Part of the Schächental Höhenweg from Klausen Pass to Tristel Cable-Car

(This blog entry published on April 28, 2023)

Wednesday October 5, 2022 -- Another beautiful day for a fall hike and the last day my sister was here before flying to her next destination. It had to be a very special hike. 

One of our very favourite places is the Schächen Valley, and especially the Klausen Pass into the Urner Valley, one of the most beautiful pass regions in Switzerland. Usually in the fall, the bus runs to the pass only until mid September, but since this September was such a beautiful month, the company decided to run the bus till mid-October instead, so it was a lucky thing that we could take this trip to the Klausen Pass with my sister.

Starting at the pass, there is a popular 22-km high trail called the "Schächentaler Höhenweg" (Schächen Valley High Trail) which we have walked in several short stretches as there are various cable cars along the way that you can use to start and end various stretches. The section we walked with my sister this day, starting at the pass itself and walking westward, is one we still needed, to finish the trail. 

The day was spectacular, starting with the train ride along Lake Zug and clear views right to the Bernese Alps, then the magnificent Uri Alps along Lake Uri, the fantastic bus ride along the winding pass road, the easy trail and mountain pastures, the clarity of the views, and right down to our ride with the cargo cable car back down to the road to catch the bus out of the valley. 

There are too many fantastic photos to choose from (both mine and my sisters), so this album is a long one! After so many bad weather days end of September, we could not have asked for a better day for this.

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Of course the excursion starts with the fabulous trip there, first by train along Lake Zug and to Altdorf, then by bus to the Klausen Pass.

On a clear day we can see the Bernese Alps across Lake Zug (Jungfrau/Eiger/Mönch on the right, 3970m and higher, plus the highest of the Bernese Alps in the center: Mt.Finsteraarhorn, 4274 meters)

Traveling down the east side of Lake Zug heading South, we can see the Bernese Alps, Mt. Pilatus and Mt. Rigi.

One of my favourite stretches on the East side of Lake Uri (at Sisikon)

Heading by bus now into the Schächen Valley, a look back over Bürglen and Altdorf. It is currently 9:45

Up ahead is the church in Bürglen (allegedly the birthplace of William Tell), and we are now heading into the beautiful Schächental.

A monument to William Tell in Bürglen

Such clear views and lovely fall colours

The road zigzags up and we alternately get views down the valley, as here....

VIDEO:

Taking video footage when sitting on the front seat next to the driver is always fun.

..... and a look into the Brunni Valley to the south as we pass through the village of Unterschächen....

...and a look to the east way up to the Klausen Pass

Inside the hairpin turn at Urigen is the old post building, now a restaurant

So many lovely fall-coloured trees

On this beautiful day they had to run two buses to the pass, there were that many people taking advantage of the fall weather (after 10 days of cold and rain)

The craggy peaks of the Schächentaler Windgällen range. Later on we walked back below those cliffs.

There is no way to walk along this road, it is barely wide enough for the bus and a car to pass!

Near the pass now, a close look at one of my favourite mountains, Mt. Schärhorn

Once we got to the Klausen Pass, before starting on our hike heading West back the way we came (along the Schächen Valley), we first walked a short way to the East to have a look into the equally beautiful valley on the other side, the Urnerboden. 

Klausen Pass, 1952 meters above sea level

The spectacular cliffs to the north of the Klausen Pass

Looking east into the equally fabulous Urnerboden Valley, as the Klausen Pass road snakes its way down there. In the back are the Glarus Alps. In October 2021, Urs and I walked down from the Klausen Pass across this valley. Those photos are HERE. On the mountainside on the right is another regional trail called the "Clariden Höhenweg", or "Clariden High Trail", which we have also walked twice.

The chapel at the pass, where we officially start on our hike. 

Ratzi is the more popular small-cabin cable car to return to Spiringen, but we are going about the same distance, but to a lesser-known cableway called Tristel. 

The section of the high trail which we did this day was about 12 of the 22 kilometers, and about 3-1/2 hrs of walking to one of the cable-cars which would take us back to the main pass road. We started on the hike at 11:10.

Description of the Schächental High Trail, a 22-km high trail along the sunny side of the Schächen Valley

Starting off on our hike westward, we will be passing through that alpine pasture behind us. 

I believe this beautiful peak is the Gross Windgällen, part of the range which separates this valley from the Maderaner Valley to the south. 

There are always many streams to cross!

Looking to the south across the high moor, past the Schächen Valley below and to Mount Schärhorn. On the alpine pasture across the valley (on the right of the photo; the farm is called Oberalp) is another small cable car which we rode in June of this same year, those photos are HERE

The ridge behind me is called the "Balmer Bändli"  (Balmer Band)

Looking behind us back to the Klausen Pass and the new hotel along the Klausen Pass Road. We walked along that trail below the hotel and parallel to the road, to get to this point, which is the more popular starting point of the Schächental High Trail. 

This was a surprise! Obviously a pig, but with a coat like sheep? A wooly pig!

