Gasenried lies at an altitude of 1,659 metres on the right-hand side of the valley, above the village of St. Niklaus. This large, year-round settlement of clustered buildings belongs to the municipality of St. Niklaus, the district of Visp and the canton of Valais. Southwest of the settlement, below it, is a steep pasture slope dotted with farm buildings; the Ried Glacier lies southeast of Gasenried.

Hiking trails to various destinations

To reach the trail to Bordier Hut, take the train from Visp to St. Niklaus, then transfer to the PostBus to Gasenried. Check the timetables before travelling. The standard ascent runs from Gasenried via Alpja to the SAC Bordier Hut at 2,886 metres. It is rated T3; the ascent is listed as taking 3 hours 45 minutes and gaining 1,240 metres in elevation.

A new route to the hut was established in 2023: it is technically easier, avoids crossing a glacier and is marked red-white-red. The 3 hours 45 minutes refers to the ascent, not the round trip. This distinction between the stated ascent time and the total length of the excursion is important when planning your day.

Another route option is the Europaweg: the new route runs from Grächen via Gasenried to Europahütte, is 16.70 kilometres long and is listed as taking 7 hours 35 minutes, with a moderate difficulty rating. The trail climbs 1,446 metres and reaches its highest point at 2,333 metres. The 7 hours 35 minutes refers to the duration of this route, so it should not be directly compared with the ascent time to Bordier Hut. Hikers can check directly with Europahütte for information about whether the trail is open or closed; Grächen Tourism accepts no responsibility for the trail’s condition or accessibility.

When planning your accommodation, it is worth considering where the hike starts: the trail to Bordier Hut begins in Gasenried, while the Europaweg runs from Grächen through the village to Europahütte.

The Grächen–Gasenried–Grat hike offers a different kind of scenery. It passes traditional buildings, crosses meadows and winds through larch forest; along the way, it follows in the footsteps of the Ried Glacier and offers mountain panoramas. In the forest, the trail climbs steeply past a glacier gate to the ridge at 2,322 metres. The Grächen–Gasenried–Schalbettu route is also suitable for strollers. The Wasserleiten hike leads through larch forest and meadows to the Baroque chapel in the hamlet of Gasenried; trail conditions may vary by season.

Village chapel and religious heritage

The historic village centre is clustered around the village chapel. It is dedicated to Saint Theodul, the patron saint of the canton of Valais. In the late 1970s, a gallery was added to accommodate the many people attending Mass. The small Schalbetten Chapel was also built at the foot of the Ried Glacier. The village chapel’s feast day is dated 16 August; check the programme before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Visp, Saas-Almagell, Visperterminen, St. Niklaus, Stalden, Randa, Törbel, Grächen.

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