Ridge Hike Fronalpstock to Klingenstock

Even though we had just returned from a 35-km 2-day hike in the Valais Alps and were planning a day off, this Thursday was another beautiful day and we just had to take advantage of it. (Rain in the Forecast for August 5th).

Only about one hour travel from our home is this fantastic mountain (Fronalpstock) with a view to die for. It’s not a high mountain, only 1920m, but from here you get a view over entire Central and Eastern Switzerland.

There is a ridge hike that is very popular both with locals and tourists. It’s about 5 km long and takes just over 2 hours to walk, and has lots of steep up and downhill sections which I found rather strenuous, and so apparently did some of the tourists that we passed on the trail. But it being vacation time right now and so few nice days this summer, the trail was jam packed with hikers. For a change I didn’t mind, though, because we also are on vacation and likewise have to make good use of the weather.

To get to the ridge we first had to take a cable car to the vacation village called Stoos which is perched on a high plateau, then a chair lift to the Fronalpstock lookout point. On the way back it was another chair lift down to Stoos, and a funicular to the valley bottom. 

Cable car up to Stoos from Morschach, then a chair lift to Fronalpstock

On the ride up to Fronalpstock we can get an idea of the ridge hike that we are going to do.

The Fronalpstock restaurant and look-out platform is very popular. Many people come up here only for the view, and not to hike.

One of the most fantastic views of Central Switzerland: Uri Lake (Urnersee) at the front, connecting to Lake Lucerne, and Mount Rigi and Lake Zug at the middle back.

So lucky to live here! Behind the Fronalpstock look-out point is Lake Zug, and I live at the far end of that lake...

View over Lake Lucerne and Mount Seelisberg, with Mount Pilatus in the background.

Uri Lake (Urnersee) and the Uri Alps. We do a lot of hiking here.

It took just a little over 2 hours to walk the ridge from Fronalpstock to Klingenstock, and then another 20 minutes from the chairlift to the funicular.

So, after taking in the initial panoramas, there is work to do, and hills to walk over! Heading East across the ridge..

This is a very popular hike, especially on a nice summer day during vacation time....

The trail goes up and down several times, and requires good shoes and stamina.

Around every corner we look back for a view of Lake Uri (Urnersee)

From the ridge we look down on the small vacation village of Stoos, which is on a high plateau.

 

Back down from Klingenstock to Stoos, and then another 20 minutes walk to the funicular station to return to Schwyz and then home.