Riemenstalden Valley to Stoos in Canton Schwyz

Thursday July 29, 2021 -- We are both lucky that our co-workers are willing to trade our days off with us, as this week only Thursday was a nice day. (On our regular day off, Wednesday, it rained for most of the day).

As of the day before, our weather report showed Canton Schwyz nearby was supposed to have the most beautiful sunshine, so we set off on a hike we had planned for a while: Starting in the Riemenstalden Valley with a small cable-car ride, we wanted to walk from the Lidener Swiss Alpine Hostel toward the back of the valley and then over a small pass toward the popular vacation resort village of Stoos. Altogether a 4-hour and 12-km hike with very little difficulty.

What we keep forgetting is that with this much rain, there is lots of fog in the mountains and clouds settling on the peaks, so the sunny forecast is for the valleys, where it's often too hot anyway to walk. And once we got started on this hike we were committed, as the bus runs only once into, and once out of (late afternoon) the valley, and we had already paid for the cable car.... only to be met with a large cloud of fog rolling in at exactly the altitude where we were to start the hike.

So we supported the hosts at the Lidener Hostel (they have sure had a bad year!!!) by purchasing two cups of coffee each and some cake, while waiting for the fog to lift, which it didn't. So we set out to complete the hike anyway, although I will avoid hiking in the fog if at all possible. (In retrospect, I have to admit that the fog makes for some nice photos...) We have to say that at least it wasn't hot, and it didn't rain, but what a shame that we barely had any view (only once or twice a short window opened up). This area of the Muotathal is one I particularly love. We've been in these valleys many times before and the landscape is beautiful, so that was a real shame.

At the very end of our hike as we reached the village of Stoos, that's where we finally had sunshine. We were going to descend on the famous funicular which is the steepest in the world, but our online bus schedule was showing us cancelled bus connections in the Muota Valley, so we took the cable car to Morschach instead.... where weirdly the schedule also showed cancelled buses, so we hitched a ride to Brunnen. In retrospect, we think there was something wrong with the schedule, and not with the bus....

Our ride up from the Riemenstalden Valley to the farm at Gitschen. No sunshine yet but there's still hope because it's only 08:15. One positive: This is a popular area and usually there are lots of people wanting to use this private farmer's cable car, which transports maximum five people, and you usually have to wait quite a bit. This time there was no wait...

At the farm in Gitschen, we have more hope as there is some blue sky showing in the direction of Lake Spilau, a hike we have done several times.

But today's plan is not to go to the lake, but eastward into the valley, with the first stop at the Lidernen Hostel (in the circle). In that direction the fog is looking thick. 

Sure enough, the fog rolled right in. We had a second breakfast here at the hostel (coffee and cake) and waited 45 minutes, but the fog did not clear. 

We decided to complete the hike anyway, even though I generally balk at hiking in the fog (I want some views!). But the alternative was having to pay the cable car again, and a taxi back to the lake at Sisikon... which didn't make sense. Time to reach Stoos is about four hours. 

Heading away from the hostel with the backdrop of thick fog. 

The trail on this side of the valley was wide and easy to walk, not wet or dirty. I actually rather enjoyed it. 

A small lifting of the fog so we can see the beautiful rock formations on this side of the mountain. 

Looking westward back down the Riemenstalden Valley toward Seelisberg. Over there was sunshine all day. (The girls who gave us a ride down to Brunnen later were hiking the ridge hike on the other side of this valley, on the right. They said they could just as well have photographed their bedsheets.)

Still lots of alpine roses covering the hillsides. 

First we descended to valley bottom on these "stairs", so it wasn't slippery, and after that we crossed the Wannentritt at the arrow. There was still hope of the fog lifting. But it only got worse as we got there. 

Some very nice limestone rock formations (karst)

By the time we were heading uphill again toward the Wannentritt, the fog became quite thick

This situation looked very weird, as there was no indication where the trail went from here! Turns out we had to go around the digger and a couple of steep steps up to the tree trunk, which he told us he was in the process of removing. Apparently the masses of rain was making the slope unstable, and the tree trunk was going to bring the whole trail down with it otherwise. 

When we crossed the Wannentritt and came out on the Muotathal side, this is the view we had. We had our picnic lunch here, and waited in the hope that the fog would lift. As it turned out, it did clear for about 15 minutes so we were able to see the geography a bit better in both valleys.

At least the meadow flowers were pretty

Admiring the flowers and butterflies during our lunch break and while waiting for the fog to lift.

Just before we continued on our way, the fog lifted, so we returned to the Wannentritt pass to look into the Riemenstalden Valley. 

A panorama view of the Riemenstalden Valley in a short bit of time when the fog lifted. The arrows are where we walked from. Below is the digger who is fixing the trail.

And here we are continuing on our trail, which goes over the hill to the left of that rocky outcropping which is called Planggstock. It was this clear for only a few minutes, and the fog moved back in. 

Crossing the saddle as the fog is moving in from the other side. 

This little fellow greeted us with great enthusiasm

Looking back at the Planggstock

Being observed by the little boy (?) cows.

