Crest Hike from Alpe Foppa to Monte Lema via Monte Tamaro

(This blog item published July 5, 2023, therefore the times are no longer sure)

October 24, 2014 – After a good night’s sleep in Linescio near Bosco Gurin, and a breakfast of homemade bread at Pablo’s B&B, we got back on the bus as the sun was rising above the hills, and traveled another 2-3/4 hours to our starting point for today’s hike: Alpe Foppa on Monte Tamaro. At 1956m, Monte Tamaro is not a high mountain, but it’s the highest in this area, and affords a 360-degree view across the entire Alps and south into Italy, especially on a gorgeous clear day like the one we had.

The 15-km hike from Alpe Foppa (reached by cable car) to Monte Lema – with a detour over the peak of Monte Tamaro – takes minimum 5 hours, which made it a tough hike because we only had about 6 hours till the last cable car down the mountain (we really should have started 2 hours earlier). So not a lot of rest stops. Worst part is at the end, when the goal looks so close, you realize you first have to walk way down and way up again…

As we ascend from Rivera with the cable-way to Alpe Foppa, we get a good look at one of Mario Botta's (world-renowned Swiss architect) famous buildings: "Santa Maria degli Angeli", built from 1992 to 1996 and made of concrete and porphyry. 

Before starting on our hike, a quick walk to the look-out platform on the church building, and a look up to the peak called La Manèra, which we first have to scale before heading on to Monte Tamaro, the peak on the right. 

We started at about 11:30 a.m. (?), and the walk across the crest to Monte Lema is about five hours. The last cable-car of the day from there back off the mountain was at about 5:30 p.m.

Heading up the wide (and boring) winding road to the tower and Capanna Tamaro. There was a lot of shade from the mountain on this west side, unfortunately. 

Ah, but the view down to Alpe Foppa and the Magadino Plain below, as we climb higher and higher, is worth the trouble. In the back are the mountains of Canton Graubünden. 

And the view to the West..... The view is all the way to the Monte Rosa Massif in the Alps of Canton Valais, the snow-covered peaks on the left. 

It took almost 90 minutes to get here, just before the final steep climb to the summit of Monte Tamaro, which is the peak in the back. 

Fantastic panorama view toward Locarno to the North, and the Swiss Alps, as we ascend to the summit of Monte Tamaro.

A steep 30-minute climb, and we reach the summit of Monte Tamaro at about 1:30 p.m. According to the sign, we still have another 3+ hours to Monte Lema!

Spectacular views to the west from the summit of Monte Tamaro, past the summit of Monte Gambarogno, and all the way to the Monte Rosa Massif, where the highest peak in Switzerland is located. (All those snow-covered peaks in the back are over 4000 meters)

And this view is to the south-east to the Capriasca Region near Lugano

Enjoying a late lunch break on the summit of Monte Tamaro, looking north-east toward Bellinzona. 

Below is Lago Maggiore, the Maggia Delta, and the city of Locarno with all its "suburbs". You can just make out the Verzasca Dam on the right. 

A clearer view of the lake and the Verzasca Dam

Panorama view of the Magadino Plain and Alpe Foppa on the left, all the way to more Italian Alps in the east. 

This view to the Southwest includes mainly Italy, and the Italian part of the lake called Lago Maggiore.

Heading down off Monte Tamaro. It's a very warm day for the end of October!

As we continue south along the crest of the range between Monte Tamaro and Monte Lema, we get more and more of a view into the lower hills to the West, which are mostly in Italy... with the exception of the village most to the right. This is Indemini, the final village on the Swiss side of the border. 

A zoomed view of the village of Indemini, which is the final village on the Swiss side. The other villages upper right and upper left are in Italy. 

Another look behind us at Monte Tamaro as we continue southward. 

Passing a herd of goats along the way. 

Finally reaching Monte Lema, or so I thought. The cable car station looks so close, but there is still a valley in between!

And here we are arriving at our destination at about 5 p.m. The final descent was to be at 5:30, and there were so many people so we got in line quickly. We thought they might operate the three-car cableway continuously, but this was not the case. I'm not even sure if all the people made it onto this final run. We did, so we were happy about that. 

The elevations we walked on the 15-km stretch between Alpe Foppa and Monte Lema. 

What the hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

Small Walk with friends at Lake Arnisee near Gurtnellen

(This post published on December 8, 2023)

October 3, 2014 -- Short walk with friends from USA in one of Urs' favourite places: Lake Arnisee, near the village of Gurtnellen, where his father was born and grew up.

This is the small cable-car which you can take from Intschi along the main road down in the Reuss Valley. The summit station is just a couple of minutes from Lake Arnisee.

