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Another undemanding walk today up the Weisstannental to the Vorsiez dairy where you'll overnight before tackling the Foopass tomorrow. That makes five easy days out of six... very un-H2H-ish. But this pleasant interlude is almost over: starting with the next stage you return to high passes in wilder country.

However, although henceforth you will in general see fewer cars, you will not be alone. For one thing, the Alps are not a wilderness: there are farmers and shepherds in every valley. For another, there will be many other hikers... of all ages. People come from all over the world to walk the Alps, and of course many locals are passionate hikers.

I remember a few years ago while crossing a 2500m pass into the Mattertal encountering a group of 20 or so Swiss marching up from the other side... none of whom could have been under 70 years of age. And in Bavaria we have friends who take their children up Klettersteige before they reach double digits.

Nevertheless, I suspect that you will meet few hikers who have attempted anything like the H2H. Bragging rights will (almost always) be yours!

Route
Today's hike is identical with the Via Alpina. From Sargans, head along roads towards Mels and cross the Seex River on the road to Vermol (not to Weisstannen... that will leave you on the wrong (eastern) side of the river, with more altitude to gain / lose). The trail follows the road for a while and then branches left to take a balcony path at times a couple of hundred meters above the river along to Weisstannen (1004m). Once there head west along a backroad then a trail to Vorsiez.

Alternatives: none necessary, but if you really want to you can take a bus up to Weisstannen.
Maps: ST-237T Walenstadt, ST-247T Sardona.

Journal
The House to House blog... stage 22.

Photos
<A couple of representative photos from this stage will be added here after the hike>
In the meantime, click here to go to all of the H2H photos on Flickr.

GPS Track
<To be added during or after hike>

Room and Board Options
Lunch: either plan to picnic or start early, have a mid-morning snack, and then have lunch in Weisstannen. Before you leave Sargans, make sure that you have enough food with you for at least one picnic lunch during the next stage.
Dinner and overnight: the Vorsiez dairy is also a mountain inn, offering beds and meals (+41-(0)81723/1748, 6 beds in rooms, 45 places in bunkrooms). If it should be full, there are a couple of places at which to stay and eat in Weisstannen (see here), but this will make the next stage very long (9.5h instead of 8.25h).

Getting There and Back
Sargans: there is a railway station here (for schedule information, see the SBB).
Vorsiez: in the summer a bus leaves to Sargans in the morning and the late afternoon (schedule here). At other times, walk back down to Weisstannen (0.75h) and take one of the infrequent (but more frequent than at Vorsiez!) buses to Sargans (for bus and train schedule information, see the SBB).
ViaMichelin Road Map and Driving Directions: centered on Sargans, centered on Vorsiez.

Background Information and Links
Many and various...

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