Two-Day Hike in the Alpstein Massif in Eastern Switzerland

Friday and Saturday July 5&6 -- Still enjoying our vacation week, we had planned a two-day hike in the Appenzell area (with overnight in a Swiss Alpine Club Hostel at Lake Fählensee), in the Alpstein Massif (whose prominent mountain is Mount Säntis), a very popular hiking region as it turns out, even with the large amount of snow still at these "lower" altitudes.

The weather report promised us full sunshine and no clouds for both days, but that is not how it turned out. On Friday morning, from our vantage point at Urs' brother's house, we could see the low-lying clouds hanging over the peak of the Säntis, and as we got to our starting point at the mountain called "Hoher Kasten", it was miserably cold. We started walking anyway, and the clouds lifted quite quickly after that, so as it turned out, we had a superb 10-km ridge hike and down to the lake. These were some of the most fantastic geological formations I have yet seen. We did have some moments of concern though, with full view of the mountain pass we were planning to cross the next day (Zwingli Pass) which from up here looked like it still had too much snow...

Spending the night at the hostel actually worked out well. There were only nine of us and all "mature" hikers, who respect the 10 p.m. bedtime, and who all slept very quietly (6 in our room, normally sleeps 18). Starting out in the morning, the day looked promising. Not a single cloud, deep blue skies... but that only lasted for as long as it took us to walk to the back of the lake (35 minutes after leaving the hostel). On the other hand, this made the steep 500m hike to the pass easier to conquer. Not so hot. Plus all the snow fields we ended up having to navigate after all made for a good distraction. 

Up at the Pass it was also very cold, so we didn't stay long, continued on our very long descent toward Wildhaus, and very surprised at how many people were passing us on their way up to the Pass that late in the day. Turns out we were lucky with our timing: At Wildhaus we had just gotten on the bus when a very strong surprise storm came up with huge gusts of wind. I thought the bus was going to tip over. Plant pots and tarps were flying all over the place, and a tree fell into the road just where we passed. But the bus driver made it exactly on time to the train station, I was impressed.

I wonder what happened to all those hikers who were on their way up to the Pass? There was no shelter on that stretch.....

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DAY 1: From Appenzell we took train and bus to Brülisau, the "home" of the Hoher Kasten Cable Way. On the way up we could see the clouds hanging low over the place we were walking to. We were going to wait it out, but it was too cold, so we got going, and then the clouds lifted pretty quickly. On this stretch I saw some of the most fantastic geological formations. For most of the trail it was a ridge walk where we could see to the East way down into the Rhine Valley and to the West way down to Lake Fählensee, the Hostel and the Pass we were going to cross the next day. 

At the Hoher Kasten Cable Way station in Brülisau, wooden carvings of some very traditional Appenzell musicians.

Straight up ahead is the peak of the "Hoher Kasten" where we will start our hike across the ridge (to the right). It was cold and overcast up there.

From the Hoher Kasten look-out platform, a view of the entire Alpstein Massif. You can just see the trail on the ridge below, then it continues along the ridge on the left, with views to Liechtenstein on the left, and Lake Sämtisersee on the right. Then further on past the toothlike peak where we then descended to the hostel

After passing the peak on the left, the trail descends to another lake (Fählensee, not yet visible) above which is our hostel. The next day we want to cross the Zwingli Pass, but from here we can see there is still a lot of snow.

Looking Northwest we can make out the hill that we walked over the day before, right across the ridge from left to right, ca. 10 km. 

Tracing this route on the map did not take into account the actual terrain, which though not difficult did require watching where you walked. Regular walking time is at least 4 hours. We started at Hoher Kasten, and spent the night at the Hundsteinhütte SAC hostel.

First a steep descent off the Hoher Kasten, then heading South. The trail goes to the right of all the jutting cliffs. The weather just took a turn for the better. Below is Lake Sämtisersee. Our destination is the snowy V-shaped valley in the back.

Way down in the back in the Rhine Valley, and behind that the mountains in Austria

I always enjoy the lush meadows with their large variety of flowers.

The trail here was along a ridge, but very wide so no fear of falling off

The wide Rhine Valley looking southward. Liechtenstein across the river on the left. 

Approaching the restaurant at Stauberen, where there is also a cable car down into the Rhine Valley. 

Here we get the first glimpses of Lake Fählensee, where we are spending the night.

The steep drop on the East side of this ridge is hard to photograph. The geological formations are stunning here.

This was my favourite landscape. The cliffs on the left are called the Chrüzberge

On our descent to Lake Fählensee. You can see the hostel which is an additional 20-minute uphill hike after you get to the hotel Bollenwies, where one can also overnight in more private rooms, but pricier.

