ViaStockalper - Stockalperweg (Brig - Domodossola)

Stage 1: Brig (678 m asl) - Simplon Pass (2005 m asl)

The path leads past the Stockalperschloss along the old castle estate up to the "Bach" and further to Riedbachstrasse. On the so-called "Roman Road" you reach the hamlet "Brei" via open meadows over Lingwurm.

Through the "Gfalte Forest" to "Chalchofe" leads a hillside path hewn into the rock by Stockalper and restored in 1992 along the old route, with an impressive view into the Saltinaschlucht and the Rhone Valley. Along the old Napoleon road, a connecting section takes you to the mule track located below the main road. After descending to the "Grund" the path follows the Tafernabach. On this path, the ascent runs through the romantically wild valley to the former guesthouse in the "Taferna". Along artistically designed switchbacks, you overcome the steep section between the Tafernatal and the pass summit.

Light variant: Take the post bus to Schallberg, where you join the path.

Stage 2: Simplon Pass (2005 m asl) - Simplon Village (1472 m asl)

At the pass summit, west of the main road, a new hiking trail leads through flat pastureland to the re-entry to the old mule track. Below the "Old Spittel", along a section of the asphalt road, the hiking trail continues to "Nideralp" and further to the Engiloch guesthouse. Up to the hamlet "Maschihüs", the mule track leads through an attractive forest pasture landscape with partly park-like character. The most striking building on this partly medieval path section is the sustenance building from before Stockalper's time at the "Engi". From "Maschihüs" the path leads parallel to the main road through the hamlet Egga and up into the forest, where the original course of the mule track under the massive debris of the 1901 glacier collapse can only be guessed. Below the group of houses Sengg, the mule track descends in a route optimally adapted to the terrain down to Simplon Village.

Stage 3: Simplon Village (1472 m asl) - Gondo (854 m asl)

From the paved village square, the mule track leads past the "Old Guesthouse" through the "Stutzji" to the southern village exit and on the Napoleon road to a country road. This underpasses the main road and then descends through the meadows of the "Chluisä" towards Gabi. From Gabi, a direct path leads through the impressive Gondo Gorge to Gondo. In the Gondo Gorge, parts of the mule track built by Kaspar Stockalper with original paved surface have been preserved. After the construction of the Napoleonic road, most of the Stockalper path was destroyed. Therefore, during renovation in 2001/02, the hiking trail was newly built in the rockfall-prone gorge with metal footbridges and galleries on the galleries of the main road. At the northern entrance to the Gondo Gorge, the path passes a ruin in the "Äbi", a building designed by Kaspar Stockalper as a goods depot. From here, the path passes the "Old Barracks", a Napoleonic military building connected by a footbridge to the Stockalperweg. At the Gondo infantry fortress, the path runs underground through a tunnel-like corridor. Below the Gondo fortress, a well-preserved, carefully paved path section remains on the right side of the valley. Then the path crosses the Doveria on a new metal footbridge. The path descends on the left valley slope to Gondo.

Stage 4: Gondo (854 m asl) - Bognanco (1240 m asl)

The Zwischberg Valley, Valle Vaira in Italian, begins with a beautiful view of the large waterfall of the Great Water and the glacier basins. Later, you see the gold mines - the Gold of Gondo - the dam forming a small lake, the only beech forest of Valais, and at the height, larch forests and the steep mountains with their wide clearings and pastures. Even more pastures, peat bogs, and dozens of small lakes await you in the high Bognanco Valley with its mountain huts.

Stage 5: Bognanco (1240 m asl) - Domodossola (274 m asl)

The fifth stage of the Stockalperweg leads from Bognanco (Italy) to Domodossola (Italy).

Descent to the scattered village of Bognanco, which today is only a shadow of the once flourishing thermal spa resort. On the left valley slope, a dreamlike beautiful mule track leads through poetically sleepy hamlets to the charming small town of Domodossola.

Equipment adapted to the weather is essential. For all hikes, good, sturdy mountain boots are strongly recommended.

You can conveniently travel by train (SBB) to Brig main station.

Various post bus lines are available at the station.

Brig Simplon Tourism

Bahnhofstrasse 2

3900 Brig

info@brig-simplon.ch

www.brig-simplon.ch

"Hiking at Simplon"

The publication "Hiking at Simplon" (2008) is a true treasure trove of stories and facts from many different areas.

Dr. Klaus Anderegg, as editor, composed the contributions of numerous authors into an impressive overall view. On 368 pages, eight routes of the unique Alpine and mountain region Simplon are presented with a wide variety of natural, cultural, and historical treasures and curiosities.

CHF 48.– plus packaging and shipping costs; available from the Ecomuseum Simplon, 3907 Simplon-Dorf, ecomuseum@simplon.ch (ISBN: 978-3-905756-31-9)

Details and ordering

Book your hiking experience in the form of the ViaStockalper hiking packages and follow in the footsteps of the great Kaspar Stockalper.