The Hörnli in Arosa: 2,496 metres across the valley
Hörnli Arosa: the name covers a summit at 2,496 m, a gondola out of Innerarosa, a ridge hut at 2,511 m and a whole sector of the Arosa Lenzerheide mountain. From Hotel Altein it is a little over three kilometres to the valley station, and from there a six person gondola lifts you onto the Hörnligrat in a few minutes. What happens next depends entirely on the season and on how much walking you want to do, which is the reason the mountain deserves its own page rather than a line in a list.
The gondola and the ridge
The Hörnli Express has run from Innerarosa since October 1987, and its six person cabins reach the ridge station in a matter of minutes. The Hörnlihütte stands at 2,511 m on the highest point of the Hörnligrat, the crest that runs between the Hörnli and the Tschirpen, and it has been catered summer and winter since 1923. The Hörnli itself, the summit the mountain is named for, is 2,496 m. Arosa's mountain railways run full daily service through the main summer season, roughly from the end of June to the middle of October; the Hörnli gondola works a shorter day than the village does, so check the operator's times before planning a late afternoon descent.
Summer on the mountain
The ridge is a starting point rather than an endpoint. Paths drop south and west towards the high lakes, and the classic two lake circuit to the Älplisee and the Schwellisee can be walked in either direction from here, which is why the gondola is busy with boots on clear mornings. Riders have their own network: the Hörnli Flow Trail runs 6.8 kilometres back down to the valley station with a red line and a blue line side by side, and the Arosa Skill Centre at the foot of the lift is free to use before you commit to the descent. If you would rather stay on foot the whole way, the routes and timings are set out in our guide to summer hiking in Arosa, and the Weisshorn on the opposite side of the valley is covered on the Aroser Weisshorn page.
Winter on the mountain
In winter the Hörnli is the hub of the intermediate terrain above Arosa, with wide blue and red descents falling back towards Innerarosa and the ridge acting as the gateway to the Lenzerheide side. Snow conditions and the day's plan usually decide whether you spend the morning here or cross the Urdental; both options are described on the alpine skiing page. Walkers are not shut out either, since prepared winter paths run along parts of the ridge and down towards the village, and those are set out under winter hiking.
The Hörnli rewards an early start in any season, partly because the light is better and partly because the gondola stops earlier than most people expect. Reception at Hotel Altein, a Faern Collection Resort, can tell you what is running on the day and how long the walk back down takes if you decide to skip the last ride. Ask when you come down to breakfast, and the mountain will still be quiet when you get there.