Alvier - Schaner Alp - Vormsweg

We start the hike at the Palfries mountain station. With the Palfries cable car, we have previously overcome about 1,250 metres of altitude in just 12 minutes. The cable car passes over an impressive waterfall (Ragnatscher Bach) and takes us up to the Palfries plateau.

The hike leads us from the mountain station to the parking lot of the Palfries mountain inn. Here the path branches off to the right and initially ascends gently into the alpine pasture. From about 1,800 m above sea level, it becomes steep. The difficult sections are secured with ropes or chains. Upon reaching the Alvier summit, we enjoy a unique view in all four directions.

The descent from the Alvier hut goes via the Barbieler ridge to Stofel, where we can take a short break at the "Besenbeizli". Over the varied, partly narrow Vormsweg (mountain path), we reach the mountain road. From here, there is an uphill stretch, partly over the alpine road or mountain paths to Chamm (point 1767). A magnificent view (back into the Rhine valley and forward towards Lake Walen) rewards the longer ascent. Over the alpine pasture, we reach the Palfries mountain inn and the mountain station.

It is worth waiting for the sunset on the Alvier summit and then spending the night in the Alvier hut – an unforgettable beautiful nature experience!

From the Palfries mountain station, the path first follows the road (in a northwesterly direction) to the Palfries mountain inn. After the large parking lot, we turn right; over alpine pastures it goes first leisurely, then increasingly steeper upwards. From 1800 m above sea level, the trail becomes quite alpine. In a chimney gully, we climb between the rocks using a wooden ladder to the ridge exit at Chemmi. Looking back, you can see the Flumserberge with the distinctive Spitzmeilen and Lake Walen.

Along the rugged southern ridge, which is repeatedly secured with ropes and chains in difficult sections, it continues to the Alvier hut and the summit plateau of the Alvier. The steep ascent is worth it, here a unique 360° panoramic view opens up of Lake Walen, Lake Constance and the Rhine valley, the Glarus Alps, the Vorarlberg peaks and, in good visibility, the Tyrolean and Engadine mountains.

From the Alvier summit, the descent goes over a narrow mountain hiking trail to the Barbieler ridge. From there it continues on the hiking trail over the alpine pasture of the Schaner alp to Stofel, where we find a "Besenbeizli". After a flat section of the path, a short, steep ascent follows towards Fliedaköpfe, Vormsweg. The path is marked white-red. The Vormsweg, a varied mountain path, leads over partly narrow trails to the mountain road and further to the entrance to the mountain hiking trail. Past the club hut of SBC Gauschla, we reach the mountain road, which we follow for about 500 meters. Then it goes over another shortcut and one arrives back on the mountain road, which we follow downhill. Now it goes uphill through a marsh area towards Hinderelabria to Chamm. This path occasionally crosses water-carrying ditches, which are spanned by light bridges. Before we head towards Palfries, we take one last look back and enjoy the magnificent view into the Rhine valley and over to the neighbouring country Liechtenstein with the distinctive mountains. The path leads us holding right over the alpine pasture of Palfries to the mountain road. From there it continues in a south-easterly direction to the mountain station. A quarter of an hour before the goal (mountain station) we reach the Palfries mountain inn.