Klewenalp to Niederrickenbach via Musenalp near Luzern

Monday May 22, 2023 -- This day dawned one of the nicest of the month, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go walking again, and especially I wanted to get back into the mountains. I had to go on my own so I chose a place nearby that Urs and I have walked many times, but which I like to go to often: Musenalp near Luzern, a small hilltop pasture not far from the lake.

On previous occasions Urs and I have gone up to that summit (photos are HERE) with their little four-man cable car which starts at the little mountain hamlet called Niederrickenbach, also reached by cable car from Dallenwil below. This time though I wanted to walk up, but not from that side, as I didn't feel like walking uphill for 600 meters, so I started with a cable car from Beckenried on Lake Luzern to Klewenalp, which is higher, and even though the first part of the hike is on a wide road, it saved me about 300 meters of ascent.

I started early from home, to get to the start of the hike at 9:15, but I still expected sunshine till about 3 p.m. As luck often has it, it was right where I was that the sky got overcast by 11:30 (lots of sunshine around the rest of the region!), so the hot part of the hike was on the wide road, and the steep descent on a slippery mountain trail was without sunshine!

And also, as luck would have it, an entire Kindergarten class rode the cable car at the same time, what a lot of noisy kids! And would you know it, they walked the same trail I did for the first hour, and so fast I could barely keep ahead of them!

I had planned to enjoy the sunshine up there, but was back home by 3 p.m.

At 9 a.m. the cable car left Beckenried for the popular alp called Klewealp. I had figured there would be few people at this time on a Monday, but I never thought a Kindergarten class of 30 kids would also be riding up!

Down below is Beckenried on Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee). Straight ahead on the north side of the lake is the Rigi range. 

The cable car cabin heading down is carrying some sort of vehicle beneath it!

The cable car cabin heading down is carrying some sort of vehicle beneath it!

The view from the cable car to the east toward Brunnen and the Mythen mountains

This hike from Klewenalp to Niederrickenbach via Musenalp is about three hours. It is actually recommended to start on the Niederrickenbach side, as the descent there is very steep. Which it was. I slipped and fell twice on the way down. 

Heading off down the trail I look behind me, hoping the kids would stay and play in that great playground! It wasn't to be, they walked the same way I did. 

Starting off on my approx. 3-hour hike. The signs here said it would take 2 hours to get to Musenalp. I started at 9:15, and was up at the alp in just over 90 minutes, not counting the breaks I took. 

One of several restaurants up here. I wonder what the little "houses" under the balcony are for?

The trail I am following goes slightly uphill on the right hand side. The snow had only recently melted off the trail. 

The first blue gentians

A look behind me now after 35 minutes of walking. I came down the road below that peak in the back, and fortunately for me, the kindergarten kids stopped at those three houses straight ahead. 

How lovely to see the streams rushing through mountain pastures again, finally!

The view to the north, you can just see a bit of Lake Lucerne

After 45 minutes, I am now finally on more comfortable mountain trails, instead of the wide road. Up on the flat-topped mountain is Musenalp

Some of the first alpine flowers we encounter in Spring. 

Another look to the north. You can now see the east end of Mt. Bürgenstock in the middle of the lake. 

Straight ahead at the back is the summit of Mt.Rigi: Rigi Kulm

This place I have reached is a saddle called Bärenfallen. From here you can descend toward the Engelberg Valley, or up to Musenalp, which I am doing. Sign says 50 minutes, I did it in 35!! I am so in form today. 

Looking down into the Engelberg Valley from the Bärenfallen saddle. Straight across is another alpine pasture and village called Wirzweli, on the south side of Mt. Stanserhorn. 

The ascent to Musenalp starts with a long set of metal and cement steps. This helps you gain altitude quickly

Suddenly I heard cow bells, and through a break in the trees I saw a line of cows walking the trail I had been on earlier! They are already being brought to higher pastures for the summer. 

Early crocuses. They have just barely emerged, so this means that the snow here has only just recently melted. 

Directly to the south from the pasture called Musenalp is the mountain called Brisen (on the right) which we summitted last summer, and walked across the entire crest to the left-hand side. Those photos are HERE. 

I have now arrived at the farm called Musenalp. They opened for business mid-May, and there are already some people enjoying refreshments on the outdoor patio

The sign says 1 hour 35 minutes to my destination of the cableway at Niederrickenbach, which is about what it took me, although I went slowly because the descent was steep and slippery

The sunny patio at Musenalp.

The farm has a small cable-way (4 people) which is open to the public to ride up from Niederrickenbach, 600 meters below. (Note how the clouds have already filled the sky, and it's only 11:15

The small Musenalp cable-car bringing two people up from Niederrickenbach

Here on this hilltop I had my lunch. I was hoping to bask in some sunshine with this view of Mt. Stanserhorn (and behind it Mt.Pilatus), but it was not to be. It was tough to see sunshine all around me.

From my picnic spot I watched the Musenalp cable car descend again (empty, to pick up more passengers). What a spectacular ride it is!

Riding in this cable-car, it's like you are going to run right into that huge vertical wall. 

Back in 2018, when we rode the cable car up here, we walked along that rocky ridge on the right (called Bleikigrat), to the top of Mt. Buochserhorn, which still has sunshine, but not for long. 

Far in the distance to the southwest I can even see the peaks of Mts. Mönch and Eiger

Starting on the descent

The cliffs above me as I descend on the narrow and steep trail

Several people passed me on their way up the mountain, which is the recommended direction to do this hike. 

Getting close to the end of the slippery section

Fabulous cliffs. We crossed the top of these in 2018, those photos, once again, are HERE

There you go, the next passengers heading up to Musenalp by cable car. It's actually a long trip, and if  more than four people want to use it, you might wait 15-30 minutes before getting your turn. 

After a steep descent I am now in the pastures again, looking up at the west side of the Musenalp mountain. I came down from the flat section up there. 

Down below me is the Bleiki farm, and the beautiful Engelberg Valley

And again, another view of the cable-way up to Musenalp. It is just so impressive!

Another look behind me as I reach the houses in Niederrickenbach

This is a Catholic religious community here called Maria-Rickenbach. Across the valley is Mt. Stanserhorn and Wirzweli

The Maria Rickenbach Benedictine Monastery (Abbey), established here in the mid-1800's. The cable car station down to Dallenwil in the Engelberg Valley is at the north end of the village. 

This is the tiny base station of the Musenalp cableway. On the left is the larger cableway down to Dallenwil at the valley bottom. 

Heading down now toward Dallenwil and the train stop for the trip back to Luzern

The base station of the Niederrickenbach cable-way, and the train station on the far right, below the road. 

And from the valley bottom, a look back up to the mountain upon which is the pasture called Musenalp. 

What the ca. 3-hour hike looks like on Google Satellite maps

And just for a reference, here is what the Musenalp looked like from the summit of Mount Brisen to the South, in August of 2022:

What Musenalp looks like from the summit of Mt.Brisen, August 2022