Val Sesvenna and Lajet da Lischana

Overview

This route can be found in all hiking guidebooks about the Unterengadin and Sesvenna Group regions. It leads to the glacier formed lakes between Piz Cortschen Piz de l'Aua, Piz Immmez and Piz Rims which serve as destination for the guidebooks. However, an easy ridge hike can take you to Piz 2902, while more diffcult pathless ascents lead to Piz d'Immez and Piz Cortschen. Piz Lischana and Piz Triazza are also possible destinations, though rather far for a day hike. Using Chamanna Lischana or Sesvenna Hut, however, you can do wide ranging hikes across many mountains of the Madlain Subgroup of the Sesvenna Group.

The route through Val Sesvenna when hiked straight to Fuorcla Sesvenna is straightforward but rather steep at the end. The sidestep to the lake plateau around Lajet da Lischana, however, is much more difficult and should only be done in safe weather conditions. The ridge ascent to the saddle between Piz Cortschen and Piz d'Immez is very steep and extremely brittle. Rainy weather is certainly not a good option for this route. Also snow on top of the scree on the route can turn into very dangerous situations. However, being south-faced the route quickly melts and dries once the sun shines down on it.

Getting There

The trailhead is S-charl, a hamlet right in the middle of the Sesvenna Group. It can be reached from Scuol (and highway B28) by a narrow road which starts from B28 east of Scuol. Take care as it is also served by post bus.

Route Description

• General:
  
  • Start altitude: 1800m
    
  • Summit altitude: 2902m (Piz 2902)
    
  • Prevailing exposure: S
    
  • Type: Hike and Scramble
    
  • Protection: None
  
  
• Effort: 3 - Elevation gain: 1200m
  
• Power: 4 - Very Strenuous
  
• Psyche: 3 - Not directly exposed but very steep on shaky ground (take care during descent!)
  
• Difficulty: 2 - Steep scree scramble
  
• Orientation: 1 - Marked and easy, Piz 2902 pathless but obvious

From the parking lot north of S-charl hike up into the hamlet. From the village square a road turns off to the east into Val Sesvenna. After a few houses you leave S-charl on a dirt road which follows Sesvenna Creek on its southern side. After a while it crosses the creek (picnic area on the south bank), then slowly winds up towards Alp Sesvenna. The road is rugged and quite difficult to hike (especially on the descent). You reach the farm buildings after roughly an hour.

Pass the pasture and descend a few steps towards Sesvenna Creek. After roughly 500m a sign points toward the trail to Lais da Rims and Lajet da Lischana. The old marks are blue and white, indicating a difficult route ahead. Newer signs have been marked with common red and white. At first the hike is not too difficult. It gradually rises with the little valley. However, in some sections either the path is broken away or the dwarf pines have grown (or fallen) across it so that you'll have to pass these sections on makeshift tracks. Here for the first time you get a glimpse of the steepness and quality (or lack thereof) of the route.

The path leads up the western slopes of the valley to give a good overview of the path ahead: the valley branches in two sections which are separated by a steep back (ridge). All three (branches and ridge) lead up towards the saddle between Piz Cortschen and Piz d'Immez reaching it about 200m from each other. While the ridge rises directly the two valley drop away on either side only to head for the saddle in deep rutted gullies. The route follows the ridge and thus balances precariously above both of the valleys. The ridge is steep and brittle and branches ito several paths to avoid the worst sections. The easiest way appears to be the lowest one to the west of the ridge which, however, forces you to re-ascend to the top in rather serious circumstances. Use your own best judgement here.

Finally the left hand branch of the valley rejoins the ridge while the righht hand follows several 100m later. In and around these junctionsyou have to overcome scree, some slabs and thge combination of both. A few cables help you here but they are loose themselves which poses other threats. In the end you pass through the right hand valley (topmost part) and end up in awide, shallow cwm right beneath the destination saddle. hike through the cwm at the end of which a short steeper section leads you into the saddle.

Beyond you are on the karst plateau of the Madlein Group with Lajet da Lischana in front of you and Lais da Rims and Lais d'Immez to either side of Piz 2902. You can reach this along its long western back / ridge, which starts directly bejond Lajet da Lischana. Cross a small dell and hike up to the ridge, which takes you with a few ups and downs to the highpoint at the eastern end. Make sure to hike over to the rocky southern forecastle which rises directly above the larger of the Lais d'Immez.

Alternatively you can hike to Piz Cotschen or Piz d'Immez, steep but easy hikes, which should be done in dry sunny conditions, however.

Essential Gear

Hiking gear, hiking poles help a lot during descent.

Images

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