Hike to Cabane de Moiry

Cabane de Moiry

The Cabane de Moiry is a stunningly located Swiss mountain hut in the Valais region of Switzerland. It sits at 2826m at the side of the Glacier de Moiry, in a location that is absolutely jaw-dropping.

The Cabane du Moiry is on the left of the glacier.

And to add to that, the mountain hut is newly renovated and has some amazing features rarely seen in a mountain hut, in my experience. First, the living and dining rooms have huge windows facing the glacier, which means you eat and relax with a smile on your face at all times. Second, the rooms are rarely crowded, often with only 4 bunk beds. Compare that to your old-school mountain hut in Switzerland with 50 snoring hikers/climbers and you will understand why this hut is so special.

Pro Tip: Remember, you should reserve a place in any Swiss mountain hut, especially on weekends.

cabane du moiry living room

The Cabane du Moiry living room.

Getting to the hut is also relatively easy and fast, when you consider the location. I have done other hikes to spectacular locations and arrived dead on my feet! The shortest version of the hike to the Cabane du Moiry is from the last bus stop at Moiry Glacier. It takes approximately 1.5 hours walking time (up) or 1hr down, with a change in altitude of 490m.

The switchbacks to the Cabane du Moiry

The switchbacks to the Cabane du Moiry (it’s steeper than it looks!)

It is not to underestimate though because at this kind of altitude you to start to notice a shortness of breath. And, the last part of the approach is a step switchback that seems to never end. It didn’t help, perhaps, that we had hiked from the next valley to get here, as our hike was about 8 hours in total.

Lac de Moiry

Lac de Moiry

Alternative Hikes

There are other longer options to get here such as from the Lac du Moiry, hiking above and parallel to the road, and then connecting with the above hike at the end of the road.

You can also come from the parallel valleys in either direction, such as from Zinal or Evolene. The Evolene hike is the variation we did and made for a quite long day.

Details

Hiking Time
1.5hrs up / 1hr down
Distance
2.9km
Ascent
490m
Descent
20m
Difficulty
Easy
Starting Point
Road's end at Lac de Châteaupré
Public Transport
Bus to Glacier de Moiry
Parking
Parking at Lac de Châteaupré or Restaurant Barrage de Moiry (for longer hike from Lac de Moiry)