Hike between the Riemenstalden and Schächen Valleys, to Eggbergen above Flüelen

Thursday September 7, 2023 -- After a period of heavy rains, we are having a late summer heat wave again, so we're back to trying to find elevations where we can walk without feeling the heat. 

This week Urs had to switch his free days, and we had to pick something closer to home as he also had a commitment in the evening. So we picked a local side valley called Riemenstalden Valley where you can ride a small farmer's cable car into the lovely Uri landscape near the Schächen Valley, a cable-car which only carries four people at a time and is popular on the weekends when you might have to wait too long for a turn. It was a good choice in this case, as there is only one bus (which we can access) in the morning into this side valley, and it's also full on the weekends. We were only five in the bus (until a small boy, about six years old, waiting by himself on the side of the road, got on for the short ride to his school higher up in the valley), and only four of us to ride the cable-car at 8:15 in the morning.

We have ridden this cable car often, mostly for the hike to the beautiful Lake Spilau (see photos HERE), but this time wanted to try an alternate route. We started early and the first hour ascent was in the shade, a good thing because the next hour of uphill hiking was in the hot sun with no wind to cool off, no farmhouses to admire, and no streams or lakes to give a sense of coolness. Nevertheless, the landscape here is fascinating.

The descent on the south side to the mountain village of Eggbergen was much better. We had a cool wind here, some far-reaching (albeit hazy) views up the Reuss Valley and the Schächen Valley, part of the descent was in the forest, and we observed a hazel grouse which one doesn't often see, apparently. And the views of the Uri Alps here, as well as Lake Uri, are always wonderful. Plus, we were home by 3 p.m. after a 3.5-hour hike, something that doesn't happen often!

One of my favourite views as we travel by train south along Lake Uri. This is in Sisikon, where we change to the small bus, one of only two morning runs up the Riemenstalden Valley, this second one at 7:45 (there are two more late afternoon) 

In Riemenstalden village is the school (where the little boy got off) and a restaurant, which always has this fabulous flowering display.

Kaiserstock Restaurant in Riemenstalden. The bus had a couple of minutes' waiting time here. We stopped here once for ice cream sundaes when we did a hike down this valley in 2019, those photos are HERE. 

At the very back of the valley where the cable car goes up the mountain, the cows were just being let out of the barn

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The cows are happy to be let out of the barn into the cool morning shade!

Lovely early-morning sunshine on the hillside

This is another of those cute farmer's cable cars. (We once observed the owners transport a calf from the upper pastures, which had injured itself and needed to get to the vet.) The lady operating the cable car sent us up at 8:15, together which two other fellows who had just arrived by car. On weekends, there is often a long line-up waiting here, because people CAN come up by car. 

The view down the Riemenstalden Valley to Mount Seelisberg in the west, where we had just been four days earlier (Mount Niederbauen on the left, which we had wanted to hike up to, but will do a different day, when visibility is better). 

A look to the East where the sun is just clearing the peaks. 

At the summit station of the Riemenstalden cable car is a farm called Gitschen. From here you can walk to the Lidernen Alpine Hostel to the East (on the left, see the photos from the hike we did in July 2021), or the more popular hike to Lake Spilau, straight ahead (most recently we did this in July 2018, and it's again long overdue!). This time we are headed to the right, a hike we have never done before. 

First a stop at the little Gitschen Chapel, before starting on our hike. We started here at 8:35

As we started very early, and even though this was again a 10-km and 3½-hour hike, it seemed to go by quite quickly. We were down at the bus station in Flüelen at 13:45 already, quite early to be on our way home again. By the way, the Riemenstalden Valley is the border line between Canton Schwyz to the North, and Canton Uri to the South. So we are basically walking in a top eastern corner of Canton Uri.     

As we head westward above the Riemenstalden Valley, we get a good look at the popular Fronalpstock/Klingenstock ridge where there are usually hikers in queue making their way across the ridge, lots of them tourists visiting Switzerland, having been told this is a hike they must attempt. Granted, the views are fantastic, and to get up to the mountain village of Stoos on the other side is a ride with the steepest funicular in the world, so there is that. (See also HERE)

Along the mountain to our left is also a higher, less frequented unofficial trail just below the cliffs. In retrospect, we might have preferred walking there. 

After a bit of a tricky 20 minutes along a wet trail (slippery rocks and trail muddied by cows, probably) we reach the farm at Zingeli, from where we had a 40-minute ascent through the couloir (luckily in the shade as the morning was already hot) to the little building in the sunshine on the upper plateau. 

Heading up the couloir. It was steep and gravelly, and I wouldn't want to descend here. Going up in the morning shade of the mountain was comfortable enough, though. 

Got into the sunshine at the farm called Rotenbalm. It took us an hour to walk up here, from the start of our hike at the little chapel at Gitschen. 

Rotenbalm farm. Everything is shut tight and the cows have already left the alpine pastures. We were basically alone up here, one positive aspect of this path we took! The mountain up ahead is called Diepen. 

If it weren't for the red roof, we would not have even noticed this little building, built into the rocks like that. 

The next section of our hike to the passage at Schön Kulm was 50 minutes uphill in the heat with no wind. It was very uncomfortable, and only 9:50 at this point!

Making our way up the mountain and looking back at the Fronalpstock/Klingenstock ridge. We had at least hoped to see some chamois in this region, being as there were no cows any more, and lots of shade in the cliffs. But they probably stayed cool somewhere else, in this heat. 

