Boarding school students in Randa, Valais, Switzerland
On June 1, 26 students and five teachers set off for a seven-day trip to Randa in the Upper Valais.
Over the next few days, many mountains were climbed, feasts were prepared, and cozy evenings were spent at the old Augustinus Hut.
On the first day, our hikes took us, as is tradition, to the Randaer Kreuz. After a strenuous 300-meter climb and some light rain at the start, everyone arrived at the destination in good spirits and enjoyed a snack.
On the second day, we all hiked together again along the high-altitude trail from Eggen to Außerberg. The highlight of this hike was a 1.2-kilometer-long, dark tunnel through which a water pipe runs. The brave ones made their way through the tunnel without any light at all.
On the third day, the group split into three tours. One group set out for the Gletschertor (400 hm) and even came quite close to the glacier. Most of the group went to Rötiboden (650 hm) that day and descended via the Schalliberg. This involved a bit of cross-country hiking, and for most, the tour was a memorable experience. The third group crossed from Chuebodmen to Bergij (600 hm) and enjoyed a wonderful view of the hut and the 1991 rockslide during their sunny lunch break.
The fourth day was all about relaxation. We visited Brigerbad with its fantastic slide and the “river pool with a current.”
The next day, there were two hikes to choose from. From the hut, some hiked down to St. Niklaus. The others attempted to climb the Telliboden at 3,200 meters. From the Täschalp (2,200 m), the trail first led to the Täschhütte. Soon after, the snowfields became more numerous and larger, so we had to cut the hike short at just under 3,000 meters.
On the last day of the hike, some of the participants made it to the Domhütte. From there, they climbed Switzerland’s highest mountain, the Dom (4,545 m). By the end of the day, the participants on this tour had climbed nearly 1,700 meters in elevation.
The second group hiked from St. German into the Bietschtal valley to the Südrampe (300 hm), a railroad bridge.
Despite all the hardships, no one lost their motivation, even though minor injuries were unavoidable. But as we all know by now: the journey is the destination, even if it’s arduous and you’d rather just hide away.
After a wonderful time in the mountains, we were able to head back home a week later, feeling content and enriched by our experiences.
