Another Farmer's Cable Car at Oberrickenbach in the Engelberg Valley

Sunday June 27, 2021 -- Because we did a long hike the day before, this one we kept short and close to home. We traveled to Oberrickenbach off the Engelberg Valley, the starting point for several cable cars to higher elevations. The most popular are two cable cars to Lake Bannalpsee, a family destination for barbecuing along the lake, and the start of the popular Walenpfad Trail to Engelberg (currently closed due to too much snow still).

The other three cable cars are farmer's cable cars (called Buiräbähnli), one of which we had yet to ride, so that was the main point of this day's excursion. And as most people are not familiar with these, we were, once again, the only people who got off here to ride the cable car! We called the lady who owns the Schmiedsboden Farm at the top, and she instructed us on how to operate the cable car. These cable cars also give us the opportunity to chat with the locals. She introduced us to her pet goat, who follows her like a dog.

The cable car costs only 5 SFr. each to ride, and saves us 300m of ascent to a hillside we hadn't walked before. We still had to climb another 400m or so to the highest point of our tour, but it was a lot through the forest which protected a bit from the heat. On our way we "borrowed" a bench from a farmhouse where the owner wasn't there this day, for our picnic lunch. Besides the fantasic views into the Engelberg Valley, the North end of our loop also overlooked the South end of Lake Lucerne (Bürgenstock, Stans, etc.). And on the way back, we followed the Nidwaldner Höhenweg (Nidwalden High Trail) all the way back down to Oberrickenbach. Altogether an approx. 3-hour hike, in a landscape we love.

From Luzern, we took the train toward Engelberg, transferring here in Wolfenschiessen to a bus up to Oberrickenbach.

Here we are ascending from the Engelberg Valley into a side valley to Oberrickenbach, where there are five cable cars, three of which are the rustic farmer's cable cars. Across the valley on this photo, on the other hillside, are another four of these farmer's cable cars, and two more on this side. 

We were the only people who got off here, at the church in Oberrickenbach. All the others went to the final stop, where they will go up by cable car to Lake Bannalpsee

Here's the bus stop, behind the cable car station

The Schmiedsboden cable car. We phoned up from inside the car, and the owner told us which buttons to push to operate the cable-car

Of all the farmer's cable cars we have ridden, this was probably the least "rustic"!

Passing over another farm. See the shadow of the cable car?

Up at the Schmiedsboden farm, Mrs. Wicki-Waser met us at the cable-car shed with her goat-dog, and we followed her to the house to pay for the ride and buy some home-made sausages.

Instead of a dog, this farm has a goat.

And cows. These mountain farmers make a living from the milk of these cows. In fact, the owner's son was right then mowing one of the mountainsides for hay.

From Wolfenschiessen we took the bus to Oberrickenbach, then the "Buiräbähnli" to Schmiedsboden farm. We still had quite a bit of uphill to walk! But then we returned via the "Niedwaldner Höhenweg" past the Brändlen cable-car -- which is also a "Buiräbähnli" -- and finished the loop by walking down to Oberrickenbach. 

Heading uphill from the Schmiedsboden farm. There is no street access here, and the family relies on the cable car both summer and winter to access the valley. 

High above the village of Oberrickenbach

It was a very hot day. Even though we started at 10 a.m., we were glad that a large part of the hike was through the forest

There was another cable car which also started below at Oberrickenbach, but this one is massive and seems to be for forestry work. It is not open for public use.

Some interesting funghi

The Engelberg Tourist Bureau has created an official "Buiräbähnli" trail, a 46-km loop tour which includes rides on 7 or 8 of these cable cars. 

At the highest point of our hike, we could see down into the Engelberg valley, and the top of that hill called Wellenberg

Panorama view of this part of Canton Nidwalden

Down below is the village of Oberrickenbach

Narrow forest and meadow trails

On the North side of the loop, we are across from Wirzweli and Mt. Stanserhorn

We couldn't find a bench anywhere to stop for lunch. At this cute house, the owners weren't home, so we moved their bench out from behind the table a bit for a good place to rest. We made sure to put the bench back exactly where it was!

Daisies are the happiest flowers

Up ahead of us is Mt. Bürgenstock, and you can see a piece of lake Lucerne.

The northernmost part of our loop. Here we join the "Nidwaldner Höhenweg", or "Nidwalden High Trail" to return to Oberrickenbach

A long section through cool forests

Trail 88 is the Nidwaldner Höhenweg. Along this trail we pass above the Brändlen cable car, another of those Farmer's Cable Cars

Below is the Engelberg Valley. The river is called Engelberger Aa. On the left is Mt. Stanserhorn and the town of Dallenwil. In the back is Mt. Bürgenstock

Last stretch through lots of meadows before the descent to Oberrickenbach

A zoomed view of the two cable car "sheds" where we started. The one on the left belongs to the Schmiedsboden Farm. The one on the right is the larger, forestry-used one, not open to the public. 

Almost back in Oberrickenbach. 

Was this done on purpose?

A shady spot in front of the church, to wait for the bus

A look uphill to the Schmiedsboden farm where we started on our hike

Another group of hikers has joined us at the bus stop for the bus ride back down to Wolfenschiessen. There is no bus service between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., so starting at 10 a.m. on our hike, we timed it so we would be back down just shortly before 2 p.m.

This hike gave us the chance to try out the Schmiedsboden cable car. Starting at 10 a.m. at the top, we got back to Oberrickenbach at 13:45, 20 minutes early for the next bus. 

The loop trail as shown on Google Earth, with the other farmer's cable cars in the area (the ones we have already used). Most people go up to Lake Bannalpsee.

Another favourite area of ours to hike in!