A Short walk in the Engelberg Valley from Wolfenschiessen (Brändlen) to Niederrickenbach

Sunday, July 21 -- Just a short hike today after a rainy night.... Urs' daughter wanted to come with us but she was trying out new hiking boots, so it had to be a short walk (2 hours). But there were enough nice forest trails and views up and down the Engelberg Valley to make it a pleasant afternoon, even though the air was humid. 

Lately we have been organizing our hikes around cable cars, especially the small private ones which are owned by the farmers who live high up on the steep hillsides. In the area South of Lake Lucerne all the way to Engelberg are 46 cable cars and mountain trains in a 280 km2 area (highest density of mountain cable-ways in the world), all of which we want to have tried once. The one we took from Wolfenschiessen to the farm at Brändlen was Number 30 to check off our list! 

Cable cars like these are important to the families who live in these mountains. This one, which was built 38 years ago at a cost of 900K Sfr., has been used to transport all kinds of stuff, including cows in harnesses attached beneath the little car. The family who owns this one, their kids use it to get to school in the valley 650 altitude meters below (they can operate it themselves). In an interview with the owner, he told how one time when the entire family (with 5 kids) were on their way up they got stuck in a surprise storm at -10C when a fuse blew, and had to spend the night suspended in the little cabin until someone could come help the next morning! 

Lucky for us, this didn't happen. But we appreciate that these farmers offer us the opportunity to ride their cable cars to get up on the steep hillsides, so we are more than happy to support them. 

The valley station of the cable car is a 10-minute walk from the train station in Wolfenschiessen (there is also a bus stop here).

The cableway operates with two cabins, so you don't have to wait long to go up. The cabins fit four adults. No cows being transported today, but a fellow with a paraglider came up on the next run behind us.

You go into the cabin and press a button to start the cable car. At the top, the owner collects the fare (8 SFr. per person)

On the way up, this view is South into the Engelberg Valley

The cable car is heading down again because the next person is coming up.

At the Brändlen farm they had peacocks, peahens and a pea-baby! (never seen a pea-baby before!)

This is the Brändlen farm which is dependent on the cable car for transportation into the valley

And the view North towards Stans and Mount Bürgenstock

The first half of the walk was on nice meadow and forest paths. The second half was all downhill on a gravel road, less interesting to walk. Total 6 km. The cable car from Niederrickenbach to Dallenwil is a large one, holds 30 people. We have ridden that one many times already.

The first hour of the hike was more interesting, on meadow and narrow forest trails

The forest trails were wet due to the rain the night before, and the temperature slightly humid, but it all smelled very nice

Looking across the valley to Mount Stanserhorn, where we also walked recently along the ridge after taking the open double-decker car up to the top from the other side.

These are the kinds of trails we like to walk, where there is a nice variety

Another view North into the valley, where we can now see all the way to Lucerne.

Further in the back you can see the summit of Mount Buochserhorn, where we have also been once

Across the meadow on the left we finally stopped for a late picnic lunch while observing the people who rode this chair lift up to the Haldigrat Ridge (an excursion we did about 3 years ago). This one also counts as one of the 46 cable-ways in this area.

At our destination of Niederrickenbach, looking down at Dallenwil 

There is a women's monastery here in Niederrickenbach, and it is a popular pilgrim and vacation destination, with a restaurant and a couple of old hotels. We have been up here many times.

This is the large cable car (30 people) that descends into the Engelberg Valley. Also one of the inventory of 46 cable-ways in this small area. 

In this small area (20 km2) are 7 cable cars for public use, and many more cargo or military cable-ways. The one on the far left we have not ridden yet, although we did hike along the ridge there, but opted to walk up at the time instead of taking the cable car.