Hike across the Albis Range on the Zurich-Zugerland Panorama Trail

Saturday February 22nd -- On the spur of the moment my cousin and her partner joined us on a local hike this most beautiful February day. They are also avid hikers and were happy to try out a trail in our area: Along the Albis Ridge which separates the Zug area from Lake Zurich, and offers a lovely panorama with views far and wide to the North and the South (not for nothing it's called the "Zurich-Zugerland Panorama" Trail).  This is a trail we have done a couple of times, and we knew it was perfect for this time of year. 

We started at the Albis pass, and reached the Hochwacht look-out tower in just 30 minutes, a beautiful wooden tower built in 1978, but not as high as the cement tower we visited recently. Nevertheless, from here you can see all the way across lake Zug to the Bernese Alps, and in the East to the Glarus Alps, plus far away to the North across Lake Zurich as well. And we were very lucky to have a nice clear day for this.

Most of the trail was a comfortable woods trail, and we took it easy, enjoyed the sunshine, had a picnic lunch and made it to our destination four and a half hours after starting... for a 3-hour hike, so pretty well the normal timing. But you have to take your time to enjoy this kind of weather. Only negative side: There was an unexpected cold wind on the ridge sections. Oh, and I had my camera on the wrong setting, so my photos turned out not quite as sharp as usual!

Shortly after starting at the Albis Pass, we get the first views of Lake Zurich. It is densely populated along the lake around this area near Zurich

Just 30 minutes from the Albis pass we reach the 33-meter high Hochwacht look-out tower, built entirely of wood in 1978

Heading up the tower for a 360-degree view around the Zürich-Zug area

A beautiful sunny day for this excursion, but slightly windy and cool here on the ridge!

View South across Lake Zug to the Bernese Alps, from the look-out platform on the Hochwacht Tower

View North to Zurich and all the way to Germany 

Continuing along the ridge from the Tower, we decided on a detour to a former local fortress, now in ruins

There are only a few short walls remaining of the Fortress Schnabelburg. The ruins were unearthed in 1955, and it was guessed that it looked like this. The fortress was part of the large holdings of the Dukes of Zähringen between Zurich and Luzern in the 13th Century

We had our picnic lunch at the fortress ruins, but didn't stay long because there was also a cold wind blowing up here.

This is the highest point of the Albis Range between Zurich and Sihlbrugg. It is 915 meters above sea level

From this highest point along the ridge we get a view of the popular Türlersee Lake, which is just West of the Albis Pass

A little further on we came to the Albishorn, where there is a restaurant accessible only on foot, and is also a passage from East to West, i.e. from Lake Zurich to Zug, a trail we also walked previously. From here we got some spectacular views toward the South end of Lake Zurich and the Glarus Alps. Below is the very large Sihlwald Forest, known as the Zurich Wilderness Park, where the forest is left to grow as nature sees fit.

 

VIDEO:

Panorama of Lake Zurich from Albishorn

Zoomed view of the Glarus Alps and the "Silberen", which is the largest karst area (eroded limestone) in Switzerland

The trail from Albis Pass to Sihlbrugg takes about 3 hours along Route no.47: The Zurich-Zugerland Panorama Trail

Last stretch heading down to Sihlbrugg. We stopped here for a coffee break and to enjoy the view eastward and over the little farming village of Oberalbis. To the South we had the wide open view over Lake Zug and the Bernese Alps 

Sitting on a bench and enjoying the sunshine and the view of Lake Zug and the Alps

It's always fun to catch sight of birds, be able to photograph them, and then look them up on the Internet afterwards. This one is called a "Baumläufer" or "Treecreeper"

Another view toward the Glarus Alps. Mount Schärhorn on the right is a favourite (above the Klausen Pass) 

Final descent to Sihlbrugg, where we caught a bus back (half of us back to the car at Albis Pass, the other half of us to our home in Zug!)

The signs suggested this would be a 3-hour hike, but we also had less actual walking time. We took most of the afternoon to enjoy the particularly nice views we had on this day. We started at the Albis Pass and walked to Sihlbrugg.

An approximately 3-hour hike across the Albis Range from the Albis Pass to Sihlbrugg. To the North is Lake Zurich and the Sihlwald Forest

This area is easily accessible to us, so we have done lots of walking here in the past 6 years. All joined together, we have also completed the Zurich-Zug Panorama Trail.