Late in the evening we came by train from Constance in the Lower Engadine, in the small Guarda (1640m). It was a balmy night and I have never seen the sky so thickly dotted with stars. So we switched on our headlamps only when we really needed them at junctions. After 600Hm climb we arrived at the Chamonna Tuoi CAS and put us in our sleeping bags again for 3 hours. The hut had opened the previous day and so we were the only ones with another group, the tour to 5 o'clock in the morning Piz Buin started. To climb we chose the steeper passage through the Fourcla Buin to cross the descent over the shallower Ochsentaler Glacier (3000m). There are still no traces here, as most probably ascend the glacier. The sun is rising and the mountains are starting to glow orange.
The crossing to the entrance to the couloir works well, because the snow is still hard. The key point is then the 10-meter-long couloir with about 35 degrees slope. Here pimples or sticks are very helpful. You should also wear a helmet, as laterally break off the rocks smaller chunks and again and again shoot down ice chunks from above. At the foot of the summit you have a nice view to Val Tuoi. Now it goes on over the rubble-covered west flank. Be careful here as there are steep sections where you can quickly slip off with the debris. Afterwards easy climbing follows until just below the summit. At 6.30 we reach the summit and have it 1.5h for us alone, until we make the second group the place free. It was completely windless, we could have breakfast and enjoy the gigantic panoramic view.
We dismount again and ropes to the foot of the summit. Then we choose the descent over the eastern edge of the glacier basin and climb up to Fuorcla dal Cunfin (3040m), where we are directly on the border with Austria. From there by La Cudera and Plan Rai back down to the Chamonna Tuoi. Below Plan Mezdi we rappel again and can slide down in the steepest places without any effort in the meanwhile wet snow.
Arriving at the hut we take a rest, exchange our soaked socks and try to dry our pants. The cottage has been very sensitively renovated by the old stone house has been attached to an extension with wooden cladding and has selected the materials in the interior very carefully and appropriately.
Now we could admire the mountain spring, the lush meadows and trees, the endless variety of flowers and the surrounding mountains by day. Glittering rivers accompanied us down the valley to Guarda. Impressive are the variety of colors and the many noises in contrast to the lonely, quiet, black and white landscape that we had experienced above. The closer we get to the valley, the hotter it gets and we are happy about the cold fountain in Guarda. Here we admire the beautiful decorations on the doors, windows, bay windows and facades of the old houses of the picturesque village (Guarda). It was rightly awarded the "Wakker Prize" (Swiss Homeland Security) and is referred to as a UNESCO village.
Conclusion: The Piz Buin offers in good weather a beautiful all-round and deep views of the Val Tuoi. From below, the mountain looks very powerful and distinctive. The chosen route from Guarda, up through the couloir and down the glacier again was very varied. You start with a spring hike, climb the summit with easy climbing and come back to the summer valley after a high tour.
