Sichelchamm (2269 m) - bike & hike from Walenstadt

Sichelchamm is a remarkable sickle-shaped mountain which is easily spotted from Walenstadt, or from Flumserberg. After reading Delta's report Sichelchamm über die Sicheln, I wanted to ascend Sichelchamm through the sickles too. In addition, I planned to make a bike & hike out of it, using the roads to Lüsis and Vergoda.

The road to Lüsis actually appears to be open to traffic in general, but nevertheless I parked my car at P.541 (Sonnenberg - Walenstadt). There are a couple of possible parking spots (no parking fee). The entire road up to Lüsis can actually be studied on Google street view, which I found very helpful as tour preparation.

From P.541, I followed the road up to Vergoda, mostly walking the bike. At P.1057 there is a fork, and the road to Vergoda starts. Shortly after Vergoda, I left the bike behind, and continued on the marked trail towards Verachta.

At the edge of the forest above Verachta I tried to find the start of the trail leading to Chammbode. According to Delta's report, there should be a wooden sign. Since I could not find it, I continued straight up the very steep hill through the forest, and after a few hundred meters I actually found the trail. The trail is unmarked but in good shape and easy to follow (at least above the forest). Overall: T4+

At Chammbode I encountered two chamois ((Alpen-)Gämse (Rupicapra rupicapra)). Later during the ascent in the sickles I counted at least twenty more!

For the later descent I memorized the place were the trail to Verachta starts. There were no longer any wooden sticks indicating the start as Delta had earlier observed. For the ascent from Chammbode there is no trail or path anymore, but it is pretty clear where to go.

The ascent through the sickles is not technically difficult, but very strenuous. The average slope is at about 30°-35°. There where some long stripe-shaped snowfields, but it would have been possible to avoid the snow completely. However, because I had brought new crampons along, I wanted to test these, and I walked most of the upper snowfields using the crampons. Technically, this probably corresponds to a T5, but since it was not really necessary to use them, I have not rated the tour like that. Otherwise overall: T4

Finally I reached the west ridge, and the summit of Sichelchamm was not far away anymore: T4

For the descent I did not use the ice axe or crampons, but only the hiking sticks. I could even surf down some of the snowfields where the snow had become a bit softer on top. Elsewhere, the main problem was rather the old brown grass which was slippery without actually being wet.

During the descent to Verachta, I did manage to find the wooden sign which signals the route up to Chammbode. The start of the trail is above Verachta at the edge of a small grassy field, but from the meadows above Verachta you first need to pass through a small stripe of forest to get to that grassy field.

When I reached Vergoda, it was an easy and fast bike ride back down to Walenstadt.

Total hiking distance: 10 km (1750 m ascent, 1050 m descent)
Biking (downhill): 5 km (700 m descent)

Equipment:
Hiking sticks - used for the descent.
Ice axe - useful during the ascent.
Crampons - not really needed, but since I brought new ones along, I tested them out on the snowfields up through the sickles.

PS. I did not meet any other hikers on this trip. According to the summit book, the last visitor on Sichelchamm was there on 05-DEC-2016.