20mins (Parking B); descent 4–6hrs; return 25mins (Parking A) Intermediate access 40mins approach and 3–4hrs descentMassaschluct is the most spectacular and celebrated canyon of the Swiss Valais region. Being a 1 1/2hr drive from Domodossola, it is also the most convenient for those canyoning in Val d’Ossola. However, it sits beneath a dam holding back the melt-waters of Europe’s largest glacier. On warm days the reservoir fills, causing the dam to purge. If you can overcome this psychological barrier and the inevitable hassle of travel and dam checking, the sculpted, beautifully banded rock and the spectacular finale shouldn’t disappoint. The remainder is rather bouldery and discontinuous, which may taint your overall experience.
PARKING A
Head into Switzerland, following signs for Sempione (don’t forget passports). From Brig, head towards the Furka pass. Take the road signposted to Naters and Blatten. Above Naters, take an easily missed right turn to Hegdorn. Follow the road for 300m to a small car park on the right. There are further spaces where the road ends another 300m further on.
GETTING FROM PARKING A TO B
By car
Go back to the main road and climb to Blatten. Just above the village, take the turning to Egga and Rischinen. Continue straight on at the next junction (ignoring the second turning to Egga and Rischinen) and continue as far as a large car park with public toilets.
Before parking up, go and inspect the water levels at the dam. To do this, continue along the road for 150m to where it splits. Right descends steeply to the base of the dam – ignore this for now (this is the way to the start of the canyon). Left leads to a vantage point above the dam. Just back from where this road terminates is a viewing platform. From here it is possible to descend to the dam on metal steps. A gauge at the base of the steps can be used to determine water levels in the reservoir.
On foot
A reasonably well-marked path climbs from the car park at the end of the road. Follow signs to Geimen (reached after 40mins), then Blatten (40mins) and finally Riederalp (20mins to Parking B).
Public transport and hitch-hiking
There is a bus stop at the turning to Hegdorn. Buses (service 12.624) go all the way to Parking B. They start at 7am and run every hour until 11pm. See the Postbus website (www.postbus.ch) for more details. With so many cars plying up and down the road, hitch-hiking is unlikely to be too difficult.
APPROACH FROM PARKING B
Follow the road that descends to the base of the dam. Cross the river (parking possible) and go right to where a flood-warning sign marks a faint path to the river bed.
DESCENT
The descent begins with 30–45mins of boulder hopping in open streamway. The canyon narrows for a few short pitches with deep pools before the boulders begin again. Look out for the tunnel on the left (intermediate access point). There is more nondescript streamway, then things get more interesting again, with a string of three enclosed pitches. The third is awkward to rig, requiring acrobatic manoeuvres over the pitch-head to reach the main anchors. A more open section then follows, where the striped gneiss gives way to white granite. The canyon then closes down for the most spectacular section, the ‘Cathedral’, where all the water is funnelled through a 1m-wide gap before plunging into an airy 25m-deep abyss. An enormous boulder field is the final obstacle, where route-finding can be difficult. The canyon ends at an old water conduit on the right.
RETURN
Follow the conduit around. Pass through a tunnel (head-torch useful but not essential). For those who have accessed the canyon at the intermediate point, take a left and follow the ridge down to where it is possible to cross the river, then make your way back to the Ried-Mörel road. Otherwise contour along the line of the conduit to a track. This joins the Hegdorn road – turn left for Parking A.
A serene moment mid-descent
The ‘Cathedral’ (photo: Simon Flower)
INTERMEDIATE ACCESS
This access shaves a third off the descent time. On the main road to the Furka pass, cross over the Massa stream and take a left turn for Ried-Mörel and Ebnet. Continue up the hill, following signs for Ried-Mörel at all junctions. Park 1.6km past the Wasen junction, in an exposed lay-by on the right. From here take the path marked Oberried. Just around the corner the path splits – go right. A brief climb leads to another split. Take a left, along the line of a water conduit. Follow the water conduit all the way to its end, skirting one small area of private property. A head-torch is needed to negotiate a string of lengthy tunnels.
ROUTE 2: GONDO
GONDO
| Rock | Gneiss |
| Dimensions | Depth 140m (1020m–880m); length 500m |
| Ideal season | Summer |
| Location | Switzerland |
| Time | Approach 0mins (Parking B); descent 1hr 30mins–2hrs; return 3mins (Parking A) |
| Shuttle | (Parking A to Parking B) 1.75km (20mins road-walk) |
| Gear | 2x30m ropes (2x35m ropes if doing the slabs at the end) |
| Technical notes | Rigging sufficient; usually double anchors +/– chains (2011). Second pitch must be jumped or tobogganed (intimidating from above). In summer the current causes problems only on the final encased section, where the river is faced head on. |
| Escapes | After nearly every obstacle |
The lower reaches of the Grosswasser stream offer a short sequence of well-sculpted waterfalls and plunge-pools, perfect for jumps and atmospheric abseiling. The main problem at present is the dam upstream. Since being modified in 2010, it is unclear how much danger it presents. Seek advice locally or through internet forums before making the trip. The canyon is north facing and the water cold, so it’s better to arrive after midday.
