Canyon Parlitobel in Kanton St. Gallen/Schweiz v4-a3-IV 3.6/5*

Country: Schweiz / Switzerland

Region: Kanton St. Gallen

Subregion: Wahlkreis Sarganserland

Town: Pfäfers

v4 a3 IV

3h35

1h

2h30

5min

1560m

1380m

180m

50m

2 x 50m

15

500m

on Foot

Rating:

★★★★★

3.6 (5)

Info:

★★★

1.7 (4)

Belay:

★★★

1.6 (5)

Summary: machine translated ➜

Rappel canyon in gray limestone with quartz veins, gloomy in places. Extreme risk of falling rocks!

July - October

10-17 o clock

North

Limestone

1.50km²

Summary: machine translated ➜

Rappel canyon in gray limestone with quartz veins, gloomy in places. Extreme risk of falling rocks!

Access: machine translated ➜

We leave the A12 (Sargans-Chur) via the Bad Ragaz exit, drive through the center of Ragaz up to Pfäfers and into the Val Tamina. Passing the reservoir we reach the village of Vättis. Here we turn right and drive westwards into the Calfeisen valley and towards St. Martin to the Gigerwald reservoir. We drive over the top of the dam. From here on, the route is timed, so that one direction can only be taken in a 20-minute time window at a time. Continue along the southern shore of the lake through several tunnels (not suitable for large and wide vehicles!) to a parking lot at the exit of the road, still on the orographic right side of the Tamina reservoir tributary (1470m altitude). Here we park the car.

Approach (1 h): machine translated ➜

We take the hiking trail away from the parking lot in the direction of the Sardona hut. Immediately we cross "our" stream and can thus judge the water flow. We walk about 300m and come to the foot of a meadow with a large boulder at the edge of the path (see http://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/photo/126683/_Quelques-reperes-pour-le-debut-de-la-marche-d-approche#liste ) A few meters after this marked boulder we follow a faint track that serpentines up the meadow. About 60m higher, at the eastern edge of the meadow (see red entry in http://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/photo/126683/_Quelques-reperes-pour-le-debut-de-la-marche-d-approche#liste ), a clearly recognizable path begins, which leads uphill in serpentines through the forest - partly wooden stairs. We follow this until we reach a tree with a sling (currently white Dyneema 5mm rope). Then traverse about 10m via traverese rope into the chute where it now has a ring anchor. From there rappel 50m into the canyon.

Tour (2 h 30): machine translated ➜

Caution: A lot of loose debris that can move quickly! A total of 12-15 rappels. 50m to abseil into the canyon. Once in the canyon, we start with a C8, followed by a C35. After a few smaller steps and a passage of walking and climbing down, we come to the narrow and attractive part. After a C19 followed by a C40 and a double step (C36), smaller rappels follow again to the exit of the canyon.

Return (5 min): machine translated ➜

Descend on the wide gravel bed and out to the right to the parking lot.

Coordinates:

Canyon Start

46.9164°, 9.35048° ↓

Abseilstelle an Haken (50m) in die Schlucht

Canyon End

46.9204°, 9.3541° ↓

Parking Entry and Exit

46.920254°, 9.354667° ↓

Waypoint

46.91747°, 9.35098° ↓

Abzweig vom Pfad

Intermediate Canyon Exit

46.917761°, 9.352117° ↓

Notausstieg / Alternative Startmöglichkeit

Waterlevel Checkpoint

46.920421°, 9.354016° ↓

Literatures:

Map

CNS 1175, Vättis, 1:25 000

1:25000

Canyoning Book

Swiss Alps - Canyoning - Alpes Suisses

Emmanuel Belut / Laurence Boyé / Thomas Guigon

Association Openbach

2015

9782746679450

Cwiki Canyon Info

Canyoning Wiki Link Parlitobel https://canyon.carto.net/cwiki/bin/view/Canyons/ParlitobelCanyon.html

Descente Canyon Info

https://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon/22450

Ropewiki Canyon Info

https://ropewiki.com/Parlitobel

Gallery

http://yd.marmitologue.net/blog/2011/08/01/parlitobel-2/

Gallery

http://laurinette.over-blog.fr/article-1er-aout-parlitobel-81732684.html

Schlucht.ch Canyon Info

https://www.schlucht.ch/?view=article&id=1305&Itemid=203

15.10.2025 Bubtore ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ 💧 Low Completed ✔ machine translated ➜

At 1540m we left the path and took the trail that leads directly into the canyon without rappel.

