Report from the Engadine at the Morteratsch campsite - Morteratsch Glacier - Lake Staz.

Martin Schnetzler

16 hours ago

3 min read

This blog post follows our journey to Graubünden. Our destination is the Engadine Valley and the Morteratsch campsite, where we'll be setting up our pitch. I'd like to share some impressions of this region and the campsite with you.

There are two distinct paths that will lead us to our goal.

One route takes us past the world-famous Landwasser Viaduct towards the Albula Pass. This spectacular structure, 142m long and 65m high, is a landmark of Graubünden and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Rhaetian Railway.

Many prominent mountain passes lead into the breathtaking Engadine valley, such as the Julier Pass, the Albula Pass, or the striking Maloja Pass (see photo). From Italy, this route leads over the Maloja Pass to an altitude of approximately 1850 meters towards St. Moritz.

Landwasser Viaduct | Engadine
Albula Pass | Graubünden
Maloja Pass | Engadine

Once you reach this level, a magical landscape unfolds. No matter the season, the Engadine is breathtakingly beautiful. The pictures show the Silsersee-Silvaplanersee region in October. A magnificent hiking area that will take your breath away. In late autumn, the golden larches attract hundreds of photographers from far and wide.

Lake Sils | Engadine
Engadine | Larch forest
Lake Silvaplana | Engadine
Lake Sils | Engadine | Larch trees
Lake Sils | Engadine | Larch trees
Lake Sils | Engadine | Larch trees
Larch forest | Engadine
Lake Sils | Engadine | Larch trees
Sils | Lake Sils | Engadine
Larch forest

Now, let's talk about our route, which takes us to the campsite via the Prättigau Vereina car shuttle . The reasons for this are the width of our motorhome and, generally speaking, it's not much fun crawling around the many tight bends. If there's no waiting time at the shuttle, the journey takes the same as via the regular Albula route. A tip for train tickets: order your ticket in advance from the campsite; this will save you CHF 5.00. (As of 2024)

Arriving in Sagliains after an 18-minute train ride, we were surprised by a scenic journey towards Morteratsch. The pictures show Craap da Sass Castle, the "eternal" ice mountain high above St. Moritz, the town of St. Moritz in the evening light, and finally, the Rhaetian Railway high above Morteratsch.

Craap da Sass | Engadine
Engadine | Graubünden
St. Moritz | Engadine
St. Moritz | Engadine
St. Moritz | Engadine
St. Moritz | Engadine
Rhaetian Railway | Graubünden

Now to the Morteratsch campsite

I'm only showing pictures of our two pitches to illustrate the views. You can find all the details on the website itself, so you'll have all the information you need. This campsite, one of the most beautiful and natural in my opinion, offers everything you could wish for in the heart of nature. The four stars are absolutely deserved, as the site is always clean and impeccably maintained. The sanitary facilities are excellent, and the highly motivated team provides outstanding service. A particularly nice touch is that you can bring any type of gas cylinder, as they have their own filling station. They truly have everything you could need: a restaurant with an excellent kitchen team, a shop with a wide selection of fresh produce, an ATM, and the bus stop are all conveniently located right at the campsite entrance. Spending several days here is a great adventure for young and old alike. The tent camping experience is especially unique, with its "wild" layout in the dense larch forest – all that's missing are the big bears!

I highly recommend this place and it deserves all the stars!

A huge thank you to the entire team!!!

Morteratsch | Engadine |
Morteratsch | Engadine |
Morteratsch campsite
Morteratsch campsite
Morteratsch campsite
Morteratsch | Engadine |
Morteratsch | Glacier |
Morteratsch campsite

Here are a few impressions of the immediate surroundings. We hiked this route from the campsite towards the Morteratsch Glacier. The pleasant path, suitable for all ages, leads past numerous streams. In winter, the wide trails serve cross-country skiing routes. A leisurely 1.5-hour walk brings you close to the glacier's tongue.

As always, it's intentional that your task is to scout the area for beautiful photos. More about the receding glacier can be found at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morteratschgletscher

Morteratsch | Engadine |
Morteratsch Glacier
Bernina Bach | Engadine
Bernina Bach | Engadine
Morteratsch Glacier | Engadine
Morteratsch | Engadine |
Morteratsch Glacier
Morteratsch | Engadine |
Rhaetian Railway | Morteratsch

In the other direction, you can head towards Pontresina - St. Moritz or to the well-known Lake Staz, also called Lej da Staz. It's easily accessible from the campsite on foot or by bicycle. The path follows the Bernina stream for a considerable distance before entering the forest in the beautiful town of Pontresina. Since Lake Staz is only at an altitude of 1800 meters, there's no significant elevation gain. In summer, the lake is popular for swimming thanks to its cool glacial waters. In late autumn, the golden larch trees provide a stunning backdrop for photographers. It's worth noting, and this is a good thing, that the lake is only accessible on foot or by bicycle from all sides.