Chrüzberge. We are heading down to a saddle called "Saxerlücke", from where you can actually ascend again and walk up this valley called the Roslenalp and Mutschensattel (you can also descend to the Rhine valley to the East)

After a long and winding descent, we got to the beautiful Lake Fählensee. It's about 6 p.m. and there will soon be shadow at the back of the lake. 

A 20-minute ascent takes us to our hostel, the SAC Hundsteinhütte. Seven of us had dinner there (they cook for you and you all sit at a table together) and there were nine of us for breakfast. Bottom right: Evening view of the ridge that we walked.

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DAY 2:  At the hostel, breakfast is at 7 a.m. When we left at 7:50, the skies were brilliant blue and we were so looking forward to the most stunning day. 40 minutes till the back of the lake, then the sky got overcast, which I guess was OK for the next two hours to get up to the pass. But up there it was so cold, that we couldn't even really stay to rest, had to start making our way down the other side right away. We were surprised at how many people were up there, especially the number of people continuing up higher toward Mount Säntis, where there was even more snow. Even children!  We took a long time for the descent because it was quite steep, and realized that the cows must just recently have used this same path to be brought up to the alpine pastures. We saved ourselves 250m descent by riding the cable car at Gamplüt, and just made it onto the bus in Wildhaus when the storm hit. 

The trail measured on the map also underestimates the time it takes to climb to the pass, especially if you have to navigate around the snowy parts. And we went way slower on the descent as well. Total walking time for us was about 5 hours altogether. We saved about 250m descent by taking the cable car at Gamplüt

Leaving the hostel in the morning to descend to lake Fählensee. The day is looking promising!

Still fantastic weather for the walk to the back of the lake.

A real treat! Urs spotted the chamois, I would have missed it again. This one was alone, usually they are in groups.

VIDEO:

Chamois running across the mountainside

Start of the steep climb to the Zwingli Pass. Looking back across Fählenalp and Lake Fählensee. The sky had suddenly become overcast. It took us about 40 minutes to walk to this point from the hostel.

This young lady is telling us she is not going to make way for us on our trail. We don't argue with cows, no matter how small, and always make a detour around them. Far from their hind feet as well.

Approx. mid-point of our 2-hour ascent to the pass. This is a good place for a rest...

This is a good indicator that I have worked up a sweat!

First of many snowy patches covering the trail

We decided to cross most of the snowy patches instead of going around them. The snow was soft and easy to navigate.

Another look back down the valley as we get closer to the pass

The landscape gets more and more karst-like so if we are going around the snowy patches, it takes longer to walk on the rocks.

Up here the first alpine flowers are just emerging as the snow melts.

We decided to walk around the final patch of snow, which I then regretted after seeing that even children could cross it!

Proud to reach our goal! It was easier to ascend without the heat. Total walking time after leaving the hostel was 2 hours 30 minutes, and we have another similar stretch to Gamplüt. So this day was at least a 5-hour hike for us.

First views of the Churfirsten mountains on the other side of the pass

Up here is another popular hostel called the "Zwinglipasshütte". On our descent we passed many people going up (late in the day) so we are assuming they will stay in this hostel. 

And further up the mountain I spied that group of people with the kid, who had crossed the snow patch earlier on. They seem to be quite experienced hikers! I was amazed at how many people were hiking up higher in the snow.

They were up there, on that patch of snow.

This particular rock formation fascinated me. It actually has a name: Girespitz

Descent into the Tesel Valley via Chreialp

The trail was steep so we went slowly. Based on the amount of fresh cow poop on this trail, we assumed the cows were driven to the upper meadows only recently, along this trail. There was no where to get out of the way if we had run into them.... 

Never thought I'd say this, but I was actually looking forward to walking on that wide flat road down there, on the Tesel Alp. My feet were pretty sore by this time.

We found out from a local that there is a lot of Marmot activity on this wide open alp (Teselalp)

Finally back on level terrain, a look back toward Mutschensattel and the Chrüzberg peaks we had seen from the other side the day before (up the valley straight ahead). We came down from the left. 

And now the last little bit of downhill to the cable car station at Gamplüt

Another cool new cable car for us to try out, saved us 250m (or 40 minutes) of additional downhill walking to the bus in Wildhaus.

Actually, the hike wasn't even finished at the cable car station. We still had another 15 minutes to get to the bus. The wild storm started about 10 minutes into the bus ride to Wattwil. Plant pots and tarps and placards where whipped across our trail, but the bus driver got us safely and in time to the train station...I was impressed.

The entire 2-day hike. Traced map claims it is 7 hours, but it is more like 9-10 hours to walk. It was a very successful excursion for us, even with lack of sunshine on Day 2.