Hike up to the Renggpass between Lake Alpnach and Lake Luzern

Wednesday April 22 -- We are still trying to keep to our two excursions per week, one on the weekend and one mid-week.

We wanted to see if we could still climb a mountain: The last time that we did an actual decent ascent was end of January to the summit of Monte Boglia near Lugano, an ascent of 725 meters. 

We decided to hike up to the Renggpass again, a low pass (860m) at the foot of Mount Pilatus, which at one time was the only passage from the southern Alps to Luzern in the North via the Sarnen Valley. (Just about exactly a year ago we also passed over the Renggpass from the North, ending at Alpnachstad. The photos can be found here:  Click Here.) This time we started at Alpnachstad, at lake level (440m), so the climb to the Renggpass was only about a third as much as our last big climb, and even though I was short of breath, the climb went well and a was good one for start of the season. Lots of sunshine and a cool breeze meant that the climb was comfortable. 

From the Renggpass we headed East instead of North over the pass, walking along the ridge of a promontory called Lopper, and then down to Stansstad on the lake. This promontory is a vertical wall on its North side, and we pass through it via a tunnel quite often when we travel by train from Luzern to the Brunig Pass, and for so long now I've wanted to walk along the top. The amazing views from there south into the Sarnen Valley alone was worth the climb. The descent was along a very nice trail built by the military in WWII, and totally refurbished in 2014.

From Luzern heading South by train and approaching the Lopper's North side in Hergiswil, before passing through the tunnel. From where the arrow is, I later took a photo in this direction, before we headed down to Stansstad on the left. 

Shortly after starting our walk at Alpnachstad. The first 20 minutes we had to walk along Lake Alpnachersee, before heading up the mountain.

Up ahead where the house is, we turned left and hiked up the hill in a small ravine. Later on, after reaching the Renggpass, we walked below the peak at the arrow, toward the right.

This trail is actually part of Trail no.98: The Waldstätter Trail, formerly the only passage to the Renggpass and Luzern from the South. The sign says 1 hour 25 minutes from here to the Renggpass. We did it in about 10 minutes less time. 

The regular route would have been over the pass and continuing North to Luzern, but we wanted to walk along the ridge of the Lopper, and then descend along the recently refurbished military-made trail to Stansstad. It was a 3-1/2 hour hike, but other than a blister on my heel, a great hike and not at all tiring. 

The first view back down the Sarnen Valley as we ascend in the little ravine. A wonderful day with a great view of the Bernese Alps to the South.

And to the East of us: Mount Stanserhorn, where the world's only open-top double-decker cable car takes tourists to the summit.

Troops from the Swiss military lived in these caves during WWII to guard the passage in case of an invasion by the Germans

More caves

Arriving at the Renggpass 90 minutes after starting out, and just in time for lunch. Here we encountered a few people making the crossing from the North (from Hergiswil probably)

We sat on a log to eat our picnic lunch, and were watched by this fellow!

The forest leaves are a particularly pretty green at this time of year

Heading eastward along the ridge, across an open Alp where we had the best view down the Sarnen Valley to the South

Looking West at the peaks of Mount Pilatus

And this view South down the Sarnen Valley and to the Bernese Alps made the effort worth it! Although we had heard the traffic from the highway as we climbed the hill, from here you didn't hear much because the traffic passes through a tunnel below us. 

Admiring one of many dry-stone walls built in 2014 to shore up the old trail

Fascinating how the tree grows right out of the cleft in the rock

At a spot directly on top of the ridge, we got a view straight down to Hergiswil on the North side. From here it is a vertical drop, and this view makes the knees go weak!

All over the place, these guys were scooting out of our path. Urs also saw a snake which I flushed off the path. This happens a lot. I walk ahead and don't see the snakes, then Urs sees them as they rush out of my way!

Another stone wall on the zig-zag path down the East side of the mountain

First glimpse of Stansstad and Mount Buochserhorn to the East. The train station that we are heading to is below on the left. Also on the left: Mount Bürgenstock.

 

After a long series of switchbacks, this last trail leads to a small chapel, and then down to the main road. We had to cross the strait on a special pedestrian-bicycle overpass next to the freeway. Behind Stansstad (the mountain on the right) is Mount Bürgenstock.

Almost at lake level. This view is from the chapel

Our approx. 10-km hike up to the Renggpass and along the ridge of the Lopper down to Stansstad. Last Spring we crossed the Renggpass from the North, starting in Horw and taking a different route down to Alpnachstad.