originally listed it as a possible day hike for our arrival in Pontresina. However, the more I looked at pictures, the more that I wondered whether we could integrate it into our circuit.
So, when we had to replan for 2021, I made it a priority to add nights at these huts. Simply adding them, however, would lengthen our total trip. As a result, we had to also adapt the route, combining some stages or taking direct routes. Key to making this work was deciding to length the trip by a day and finding references to a high route that would allow us to proceed directly from Rifugio Longoni to Rifugio Carate Brianza.
This made our stages:
- Pontresina to Chamanna Coaz: 9.2 miles, 3336′
- Chamanna Coaz to Maloja: 15.4 miles, 2175′
- Maloja to Fornohütte: 7.0 miles, 4900′
- Fornohütte to Rifugio Longoni: 8.0 miles, 3415′
- Rifugio Longoni to Rifugio Carate Brianza: 6.0, 3707′
- Rifugio Carate Brianza to Rifugio Bignami: 9.9 miles, 3430′
- Rifugio Bignami to Alpe Grüm: 10.9 miles, 5446′
- Alp Grüm to Berghaus Diavolezza: 7.3 miles, 3566′
- Berghaus Diavolezza to Chamanna da Boval / Boval Hütte: 8.2 miles, 2250′
- Boval Hütte to Pontresina: 6.1 miles, 952′
Most days were under 10 miles, and on the longest day (day 2), we planned a route that kept our elevation gain manageable.
Helpful Resources
As noted above, we drew a lot on Gillian Price’s guide (Amazon). Several other resources helped our planning:
- The Swiss Alpine Club website, for easy hut reservations in SAC huts and routes to them
- A thorough set of notes on hiking in the Bernina area (Google Translation)
- Gregor Samsa’s excellent annotated Flickr photo set
Additionally, while we did not know of it at the time of our trip, the free SwissTopo app is excellent. You can create and save routes (with estimated distance, elevation, and time), access others’ routes, and view current trail closures. It also supports off-lining maps for when you are out of service or just to save on data and battery.
Finally, for Alpine hut discounts, as Americans, we found it easiest to join the Italian Alpine Club Pacific Northwest chapter (CAI-PNW). We have enjoyed meeting others in the group, though most activities are on Wednesdays–which conflict with our jobs–and so we have not participated as much as we might like.
Where we stayed
We stayed at a mix of mountain refuges and hotels. From previous hut-to-hut hikes, we have learned that having a private hotel room to get a good night’s sleep, thoroughly do laundry, and just not be in other people’s space every three to five days makes the whole experience more enjoyable.
Overall, we found the huts and hotels along this route to be excellent. Our Tour of the Bernina occurred as many huts reopened from the most restricted parts of the pandemic. Most were at partial capacity and had curiosities like plastic shower curtains to separate larger dorms. All were welcoming, and there was a shared feeling of being happy to be back in the mountains.
Pontresina – Hotel Abris (Booking.com)
Pontresina’s rail connections made it a good start and end point for our trip. While it was a little more than we usually try to spend, we decided to stay at Hotel Albris as we wanted a comfortable hotel at the beginning and end of our trip. Their pre-trip communication was great, for coordinating leaving our bags with things for the airplane at the hotel. Hospitality during our visit was also excellent, including left luggage waiting in our room and a plate of home made cookies was waiting on each stay. Their breakfast was plentiful and high quality, and we enjoyed two dinners at the hotel’s restaurant. I’d happily stay again.
Chamanna Coaz (Swiss Alpine Club)
Many of the huts on this route had excellent views, and Chamana Coaz was no exception. It overlooked Lej da Vadret, which made for a beautiful sunrise, and was surrounded by glaciers and cascades.
Maloja – Maloja Kulm Hotel
The Maloja Kulm was perhaps the best surprise of the trip. When researching where to stay in Maloja, there had not been a clear best option. I recall rebooking once or twice before settling on this hotel. From the moment we arrived, though, our stay was special. The hotel greeted us warmly and we were shown to a large room–useful for doing laundry–with a view over the pass. The restaurant was the highlight, including the extraordinary half-board dinner: outstanding quality food, in ample quantity after a very long day of hiking. Four years later, I still think about this meal.
Fornohütte / Capanna del Forno (Swiss Alpine Club)
If I had to pick my favorite refuge of the trip for setting, it would have to be Fornohütte. The hut is perched on a rocky outcrop above Forno Glacier, which leads up into a bowl of impressive peaks. The routes to and from the hut were also beautiful. This hut is not on the route described in the Cicerone guide, but we strongly recommend the detour.
Rifugio Antonio ed Elia Longoni (Italian Alpine Club)
In the mountains above Valmalenco, we did not get to see Rifugio Longoni in the best weather. Clouds obscured our views – partially on the day we arrived, and completely on the day we departed. So, instead of remembering the views, the coziness of the refuge stands out. We had good food (especially the tart we purchased on arrival and the dinner), hot showers, and a room with outlets to charge devices.
Rifugio Carate Brianza (Italian Alpine Club)
Many people hiking the Tour of the Bernina will instead stay at the much larger, and higher, Rifugio Marinelli Bombardieri. Rifugio Carate is much smaller (24 versus 210 beds) and the views are more limited. However, it more than made up for the limited views with its hospitality, excellent food, and cozy vibes. Of the refuges we stayed at on this trip, Rifugio Carate had the best dinner and breakfast. The opportunities to watch ibex up close–just outside the refuge windows–were also a joy.
Rifugio Bignami (Italian Alpine Club)
We did not experience the 70-bed Rifugio Bignami at its best. The water was broken, and the managers, Giovanni and Francesca–in their first season managing the refuge, no less–were scrambling to repair it while also feeding guests. They were clearly working hard and handling the situation with grace, which we appreciated, and I’d love to return to see it when everything is working well. We had a four-person room to ourselves, which helped us get a good night’s sleep, and we also enjoyed their dogs, cats, and chickens.
Alp Grüm
Ever since the trip, I keep telling people, excitedly, about the night we stayed in a train station. Kyle quickly jumps in to explain that this train station is a hotel. Alp Grüm had something for each of us. I, a train enthusiast, loved that I could watch the narrow gauge trains come and go from our room. We both loved the views toward the mountains outside our room, which was spacious and had an excellent shower (particularly welcome after a warm day of hiking). Dinner was also very good and–happily–reasonably priced despite being remote.
Berghaus Diavolezza (Booking.com)
Situated at the top of a cable car, Berghaus Diavolezza is something between a hotel and refuge. Pricing was also between hotels and refuges. We appreciated having a private room and the hot showers. Additionally, while we did not use the cable car, we appreciated that our room included tickets, which would have helped in inclement weather. Unfortunately, the food was inconsistent. The purchased food was quite good, as was breakfast. However, the dinner included in half-board was plentiful but not good. The views, however, were marvelous. From the Diavolezza’s patio, we could see a 180º wall of high peaks. The entire length of the Pers Glacier spread before us, close enough to make out all of its texture. We would absolutely stay here again for the view alone.
Chamanna da Boval / Boval Hütte (Swiss Alpine Club)
We stayed at Boval Hütte the last night our trip, and I feel like it encompassed many of the highlights of the overall hike. From the hut patio, we could overlook a glacier and see up to the highest peaks of the Bernina group. The hut was cozy and offered good food.
