The Engadin in October

25 October 2026 · Joël Brandenberger · 15 photos

In October the larches in the Upper Engadin turn yellow. They are the only native conifers that drop their needles in autumn, and before they do, they colour whole slopes gold and orange. By then the first snow often lies on the peaks. Many hotels close for the off-season and the valley goes quiet. We spent two days out with a camera and a drone, at Lake Staz and near Morteratsch.

17 October 2026

Lake Staz.

No wind, the lake a mirror.

Lake Staz straight from above with a wooden jetty, larch forest and peaks behind

Golden larch against a blue sky at Lake Staz

Yellow larches and peaks reflected in Lake Staz, a bathing raft in front

Joël Brandenberger on the shore of Lake Staz, the sun above the larch forest

Lake St. Moritz, a mirror too.

St. Moritz reflected in Lake St. Moritz, the railing of a small wooden bridge in front, a golden larch on the right

22 October 2026

Morteratsch.

Five days later. Snow on yellow larches.

Larch with snow on its branches near Morteratsch

Path in Val Morteratsch, snowy peaks in the background

The Morteratsch Glacier and snowy peaks from the air

Glacier forefield in Val Morteratsch with snowy slopes, from the air

Brandenberger became BRAND & BERGER.

Lake Staz: On foot from St. Moritz station, along the lake and past the Meierei. Or from Pontresina, about three kilometres through the forest.
Morteratsch: About 50 minutes on foot from Morteratsch station to the glacier snout.

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