Winter Hike Lungern-Turren to Schönbüel (there and back)

Saturday February 11, 2023 -- After a successful winter hike on the snow-covered trails in Val Lumnezia in Canton Graubünden on Wednesday (those photos are HERE), we decided to do another snow-hike closer to home in the Central Alps of Canton Obwalden. We were hoping for more of a real snow-landscape, which we got.

We chose the winter trail from the summit station of the Lungern-Turren cable-way. This is generally a 2-hour walk (there and back) to the farming hamlet called Breitenfeld (250-m ascent on a wide road prepared for winter walking), but there is a snow-shoe trail another 250m uphill to the mountain restaurant at Schönbüel, and if there is no new snow, this trail is well-trampled from snowshoers and flattened by skiiers, that you can actually do it with regular hiking shoes. We chose this option as it was another sunny day with wonderful visibility, and we wanted a view of the Bernese Alps from higher up (in fact, this region is right on the border with Canton Bern).

Unfortunately for us, the sky got very overcast as we did the second ascent, and the clouds only dispersed (and quickly!) just as we were making our way down again, so our view of the Bernese Alps was with a cloudy sky. Nevertheless, we had loads of sunshine, and it was too warm up there even with just stockings on (I had to remove my pants right at the start!). The snow kept its firmness on the trail for most of the day, so it was another successful winter hike.

To get to the cable-way from the train station in Lungern, you have to walk 1.5 kilometers (20 minutes), which we did on the way there, but there is a free shuttle service (donations optional) operated by community volunteers, and as the shuttle was waiting at the cable-way station, we accepted the ride back to the train station. This was ideal, as we would have missed the train and had to wait another hour at the station.

Riding the train south from Luzern along Lake Sarnen (Sarnersee)

Now passing Lungern Lake (Lugernsee) on the way to our starting point of the village of Lungern. The mountain in the middle is called Wilerhorn, and this is the mountain we mostly saw on our hike

Chapel in Lungern as we head down to the lake from the train station. 

On the south side of Lungern Lake, just past this chapel, is the base station of the Lungern-Turren cable car, which took us up to the spot at the arrow

Riding the Lungern-Turren cable car. Due to bankrupcy issues, this cable-way did not run between 2013 and 2016. These cabins are very new, from 2016.

Just as we ascended in the cable car, the sky became overcast. This view is toward the Brünig Pass, from where you descend to Meiringen

Summit station of the Lungern-Turren cable car. 

When the cableway was first built in 1961, there was an additional section from here all the way up to the restaurant at Schönbüel, which was a real plus as it saved about 500m of uphill! (I rode this in 1990). There was a display of the various cabins/chairlifts in operation at the time. After the cableway was shut down in 2013, they did not reopen the chairlift to Schönbüel

This is the view from the Turren Restaurant near the summit station. Down below is the town of Lungern. The clouds have disappeared again, and I had to remove my pants (stockings underneath) as it was already too warm!

The standard winter trail is to Breitenfeld, about 1hr 10 minutes. We were able to then follow the snowshoe trail to Schönbüel, a total of 5.3 km each way. It actually took us less than an hour to walk to Breitenfeld. 

Winter hiking and snowshoe trails from Turren to Schönbüel. We first had to walk 1.5 km from the train station in Lugern to the cable car station. From Turren to Schönbüel we ascended almost 500 meters, which is more than we usually do on summer hikes! Since it is a snow hike, the standard walking time is usually longer, although our total walking time was just unter three hours. 

Starting out on our uphill hike. We started at 11:50.

This view is back to the restaurant, cable car station and hotel on the Turren ridge

A closer look at Turren

This view is down the valley toward Mt. Stanserhorn (where we came by train, past Lake Sarnersee)

The steep north flank of Mt. Wilerhorn

The conditions on the prepared winter trail were ideal. It was almost too hot up here in the sunshine

A look in the direction of Hasliberg, Gadmer Valley, and possibly the Trift Glacier on the right. 

Fantastic views over the entire Central Alps

A glimpse of the Bernese Alps past the flanks of Mt. Wilerhorn

View is to the east, toward Melchsee-Frutt upper plateau

At the farm at Breitenfeld (12:45, it took us less than an hour to walk here), every possible place to sit was already taken! Every bench in front of every building, including the chapel 

We shared a picnic table with these two ladies and had our lunch here, but did not stay long, as they were non-stop chattering away! (We prefer quiet in the mountains)

An outhouse in the hamlet. And the fabulous view is down the Haslital, toward the Grimsel Pass

Quicker than we imagined, the sky became fully overcast again. That's when we decided to try the second uphill section on the snowshoe trail, instead of returning to Turren. At least this climb wasn't too hot!

45 minutes later we were at the look-out point near the Schönbüel Restaurant (2 p.m.)

Successful lift-off

VIDEO:

Paraglider from Schönbüel

Another view down the Haslital Valley on the left

The Bernese Alps. Further west there is blue sky above the mountains

A closer look at some of the Bernese Alps with blue sky background

VIDEO:

Panorama view of the Bernese Alps

We stayed up here for 20 minutes, and the sky started clearing again. Down below we can see the Turren hotel and restaurant. 

VIDEO:

Panorama view of the Central Alps to the East

Another few minutes we could have walked to the Schönbüel restaurant, but there was no need, as we had been there on a summer hike in 2019; those photos are worth looking at HERE

Finally some sunshine up here before returning back to the farming hamlet at Breitenfeld

Looking down at the hamlet of Breitenfeld

Heading back down to Breitenfeld. Turren cable-car summit station in the circle, start and end of our hike. 

There is no ski lift up here, but lots of skiers "hiking" up to the summit to ski back down to the cable-car station. This dog was a pain. We heard him barking for the rest of our hike, as he excitedly raced down the hill next to the skiers. 

Another look down the Haslital Valley

Back down in Breitenfeld

The chapel in Breitenfeld

Heading back down the walking trail now, back to the cable car station, we get a glimpse of the Schönbüel look-out point where we walked up to earlier. Not a cloud in the sky anymore!

Another look down at Lungern from the restaurant before we got onto the cable car at 3:30 p.m.

A nice view of Lungern Lake (Lungernsee) on the cable car descent

The valley station of the Lungern-Turren cableway. It would have taken us 25 minutes to walk to the train station from here, but the free shuttle bus was waiting there, so we rode back this time. (We would have missed the 4 p.m. train otherwise, and would have had to wait another hour for the next one). 

A team of local pensioners run the free shuttle service, making the trip back and forth between the cable car station and the train station (cable car runs every 20 minutes). Of course everyone donates something for the ride, it's at your own discretion! A great service.

The pale blue line in the center is the hike we did this day, from Turren to Schönbüel and back. Lots of other hikes in this area, including the fabulous hike from Brienzer Rothorn in 2019.

The region of Lungern in Switzerland, just north of the border between Cantons Obwalden and Bern. 

Heading back to Luzern by train, this is a look up the valley to the south, past Lake Alpachnersee

Just past the tunnel in Hergiswil, the fabulous view across Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee) past Bürgenstock on the right, and the flanks of Mt. Rigi on the left.