Chapf Viewpoint: Alpine panorama over Lake Walen

I’ve been coming to Amden to ski for over 20 years, but it wasn’t until this winter that I took the short path to the Chapf viewpoint. It’s perched above a vertical cliff face, 800 metres above the northern shore of Lake Walen. Above the rocks, which were already noticeably warmed by the spring sun, you could clearly see how spring was already moving into the valleys and southern slopes with the first delicate green, while the wintry conditions with snow and ice in the high mountains were only slowly giving way.

The panorama is bordered to the east by the Leistchamm, followed by the impressive rock faces of the Churfirsten, and to the west by the Mattstock. In between, the deep, fjord-like incision of Lake Walen allows a distant view to the east across the Rätikon as far as Piz Buin in the Silvretta. To the south lie the striking mountain massifs of the Glarus Alps: Hochfinsler and Magerrain, Mürtschenstock and Glärnisch, Rautispitz or Brünnelistock. On the western valley floor, you can see both the inflow and outflow of the Linth, which flows into Lake Zurich just a few kilometres away.

Weesen also calls itself the “Riviera on Lake Walen” and boasts a mild climate where even palm trees can survive the winter. Weesen is also the starting point for excursions along Lake Walen to Betlis or Quinten. The latter, however, has a uniquely remote location and can only be reached on foot or by boat. Both settlements lie on a narrow, fertile strip on the northern shore of Lake Walen below the vertically rising rock slopes in a sunny position protected from cold northerly winds. This creates an almost Mediterranean microclimate down here.

The road up to Amden and Arvenbuel, built in 1882 and later widened for motor traffic, also leads through one of these rock faces. This is where ski lifts, ski tours or winter hikes start in winter, e.g. to the “Vorder Höhi” pass or to the Chapf viewpoint. Previously, this high altitude was only accessible via an exposed, adventurous staircase path.

On the southern shore, however, things are less tranquil. The important traffic arteries with the Zurich – Sargans railway line and the A3 motorway run there. Long tunnels and gallery structures also had to be built on the steep coast, whereas narrow valley incisions are crossed via bridges. This means that the Flumserberg ski area is also accessible by public transport for many Zurich residents, as the “feeder” cable car up to the ski area starts right next to the station.