Wooly pigs are actually a Hungarian breed of pigs and the only race of pigs left with a wooly coat. They are called Mangalitza pigs

VIDEO:

Wooly pigs

A panorama view to the South, across the Schächen Valley, to Mt. Schärhorn. In July 2016 we walked from the Klausen Pass down into the Schächen Valley via the Stäuben Waterfalls, along the upper trail just below the snow-line. Those photos are HERE. In September of 2020 I hiked alone from the Klausen Pass to Wannelenalp which is all the way on the right. Those photos are HERE.

So many fantastic views to enjoy. Down below is the village of Unterschächen which we passed through by bus on the way up to the Pass. The Brunni Valley extends to the left. 

A better look down into the Schächental. On the left is another upper alpine meadow called Wannelenalp, from where we have descended three times already with the local cable car.  

Heading westward along the high trail, with the Schächental Windgällen cliffs ahead of us. 

A small farm called Heidmannegg features a mountain restaurant (which we did not stop at) and a self-serve shop (where we did stop, to purchase some sausages this time).

The self-serve (fridge) at Heidmannegg, offering locally-produced products (cheeses, sausages, caramels)

Back on the trail heading westward

Another view of the village of Unterschächen below

A look behind us at the trail we walked from the pass

And now a look into the Brunni Valley, and the back of the Gross-Ruchen mountains, which form the largest North Face of the alps. The large meadow in the center is called Sittlisalp, another place we have been to several times. In fact, one of the first hikes of the 2016 season was from that alp via the back of the Brunni Valley to Wannelenalp on the left. Those photos are HERE.

Our trail continues above that little cluster of buildings and into the trees, but in October 2017, when I did a hike on my own across the Balmeter Ridge, I walked along a same section of the high trail here (also passing by the Heidmannegg Farm), but descended back to the Klausen Pass road here at this point. (Photos HERE)

Some more fall colours

The Schächentaler Windgällen in the background. On the right is a large region of fences to prevent avalanches in winter. 

We encountered a local mountain man who spends his time in the mountains digging out roots of a certain plant from which he creates a Schnapps which he uses for all kinds of ailments for himself and his cows. 

We can now see the entrance of the Schächen Valley where it joins the Reuss Valley at Bürglen and Altdorf. 

VIDEO:

There were still some cows up here, which is unusual for this late in the season. Normally the cows are returned to valley bottom mid-September, but because it was such nice weather mostly, they were left up here as long as possible

The cows from the video are on the hillside above us. Here is the point at which National Trail no.1 descends to Urigen (we stayed on the high trail a while longer)

Below is the curve in the Klausen Pass Road which passes by the old Post Building / restaurant which we saw earlier in the day from the bus. 

Another look behind us now, as we have passed the entrance to the Brunni Valley. On the east side of the Brunni Valley is the "Wäspen", which is the summit we walked to in June 2022, those photos again are HERE

Another closer look at Mount Schärhorn on the right.

Heading down the hill now toward the Tristel cable car station, we passed through a couple of farm propertes. These 3-m high hay stacks are called "Tristen", and they are a mountain tradition with specific instructions on how to build them correctly. 

The little shed which houses the Tristel Cable-Car. To operate the cable car, we had to pick up and pay for some tokens at a neighbouring farm, which Urs did, while we checked out the shed...

In actuality, we were supposed to sit in the closed part of the cabin (which is where Urs sat), but we sat in the cargo section, as we had a much better view that way! The sign "Attention, Cable-Car, 2.4 meters) is on the road below the shed. 

The view as we headed down the hill in the little cable car

Passing over some farms....

Sometimes the birds like to rest on the cables!!!

The Tristel cable-way consists of two sections. Here at this farm we had to switch. Our cabin docked on the right, and we had to walk over to the shed on the left for the second section.

This is the second cable car we took for the section down to Spiringen. 

There is a bus stop right in front of the building which shelters the cable-car (for a ride UP the mountain from here, you also have to pick up tokens at the house across the street, or the little shop close by).

We stopped in the shop in Spiringen to buy refreshments, then walked to the next bus stop at the curve in the road. There wasn't enough time to go see the inside of the church. By now it's 5 p.m. and the sun is setting. 

Then after catching the bus back to Altdorf, we had about 10 minutes to wait at the Tell Monument for our connecting bus to the train station. The "Türmli" (Little Tower) was open, so we raced up the stairs inside it to see what there was to see. A view over the town of Altdorf, but unfortunately it was dusk already and the light was low. 

The Tell monument in front of the "Little Tower" since 1895. Other buildings in Altdorf

The "Little Tower" itself dates from the 13th Century. This is the first time I have been inside the little tower, even though we have been in Altdorf a dozen times or more

A view over the rooftops of Altdorf. Unfortunately the sun has gone down and the lighting is poor....

And a final stop at the bakery at Altdorf train station to get a snack for the trip back home....

These are all the sections of the Schächental High Trail from Klausen Pass to Eggbergen (22 km) which we have now completed!!! (The section we did this day is the orange line from the pass to the first cable car line above Spiringen). 

And just for reference, these are all the hikes we did on the south side of the Schächental, and the various alpine meadows we visited, with their respective cable cars. This is the view we had along the High Trail.

Location of the Schächen Valley in Switzerland, just 70 km from where we live, and very easy for us to access.