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Saastal

Saas Fee, one of the major resorts of the Valais

About 7km due south of Visp, Stalden stands at the confluence of the two most important valleys of the Valais – in terms of tourist appeal, that is: the Mattertal, which leads to Zermatt; and the Saastal, with Saas Fee its major attraction. The southeastern stem is the Saastal (served by postbus from Visp), which pushes deep into the eastern end of the Pennine Alps, with several attractive villages lining the bed of the valley, while car-free Saas Fee itself is located some 250m above the Saaser Vispa in a fabulous glacial cirque at the foot of the Mischabel wall, crowned by the Täschhorn, Dom, Lenzspitze and Nadelhorn. The valley extends further south beyond Saas Almagell, its highest village. The roadhead is at the Mattmark dam, but walkers can go on beyond that and climb to the Monte Moro pass on the Swiss/Italian border to gaze on the majestic East Face of Monte Rosa.

This is but one of countless very fine walking opportunities from and within the Saastal. There are extensive balcony paths that stretch almost the complete length of the valley, trails that edge the glaciers, and others that climb to remote mountain huts. Cableways provide opportunities to access high routes without major effort, while more gentle riverside rambles go from village to village through flower-filled meadows. The Saastal also makes a good base for a climbing holiday. Hard routes are to be found on the steep walls of the Mischabel group; there are snow climbs on Allalinhorn, Alphubel and Rimpfischhorn, and easier rock climbs on peaks neighbouring the Weissmies on the eastern side of the valley directly above Saas Grund.