Across the Summit of Hochstollen from Melchsee-Frutt to Hasliberg

Wednesday August 16, 2023 -- This time we were lucky with our choice for the day. There are still thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon, but leaving early again and not going too far we had the best weather for our five-hour hike in the Melchsee-Frutt and Hasliberg region of Cantons Obwalden and Bern. Once again we were on top of the world here, with views all across the Bernese Oberland with clear views of Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau to the south before the storm clouds formed, as well as the entire region to the north and east, i.e. the Central Alps. Furthermore, we passed very near the geographic center of Switzerland.

Starting with a gondola cable-car ride to the popular high plateau called Melchsee-Frutt, we first hiked 2.5 hours and 650 meters uphill to the summit of one of the main peaks here: Mount Hochstollen. It was a bit adventurous but not at all dangerous, but the vertical crest offered us some great views back onto the plateau. After a picnic lunch exactly on the border of the two cantons, we descended into the equally popular Hasliberg region on the south side. To make most of the beautiful Mägisalp we took a longer route there (Käserstatt would have been closer, and both have gondola cable cars), and once we got there walked an additional 30 minutes to the next cable car station, from where we then rode the gondola to Reuti, Hasliberg, where the bus starts (or ends) its run to the Brünig Pass. And just as we arrived at the bus stop is when the clouds reached Hasliberg.

We left home at 6:30 a.m. on the earliest connection to Melchsee-Frutt. This is the gondola cableway from Stöckalp at the back of the Melch Valley. It's now 8:30.

From the gondola we can see the peak that we are planning to walk up to (Hochstollen) and the saddle which we first have to ascend to. The trail to the peak is from behind the mountain from that saddle.

We started on our hike at 8:40 a.m. and it was already getting hot! According to the trail signs, it should take us 2½ hours to get to the summit.

This was a really long hike! 2½ hours to the summit of Hochstollen starting at Melchsee-Frutt, and another 2½ to Bidmi where we caught the gondola cableway to the road for the bus ride back to the Brünig Pass. 14 kilometers and a climb of 700 meters

This is the west end of the largest lake on this plateau, the Melchsee. There is a popular 4-lake hike on this plateau, which we did in September 2016, those photos are HERE.

In the dip behind me is another lake called the Blausee. It was there that I changed into shorts, as it was already too warm. Unfortunately for me, that was where "The Group of Five" passed us, and became my nemesis for at least half the hike (more in the next photos)

Heading up to the ridge at the center of the photo.

A look behind us past the Blausee to the Melchsee

The cows always watch Urs as he walks past.

This is the "Group of Five" or what I called them. They hiked together and talked incessantly among each other. I will never understand the need for constant chatter in the mountains. Unfortunately they didn't walk quickly enough to put a lot of distance between us, but we couldn't walk quickly enough to catch up. (Although they took a small break on this hillside and we were able to pass them, but after that, they were always within sight behind us).

Once we got to the "saddle" (at 10:15), we had a view along the mountains to the north (the one at the back and left of center is Mount Pilatus near Luzern). Down below is a large alpine meadow called Aelggi Alp, and at about the spot in the red circle is the official geographical center of Switzerland. (There is a trail from here via that point and down to the Brünig Pass, a trail we had once considered walking, but it is too long to do in one day. Now we have seen it!)

Here on the map we see the location of the Aelggi Alp (there is a Gasthaus there which can be accessed by car from the valley to the north) and the geographical center of Switzerland.

And heading off now to behind the Hochstollen, we get the first clear view of the Bernese Alps, the famous Eiger/Mönch/Jungfrau Trio on the right, and Mount Wetterhorn on the left.

At first glance you might think the trail heads straight up along the ridge, and that looks daunting, but the trail actually goes along the mountain flank to the right.

From here the trail looks like it goes across a slope with a steep drop, but that was not the case.

We were so happy to have clear skies above the Bernese Alps, so we could see the profile against the blue background. The pyramid-shaped mountain on the right is the famous north face of Mount Eiger.

Panorama view, including to the Brünig Pass and Lake Brienz on the right.

Our goal at the arrow is the cross at the summit of Mount Hochstollen

Our view is clear all the way to the Schrattenflue in the Entlebuch (top left).

A peek to Melchsee-Frutt on the right, and the trail we walked directly below

Panorama view of Melchsee-Frutt, Lakes Melchsee and Tannensee in the center as well as Mount Titlis at the far back, the Melch Valley on the left, and our trail directly below.

The "Group of Five" are catching up to us again!

We got to the summit of Hochstollen shortly after 11 a.m., not a bad time, exactly 2 hours and 20 minutes as according to the trail marker at the start (I always walk more quickly when trying to keep distance from people who are talking!)

