Last week, after a freeride descent in the Disentis ski area, we climbed over the Oberalpstock to the Cavardiras hut. This time it's the cream of the crop: the Steintalrinne from the Fruttstock down into the Maderanertal. Before that, however, there is the short, enjoyable descent from the hut into the upper Brunni valley and the ascent to the Fruttstock (2838 m).
Descent into the Brunni valley and ascent to the Fruttstock
Waking up early in the morning at a hut away from all the hustle and bustle is worth a lot in itself. And when the moon is above Piz Ault and the rising sun is tinged red under a blue sky, you almost have to pinch yourself to make sure you're not still dreaming. The conditions really were perfect: bluebird and well-preserved powder snow. No wonder we couldn't really resist the morning descent and covered far more vertical meters than planned. Normally, it's enough to ski down to around 2300 m into the upper Brunni valley (around 350 vertical meters from the hut). This is where the skins are put on for the ascent to the Fruttstock. We went via Schwarztallücke and the south-west flank to the Fruttstock summit. However, if conditions are safe and you start in good time, you can also ascend via Schafläger directly to the start of the Steintalrinne (caution: southern exposure). The Fruttstock is not necessarily a classic panoramic summit, but the view over to the Oberälplern (Oberalpstock and Chli Oberälpler) and the deep view down into the Maderanertal make up for every meter of ascent.
Non-ending descent through the Steintalrinne and the Maderanertal
The entrance to the gully requires a very good sense of direction and is sometimes a little easier to find when ascending through Schafläger. The path on the ridge from the summit to the north-east is very exposed, often weakened and you should also be on time here due to the southern orientation. After the long ascent in the sun, we say goodbye to its warming rays for a while at the entrance to the Steintalrinne. The gully runs straight as a die for almost 800 vertical meters between steep rock faces towards the valley. Only at the end, when the stone valley widens out a little, does it curve to the left. Anyone who has ever seen this panoramic view knows for sure that this is the right gully. The first 70 vertical meters are really very steep (45-50°) and interspersed with rocks. It is usually not possible to ski smoothly here. We had exceptionally good conditions and even had better snow in the upper part. After that, at an average of 40°, the gully no longer presents any major technical skiing difficulties, but the length and steepness on both sides make the descent no less impressive. The slopes at the end of the gully (Spitzplangge) are often covered with the best powder. However, you should not be tempted to ski all the way down to Frutt (1542 m), otherwise you will have to put on your skins again and ascend about 50 meters. This is the only way to avoid a ledge below Frutt through the Riggwald forest - following the summer trail. Only from Untere Libplanggen does the afternoon sun come out again and you reach the winter trail. Follow the road via Stössi to the Golzeren cable car valley station. From there, take the Postbus to Amsteg and from there the bus to Göschenen. Here you have to change to the train to Andermatt to take the Zermatt-Gotthard Railway back to the starting point in Disentis.
Information
Difficulty (5-level scale): *****
Average and maximum steepness: 40°/approx. 45-50° (based on the gully only)
Exposure: N
Altitude meters Start and finish: 2838 m (Fruttstock) | 832 m (Golzeren valley station)
Altitude meters uphill and downhill: 550 m | 2000 m
Duration: approx. 4-5 hours (to the Golzeren valley station)
Best time of year: January to March
Addresses: Bergbahnen Disentis 3000
Topographical maps: National map Swiss-Topo, 1212 Amsteg, 1:25000; National map Swiss-Topo (ski tours), 256 Disentis, 1:50000
