From the Back of Sihl Valley to Lake Wägitalersee in the Wägital

Saturday May 27, 2023 -- With lots of sunshine in the forecast, we wanted to do a mountain hike, something that hadn't really been possible till now. 

In May of 2020 we did a very satisfactory hike starting at Lake Wägital, a lesser-known lake in Canton Schwyz not far from where we live, hiking up and over into the next valley to another lake called Sihlsee (Those photos are HERE). On that hike we saw a farm on a crest (this one HERE) and figured we'd come back one day and walk past there. Also, the backdrop of the Schwyzer Alps was spectacular. 

And then in May of last year we were in the region again, on another beautiful day with great visibility of the snow-covered peaks and the beautiful lake (those photos are HERE), and since those two trips I have wanted to go again. This day seemed like the perfect day, and we picked a different route, starting past the south end of Lake Sihlsee on the western side, and walking to the Fläschli Pass, and across the crest down to Lake Wägitalersee to the east. 

Perhaps we should have waited another month and not made it a May hike once again. From last year's hike I remembered that the trails were wet and muddy, and this was the case again (it is generally a marshy region). But it would have been OK if we'd only had the sunshine we were promised! For 90 minutes uphill through lovely forests we did have sunshine, but once we got to the pass, the sky was suddenly and quickly overcast, and a cold wind was blowing, and just on this day I had forgotten my jacket. 

At the end of the hike, on our last descent to the lake, is where we finally had the afternoon sunshine. 

From Einsiedeln we take the bus across Lake Sihlsee, which has so much more water now than when we were here in February (those photos HERE)

There are two valleys South of Lake Sihlsee, and this village of Studen is at the junction. Our hike to the Fläschli Pass (off photo on the left) starts just past this village in the Sihl Valley. We were disappointed that the air was so hazy, as we were hoping for clear views again. 

Our first goal is the Fläschli Pass (or Fläschlihöchi). 90 minutes is the general time it takes to walk up the 460 meters (altitude) to the pass. We did it in 1 hr. 45 minutes, with a stop to change into shorts!

Heading east across the pastureland toward the forest for our ascent to the Fläschli Pass

This was a very long hike for us, 4 hours and 20 minutes. We started at the final bus stop into the Sihl Valley at 10:15, and made it to the bus stop at the dam at the north end of Lake Wägital at 15:45. We didn't have any views of the lake until Eggstofel. The crest hike would have been more enjoyable if we had had sunshine there, and less wet trails. 

30 minutes after starting out, and following forestry trails, we reached the narrow forest trail up the mountain. 

The first section up the mountain was on a good forest trail along a kind of ridge. At some points it was quite steep. Looking down in the ravine to the North, we even saw a chamois.

One of just two glimpses we had of the Sihl Valley where we started on our hike (to the left of the village below)

After the first uphill section, we had a 1-km flat section along a forestry road, and there were dozens of these HUGE Roman Snails on the road (I moved a few to the side, but am never sure that's the direction they were planning to go!). Most of these were about 5 cm in diameter!

One kilometer along this road, with dozens of Roman snails on all sides, before the next ascent

A single view to the West past the other valley (called Alptal), and you can just make out the peaks of the Mythen mountains. 

On the second 10-minute ascent to the pass, we were already getting into marshy territory. These wooden walkways were good to walk on

Steps all the way up to the pass

With the sun at this point, it was a pleasant ascent

We got to the pass just after noon, and had our picnic lunch here. We were so hoping for a really clear view of the mountains to the east. But the low clouds over the lake were a real disappointment, and they soon blocked the sunshine. 

From the Fläschli Pass, we still had some uphill climbing to do. A lot of the trail was wet and peaty

It's always a thrill to see the first Gentians of the season

These wooden walkways were welcome in the marshy regions, but many of them were so rotted away that the boards were non-existent

A moment of sunshine

Finally a dry section as we make our way along the crest

Up ahead is the Eggstofel Farm, which had looked so idyllic from the hillside further north, where we had walked in 2020. There was sunshine there, but here we had shade and it was cold!

The popular Chli Aubrig peak on the left is all bathed in sunlight!!!! (That's where there were so many people up there on our 2020 hike). Our trail takes us to the right. 

Finally we have reached the "level" of sunlight, where the clouds were no longer in the way. This is the Eggstofel farm. 

Eggstofel Farm

To the south, the clouds are still low on the peaks. We caught a bus at the dam 20 minutes short of Innerthal, so 1 hr. and 15 minutes from here. 

First glimpse of Lake Wägitalersee as we make our final descent

Like snow in the fields

I looked all over the Internet to find out what breed of goats these are, but could not find any information. Many of them looked pregnant and fairly ready to give birth. 

A bit more of the lake, 

Continuing down a forestry road

Finally we reached lake level. Directly across is the village of Innerthal

Close-up look at Innerthal, where the bus ends its run up the valley from Lake Zurich. 

These goats are easier to identify, they are Boer Goats (Burenziegen) imported from South Africa

Another 20 minutes to go along this road, and across the dam

Water from the mountains enters the lake here

View from the bridge

Crossing the dam, a view to the back of the lake. We descended via that red building on the right

A look down the north side of the dam

Waiting for the bus at the stop near the dam. We got here at 15:45, slightly too early for the bus. We were already home just after 5:30 p.m.!

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps. View is to the south. We started near Studen near the back of the Sihl Valley, and walked to the north end of Lake Wägital. 

The various hikes we have now done around Lake Wägitalersee

Location of Einsiedeln, Lake Sihlsee, and Lake Wägitalersee in Switzerland. This is under two hours by public transit for us. (Return was 90 minutes)