Lake Arnisee

Here's our friend Carrie taking lots of photos of this beautiful landscape

This is the summer cabin and small shop for one of the mountain farmers here. They sell their homemade cheese and joghurts here. 

We're heading on a small walk to a look-out point called Heissigegg. This is a look behind us back to the lake. 

Here is a side valley called Leitschach Valley. You can do a really nice hike up into that valley. 

Our photo bench at Heissigegg

Time for a snack!

Cute cows here, they are a gray colour.

The cows at Heissigegg

Heading back to the lake again. 

This is a look across the Reuss Valley into the Maderanertal Valley

Back at the lake, we are taking a little detour to a look-out point called the Chänzeli

At the Chänzeli look-out point we can see down to the power plant in Amsteg, and the road up into the beautiful Maderanertal. 

Urs is telling about his relationship with the Maderander Valley. His maternal grandmother is from there. 

A look into the Reuss Valley and Mount Bristen

And now we are heading back to the cable-car for the ride back down to Intschi where our friends' rental car is parked. 

The Intschi-Arnisee cable-car starts right here on the Old Gotthard Road for easy access...

The Intschi-Arnisee cable-way and our small walk from Lake Arnisee. 

Our small walk from Arnisee to Heissigegg and the look-out point. 

A trip to Bernese Oberland: Brienzer Rothorn, Brienzersee, Harder Kulm

(This post was created on September 23, 2023)

September 8, 2014 -- We have special tickets to ride various mountain trains and cable cars, so this was a day to head up to new summits where we had never been before: The Nostalgic Brienz-Rothorn Steam Train, and the Harder Kulm Funicular... and why not cover the distance between the two by a boat ride on the turquoise waters of Lake Brienz?

We boarded the steam train in Brienz at about 8:35 a.m. for the one-hour trip to the summit station at the Brienzergrat ridge, then walked up to the summit of Mount Brienzer Rothorn where we had some pretty spectacular 360-degree views. Then back down at 11:05 a.m. to board the ship in Brienz at about 12:30. The ride took us past the lovely Giessbach Falls and the castle at Iseltwald, and we disembarked in Interlaken East, from where it was just a few steps to the Harder Kulm Funicular. Up at the restaurant and look-out platform we had views of the famous Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau Trio, although they were partly covered by clouds. We even did a 1-hour loop hike up there before descending back to Interlaken.

It was a great day, even though little hiking was involved. And just by luck, as the train passed through one of the tunnels on the way down from the Brienzer-Rothorn summit station, we caught sight of an ibex peeking at us through the tunnel window, and we were surprised as it then disappeared down the vertical cliff wall!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

PART I --Nostalgic Steam Train Ride from Brienz to Brienzergrat Ridge

Heading up to Mount Brienzer Rothorn on the 8:36 train. 

Watching the train head back down the mountain again

View along Lake Brienz toward the West

View to Sörenberg in the Mariental Valley on the north side of the ridge

Brienzer Rothorn restaurant and hotel

We walked to the summit of Mount Brienzerhorn, from where you can actually see the town of Brienz on the lake below. 

Mountains to the east

The lake is called Eisee

View to the East (a popular hiking trail follows that ridge to the right)

View to the Northwest to the Entlebuch and Schrattenflue

View Southeast into the Haslital Valley

View to the West across Lake Brienz

A surprise discovery: Some Edelweiss

Heading back down the mountain at 11:05

We spotted a young ibex peeking in the "window" and I just got it on a photo, although not so clear. 

The ibex disappeared down this cliff-side. I don't know how it did that. 

The chalets near the lake

Information about the Brienz Rothorn Bahn: The 7600-m railway line was built in 16 months in 1891-92. Travels at 9 km/hr. The locomotive requires 300 kg of coal and 2000 liters of water for one trip up the mountain. (There is a stop about half-way up the mountain where they have to fill up the water tanks.). 

PART II -- A ride with the boat on Lake Brienz from Brienz to Interlaken

(The map is not quite correct, as the boat does not go that far down the channel)

Boarding the ship in Brienz at 12:30

Giessbach Falls

Castle at Iseltwald

Disembarking at Interlaken Ost

PART III -- Interlaken Ost, and a funicular ride to Harder Kulm

The station of the Harder Funicular

(We also did a short loop hike when we were at the top, at Harder Kulm)

This is a funicular

A look down at the east end of Lake Brienz

This view is to Mount Jungfrau directly in the center, and the Eiger and Mönch mountains to its left. 

Harder Kulm Restaurant

Harder Kulm look-out platform

We did a loop tour up here, the "Rundweg Harder 50 minutes" before descending with the funicular back to Interlaken.