The Lej da Staz, between Celerina and Sankt Moritz, Engadin, is an enchanted place. A series of paths, on beaten snow, allows you to reach this stupendous locality and appreciate its charm even in the middle of winter.
Trekking in the snow: Sankt Moritz Bad - Lej da Staz (Engadine)
I have been at Lej da Staz many times, during my cross country skiing, starting from Sankt Moritz Bad, directed to Pontresina (read article). I've had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty and quiet of the place even in summer (read report, too). On 6th of january 2023, I took a simple walk to come here to relax, after taking some cross -country skiing in the valley.
I recommend this walk really to everyone, the elderly and families including, for its ease, and for the pleasant sensations it gives, and for the added value of being able to also try the ice skating rink, around the lake, truly unique, or to relax on a deckchair in the sun, maybe sipping something good to drink.
The short itinerary starts from Sankt Moritz Bad, the hamlet of the famous Swiss town, where the spa are located, and where the buildings of the village of the winter Olympics of 1948 still stand out (to be honest, rather ugly, and not much in harmony with the mountain environment).
You park in the dirt parking lot, near the youth hostel (see our map below), and you take the road (covered with snow in winter) which proceeds in the ENE direction, and enters the coniferous forest. The atmosphere immediately becomes pleasant. The difference in height (50 meters in total) and the slope are modest, throughout the path, and do not put anyone in difficulty. Just pay attention to the possible presence of ice, which could cause dangerous falls. The signs along the way is clear and guides you to the destination, without any possibility of errors.
The cross-country track, when it is prepared, passes a little further south, and crosses the pedestrian path at a certain point. Proceeding to zig zag in the woods, in about 30 minutes, you reach the large and wonderful clearing occupied by the Lej da Staz (Lej in Egadin language means lake). On the north east side of the lake stands a nice building, partly in wood, and partly in stone, used as a hotel-restaurant. On the occasion of our excursion, it was closed and we do not know why. You start to glimpse the building, in the middle of the fir trees, when there are a few minutes left to the lake.
The view, in the last meters, opens more and more, and progressively shows, in addition to the lake and its surroundings, also the beautiful snowy mountains of the valley, close and distant. At our passage, we have detected the presence of a kiosk in front of the hotel, which acts as a refreshment point, at quite affordable prices, taking into account the high standards of the Engadine. It is also possible to rent deck chairs to enjoy the sun, or a nice pair of ice skates to try on the track. The track is obtained along the perimeter of the frozen lake, and allows you to enjoy a long ring, surrounded by a fairytale landscape (see our slidegallery). Generally, it is not particularly crowded.
From this point, one of the many different paths can be taken, to descend directly to Lake Sankt Moritz, and therefore towards the city center, or to Celerina, or Pontresina, with longer routes, but very pleasant indeed (also in summer; some are also rideable in MTB). The return to Sankt Moritz, then, can take place by public transport (autopostal bus , or Retic railway).
We, calmly, went back on foot, in about half an hour, to Sankt Moritz Bad, after having made the peripal of the lake and being connected to the trac of the first leg (since my smartphone switched off, having too low batteries, at end of the route, the registration of the trace is not complete).
Short walk, but very profitable, and strongly recommended to spend a really regenerating day in the mountains.
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