A Section of the ViaSuworov Trail from Schächental to Muotathal

Sunday July 5 -- General Alexander Suvorov, considered to be one of the most talented military commanders in world history, marched his troops through Switzerland in 1799 during the French Revolutionary Wars, after driving the French Troops out of Italy and being recalled via Switzerland. On his way, he met resistance at Lake Uri and had to divert his troops over the mountain to get to the Muotathal Valley. There are several monuments to him along the 170-km themed trail created in his honour: ViaSuworow (Regional Trial no.55 from Airolo to Ilanz via Muothathal). 

It has been my desire for a long time to hike the section from the Schächental Valley to Muotathal, a 15-km, 5-hour hike with a very long descent of about 1500m altitude. (Also near to our home in the same region as the 2-day hike we recently did). Of course we were able to start with a cable-car ride, which took us to within 90 minutes of the Chinzig Chulm Pass, and unlike Suvorov and his 22,000 troops, who had to make the crossing with their heavy field guns in bad weather at the onset of winter, we had another fantastically beautiful day for this new adventure. Technically, though, we didn't quite follow his route, as his descent through the narrow Chinzig Valley was dark and in shadow, even on this July day. We opted for a slightly longer trail that kept us up higher for longer and allowed us a nice long rest at an alpine lake, before the long, although not-at-all strenuous descent to Muotathal.

More sightings of marmots and chamois, as on our previous three hikes! And very few people on our trail again as well....

The excursion starts with a cable-car ride from Bürglen in the Schächental Valley below (a place we have been often) to the Biel-Kinzig summit station

Riding the Biel-Kinzig Cable Car

Here's the trail we picked: 90 minutes to walk to the pass, an hour more to the Seenalp (lake) and a total of 5 hours to Muotathal, although for us that probably means about 6 hours!

08:30 -- Heading up the hill toward the trail that takes us up to the Chinzig-Chulm pass

And a look back at the massif that we had spent two days at just earlier in the week. (Sittlisalp is where we had started, then walked to the top of the Hoch Fulen, overnighted at the Seewli Lake just behind that, and on the next day walked down to Haldi.) It's always fun to see where we've been from a different point of view!

Filling up our bottles with fresh mountain water, before heading up to the Chinzig Chulm Pass. Suvarov walked up here with 22,000 soldieres! Can't imagine it.

Our easier path across the back of the alp. A few other hikers went up the higher alpine trail, a more direct way.

Beautiful rock formations up here

We saw two chamois in the early morning shady side of the mountain. Always a thrill to watch them move on the slopes

VIDEO:

Powerful Chamois racing up the slope

as he saw us on the trail, early morning

Final ascent to the pass. Because this is the shady side, it was a pleasantly cool climb.

At the Chinzig Chulm Pass, looking southwards toward Hoch Fulen, the Reuss Valley and the Uri Alps

This is part of Trail no.55: ViaSuworow

A commemoration to Generalissumus Suvarov's crossing of Chinzig Chulm in Fall of 1799

At the Chinzig Chulm Pass

From here we look down the Chinzig Valley, where the troops actually passed. We chose a trail further to the left

Behind us to the Southeast, near the Klausenpass in the Schächental Valley, is Mt. Schärhorn, one of my favourite mountains.

Directly to our West and on the other side of Lake Uri is Mount Gitschenen. Urs has climbed to the top of that one in his younger days.

The rock here is called karst, and the ground is very porous. Water sickers away quickly and finds its way through underground tunnels. Near here is the largest series of underground caves in Europe. Also, sometimes holes simply open up in the ground....

A single patch of snow that we had to cross here!

Ahead of us is a peak called Rossstock, which apparently many people have climbed up this Saturday morning! (Ascent is from the other side).

This sheep was trying to make its way to its flock behind us. For a moment I thought he might charge us!

First view of the Seenalp Lake where we had a 1-hour lunch break. It took us another full hour to get to the lake

A large upper moor landscape

More fantastic rock formations. There is a trail across this large heap of fallen rocks

Almost there!

We found a nice place in the meadow near the lake for a one-hour lunch break and a quick nap before continuing on the second half of our hike: All downhill from here

Small mountain trail all the way, very interesting to walk.

Actually there is a road all the way up to the lake, but cars can only go as far as that curve below. In any case, the trail continues down that valley at the back.

Almost down at the river (called Wängibach)

A welcome long flat stretch and a look back at the valley where Suvarov crossed with his troops.

A herd of goats joined us for the stretch into the little hamlet of Lipplisbüel, a scattering of vacation houses just over 1 hour by foot from Muotathal, but easily accessible by car. 

Lipplisbüel, where we stopped at the Gasthaus for Panaché and Ice Cream Sundae.

From Lipplisbüel the final 1-hour stretch into Muotathal was through the forest and a small ravine. We were glad for the shade now!

Nearing the bottom of the Muotathal Valley

Muotathal Valley below

Cool and refreshing in the ravine

A look backwards into the canyon (ravine) we just descended.

Just a few meters more to the main road in Hinterthal (Muotathal), where we caught a bus back to the train station in Schwyz. This Valley to the East is where the troops continued, over the Pragel Pass and to Glarus, past Lake Klöntalersee, a hike we did in 2016 but in the other direction.

General Suvarov was a guest in the Muotathal Monastery during his 1799 campaign, a historical fact that the locals are very proud of.

In Yellow our 15-km hike, took us at least 5 hours 30 minutes of walking. With all the breaks, we arrived in Hinterthal 8 hours after starting our hike in the Schächental Valley

Stage 6 of the ViaSuwarow Trail from Biel-Kinzig in the Schächental Valley, to Hinterthal in the Muotathal Valley (15 km)

When we were at the Haldi Plateau on the South side of the Schächental Valley less than a week earlier, this is what the Chinzig Chulm Pass looked like from that vantage point. We can take a cable car to within 90 minutes hike of the pass, but the 21,000 soldiers and 6000 horses had to walk up from the valley bottom!