Via Albula/Bernina, Stage 5/10

This leg is the highlight of the route, setting off from Preda via the Albula Pass to the southern tunnel portal. The mountain hiking trail passes by the crystal-clear Lai da Palpuogna lake, climbing up to Alp Weissenstein (known as Crap Alv in Romansh) and onward to Fuorcla Crap Alv. This is followed by a steep descent into the Val Bever valley until you reach the idyllic Spinas, your destination for this leg.

The mountain hike, lasting just over four hours, begins at the Preda, Hotel Kulm/Bahnhof stop. After an initial ascent through open woodland, the route reaches Lai da Palpuogna. The lake lies at 1,918 m in the Albula Alps, with the trail running directly along its shore. The surroundings then become more open. Between alpine pastures and rocky terrain, the white-red-white waymarked trail continues to climb steadily.

By the small Crap Alv Laeiets, much of the approximately 820 metres of ascent has been completed. The final climb leads to Fuorcla Crap Alv, which, at around 2,470 m, is also the highest point of the hike. Here, the view opens out across the barren pass landscape. Beyond the Fuorcla, the long descent into Val Bever begins. At first, the mountain trail crosses open slopes before later re-entering the forest. After twelve kilometres, the hike ends in Spinas; the stop of the same name is just a few steps from the destination.