14.10.2025 www.verdon.de ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ 💧 Normal Completed ✔ no translation available

Automatisch importiert von Descente-Canyon.com für Canyon Parlitobel L'accès est relativement facile a trouver, malgré les nombreux petits sentiers en forêt. Il y a deux entrées : l'une par un étroit couloir, équipée d'une fine corde , mais elle laisse passer deux jolis rappels. L'autre, la plus classique, 80 mètres plus haut. L'arbre avec la corde blanche en Dyneema et la boucle rouge se trouve juste avant une ravine rocheuse. J'ai coupé les branches à 1,5 mètre du bas pour garantir un accès raisonnable à la point de rappel. Dix mètres plus loin, à la même hauteur dans la ravine rocheuse, se trouve un amarrage en acier brillant, qu'il est préférable d'atteindre encordé.Il est déconseillé de s'engager dans cette gorge, en cas de moindre risque de précipitations. Quiconque a déjà fait cette descente, sait exactement pourquoi. Le canyon devient rapidement un piège mortel à cause des chutes de pierres et, par forte pluie, des énormes quantités de débris. Bien qu'il y ait une sortie de secours au début, la gorge se rétrécit considérablement par la suite, et il n'y a aucune issue ! Lors de notre descente d'aujourd'hui, tous les spits étaient présents, même si certains étaient difficiles à trouver et/ou exposés. (Quelle: https://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon-debit/22450/observations.html)

14.10.2025 Christian Balla ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ 💧 Normal Completed ✔ machine translated ➜

The anchoring is as expected for such a rarely climbed canyon: single bolts, mostly quite old. Mostly secure, but not every anchor is "good". Mostly very grippy, water very cold. After about 1/3 there is an optional access/exit. Very beautiful, rewarding scenic. Lots of loose rock, extreme risk of falling rocks!

Other users were: Casa Vento Madeira Moc

17.09.2025 MartiiinYan09 ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ 💧 Normal Completed ✔ no translation available

Automatisch importiert von Descente-Canyon.com für Canyon Parlitobel Très joli , bp de monopoints (Quelle: https://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon-debit/22450/observations.html)

17.09.2025 Martiiin ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ 💧 Normal Completed ✔ no translation available

Automatisch importiert von Descente-Canyon.com für Canyon Parlitobel Pour l'accès en haut du pré, 10mn de sentier raide puis direct à gauche pour arriver à flan sur 1 ancien sentier de rando avec mc fixes, rondins et crayons.Ca shunte le tout début du canyon et la marche en blocs.Equipement ok sauf mériterait 1 deuxième point en haut de la C40.Puis en bas de celle ci, faire en direct 20+16 car les points sont hs. (Quelle: https://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon-debit/22450/observations.html)

20.10.2024 Patrik B ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ no translation available

Automatisch importiert von Schlucht.ch für Canyon Parlitobel, Wasserstand: "Mittel" Verankerungen: "schlecht" (Quelle: https://schlucht.ch/schluchten-der-schweiz-liste/1305-parlitobel)

20.10.2024 Bina ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ 💧 Normal Completed ✔ no translation available

Automatisch importiert von Descente-Canyon.com für Canyon Parlitobel it is possible to do the canyon, but many of the bolts are in poor condition. All single bolts. Not as nice as in 2018 (Quelle: https://www.descente-canyon.com/canyoning/canyon-debit/22450/observations.html)

20.10.2024 Bina ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ 💧 Normal Completed ✔ machine translated ➜

Feasible, but many anchors in poor condition. No more sun in St. Martin at this time of year.

Other users were: Patrik Bartel

03.09.2024 Pamul ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ no translation available

Automatisch importiert von Schlucht.ch für Canyon Parlitobel, Wasserstand: "Niedrig" Verankerungen: "Ok" Wenig Wasser daher gut machbar. Zustieg wie von Holzi beschrieben - mit etwas suchen - gut gefunden. Erster Stand ca. 10 Meter unterhalb des Baumes mit der Bandschlinge. Alle Stände vorhanden, zwar zum Teil rostig aber ok. (Quelle: https://schlucht.ch/schluchten-der-schweiz-liste/1305-parlitobel)

03.09.2024 Patrik ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ 💧 Low Completed ✔ machine translated ➜

Little water so easily doable. Access as described by Holzi - with a little searching - easy to find. First belay about 10 meters below the tree with the sling (see photo). All belays available, partly rusty but ok.

24.09.2023 Christoph Cramer ⭐ ★★★★★ 📖 ★★★ ⚓ ★★★ 💧 High Completed ✔ machine translated ➜

After heavy rains from Thu evening to Friday night at high water level walked. Great optics, super grippy rock, no mobile phone reception! At the entrance a hook was set instead of abseiling on the tree.