Zurich-Zugerland Panorama Trail from Uetliberg to Albis Pass

Sunday February 27, 2022 -- Back in Switzerland after four weeks of visiting my son in the USA, and we are back at our hiking, something we just HAVE to do whenever the weather permits!

It was a beautiful sunny weekend but icy cold with a north wind blowing. Nevertheless, we did a 3-hour, 10-km hike along the Albis Range (which separates our region around Lake Zug from Lake Zurich), starting at Mt.Uetliberg, which is Zurich's home mountain, and ending at the Albis Pass. Being a nice Sunday afternoon, there were many people up here, but the walkers soon spread out from the ones who were up here to simply enjoy the view and maybe have a meal in one of the many restaurants along the trail. 

We had very nice views of the eastern Alps and Lake Zurich, but I was glad to get back on the bus to go home and get out of the icy wind! Also one good thing about this choice of hike is that it's only a little over an hour for us to get there or back...

NOTE: We did this same hike in 2014, but I remember it totally differently.  About half-way along the stretch is a restaurant called the Chnusperhüsli which features characters from the popular "Max and Moritz" books (written by the German poet Wilhelm Busch). The theme seemed way more developed last time (also we didn't go in this time). Perhaps a change of ownership?

To get up to Mt.Uetliberg, the "Top of Zurich", there is a special train that ends here. 

On the steps of the viewing tower. First we wanted to to up, but it was so icy cold and windy, so we decided to go up the tower a different day. 

The viewing tower at Uto Kulm (summit of Mt.Uetliberg)

Off we go on our three-hour hike

A look back at Uto Kulm, which is the summit of Mt.Uetliberg. Restaurant on the left, viewing tower, and TV tower. 

This section is actually Stage 1 of Trail no.47: "Zurich-Zugerland Panorama Trail". Since the trail is along a ridge, you get views on both sides across Canton Zurich and Canton Zug

A view to the Southeast, across the region around Lake Zurich, and the Glarnisch Alps in the background

Lots of wind today for paragliding!

Most of the 10-km stretch was along this paved road. You can see from my posture how cold and windy it is!

A look Northeast to the "suburbs" of Zurich on the far side of the lake

Another look Southeast

About 45 minutes along the ridge is the new radio tower from Swisscom, built 2020-2021. The old cement tower dates from 1963 and is in the process of being taken apart and removed.

A cable car connects Adliswil to Felsenegg. Many people walk from Uetliberg to here, and take the cable car down. It would have been an option for us to end here as well, due to the cold, but we persevered. We still had 90 minutes to go, though!

As the sun heads more to the West, the view becomes clearer

This collection of buildings is called Buchenegg, and this is also a sort of pass, with a road running up and over the mountain here. The Buchenegg restaurant on the left was quite busy, but we saw no one at the Chnusperhüsli on the right. 

This is the "Chnusperhüsli" a restaurant with the "Max & Moritz" theme, a popular children's book about two very misbehaved boys, by the German poet Wilhelm Busch

The Chnusperhüsli looks totally different than 7 years ago when I was last here. I also remember a large playground!

Here is what the inside of the Chnusperhüsli looks like (January 2014). In the story, the bad boys had put may bugs in their teachers's bed!

Final stretch heading down to the Albis Pass

Here we get the first glimpses of Lake Zug to the south, and the Alps of Central Switzerland as well as the Bernese Alps on the right. 

At the Albis Pass

The almost 11-km stretch between Uetliberg and the Albis Pass took us a little over three hours. The trail continues along the ridge to Sihlbrugg, another three hours. We have walked the second section a couple of times already as well.