Bivouacs, bold detours, a castle concert that wasn’t for me, and a blue-sky start on the AV2—plus a bus adventure over Passo Gardena.
TL;DR
- Friday (start ~13:00): Grocery stop at Migros, Walenstadt, lakeside walk at Lake Davos, photo at the Grand Tour of Switzerland frame on Flüela Pass, scenic detour through the Lower Engadine, spontaneous visit to Schloss Tarasp with an ultra-loud experimental concert (I bailed 😅), golden hour at Not Vital’s “House to Watch the Sunset”. Continued via Nauders (Austria), Reschen Pass/Resia, sunset look at Lago di Resia (a popular kitesurf spot), then on the A22 past Merano and Bolzano to Bressanone/Brixen. Arrived Plose valley station ~23:00, bivvied by the car.
- Saturday–Sunday: 09:00 Plose gondola (single ride €22) up to Valcroce/Kreuztal, joined Alta Via 2. Reached Rifugio Genova (Schlüterhütte), took the spicy 3A variant (via ferrata), bivvied high with a perfect sunset. Sunday: down toward Rifugio Puez, then bused from Passo Gardena via Ortisei to Brixen, and local bus back to Plose. Total buses ~€15. Home by ~21:00.
Friday: Groceries, Passes & a Castle Surprise
Walenstadt > Davos > Flüela Pass
After work I pointed the car east, grabbed provisions at Migros M Walenstadt (Bahnhofstrasse 27, 8880 Walenstadt), and aimed for Davos. A 40–45-minute walk along Lake Davos shook off the week. In summer the lake buzzes with watersports—wakeboarding even pops up seasonally—so it felt festive out there with boards, SUPs and swimmers sharing the water.
On Flüela Pass I stopped at the big red Grand Tour of Switzerland photo frame—these frames mark Instagram-ready spots along a 1,600 km signposted loop through Switzerland. The Davos/Klosters photo spot sits by Unteres Wägerhus near the pass crest.
Into the Lower Engadine
At Zernez I had that classic junction choice: right over Ofenpass/Fuorn Pass into Val Müstair, or left down the Lower Engadine. Curiosity won—I turned left, meandering along a sun-washed valley where Romansh culture, quiet villages (think Scuol, Sent, Guarda) and the Swiss National Park set the tone. It’s the Engadine’s tranquil side, less glitzy than the Upper Engadine.
Schloss Tarasp & the “House to Watch the Sunset”
A white fortress on a lone hill drew me up: Schloss Tarasp. The gate was open, someone mentioned an experimental music concert starting soon, and I thought, why not? Fifteen minutes and one retina-searing strobe later… I tapped out. Outside, Not Vital’s 13-m tower “House to Watch the Sunset” watched the last light—minimalist, monumental, and now fenced (viewing only). Vital bought the castle in 2016 and has created related “Sunset House” works in other countries, imagining versions on every continent.
Resia & the Three-Borders Drive
I rolled through Martina (CH) → Nauders (AT) and over Reschen Pass (IT). At Lago di Resia/Reschensee, I paused for the surreal submerged bell tower of Curon—and noticed the kites: Resia is a well-known kitesurfing spot thanks to dependable winds.
From Merano and Bolzano (Bozen) I took the A22 (Autostrada del Brennero) north to Bressanone (Brixen)—note it’s a tolled motorway (the Bozen→Brixen hop costs a few euros). I reached the Plosebahn (valley station, St. Andrä) around 23:00, found no “no-camping” signs, and bivvied beside the car.
(Side note: Davos in summer has a notable Orthodox Jewish holiday crowd—around 3,000–4,000 visitors at peak—so it can feel very different from the rest of Switzerland where the Jewish community is much smaller in absolute numbers)
Saturday: Up Plose & Onto the Alta Via 2
I grabbed the 09:00 Plose gondola to Valcroce/Kreuztal (single ride €22 this summer) and set off along the Alta Via 2. Early on the ridge, larches framed wide views toward the Eisack valley. As I neared the Peitlerkofel/Sass de Putia area, the limestone ramparts began to loom.
