Logbook 12: Sewenhütte
Distance: 7.4km | Elevation Gain/Loss: 642m | Total Time: 4:51
Another weekend, another hut! We decided to head to Susten Pass with a few friends to tackle another hut. The dogs came with us as well this time to get some much-needed mountain time and exercise.
Built in 1970, the hut sits on a southern outcropping below the summit block of Ruederstock. It was destroyed just 3 years after construction by an avalanche and subsequently rebuilt in more protected terrain.
The most common approach is the family-friendly ascent starting from the Gitzichrummenflue parking lot on the way up to the Susten Pass just a few more kilometers to the west.
The approach is entirely uphill with almost no flat spots. It is a well-maintained trail with only a few spots that require hand balancing on some bigger steps, but it only took us 1.5 hours to get to the hut.
The cascading waterfalls on the southern valley wall were beautiful as they flowed off the Rutifirn glacier below the Griessenhorn. The glacier is clearly on its last legs and likely won’t exist in the next few years at current melting rates.
The hut design is quite similar to the Voralphutte, which is just south of the Griessenhorn, pictured above.
We enjoyed a hearty lunch of Alpine macaroni, Spätzle, and apple most before starting our descent back down via the Seewenalp lake route to the east.
The small lake is a wonderful pit stop and an inviting swim, something our dogs were happy to accept.
The remainder of the hike follows this ridge spine to the south east and then drops down into the tree line. It is a much nicer descent than the way up given the lower slope angle. One of our pups got hurt on the way down so our progress was slow as we had to carry him for a bit and take it slow.
Right before you drop into the tree line, the view to the west looking up to the Susten Pass is the most dramatic vista of the route. The Wendenhorn rises above the competing summits surrounding it and the green foreground provides gorgeous contrast to the starkly beautiful snowfields and black rock summit blocks.
