Weingartensee
The Weingartensee lake at the foot of the Alphubel once looked like an infinity pool. It offered a view of the heavens, with the four-thousand-metre peaks Matterhorn, Dent d'Hérens and Weisshorn on the horizon. But the name is misleading. It translates literally as the "vineyard lake", but it has dried up today and there is no vineyard for miles around.
Description
In fact, there is no hint of a vineyard. On the contrary – the mountain slopes at the foot of the Weingarten Glacier are full of gravel and absolutely bare. The glacier has clearly left its stony traces here. Weingartensee (3,058 m) was once a lake with a controlled outflow. It fascinated visitors because the lake looked like an infinity pool – the water seemed to flow directly into the horizon and merge with the sky. Over time, the lake has dried up. But it still remains a great hiking destination with a wonderful view.
The fact that the lake could harbour dangers when it still had water was evident on 25 June 2001. At 10 pm, a mudslide occurred due to the rapid melting of snow, and the lake overflowed. The damage to the village of Täsch was considerable. Shortly afterwards, a slot-check dam system was installed, the dam was compacted and the level was lowered by 3.75 metres.
- Former reservoir with a magnificent mountain panorama
- View of Matterhorn, Weisshorn
Map