Rifugio Genova (Schlüterhütte)
By Rifugio Genova (2,306 m) I took a drinks/loo stop—the hut is the gateway to Puez-Odle/Geisler Nature Park, where the UNESCO Dolomites show off their sculpture-garden geology.
Variant 3A: Spicy, Steel & Solitude
Signposts offered trail 3 or 3A. I gambled on 3A—which quickly turned into a via ferrata. Luckily I had gear (planned some VF for Sunday anyway). The top delivered a ridiculous panorama; in the far haze I could even pick out the profile of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo. The next hut was only about an hour away, but the solitude and views were too good—so I bivvied right there. Warm air, t-shirt till late, and a sky on fire.
Sunday: Puez, Passo Gardena & the Long Way Home
I woke pre-dawn—but the ridge hid first light. Coffee, patience, and then the sun spilled over. I ambled down to the next rifugio for an apple juice, continued into the next valley, and hit a busier scene near Rifugio Puez. From Passo Gardena (Grödner Joch) I decided to bail on a second ridge and bus back instead.
The Bus Sequence I Took (Passo Gardena → Plose valley station)
- 471 “Dolomite Passes” (seasonal): from Passo Gardena down toward Plan de Gralba / Selva / Ortisei. This summer line links the major passes and Val Gardena.
- From Ortisei (Urtijëi/St. Ulrich): take line 350, 351 or 360 toward Bressanone/Brixen (Val Gardena ⇄ Ponte Gardena/Waidbruck ⇄ Bressanone/Bolzano network). I ended up with a long layover in Ortisei—it happens on busy weekends.
- In Brixen: hop on line 321 to “Cabinovia Plose / Plose Gondellift” (the valley station at St. Andrä/Sant’Andrea).
What I paid: about €15 total for all the bus segments (my day’s connections + a layover). Fares vary a bit by route and whether you cross zones or catch the seasonal 471—budget for ~€2–€5 per leg within South Tyrol plus a bit extra for the passes line. (Official timetables: suedtirolmobil.info.)
Back at the car around 16:00, I drove home, this time back over Ofenpass/Fuorn Pass for one more sweep through the national park landscapes, and reached home around 21:00—pleasantly wrecked.
What You See on the Early AV2 Stages (Brixen Start)
- Plose / Valcroce (Kreuztal): balcony views, larch forests, long undulating ridge.
- Sass de Putia/Peitlerkofel: a standalone limestone citadel that dominates the skyline as you head for Rifugio Genova.
- Puez-Odle/Geisler Nature Park: moony plateaus, buttress walls, and high karst—classic Dolomites drama. Standard progression is Plose → Rifugio Genova (Schlüterhütte) → Rifugio Puez, with optional little ferratas/lookouts along the way.
(Hut note: Rifugio Plose / Plosehütte sits high on the massif and is a historical AV2 waypoint; check its current status if you aim to overnight there—maintenance closures do happen.) (plosehuette.com, Plose)
Costs & Little Logistics (Summer 2025)
- Plose gondola (single ride): €22 (my ticket; official listing matches). (plose.axess.shop)
- Buses (my day): ~€15 total with a Passo Gardena → Ortisei → Brixen → Plose sequence. (Plan via suedtirolmobil.info; lines 471/350/351/360/321.) (valgardena.it, suedtirolmobil.info, Plose)
- A22 motorway (Bozen ⇄ Brixen): tolled—expect to pay a few euros for the segment. (autobrennero.it)
- Kitesurf curiosity stop: Lago di Resia is indeed a popular kite spot thanks to consistent winds; schools operate on site. (reschenpass.it)
- Grand Tour frame on Flüela: official photo spot (great stop for a quick snap on the way between Davos and the Engadine). (Switzerland Tourism)
Seasonality matters: The 471 “Dolomite Passes” bus is summer-only, and timetables for 350/351/360 and 321 shift with the season—always check the current PDF or planner.
