To the summit of Mount Colma near Locarno

January 26, 2019 -- What is pretty obvious by now: We love climbing mountains. So we are counting down the days until April when we can finally get into the higher altitudes.... In the meantime there are still mountains to climb "Down South" only 2 hours travel for us, and by now we know which regions get the best sunshine at this time of year! 

So off we went on Saturday once again to the region just West of Locarno where the Melezza River from the Centovalli flows into the Maggia River from the Maggia Valley. This region is called "Terre di Pedemonte" and the "mountain" (Colma, 795 m) at the junction of those two rivers was just ideal for us to climb.... 550m straight up, and since most of the trail was conveniently laid out with stones creating steps most of the way up, and since the air was just cool enough to make the climb pleasant, we were at the top in less than 90 minutes. Ideal hiking weather.

Instead of coming back down the same way, we walked on the North side of the mountain to a little hamlet of stone houses (Breccia) at the pass into the Maggia Valley, and returned by way of the Riei Valley, a trail we have done for the third time now, and still one of our favourites. 

Start of the hike in Tegna near Locarno

Through the village Tegna to start up the mountainside

At this point, where the trail splits and one way goes to the Oratorio Sant'Anna, we went up the other way. This is the first time I've been on a trail that consists of a cemented-over retaining wall. 

 

After 30 minutes we reached this cute little clearing (Forcola) with many picnic tables, where we had our coffee break.

 

View toward Locarno. Below on the hill are the ruins of the Tegna Fortress which used to guard the entrance to the Maggia Valley

Zoomed view of the remains of the Tegna Fortress on the other smaller hill below

On the other side of the Maggia Valley (to the East). Up on those hills is a ski area called Cardada.

Since electricity is required for the ski lift on the other side (Cardada), they just simple built power lines along the rocky ridge.

Looking North into the Maggia Valley. The village below is called Avegno. We have been there a few times.

Zoomed view of the village of Avegno in the Maggia Valley

 

On the other side of the Maggia Valley is a mountain whose peak we climbed last year, not from the valley bottom, but rather from the summit of the ski lift

Before the last 70 m to the summit of Mount Colma is this fantastic view North into the Maggia Valley

   

At the summit of Mount Colma

Lunch Time! Behind us is Intragna and the Centovalli

And the view toward Locarno and the junction of the two rivers. There was mist over Lago Maggiore, and not the best view, but for climbing the weather was great. And for January!!!

Monument at the top of Mount Colma. From here we head North to Streccia.

One of our favourite little hamlets: Streccia. This is also located at a pass into the Maggia Valley

All kinds of nice details with Rocks

 

One of our favourite little valleys

Such a nice touch with the rock walls, and a circular stone design on the path

 

And all kinds of little bridges along the way

 

Like out of a storybook

Here the trail splits. Last time we went left, this time we go right.

 

The trail even had some challenge to it, along a cliff with hand rails

After a steep descent, we are back in the next town over: Verscio

Everywhere are pretty things to see

On the way back to Locarno by train: The hill we climbed does not look so big next to the one behind it!

It took us 90 minutes to the summit, and another 90 minutes back out to Verscio via Streccia

The 550m ascent was steep but went pretty quickly. This area offers us opportunities to climb mountains also in winter.

It's getting more difficult to find a place we haven't hiked yet! (except for much higher)

Winter Wonderland on Mount Rigi

Saturday January 16th --  Mount Rigi has rightly earned its nickname of „Queen of the Mountains“ not least for its accessibility (via cogwheel trains and cable cars), but mostly for its versatility in terms of activities for the entire family, both summer and winter…. And of course for the 360° views stretching wide over Lake Lucerne and across the Alps of Central Switzerland in the South, to the Alpstein Massif in the East and all the way to Germany in the North and the Jura and France in the West. It's no wonder tourists from all over the world flock here in summer and in winter.

The Rigi Panorama Trail is a 7 km prepared trail which runs along the former railway line from Rigi Kaltbad to Rigi Scheidegg (in operation from 1874 to 1931 mainly to transport vacation guests from the Rigi Kaltbad Station to a hotel at Rigi Scheidegg.) It is an easy walk along a mostly level and wide path skirted by cross-country ski grooves, and when conditions are right, the snow crunches underfoot and the sun sparkles off the trees.