Still lots of pretty landscape, even with the low clouds

Looking down into the Muotathal Valley

A photo of the Greater Mythen, possibly the most we will see of it this day?

We had two options to get to Stoos from this point: 1 hr. 35 minutes mostly along a paved road, or 2 hours on a mountain trail. We chose the mountain trail, which also provided us with better views than along the road, but which turned out to be very muddy.

Heading on toward the mountain trail...

Again being observed. 

The mountain trail was tough going, because it was totally soft and muddy from the rains and the cows ruining the trail. There weren't a lot of other options for going right or left, as most of the meadow was like this. 

After about 30 minutes of struggling to find the best way around this hillside, we finally reached less muddy paths. Urs wasn't too happy about this section!

A look across the mountainside to the Planggstock where we had crossed earlier (where the little dog greeted us)

We were very surprised to see marmots here! We usually see them at higher elevations.

And finally, the last stretch to Stoos. Right below is the Klingenstock chair lift station. Further on are other cable cars and the world-renowned funicular. 

Passing by the Klingenstock chair lift station. This takes you to the ridge where you can do the popular ridge hike, which was also in the clouds this day. 

The little chapel at Stoos, and behind it the Mythen mountain. The clouds are lifting a bit and you can see more of the base of the mountain. 

And this is the cable car we took down to Morschach, instead of taking the funicular. 

Riding down with the Morschach cable car, this is a spectacular view of the road that comes out of the Muotathal Valley, plus the two Mythen mountains in the background, now almost fully visible. On the left is the town of Schwyz, the capital city of the Canton of Schwyz.

The four-hour hike from the Gitschen cable car to Stoos via Lidernen Hostel, Wannentritt and Planggstock. 

The trail as viewed on Google Earth Satellite map, including the two cable cars. 

Another favourite area of ours to hike!!! We've also done the popular ridge hike from Fronalpstock to Klingenstock (dark orange trail in the center of the photo)

This area is very close to where we live in Zug

 

Round Tour of the Schijenflue in Partnun (St.Antönien) Prättigau

Wednesday July 21, 2021 -- Taking advantage of a couple of nice days this week, we spent two days in Graubünden (Grisons) with overnight at a nice hotel right at the train station in Küblis in the Prättigau. On Tuesday we did a hike near the Flüela Pass (photos can be viewed HERE), but chose to overnight in Küblis because of the challenging hike (5 hours) which we had planned for Wednesday: A tour of the Schijenflue (a type of massif that forms the border of Switzerland and Austria) near St.Antönien in the Partnun Valley. A bus leaving the train station at 8:17 takes us in 45 minutes to the start of our hike, a connection we could only make if we left home at 5:45 in the morning!

Because we started early (at 9 a.m., and the only people starting the hike from here at that time) and still had some morning shade, we accomplished the first ascent (420m) in 20% less time than expected! In two hours we had made it to the Austrian border at the Plasseggenpass, which was what we'd expected. From there we walked for about 90 minutes within Austria, following the most fantastic karst (limestone) rock formations as we rounded the Schijenflue to the Austrian Hikers' Hostel called Tilisunahütte. The trail was well-tended and easy to walk, and we ran into very few people here, most going the other way. 

The descent back to the Partnun Lake took longer than expected: It looks short on the map, but the terrain consists of lots of Karst Rock, some of them quite slippery from lots of footsteps, as we descended 520m in altitude to the Alpenrösli Hotel, where we had enough time for Urs to finally enjoy his ice cream sundae which he had to do without the day before! From there the small bus (you have to reserve the pick-up) collected us at 16:20 for the descent, and we were home by 8 p.m.! 

Similar to the recent hike we did in the Aletsch Region, even though this hike was a good five hours of pure walking time, we were not at all tired. The landscape was so stunning, the trail varied, and the fact that we crossed the Austrian/Swiss border four times was a hoot! (Twice was just a tiny side-trip, an otherwise shorter route back to the lake).

(NOTE: The road that the mini-bus takes from St.Antönien to the Alpenrösli hotel is converted into a walking and sledding trail in winter. We walked -- and sledded -- that trail in January 2017 and the Schijenflue massif was so spectacular in the winter light, that we had determined then already to do this round tour some time in summer. Those photos can be viewed HERE)....

This is how close we were to the train station at our hotel (Hotel Terminus) in Küblis. We had just basically walked out the front door and around the corner!

After a 45-minute bus ride (or rather two buses... we had to change to a smaller bus which we had to reserve ahead of time and pay a 4 SFr. supplement), we reach the back of the Partnun Valley and see the mountain massif that we are walking around. 

We were the only people to get off here, one stop short of Partnun Lake. The other people (about 10) were heading up to the lake. So we did most of the hike without anyone else going the same way. The massif in the back is called Sulzfluh, we descended next to that one. 

A look down the Partnun Valley where we had just come up by bus. A few years ago we hiked up that road to this same place in winter, as they convert the road into a winter walking and sledding trail

When we were here in Partnunstafel in January 2017 on our winter hike, it gave us the idea that we wanted to walk around this mountain. 

