Flüela Schwarzhorn
3,146 m
Switzerland
Also known as Schwarzhorn, ფლიუელა-შვარცჰორნიAlso known as
Schwarzhorn · ფლიუელა-შვარცჰორნი
- Elevation
- 3,146 m
- Prominence
- 609 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1One of the most accessible 3,000 m summits in the Alps: a white-red-white marked mountain path from the Postauto stop 'Abzw. Schwarzhorn' on the Flüela pass road, past the Schwarzchopf and up a steep scree slope to the Schwarzhornfurgga (2,883 m), then tight zigzags through rock and scree on the south ridge to the summit (3,146 m). About 845 m and 2–3 hours up.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 3.8 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +811 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 3,146 m
- Time Up
- 3h 10m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 05m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Start at the Postauto stop and car park 'Susch, Abzw. Schwarzhorn' on the Engadine side of the Flüela pass road (about 2,330 m), roughly 1.5 km east of the pass and 15 minutes' walk from the Flüela Hospiz. Signposts for the Flüela Schwarzhorn lead south past the Schwarzchopf towards the Schwarzhornfurgga. Below the col the path climbs steeply and almost straight up a scree field, which is tiring and slippery when wet. From the Schwarzhornfurgga (2,883 m) the last 260 m follow the south ridge in tight zigzags on a good path through rock and scree to the summit, a first-order triangulation point with a view that on clear days reaches from the Grossglockner to Mont Blanc. Allow 2–3 hours up; Wanderwege Graubünden gives 3 h 40 min for the round trip (8 km, 845 m). Descend the same way, or from the Schwarzhornfurgga cross the Fuorcla Radönt to the Grialetsch-Hütte (about 3½ hours from the road via the summit). The ascent is popular for sunrise and sunset, with the approach or descent by headlamp. Early in the season or after snowfall the upper ridge can be icy and the route becomes T3 or harder.
Start
Susch, Abzw. Schwarzhorn2,331 m
- Postauto Davos – Flüelapass – Susch to the 'Susch, Abzw. Schwarzhorn' stop, the first stop after the pass.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Susch, Abzw. Schwarzhorn → Flüela Schwarzhorn | 3.8 | 811 | 0 | 3h 10m |
Waypoints
- Station: Susch, Abzw. Schwarzhorn2,331 m
Postauto stop with parking
- Feature: Schwarzchopf2,606 m
not on route line
- Col: Schwarzhornfurgga2,880 m
- Summit: Flüela Schwarzhorn3,146 m
Key Passages
- Steep, straight scree slope below the Schwarzhornfurgga
- Zigzags up the south ridge
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 85%Overview
The highest point of the Davos region (3,146 m), a dark amphibolite peak just south of the Flüela pass. A marked T3 mountain path from the pass road reaches the summit in 2–3 hours, making it one of the most accessible 3,000 m summits in the Alps.
The Flüela Schwarzhorn rises about 2 km south of the Flüela pass, on the boundary between Davos and Susch, and gives its name to the Schwarzhorn chain of the Albula Alps. Its name ('black peak') comes from the dark amphibolite that makes it stand out like a dark spike from the Davos side. A small glacier, the Schwarzhorngletscher, lies on its north flank. The summit is a first-order Swiss triangulation point, and the view reaches from the Valais Alps in the west far into the Eastern Alps.
Because the trailhead on the Flüela pass road is already above 2,300 m, the normal route needs only about 845 m of ascent on a well-made, white-red-white marked path over the Schwarzhornfurgga and up the south ridge. It is very busy on fine summer days and popular at sunrise and sunset, and in spring it is a much-skied tour.
For walkers it is a good first 3,000 m summit: steep, stony and high, but without exposure or glacier. More demanding lines (east ridge WS, north and south-west ridges ZS) exist for climbers, and a traverse to the Grialetsch-Hütte via the Fuorcla Radönt makes a good two-day walk.
Climbing Notes
Fitness for 845 m of ascent at over 2,300 m and sure-footedness on steep scree are the main requirements; altitude may be noticeable for people coming straight from the lowlands. The steep scree below the Schwarzhornfurgga is tiring and slippery when wet, and the upper ridge can be icy early in the season or after snowfall, when microspikes help.
Typical day: Postauto from Davos or Susch to the 'Abzw. Schwarzhorn' stop, 2–3 hours to the summit, and back the same way (3 h 40 min round trip). For a longer outing continue from the Schwarzhornfurgga over the Fuorcla Radönt to the Grialetsch-Hütte and descend to Dürrboden in the Dischma valley. For a sunrise ascent start by headlamp about 2½ hours before sunrise and bring warm clothes.
In spring it is a popular ski tour from the pass road via the Schwarzhornfurgga; the steep step above the col can be demanding depending on conditions.
History
The first known tourist ascent was on 29 June 1867 by Fitch and Franz Alexander Hartmann with Peter Jenni, two days before the same party made the first ascent of nearby Piz Vadret.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Good
- April: Good
- May: Possible
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Ski touring if the Flüela pass road is open; avalanche terrain
- Feb
- Ski touring; check the pass road
- Mar
- Ski touring season
- Apr
- Spring ski touring
- May
- Late ski tours; transitional snow
- Jun
- Snow on the scree and upper ridge
- Jul
- Main hiking season; afternoon thunderstorms
- Aug
- Main season; busy on fine days
- Sep
- Clear, stable autumn days
- Oct
- Possible until the first snow; icy patches
- Nov
- Early winter
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Getting There
Davos (north-west) and Susch (Lower Engadine)
Zurich (ZRH)
- Postauto Davos – Flüelapass – Susch to the 'Susch, Abzw. Schwarzhorn' stop, about 1.5 km east of the pass
- By car: parking at the Abzw. Schwarzhorn trailhead on the Flüela pass road
- Rhaetian Railway to Davos or Susch for the Postauto connection
Hazards
- Weather
- Avalanche
Huts & Shelters
1- 2,542 m
Grialetsch-Hütte SACHutStaffed
58 beds · Summer 13 June – 11 October 2026; winter late February to late April