When we come up here to walk this stretch, which we have done several times as we can get up here in about one hour from home -- in fact, we can almost see our home when we stand on the summit of Rigi Kulm -- we like to lunch at a family-run Gasthof in Rigi Unterstetten where they serve hearty and well-priced meals.

Since this day was particularly beautiful and the air so clear, and since it was only a two-hour walk, we decided to also take the train up to the summit to enjoy those 360° views and finished off with another 20-minute walk down to the next railway station: Rigi Staffel, before heading down to Arth Goldau with the Rigi cogwheel train.

From my bedroom balcony I get a view across Lake Zug to Mount Rigi, that's how close we are to the "Queen of the Mountains"

To get to the start of our hike, we go up with the new (Dec.2017) Rigi Scheidegg Cableway from the Rigi Kräbel station of the Goldau-Rigibahn line

Like in a picture book. This chapel is at the start of our hike at Rigi Scheidegg

At this time of morning (11 a.m.) there were still clouds in the East (this is looking southeast along the Uri Alps) but in the West, the weather was looking up!

Walking westward, clear blue skies and views all the way to the Bernese Alps, including the Eiger North Wall

Perfect cold sunny weather with crunchy snow underfoot. That is the distinctive Mount Pilatus in the background

Walking along the old Kaltbad-Scheidegg Railway line (dismantled 1930's)

The view kept changing from South to North. This is the view northwards along the top of Mount Zug and way across to Germany on the horizon

About half the trail was along North-side slopes, so we did have a lot of shade as well

But where the shade is, the snow remains longer on the trees... how pretty!

Arrived at the half-way point, Rigi Unterstetten, where the old railway bridge still remains, recently restored

A quickening of pace as we approach the restaurant at Rigi Unterstetten (and the smell of French Fries)

 

Lots of food and reasonably-priced. And we were lucky that on this Saturday the restaurant was not packed the way it was a year ago during Christmas week when we were last here

This is the view from the outdoor terrace at the Unterstetten Gasthof: Lake Lucerne ringed by Mount Bürgenstock, Mount Stanserhorn, and Mount Pilatus

Someone was lucky to obtain one of the old wagons from the defunct railway and converted it to a summer home here! (Or the ultimate trailer-park trailer)

In summer, this is a farm that serves small meals and refreshments

A peek through the hills to Lake Lauerzersee and Mount Mythen, and the part of the Rigi hills where we started our hike

Whether sunny or shady, the Winter Wonderland is indeed a wonder

These days you can get a horse-drawn carriage to transport you along the old railway line to the hotel in Rigi Scheidegg

Last stretch before our goal at the Rigi Kaltbad station

 

At Rigi Kaltbad there is a mineral spa where you can enjoy the spectacular views while relaxing in the warm pool

From Rigi Kaltbad we took a 10-minute train ride up to the summit station: Rigi Kulm. Very popular with tourists from all over the world

From Rigi Kulm summit you can see all across Lake Zug to the North (City of Zug at the North End, and our own Mountain Mount Zug to the East)

And to the West along the Küssnacht arm of Lake Lucerne, and the city of Lucerne at the base of Mount Pilatus (at the end of the other arm)

To the East the Glarus Alps, and below Lake Lauerzersee

The little blue Rigi-Arth-Goldau cogwheel train heading back down the mountain from this, the topmost stop at Kigi Kulm

 

We decided to walk another 20 minutes down to the next station at Rigi Staffel because of the views (there is actually a winter trail that takes you right back to Rigi Kaltbad as well)

An imposing sight: There was a helicopter practicing landings. I was glad I was on the trail up here and not down there!

A different version of the Rigi Railway, the shuttle-train for sledders, was just bringing its load of sleds up the hill for storage. This is the train we rode down the mountain in.

After ascending with the cable car from near Arth Goldau, we walked 7 km from Rigi Scheidegg to Rigi Kaltbald, then took the Vitznau-Rigi train up to Rigi Kulm, walked 20 minutes to the next station and took the Rigi-Goldau train back to Arth Goldau