There is a lot of fog today, as we climb higher and higher we soon find ourselves behind a big group and surrounded by fog… The path is not very wide, so I have to wait patiently for the right time to pass the 20 or so hikers, thanking each of them. At last, we are high enough to look out over the sea of fog that has enveloped the valley. Higher up a group of ibex is grazing. A bit further along we hear a high-pitched whistle: the marmot. Close to the path we watch a mother and baby playing. The baby is standing on its hind legs boxing the mother. The marmot is my favorite mountain animal. They always seem to be the most playful.
On the Murter look out point we stop for a snack and water break. Just a bit higher up we can see a group of chamois and above them ibex with a majestic male dominating the group. On our way down marmots are scurrying around to get into their holes to hide before we reach them. Some are not as shy and peak out as us from the corner of their holes when they feel it is safe to come out again.
Up and down we go, above the tree line, in and out of the pine forest and across rivers. Down below there is a milky green colored lake. We have been walking 6 hours already and Pass dal Fuorn is still 4 hours away… We seem to be extremely slow today, but the hike is difficult due to the heat. As we walk through the forest there seems to be no air and I need to drink every 30 minutes and stop to catch my breath. We fill our water bottle at every possible river and stop to cool our feet.
Snow covered peaks begin to reveal themselves. We come to a grassy pasture with a wooden house. It is a good spot to admire the long lake and impressive damn drawing the natural border between Switzerland and Italy towards Livigno. We are back in rocky terrain and see more peaks, hoping that we don’t have to climb any more for today. A sign indicates Pass dal Fuorn, but no time is given, which is not very encouraging. Further along we hear cowbells clinging. We can’t be too far from our destination now. I check my map again and try to remember the name of the hotel I reserved...
We see a building in the distance that could be hotel. I turn on my phone, see I have a signal and call the information number. The hotel answers, they don’t have a reservation with my name. That is curious, perhaps there is another hotel in the area. I try the other hotel, no answer. I have just run out of phone credit too… All we can do now is head down to the road and pray that the postal bus, that just went by will be back to pick us up after we have reached the road.
It is a strenuous run down the hill for the next 30 minutes (with 9 hours of hiking in our legs) through a cow pasture, over a river and down to road. We arrive at the bus stop, check the schedule; the bus will arrive in 10 minutes. What incredible timing!
20 minutes later we get off the bus and walk up to an impressive looking building built in 1509, the Il Fuorn Hotel. I step inside and ask if we are the right place. The lady smiles, “Yes, you reserved, here are your keys, room no. 5, 1st floor, welcome”. I don’t think I would have had any more energy to go much further if we would have been at the wrong place…
