Zigzag over the glittering carpet

Almost as in the no-man's land feels, anyone who departs from Nesslau in the direction of Schwägalp. After the hamlet of Rietbad it is outside of any civilization. Stop in Luterental hardly anyone. And so we find yourself on a beautiful winter day, a Parking lot. When Schilt moss, we start the snow-Shoe tour in this unknown corner of the upper toggenburg in the Canton of St. Gallen.

tour Manager Monika Knobel places great value on serious preparation. Although the avalanche risk seems rather low. "But even in good conditions, the steep slopes, not to underestimate and to give the avalanche the risk of getting sufficient attention," says the trained Hiking guide. So it depends on us an Avalanche to avalanche transceiver (LVS), explains the use.

The four-legged companion, Jamie is getting impatient. The mongrel dog can't wait until we finally get started. With the sun in the face we follow the path through the pre-Alpine landscape with Lütispitz, Stöllen, Schwarzchopf and silver plates on the horizon. We pass through a sparse pine forest, walk past giant boulders, transformed by a rockslide in front of 600 years, the landscape in a kind of Hobbit-Area, and are soon at the Alp dark soil. The snow crystals glitter and sparkle to the bet. It feels as if we were running in fresh White cotton. Only sometimes the snow Shoe beginners the wide shoes in the way. It is not easy to keep the Balance, if we must Crouch at the same time, because of heavy snow depresses the Branches down. We discover a fine hare tracks and also a couple of larger animal foot prints.

the dark ground, we turn in the direction of Lutertannen and follow the winter Hiking trail. Now we have the Säntis in the back and the floor the mountain in front of us. Lonely, we are laying new tracks in the snow that is spreading like a glittering carpet. Monika Knobel leads sent through the winter landscape, we were yet to meet the soul of a human being. "Although the site offers no great challenge, it is the mountains so close. Hardly anyone gets lost here." In addition, the Tour is on 1200 meters above sea level snow-sure and avoiding wildlife quiet zones.

In the Luterental only a couple of dreamy houses to Rietbad. It was here several centuries ago, thanks to the healing sources of mineral lively. The famous St. Gallen city physician and reformer Joachim Vadian had attested to the water as early as 1530 "a good sulphur, with a little alum and terrae sigillatae mixed". Anon made a pilgrimage rheumatics, Arthritiker, circuit damaged, and nerve, weak to the Kurhaus to Rietbad. From the age of 17. Century experienced the place in its heyday: even Though the sulfur, the water smelled terrible, like rotten eggs, travelled to the ladies and gentlemen from Germany, Austria, and even from England to the constantly expanded the Spa to your niggles.

From the former Spa town is only a fountain is left

The long Spa tradition was coming to an end, as the Kurhaus burned down in 1988. In 2006, an Investor with a 50-million-franc building, planned a revival, nothing came of it. In 2016, a few dedicated men rehabilitated the source version and installed new lines. So the road, at the bus stop Rietbad, a fountain, with healthy sulphur water is at the Schwägalp.

the three ski lifts in Rietbad could not prevent the decline. Today, you stand still. Only the Säntis trail attracts, especially on weekends, cross-country skiers to Luterental. It leads to be varied in a plurality of loops along the Luteren.

in Order to get to the obstacles in the circuit and the Schlipf, we need to go in Lutertannen a piece on the Alpine road. And then we are suddenly quite alone. "Where gönder?", Monika Knobel asks the sporty hiker. "Z'Alp." There are farmers in the middle Risipass their huts, and after the Right want to look.

In the tips Return, we can overcome the 300 height meters up to the Schlipf. Slowly, the effort leaves us in the hips and legs. Jamie, however, shows no trace of fatigue, and hops merrily through the snow. Perfectly, our tour Director announced a break. In front of us the Panorama spreads from the floor of the mountain up to the Säntis. Strengthened, we also have the last climb, before we glide on the Säntisalp down to the valley in the direction of dark soil. For a Moment, we still have the sun in the back, before they passed behind the floor mount, and we Schilt have achieved our goal of moss.

(Sunday newspaper)

Created: 28.12.2018, 16:25 PM