The "Tour of the Schijenflue" is listed as a 4.5-hour hike, but it does take a bit longer, as the section from the Tilisuna Pass to the lake is over rocky terrain and requires some care. 

The first uphill section was around this cliff with the fabulous huge caves.

Part of our ascent along the cliffs was still in morning shadow, so we made good time. The view is toward the peak called Sulzfluh, which is also part of the Austrian/Swiss border

A marmot had peeked out of one of the holes in the cliff...

Here's the little marmot hiding in the hole!

The entire hillside in the background was covered in alpine roses. You can just see the pink overlay!

Up on this high plateau, with the view into the Partnun Valley, the rock is limestone which is very porous, and often sinkholes such as this one are created.

As we made our way to the Plasseggen Pass (to cross into Austria), we walked across a type of high plateau encircled with peaks which form the Austrian/Swiss border (this is still the Swiss side)

I find this landscape absolutely fascinating

It took us almost exactly the suggested two hours to reach the Plasseggen Pass at 2354m. On this photo I am currently still in Switzerland, but ahead of me, as well as behind the mountains in the back is Austria

It took us almost exactly the suggested two hours to reach the Plasseggen Pass at 2354m. These slopes are now Austrian!

Standing at the Swiss/Austrian border. The sign tells us we are crossing into Austria!

Admiring the Austrian Alps, including the tiny toll-house....

Austrian Gentians.

Austrians apparently mark their hiking trails with Blue/Yellow, but I found it amusing that here on this trail, most of the Austrian markers were painted over by the Swiss White/Red/White!

We are surprised to still see snow up here!

And another marmot on our trail!

The trail was smooth and very easy to walk 

A sign indicating that we are on the Plasseggen Trail. Switzerland in the direction to the left, Austria to the right!

We had another short climb to the second pass called Gruoben Pass, which we could have crossed back into Switzerland here, then the whole hike would have been about 45 minutes shorter. 

Just for fun, we crossed the Gruoben Pass back into Switzerland for this photo, then we returned to the trail into Austria again. Behind me is the Sulzfluh Massif, which is on the other side of the Partnun Valley which we descended from the right. 

These limestone (karst) rock formations are simply magnificent.

Up ahead on the Austrian side is the former toll house for the next pass into Switzerland. Apparently there was a lot of smuggling going on here, in the olden days. 

Rounding another corner, we see the next pass that we are going to take back to Switzerland, the Tilisuna Fürggli

But first we have to pass by the Tilisuna Hostel, where we hoped to fill our bottles with water from this fountain. Unfortunately the water was not turned on, and a notice claimed "Water not potable", which we think is a ruse to get you to buy drinks at the hostel restaurant!

We passed by the hostel, then walked to the pass, which was only another ten minutes

More of this fantastic karst landscape.

Just a few more steps and we get to the sign that now says we are entering back into Switzerland!

Here we are at the Tilisuna Fürggli. Behind me is the last of the Austrian landscape, before we now make the long and rather slow descent to the Partnun Lake (the karst rocks were smooth and slippery). 

Panorama view of the descent back into the Partnun Valley. Our trail curves back to the left and along the green slope. We came up behind that peak, which is actually a different rock than the limestone on the other side. 

Looking back at the Austrian/Swiss border. This descent was a bit tricky, and I actually slipped on one of the rocks. 

To my right the magnificent Sulzfluh massif

And on the left, the crags of the Wissplatte and Schijenfluh which we passed on the other side, going the other way.

First glimpse of Lake Partnun and the long trail leading down the hill. I found this trail a bit tricky, as it had a gravel surface and an incline just steep enough to slip on the gravel

A look back at the trail we descended and toward the pass (upper right)

Once we got to the lake, we didn't stay long. Just 15 minutes beyond the lake, an ice cream sundae and cold Panachés at the Alpenrösli Gasthaus are beckoning. 

At the South end of the lake, another look back at the section we had just descended

Descending to the Alpenrösli hotel, where the small bus is going to pick us up. 

Berghaus Alpenrösli with the Sulzfluz massif as background. The 16:20 bus comes up here to pick up the people who made reservations (there were about eight of us). 

FINALLY, Urs gets his ice cream sundae! I prefer just the cold drink

Heading back down the hill in the bus-van, we pass the place where we started our hike seven hours earlier. Past those caves and around that cliff....

Switching to the larger bus for the ride back down to Küblis train station

A final look back at the gorgeous Schijenfluh. A very successful hike with the best possible weather. And not a bit tired even after five hours of hiking

Altogether 12 km, 880m ascent, and almost five hours of straight hiking (we started at 09:10 and were back at the Alpenrösli at 15:30)

How the round-tour trail looks on Google Earth Maps. The light yellow line is the Austrian-Swiss border. The rock on the Austrian side is light limestone, and on the Swiss side it's dark Silvretta. Totally fascinating.

Location on the Swiss map. A little section of mountain along the Austrian/Swiss border.