Sunrise walk to Alp Grüm (Graubünden)

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Duration:1h 15min.
Start:Ospizio Bernina
Target:Alp Grüm
Condition:light
Technology:light
Best Time: June – October
Magical sunrise hike along Lago Bianco: from the highest train station in Graubünden (Ospizio Bernina) to the most beautiful train station in Switzerland (Alp Grüm)
by Marc Gottwald
  • Very nice colors and ideal for photography
  • Gut geeigneter Spaziergang für Familien mit Kleinkindern
  • Well suited walk for families with small children
  • If you want to go back to Ospizio Bernina, be sure to note the RhB travel times (only runs about every hour).

The sunny dream at the Bernina Pass

Golden rays of sunshine in the morning hours that slowly enchant the glacial lake.

A sunrise of the extra class!

This leisurely one-hour walk to the well-known Alp Grüm is a true experience!

A fresh start to a golden day

It is literally fresh. In the morning the temperatures are very cool even in summer and it is strongly advised to wear enough clothes.

Important: The sunrise is statistically earlier, but it takes a little longer (at least 20-30 minutes) for the sun to shine over the mountain peaks. Of course, the walk can also be done later, but at this time there are no people out and you will feel really free.

Ospizio Bernina, der höchste Bahnhof Graubündens

Du startest beim Bahnhof Ospizio Bernina (2253m).

Nach ein paar Meter biegst du leicht links ab und gehst durch eine Wiese. Sobald diese Wiese passiert ist, ist der Spaziergang sogar kinderwagenfreundlich, da man auf einem breiten Gehweg spaziert!

Woow! Einfach eine magische Stimmung wie die Sonne den Cambrenagletscher und den Piz Cambrena (3606m) goldig anstrahlt.

Entlang der Bahngleise geniesst du die frische Morgenluft am Lago Bianco.

With the sunrise to Alp Grüm

If you are lucky, you will even see a train on this UNESCO World Heritage route, which goes from Thusis (Switzerland) to Tirano (Italy). This can give very great and rare photo motifs with this indescribable morning mood.

It is also interesting that the mood looks completely different from every angle.

By the way: Lago Bianco is a reservoir with a 1000 megawatt pumped storage power plant. The artificial reservoir is three kilometers long and 800 meters wide. The lake gets its “milky” white water, known as glacier milk, from the Cambrena Glacier.

It is a mixture of water and rock powder polished by the glacier. Depending on the sunlight, the color of the water looks different.
I find the atmosphere at the end of Lago Bianco (after around 45 minutes), near the power plant, particularly impressive. Now it’s about 30 minutes to Alp Grüm. You walk through a mixed forest, past avalanche barriers and an inn.

Arrived at Alp Grüm (2091m) you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Palü glacier and the artificial Palüsee.

Alp Grüm can only be reached by train or on foot and is therefore not connected to the road network. It is a very popular photo subject. You can find out more about the history of Alp Grüm here.

If necessary, you can take the train back to the starting point at the Ospizio Bernina train station.

Marc image, owner of Private Tours Switzerland
Image of Joshua, co-owner of Private Tours Switzerland

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