Family, snow and cervelats
On the road with snowshoes
Signposted routes make it really easy to get started. You can simply set off on these routes without any experience or a guide. A local guide is recommended away from the secured routes. They know the terrain and are trained to assess the dangers of avalanches and snow slabs.
Small expeditions
Not too high, but still with a real expedition feeling. It's always amazing how quickly you get the feeling of the great outdoors and wilderness, even in the Swiss Alps. What are cow pastures in summer become wilderness in winter. Just a few meters away from the hiking trails and pistes, the Simmental almost feels like deepest Lapland.
The mountains at your feet
The quick reward
Wide valleys offer a wonderful view of the snow-covered winter landscape on all sides and it only gets unpleasantly steep or rocky much further up. It's like a short walk through the forest, just with snowshoes on your feet. Even for the inexperienced, walking with snowshoes is no great challenge. Anyone who is reasonably fit and good on their feet can also go snowshoeing. Several thin layers of clothing on top of each other are practical. You must not break into a sweat on the ascent. Once you are wet or damp, you will freeze on the summit. Therefore, when walking, only wear just enough so that you don't start sweating.
Survival training light
Making a small fire on the way and enjoying the sausages you have brought with you is the highlight of the day - especially for the young and old boys. This shows "who can survive in the wilderness". Simply bring a few logs with you so that the undergrowth can still provide shelter for the animals next year.
Delicious!
Grill and enjoy the sausages you have brought with you
With a little experience, you can get a small fire going even in the depths of winter. Add a hot tea from the thermos flask and the mountain experience also becomes a culinary event.
Snowshoeing made easy
In principle, it's easy walking, except that you don't sink into the deep snow. The snowshoes can usually be set in two positions. The fixed position, in which the heel is not lifted off the snowshoe, and the loose position, in which the heel is lifted off the snowshoe. Lifting the heel increases the freedom of movement of the foot and makes it much easier to walk uphill. In the fixed position, the snowshoe becomes an extension of the foot. This setting is much more practical when descending or when you are standing still and want to take a step backwards. You are less likely to trip over your own snowshoes.
Down into the valley without effort
Airboards can be transported in a rucksack and, once at the top, can be easily inflated with a small pump. Before the descent, they are also ideal as a comfortable and well-insulated seat pad for a summit snack. Thanks to the large surface area, even freshly snow-covered slopes can be mastered without any problems. The Airboard floats like a boat on top of the snow and is incredibly fun.
Snowshoeing is a wonderful nature experience for the whole family. If you are out and about without a guide, you are solely responsible for your own safety. Even on normal hills there can be a snow slab or an avalanche can come from further up. You should therefore stick to the routes and learn how to behave in the snow before attempting larger expeditions on your own.
There are many hiking and mountain guides in the Simmental who will be happy to give you an introduction to longer tours.