Most beautiful hiking routes

On wintry paths to the legendary Gufelstein

It is already quite wintry at the far end of the Montafon.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

View towards Bellamaisäß

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

A leisurely circular hike leads around Partenen, the last village in the Montafon, past the imposing Gufelstein, over the Bellamaisäß and via Lifinar back to the starting point.

From a meteorological point of view, winter began on the first of December, even if the weather doesn't look much like it at the moment. The meteorological classification is based on seasonal temperature averages and facilitates the statistical recording and comparison of weather data over longer periods of time. In Central Europe, the beginning of winter is often characterized by changeable conditions. At the beginning of December, temperatures can still be relatively mild before cold air outbreaks from the north cause frost and snowfall. However, the exact weather depends very much on the prevailing weather conditions.

Winter hiking trail over Gufelgut
It is at least a little wintry in Partenen, at the head of the Montafon valley. This is the starting point for today's hiking tip. Start at the parking lot near the small swimming pool. From there, follow the marked winter hiking trail via Gufelgut in the direction of Bellamaisäß. At the beginning, you pass a few houses and sheds before crossing the Ill river and ascending gently into the forest. The name Partenen probably comes from the Rhaeto-Romanic language, derived from "Parthenna" or "Partenaea", which means "slowly ascending path" and therefore fits today's short tour quite well.

Tips & info

Type: short, leisurely winter hike
Duration: one and a half to two hours
Starting point: parking lot at the swimming pool in Partenen
Equipment: Winter hiking boots with a good tread, warm clothing, possibly a thermos flask with a hot drink and a small snack for refreshment : Partenerhof (restaurant open from December 18), Gasthof zum guten Tropfen (open from December 16), Pizzeria da Pietro (closed on Mon and Tue)
Public transport: Bus route 650 W from Schruns train station

The name was first mentioned in a document in 1499 and was still spelled "Parthennen" until the 1960s. The village includes the Rotten, i.e. housing estates with a few loosely arranged buildings - Gufelgut, Innerbofa, Loch and Motta. Gufelgut is located towards the valley on the right-hand side. On a small hill above the village center, you finally emerge from the forest and follow the pink-painted wooden poles that mark the course of the hiking trail across snow-covered meadows. Due to the altitude (the village center lies at around 1050 meters) and the proximity of the surrounding mountains of the Silvretta and Verwall mountain ranges, the climate here is typically alpine.

A touch of winter wonderland
Part of the village lies in the shade during the cold season, so that the still delicate snow cover has been able to hold on until now. Gufelgut is soon reached and if you are out and about here in the morning, you will now see the sun peeking over the ridge. Its rays make the ice and snow crystals on the ground sparkle and lend the landscape a touch of winter wonderland. The path continues gently uphill and eventually you pass the imposing Gufelstein. This is a massive, split boulder that is naturally the subject of stories and legends.

Legend has it that in the Silvretta region, thunder and lightning and thus a divine judgment were needed to settle the protracted border disputes between the people of the Lower Engadin and the Montafoners. The Lower Engadin people had already appeared on this side of the main Silvretta ridge in the Middle Ages to use the alpine pastures. They even laid claim as far down as the Montafon, i.e. Partenen. According to the story, the Engadiners and Montafoners met at the so-called Gufelgut and began to argue violently. Then, unexpectedly, a powerful bolt of lightning struck a large stone and split it in two. From then on, the Gufelstein was to form the border mark.

(Bild: Bergauer Rubina)

Storey moss

Thebog m oss is a common forest and meadow moss that can be found on fresh, slightly acidic forest soil. However, it also colonizes mountain meadows at high altitudes, forest edges, moors and heaths and can be found in the high regions of the Alps. The moss forms yellow to brownish-green, shiny, often extensive turfs. Its stems, which are up to five centimetres long and reddish-brown in color, are two to three pinnate. An important identifying feature are the so-called tiers, which are formed to protrude above the fresh foliage layer of the forest. These are annual shoots that stand on top of each other in tiers. The uppermost section, which is usually fresh yellow-green in color and only single-branched, is also the youngest section. In some locations, it grows very close to the red-stemmed moss, making it difficult to distinguish the two species from each other, as their external characteristics are very similar. Many mosses extract water from their cells before the first frost occurs and store it between the cell walls. This prevents harmful ice crystals from forming inside the cells. Mosses can cope quite well with drought, which is an advantage in winter. While they dry out during frost, their cells remain flexible thanks to special structures and survive this phase unscathed. Thaws or melting snow also provide them with water again and again, so that they can even have growth phases during the cold season.

Impressive natural monument
Despite the legendary heavenly verdict, the boundaries were disputed for centuries. The "Gspaltna Stee" still stands immovably in its place today and is an impressive natural monument. The route continues over the Bellamaisäß to the toll station of the Silvretta High Alpine Road (winter closure). Partenen is the easternmost inhabited point of the Montafon and the last permanent settlement on Vorarlberg territory. Now cross the road and walk past Bellamaisäß to the Maler chapel. Once there, the trail leads slightly uphill to the valley station of the Lifinarlift (drag lift), then follow the trail markings back to the village.