Smuggler’s path

The smuggler’s path gets your imagination going. The story of the smugglers sneaking over the border to Switzerland or back to Vorarlberg in the dead of night comes alive here. Starting at Schafberg, you circle the Gargellen Heads, cross two mountain passes, and from Switzerland have completely new views of the Rätikon. Over the Gafierjoch, you return to the Schafberghüsli.

Hiking on historic trails
Where smugglers and muleteers thronged centuries ago and tried to evade customs officers, well-travelled mountain paths still lead through the unique mountain landscape today. For one and a half centuries, from the beginning of the 19th century well into the 20th century, smuggling was an important source of income for the population, especially in Montafon. Loads of up to 40 kilograms were carried on nightly marches over the mountains, filled mainly with “green gold.” The coffee beans were unroasted so their smell would not alert customs officers. Salt, flour, sugar, and saccharin were smuggled into Austria, as well as luxury goods like tobacco, coffee, and chewing gum, but also soap, detergent, and toilet paper. To avoid strict censorship, smugglers also brought forbidden books into Austria. Animals and products such as butter, meat, bacon, as well as pelts and cowhides were smuggled into the Prättigau. Up to 400 head of cattle were driven yearly over passes and cols into Switzerland. Popular in Switzerland were also clothing, shoes, and watches as well as tobacco pipes, binoculars, porcelain, and cowbells from Austria.

The smugglers were clever and cunning. Some nailed their shoe soles on backwards to mislead pursuers. This way, their tracks pointed exactly in the opposite direction. If a customs officer followed the fresh tracks in the snow, he would run away from the smuggler, not after him.

In a varied circular hike, the smuggler’s path leads from the mountain restaurant Schafberg Hüsli (2,130 m) over the St. Antönier Joch (2,379 m) – past Lake Gafier (2,290 m) to the Gafierjoch (2,415 m) and back to the mountain restaurant. On the four and a half to five-hour circular hike through the border area between Austria and Switzerland, there is much to discover. With a bit of luck, you can observe marmots, chamois, or even an ibex. The smuggler’s path was awarded the Austrian hiking seal of quality in 2015!

Note: From the St. Antönier Joch, you hike a short section along the ridge. On this passage, surefootedness and no fear of heights (white/blue/white marking) are required. A steel cable is provided as assistance. Otherwise, the rest of the hike is marked with white-red-white. A path trail.

Don’t forget binoculars – possibly to observe ibexes

Presented by: Montafon
Author: Andreas Marent