High Trail in the Hoch-Ybrig Region of Canton Schwyz

Saturday August 12, 2023 -- Having looked forward to doing this high alpine trail in the Hoch-Ybrig region of Canton Schwyz (an area which is fairly quick for us to access), the nice weather originally forecast quickly developed into overcast skies which even brought rain along the way, something that we had absolutely not expected. Doubly disappointing was the fact that the two days before this were the most fabulous sunny days with not a single cloud. So hard to imagine it turning so fast.

From the popular pilgrim city of Einsiedeln, you take a bus along Lake Sihlsee to the very back of the Loch Valley, and travel via large cabin cable-way followed by a chair lift to a fabulous ridge very similar to the Fronalpstock ridge which I had walked a few weeks earlier (logical, as it's in the same region... and those photos are HERE) where you can look down into the Muota Valley and across the Schwyzer and Uri Alps to the south, the Mythen mountains and Ibergeregg to the West (where I had been just the day before, those photos are HERE), and back toward Lake Sihlsee in the North. These views would have been more satisfying had the sky been blue. 

But the high trail was still a pleasure to walk along, and the positive side is that it wasn't too hot. As luck would have it, the skies cleared as we approached the valley bottom at Unteriberg, and there we really felt the heat, especially as we hurried once again to catch a bus back to Einsiedeln, getting to the bus stop just as the bus pulled in. 

This was a long hike, 4.5 hours and 13 km, with a very, very long descent of 1300 meters altitude, most of which was not a problem except the final 300 meters when we came off the cliff at Unteriberg (narrow, lots of roots and rocks, not fun to descend).

This cute scene took place at the large parking lot in Weglosen, at the very back of the Loch Valley where you take a large cable car into the mountains. I figure the travelers slept here in their van for the night, and the curious cows came to check it out...

The large-cabin cable car which takes you into the Hoch-Ybrig region. At this point it looked like we were going to get blue skies with just a few clouds, as per the weather forecast!

Across the valley from the cable-car station are the upper pastures we are going to walk across. Again, at this point it is looking pretty sunny

The chair lift up to the ridge called Sternen

At the Sternen Restaurant, we look to the west to the peaks of the Gross Mythen. Between here and there is a nice trail via Ibergeregg Pass (where I was the day before). We walked that trail in August 2019

And from the ridge here, a look into the Muota Valley. We have walked down both of those side valleys which you can see from here. 

Directly South of here is the Bödmeren Forest, one of the oldest and largest virgin forests in Switzerland (550 hectares). Behind that is the Bisis Valley, and at the very back the mountains of the Klausen Pass in Canton Uri.

We are headed in the direction of Druesberghütte, and the original plan was to descend to Waag, but we ended up descending further North of that, to Unteriberg. It was slightly longer as well. (We had done the descent to Waag on a different hike earlier this year, those photos are HERE)

Starting with the cable car from Weglosen and then the chair lift to Sternen, from where we walked along the high pastures, it was about a 4½ hour hike down to the valley bottom. We started walking at 10:10 and got on the bus at 15:30. Not bad considering we stopped for coffee along the way when it started to rain. 

Always those cows on the trail!

Aww, so cute! Behind me is the Loch Valley, and the we walked all along the high pastures on the right side of this photo. 

A small window of sunshine, so I had to use it for a photo. In the background are the Gross and Klein Mythen mountains. 

This is my favourite kind of trail. 

Hiking trail on the upper right! This view is to the North. 

Across the valley is the summit station of the Hoch-Ybrig cable-car

Heading North

Found another "Farmer's Shop" at this mountain farmhouse (so Swiss, including the Edelweiss!) It was sausages we bought this time. The house has a name, it's called "Chöpslishütte".

And now it started to rain, just as we had sat down on a nearby bench to eat our sandwiches. 

Since we had just arrived at the Druesberg Hostel, we decided to stop for a cup of coffee, in the hopes that the rain would let up. 

A cup of coffee and a chat with the owner of the hostel. He says he used to have lots of young people work here over the summer, but nowadays the young people don't want to work anymore, so the business is too much work for him alone. 

Continuing on the trail. It was perfect temperature to walk, even though my photos aren't the best. (Behind me is the hostel where we had the coffee). 

This pasture is called Wannenalp. Shortly after this we had to do a steep descent. 

The only wildlife of the day!

Down below is the farm called Hirschweid and the chapel called Hirschkapelle, which we visited on our hike through here in February of this year.

From here (Trittli) we had a steep descent of about 200 meters to the next plateau below. In the far back we get our first glimpse of Lake Sihlsee. This area is called Unterweid. 

After Unterweid, another descent, this one wasn't as challenging!

How cute!

A look behind us to the passage called Trittli from which we first descended steeply to the Unterweid plateau, and then down to here. Unbelievable when we look back at how high we were!

Down below is the Hirschkapelle again, and the road down to Waag, which is the way we descended last time. In retrospect, it was the more agreeable way down than the one we took this time. Across the valley on the saddle is the village of Oberiberg. 

Crossing paths now with where we walked in February. At that time we detoured to the cross for a view of Lake Sihlsee. (The skies are now clearing and we are getting some sunshine). 

Here's where we decided to descend to Unteriberg instead of Waag. Both paths take 45 minutes, so why not try a new one? The one to Waag is on a paved road, and we had done it before, and thought that with the sun shining now, it would be too hot. The one to Unteriberg was in the forest, fortunately, but it was a rough and steep trail, and very uncomfortable. 

A view to Lake Sihlsee behind me, and Unteriberg below. We had so much wanted the sunshine when we were at the higher elevations, but down here it was too hot. And we still had to descend a steep 300 meters along the forest on the left. 

Probably left over from August 1st Festivities (National Confederacy Day)

A long, steep and tiresome descent, but at least it was in the shade of the forest. 

We got down to valley bottom at 15:17, and had barely 10 minutes to make it to the bus stop in Unteriberg. We walked quickly, and made it on time. 

Getting to the bus stop just as the bus pulled in at 15:27. We hadn't needed to hurry though, as there was another bus coming in 20 minutes. But we were glad we didn't have to wait in the heat. 

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

On our way back toward Lake Sihlsee by bus, a look down the next side valley to the village of Studen, from where we also recently did a hike over the Fläschlipass on the left. (Those photos HERE)

And now a look back across Lake Sihlsee to the beautiful Hoch-Ybrig region of Canton Schwyz. 

All the hikes which we have done in the Hoch-Ybrig region and around the Muotathal Valley. 

Where Hoch-Ybrig is located in Switzerland.