Again, we decided to start our hike at the Lünersee. But this time we hike from towards the West and not like in the end of May towards the East. We took the cable car to the Lünersee and the followed the Lünersee trail counterclockwise for about 1km. Then the ascent to the Totalphütte began. Because we started on a Friday after work and because we wanted to spend the night on a mountain hut, our goal for the day was the Totalphütte. From the Lünersee the trail goes only uphill. In the beginning, moderately and the a little steeper. During the hike, you have a beautiful view on the Lünersee, which makes the hike a little easier again because you are distracted. The hike to the Totalphütte is technical not very hard. Until the Totalphütte you hike an altitude difference of 400m, which is possible to manage in 1 ½ hours. We arrived just in time for dinner at 6pm and then ended our day with a delicious dinner, beer and some boardgames.

From the Totalphütte to the Schesaplana

The next day, we got up early to see the sunrise. Because you go relatively early to bed on mountain huts, it sounds harder than it was. When we went outside at half past 5 in the morning it was still very cloudy and one did not have a view at all. Luckily the clouds disappeared after a while so that we had a nice view on the Lünersee. In the East, the clouds were not that sick so that sun manage to break through just before we were about to went inside again. The sun turned the sky into burring orange. We were so glad that we stayed outside for a little longer.

After a good breakfast, we left the Totalphütte just before 8am and started to hike to the Schesaplana. According to some people, the hike to the Schesaplana is super easy and everyone can do it. But we have to strongly disagree with this opinion. Off cause if you are an experienced hiker the 600 meters in altitude differences and the small “climbing” parts are no problems but for unexperienced hikers this can really be a challenge. The hike is technical relatively challenging, which you have to consider for the ascent and the descent.

We started at the Totalphütte when it was really cloudy and after a short while, we started to hike into the clouds. The sight was not influenced by the clouds as they were not that sick. Half way to the top, we came above the clouds and had a spectacular view on the surrounding mountain tops. The good weather remained until we were on the top of Schesaplana. The wind moved the clouds from time to time and allowed a beautiful on the Lünersee, the Mannheimer Hütte or the Brandner Glacier.

Descent from the Schesaplana

After a delicious lunch, we started the descent from the Schesaplana. We took the same way down as we took up. The small “climbing” part just below the summit was the difficultest part of the descent. But also, afterwards a lot of concentration is needed so the one does not slip. Half way down, we had a short stop at the Totalphütte before we continued our way down.

The hike from the Lünersee to the Schesaplana is a beautiful high alpine hike with the ascent of a nearly 3000m mountain. If you want to do the high in one day you should be fit and have a good hiking technique.

The ascent to the Schesaplana can also be done from Brand via the Mannheimer Hütte.

>> Another great hike that starts at the Lünersee is the 2-days panorama hike through the Rätikon.