The view across the Melchsee-Frutt Plateau looking East, to Mount Titls at the back, center.

Panorama view to the East from the summit of Hochstollen.

Panorama view to the South from the summit of Hochstollen

Panorama view to the North from the summit of Hochstollen. At the star is the geographical center of Switzerland.

Even on a hot day, it is cool on the summits of the mountains. We didn't stay long, headed on our way about 10 minutes later.

Another peek down at the two lakes Melchsee and Tannensee, as we head on along the trail. The rock formations are fantastic.

One more section of "stony" trail before we start our descent on the Bernese side of the trail.

Oh, oh!!! The group is already on the way as well! They had arrived at the summit 10 minutes after we left, and we had hoped they would stay there for a while!

A fascinating tower of rocks. How did this get here? Will it fall over soon?

Once we got off the crest of Mount Hochstollen, we stopped for our picnic lunch (at 11:50) at a particularly scenic spot on the trail (view on both sides of the ridge) and at what turned out to be exactly on the border of Canton Bern where it forms a point with Canton Obwalden on two sides!

Our picnic spot right on the border of Canton Bern. We thought the "Group of Five" would pass us now, but they never showed up. We have no idea where they went....

From where we sat and ate our lunch, we looked North down a small couloir into the Melch Valley.

And these cows, not sure why, were hanging around at the edge of the abyss! And watching Urs. Always watching Urs.

Below us is the ski lift called Hochsträss. It is not operational in summer, but once we got there we had to decide whether to descend to Käserstatt (small mountain hamlet on the right) or Mägisalp (another smattering of houses, not visible) to the left.

From here on in the trail was really easy to walk.

A look behind us at the peaks that form the Hochstollen ridge, and the trail we descended after our picnic lunch.

As we descend to the ski-lift, we get the first glimpse of Mägisalp below us.

A close-up look at the farms and barns and gondola lift at Mägisalp

It's now 12:20 and the clouds are starting to appear in the Bernese Alps. The massive mountain on the left is called the Wetterhorn, and the saddle straight ahead is the Grosse Scheidegg. Directly on the other side is the popular town of Grindelwald, at the foot of the Eiger North Wall.

At Hochsträss the sign indicates 40 minutes to Käsertatt and 1 hour to Mägisalp. Both locations have a gondola lift down to the main road on this mountain (the whole region here is called Hasliberg). We figured only 20 minutes more, let's go to Mägisalp, that way we can enjoy the high trail for longer. Turns out it was about 90 minutes to get there, not an hour...!!!! (It's 12:30 now)

Well look, there are still some pretty daisies up here!

Heading down the large alpine meadow called Mägisalp

This whole region, including the farms below, is called Mägisalp

We encountered a large group of young people which we had seen from the bus as we were heading to the cable car station earlier that morning. We figure they started about 20 minutes after we did. We spoke to them to find out where they had come from and where they were going, and it seems that by this point they had walked 3½ hours already, were headed up to Hochstollen from the other side, and then back down to Melchsee-Frutt, an almost 7-hour hike! Kudos to them, they didn't even look tired.

More than happy to have reached this farm called Hääggen, where I could fill up my water bottle and use their outdoor bathroom. Urs is going to check out the goods they are selling!

Cold drinks for Urs, and I also bought cheese, which turns out is not a good idea in this heat, as the fat from the cheese melts and leaks into the packaging.

There was a huge bellowing noise coming from the barn so I had a look inside, and there was this huge bull all alone in there. What a massive animal! So interesting how the heads of the male and female adult cows are so different.

On the way down, we spotted a marmot once again.

From the farm at Hääggen to the gondola station, we had to follow this road for about 2-1/2 kilometers.

Our original plan was to hop the gondola here (it is now 14:10 and we have been walking for almost five hours now). But riding the gondola in Bidmi instead of here would be cheaper, so we decided to walk the extra half hour down to that station. It turned out to be a very nice section, and not very steep.

Heading down on the next section of our descent. These are really cute barns (or storage sheds?)

The Mägisalp gondola passes through Bidmi below, which is where we got on. The clouds have now gotten really thick and we are glad the hike is soon over!

Getting into the Gondola at Bidmi at 3 p.m. We only paid 8 CHF, instead of 14 CHF from Mägisalp. A savings of 6 CHF for an additional 30 minutes' walk! (We could not have walked all the way down, that would have been another 45 minutes and 400 meters downhill!)

This is the Hotel Reuti next to the cable car station. From here you can take another cable car to the valley bottom at Meiringen, or, as in our case, the bus to the Brünig Pass where we caught the train home.