Enjoy beautiful alpine lakes and lofty views in the hiking paradise of Davos

Davos stands out as a elite alpine destination with its breathtaking scenery and majestic mountains. There is so much to experience and the mountain scenery is a dream! The small town in the mountains also has a lot to offer thanks to its good facilities. This makes Davos ideal for a longer stay.

I love testing out youth hostels and their surrounding activities. However, I love the youth hostels in the mountains best of all. That’s why I couldn’t wait to visit Davos. The weather was great and it promised to be a perfect weekend. But things were little different at the beginning…

Outdoor equipment packed, let’s go to Davos…

We head off in the car from Flims to Davos. We decide not to go by train because my friend and I have so much outdoor equipment, which we would prefer not to carry. In addition to various hiking boots, we’ve also packed all our climbing equipment.

On Friday, the day of our arrival, we plan to enjoy Lake Davos and relax, however, this plan doesn’t come to fruition. As soon as we reach Davos, it begins to pour down with rain – the weather forecast had over-promised, unfortunately. But it’s not a problem; we just enjoy a more leisurely start to our Davos adventure instead. We opt for a wellness experience at the “Eau la la” baths and a cake break in the popular café Kaffee Klatsch. We also make an unplanned stop at the Bücher Schuler book store and come out of the shop with two books each. Afterwards, we head to the youth hostel – we immediately take out our new books and head out to the balcony, which is a wonderful place to sit as it shelters us from the rain.

Our relaxed reading time is followed by dinner. We enjoy a delicious curry with rice. I choose the vegan option with vegetables and my friend chooses chicken. The food has fortified us beautifully for the two hikes we have planned over the next few days when the weather is supposed to be more settled.

Mountain ridge hike from Mount Jakobshorn to Mount Tällihorn

On the Saturday morning, we set off from the Jakobshorn cable cars. The train only runs to Ischalp in June. We hike the rest up to the Jakobshorn. If we were there just a week later, we would be able to catch the train. But this doesn’t deter us. We quickly manage the specified two hours and finally reach the feverishly anticipated ridge.

Ridge hikes are one of my favourites as you can look down into the depths to both the left and right. The first part of this hike is not challenging and we pass the Jatzhorn and Witihüreli peaks. More experience is required when you hike the section from the Tällifurgga to the Tällihorn. After handling a more challenging climb, we reach the third peak of the day. We descend and reach Sertig – a charming little alpine village. At the Bergführer restaurant we both treat ourselves to a Coupe Romanoff dessert and then take the bus back to Davos.

The Jöriseen hike – a Davos classic

The hike to the Jöriseen lakes is probably on the bucket list of every Swiss person who likes to hike to mountain lakes. We decide to do this hike on the Sunday and drive to the Wägerhütta in the direction of the Flüela Pass. The especially cool thing about the hike is that it is a circular tour. We climb up and head to the left for the first ascent of the pass.

Beautiful landscapes on top of the mountain. ©Christina

There is still a lot of snow in middle of June 2023. We meet people who are already on their way back. We are well equipped and experienced enough to manage the strenuous walk across the snow. Things generally proceed well, but we sometimes find ourselves sinking into the snow as far as our hips. But our desire for adventure prevails and we persevere bravely. We reach the “Jöriflüelafurgga” (pass crossing) at 2,722 meters above sea level and have a view of the lakes – most of them are still almost completely frozen.

However, I see a few spots that have already thawed and am happy. My bikini’s in the backpack. I am completely certain that I’m going to swim in the Jöriseen among the snow and ice. As soon as we arrive down at the lakes I put my plan into action.

Safety is absolutely paramount when it comes to ice bathing. This means that you should be well prepared, practise and not stay in the water for too long. The way you feel after ice bathing is always a highlight – I feel like I’m reborn. After a break, we continue walking and then have to master the more difficult part. There is much more snow on the way to “Winterlücka.” We fight our way up and descend quickly towards the Flüela Pass. During the summer months, this hiking tour takes about 4 to 5 hours. You have to add on approximately two hours when the conditions are still wintry.

Unfortunately, my time in Davos has come to an end, however, in July I will head to Crans Montana. Please write any further tips you have for Christina in the comments.