Wild camping on the Alvier

Wild camping on the Alvier: what the rules say

No rule of Wartau or St. Gallen forbids a night on the Alvier. The summit lies in the commune of Wartau, which has no police regulation. Its one camping rule sits in its protection ordinance, the Schutzverordnung, and it applies only inside nature reserves. Art. 8 lists what is forbidden there, including: ¹

die Nutzung zu Erholungs- und Freizeitzwecken wie Lager, Zelten, Campieren und das Anfachen von Feuer, ausser an bezeichneten Stellen

In English: use for recreation and leisure such as camps, tents, camping and lighting fires, except at designated places. Breaches are punished with "Haft oder Busse" under Art. 21, with no fixed tariff. The summit is not in a nature reserve. The cadastre places it in a habitat buffer zone (Lebensraum-Schongebiet, Art. 15) and in the geotope "Schichtabfolge Alvier - Chopf" (Art. 12). Art. 15 forbids roads, quarries, dumps and anything that harms the core habitat areas; Art. 12 forbids earthworks and changes to the water regime. Neither names tents, camping or overnight stays. ^{1 2}

The canton adds nothing. St. Gallen has no cantonal ban on camping or bivouacking. Its list of fixed fines prices "Unberechtigtes Campieren auf öffentlichem Grund" at CHF 80, but that item attaches to a commune's own ban on camping on public ground, and Wartau has none. ⁵

The neighbours differ. Sevelen begins about 200 m north of the summit; it has no police regulation either, and its protection ordinance bans tents only in nature reserves (Art. 12 lit. i). Walenstadt begins about 476 m west of the summit, on the steep Walensee side, and its police regulation is stricter: "Das Campieren auf öffentlichem Grund ausserhalb von offiziellen Campingplätzen ist verboten" (Art. 18), with a written permit as the only way out and CHF 80 as the fine. ^{5 6 7}

No federal protected area reaches the mountain. There is no federal game reserve; the nearest, Graue Hörner, is 12.8 km away. The wildlife rest zone "Wartau" begins about 550 m south of the summit and bans only winter sports off the listed routes. The Alvier lies in the federal landscape inventory BLN 1613, which binds the authorities and sets no rule for a hiker. ^{1 3}

Why not on the summit

The top of the Alvier belongs to a building. The staffed Alvierhütte stands 45 m west-south-west of the summit point at 2'342 m, and a shed stands 13 m from the summit point. Four paths arrive at the top: from the north, from the north-east and the south in zigzags, and from the south-west. On the aerial image the summit is trodden grass. ^{3 4}

There is nowhere else to lie down up there. Within 30 m of the summit the median slope is 25 degrees, and to the north-west the ground breaks into cliffs. Within 450 m and above 2'100 m, the only patch of 10 by 10 m that stays under 15 degrees is the yard beside the hut. A tent there would stand between the hut's door and its morning guests. ³

The wardens say no. On the hut's own page, next to its prices, they write: "Der Alviergipfel ist ein Brutgebiet für Schneehühner, so ist campieren und lagern verboten." In English: the Alvier summit is a breeding ground for ptarmigan, so camping and lying out is forbidden. They name no law, and none of Wartau or the canton carries such a rule at the summit. It is the request of the people who run the only building up there, and for the summit it settles the question. ⁴

Where a night works: the open alp south-east of the summit

The legal night is on the Wartau alp below the summit. The pasture south-east of the top is open grass above the treeline, in the same habitat buffer zone as the summit and outside every nature reserve. No rule of Wartau, the canton or the Confederation prohibits one night there, and nobody has to be asked. The pasture is summer grazing on Wartau parcel 2799, the same parcel as the summit and the hut, and the public cadastre does not name its owner. If you meet the herder, a word with them is the courteous thing; give any animals still up there room, and close gates behind you. ^{1 2 3}

The better pitch: Matschuns, 2'103 m. At 47.10312, 9.42731 (LV95 2'750'945 / 1'218'815) the grass lies at 2.5 degrees, and about 320 m² stay under 8 degrees. It is 1.2 km south-east of the summit and 239 m lower, with forest about 500 m away and well below. The ground stays level for 20 m to the north, then drops steeply over a rock band; it rises gently to the west and falls gently to the east and south. Pitch on the south side of the patch, away from the edge. ^{2 3}

