July 2023 – Mark Pospesel (Coding and Other Stuff)

Unterägeri heat wave.

Yesterday I returned from the mountains of the Upper Engiadine. Today is the hottest day of the year in Unterägeri (thus far): 32°C / 90°F. That’s not that hot, but AC is uncommon here. Today was an excellent day to take the SUP out on the lake instead of hiking. Alas there was no alp horn player today.

Vista of green pastures and forest under blue skies taken from a standup paddle board floating in a lake. The lake water glows green from the reflected vegetation.

Fuorcla Surlej

Fuorcla Surlej: Short and easy high altitude walk to a fantastic view. The deer sausage and walnut pie weren’t bad either. We had been here two years ago, but was definitely worth another visit. 4.5km, 137m ascent, 1h7m roundtrip, 13°C ⛅️

View of hiking trail across rocky alpine terrain.
Front entrance of an alpine lodge that reads Fuorcla Surlej, 2755 meters. The walls are built of stone and doors windows wood.
Panorama view of high mountains, some of them with glaciers. Rocks and short green grass are in the foreground. The sky is blue with multiple puffy white clouds.

Via Engiadina, Stage 4

Via Engiadina, Stage 4: Bever – Zuoz. Pleasant rolling trail through mixed woods and alpine meadows. This walk was entirely below the treeline. 12.0km, 487m ascent, 3h30m, 11°C ☀️

View of alpine mountainside, mixed woods and pasture under a blue sky.
Alpine brook with shrubs overarching the water.
View of hiking trail across an alpine pasture under a clear blue sky.
Hiking track overlaid on satellite imagery depicting stage 4 of the via engiadina, running between the towns of Bever and Zuoz.

Via Engiadina, Stage 3

Via Engiadina, Stage 3: Celerina – Bever. Some really nice high alpine areas in the first half. 10.8km, 227m ascent, 2h47m, 10°C ⛅️

View of hiking trail across high alpine terrain, rocky and grassy, under a cloudy sky.
View of cows grazing on a hill above an alpine valley under a cloudy sky.