A smaller bench, 2'081 m. At 47.10667, 9.42085 (LV95 2'750'445 / 1'219'197), 571 m east-south-east of the summit and 261 m lower, a grass bench of about 150 m² stays under 10 degrees. The ground is level for about 70 m to the north, then falls steeply, and it drops away to the east. A small pool lies about 60 m north-west and a foot track about 30 m south. ³

Not at the small lakes. The two level patches east of the summit at about 1'960 and 1'990 m are water: the tarns the hut calls the Alvierseeli. And keep your distance from ptarmigan habitat on the summit ridge: arrive late, leave early, no lights wandering about. ^{3 4}

The Alvierhütte, and the way up from Palfries

The simplest legal night on the summit is indoors. The Alvierhütte has a dormitory for 20 people. Adults pay CHF 84, children from 5 to 15 CHF 65, with half board and tourist tax included. Bring a silk or cotton sleeping-bag liner, or rent one for CHF 10. There is no running drinking water at the hut. Book by phone, +41 79 632 03 08 or +41 79 222 04 00, or by mail, alvier@bluewin.ch. ⁴

The 2026 season opened on 17 June, and no closing date is published. In 2024 the hut closed for the winter on 16 October. In October, call before you climb rather than counting on a bed. ⁴

The short way up is from Palfries. The Palfries cable car from Heiligkreuz near Mels runs daily from 23 May to 15 November 2026, 08.00 to 11.45 and 13.00 to 17.30, every 15 minutes. The operator gives two hours from its top station to the Alvierhütte. Berggasthaus Palfries, a quarter of an hour from the top station, has 25 places in rooms and 40 in dormitories, +41 81 783 12 24. ⁸

October on the Alvier

No fire. Since 7 October 2026 the Werdenberg region of St. Gallen has an absolute fire ban in and near forest, and since 8 October the federal forest-fire map shows high danger there. The pitches are well above the forest, but a stove is the only fire that belongs up there. ⁹

Hunters are out. In St. Gallen red deer may be hunted until the third Saturday in December, 19 December 2026. Wear something visible in the early morning and keep to open ground. ⁹

Snow can come early. In 2024 the hut closed in early October because of snow and reopened on 8 October. If the pasture is white, the hut or Palfries is the better plan. ⁴

Where to sleep, and where not

• The Alvierhütte, on the summit. 20 places, CHF 84 with half board, +41 79 632 03 08. ⁴
• The pasture at Matschuns, 2'103 m. 47.10312, 9.42731, open grass, no permission needed. ^{1 3}
• The grass bench at 2'081 m. 47.10667, 9.42085, smaller, beside a foot track. ³
• Berggasthaus Palfries. Rooms and dormitories near the cable car, +41 81 783 12 24. ⁸
• Not on the summit or beside the hut. The wardens say no, and there is no level ground but their yard. ⁴
• Not in the Palfris fens or any other nature reserve. Wartau Art. 8 bans tents and fire there. ¹
• Not west into Walenstadt on public ground. Art. 18 of its police regulation, CHF 80. ^{5 6}

General rules for wild camping

The law leaves the alp open, so the rest is on you. On the summit, the wardens' request is the rule that counts.

• No fire. An open fire has no place in the mountains. A gas stove is enough.
• Pitch late, strike early. Set up towards evening, gone again early. A bivouac is one night, not a base camp.
• Leave no rubbish. Everything you carry up you carry down, organic scraps and toilet paper included.
• At least 50 metres from any water for the big business, so you do not foul what people and livestock drink.
• Stay small and quiet. A small group, no speaker, no drone, dogs on the lead, and the alp staff's word goes.

Disclaimer

This article reflects my research and assessment as of 8 October 2026, based on the official sources linked below. It does not replace legal advice and is not a binding statement of the current legal situation.

Wartau and Sevelen are revising their local plans, the hut sets its own season, and the owner of the alp pasture is not published. Follow signs and the instructions of the wardens and alp staff on site. Anyone who spends the night outside bears responsibility for their own conduct and its consequences. Hikebeast, Leon Helg and Saftladen GmbH accept no liability for decisions made on the basis of this text, and call on no one to break applicable law.

Frequently asked questions

Leon Helg

Swiss filmmaker and software developer. Spends his free time in the Swiss Alps and maps his favourite spots for Hikebeast. Posts as @leon.helg on Instagram and TikTok.

Swiss Guide Wildcamping Checker Color Grading