The farm at Schön Kulm. We pass this farm when we come up via Lake Spilau as well. We had lunch on the bench at the cross on the right, and then descended on the other side, to the south. 

Our first look at the Uri Alps to the west. This is Mount Gitschen and Uri Rotstock. There are still some small glaciers up there. 

As I get comfortable on the bench at the crest, Urs is buying cheese again from the little "shop". They make their own cheese up here in the summer. He just got the last two pieces, as the farm will be closing down for the winter soon. 

A look behind us to the northwest is Mount Diepen (we came up from the right), and the popular Rophäien mountains in the center (a difficult alpine trail which we won't do), and on the left, Mount Niederbauen across the lake.... planning to do that one soon!

We got here to the highest point of the hike at 10:45, and enjoyed a 30-minute break with an early picnic lunch, and views in three directions (This one is the Uri Alps and the Reuss Valley). The landscape here is stunning, and is really a local secret. We are so glad that foreigners haven't discovered this. 

A look down at a region we know very well, as we have been here so many times. This valley is the Schächental, an East/West side valley to the Reuss Valley. We are headed to the small hill on the right. 

From here I can even see Mount Schärhorn at the Klausen Pass. This is my favourite mountain!

From here at Schön Kulm, we are headed to Chalberweid, and then to the cablecar station at Eggbergen, 90 minutes more to walk. 

The trail down to Chalberweid. From here it was a much more pleasant walk for us, as we had a nice cool breeze. The alpine pasture in the far center is called Alp Selez, and the popular Schächentaler High Trail passes through there. 

Our next goal is the summit of Hüenderegg on the right, which required a bit more ascent. The last ascent of the day!

Another peek down at Lake Uri, and the Isenthal (Isen Valley), also a valley where we have been many times!

Here at Chalberweid you can take another trail over to the Selez alpine pastures. 

The Schächen Valley High Trail from the Klausen Pass to Eggbergen crosses here at the small lake called "Fleschsee". Our trail is perpendicular to this. 

The kids are having fun on the pier. It looks like they are waiting in line to take selfies, like the Koreans do -- en masse -- at Iseltwald on Lake Brienz. 

A magnificent view of the Schächental Windgällen Range, and the peaks from the Urnerboden range on the east side of the Klausen Pass. 

That small "Restaurant" is called the Flesch Kiosk, and is actually a self-serve place to buy food and eat at the picnic tables, but on this day there were so many people, it looked like it might have been a catered event!

Heading up along the crest to the summit at Hüenderegg. Behind me are the Rophäein mountains with their very steep slopes along which is another popular trail called the "Wildheuweg", or Wild Hay Trail, which I have walked twice. (See also here: June 2019)

A stunning landscape where we have walked many times. In the very center (back) is a small farmhouse which used to be run as a mountain restaurant, where we often had lunch, even in winter. But the restaurant owners retired, and there is no longer food served there, unfortunately. 

From the summit at Hüederegg, it's only about another hour to walk to the cable car station at Eggbergen. 

Summit of Hüenderegg!

View across the alpine pastures and into the Schächen valey toward the Klausen Pass

We decided to walk an unofficial trail this time, parallel to the official one. We ended up following a path that's not even on our map, but glad we did, because we were alone in the forest and that's when we came upon the hazel grouse. 

We saw movement on the trail in the forest, and watched this little hazel grouse (the type of bird was confirmed to me by the Swiss bird experts at https://www.vogelwarte.ch/en/home/). It seemed totally unaware of our presence. I was told that one doesn't often see these, as they are usually hidden in the forests. 

Last stretch now to the mountain village of Eggbergen

Down below is Lake Uri, an arm of Lake Luzern (Vierwaldstättersee)

And now we look behind us to the ridge where we crossed, i.e. the cross and bench at the Schön Chulm Farm. 

Some cute details we saw along the way (edelweiss in a garden on the right). The lovely little hut is also a "shop" that sells cheeses and other homemade goods, but we already bought the cheese for the day. But they sure made that house pretty!

A newer building, very nice. I'd live in that! Generally, it's a beautiful location up here anyway, with lots of sunshine even in winter. 

Once again we just made it with about four minutes to spare to catch the 13:30 cable-car down to Flüelen. The cable-car holds 15 people! We were nine in there, and it was already pretty crowded. 

View of Lake Uri as the cable-car descends from Eggbergen. 

View up the Reuss Valley. Down below is the town of Altdorf.

Here is a fun fact: On some cable-cars there is a "middle station" where you can get on the cable-car from the tower, by way of a metal walk-way from the pastures! This was originally meant for the farms that were along the hillside, so that the farmers would have access to the valley. There were two people waiting on the platform to board.

Down at the bottom station of the Eggbergen cable-way at 13:45. 

We caught a bus from the cable-way station to the train station at Flüelen, but had about 20 minutes to wait there, so we watched the steam boat named "Stadt Luzern" docking here. This was the same ship we saw at Treib four days earlier, which crossed the "Schiller", which is the one we rode on. 

Steam boat on Lake Uri, with the distinctive "church on the hill" in Flüelen. How lovely is this? 

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

Obviously we love this region! There are so many cable cars giving us access to higher elevations, and this is not very far from where we live, so we can get here quickly and not have to travel far. 

Location of Eggbergen in Switzerland. It's so close to where we live. We boarded the 14:09 train, and were home by 3 p.m. Also, to get to the cable-car station in the Riemenstalden Valley takes only 1 hour and 20 minutes, but we did have to leave home by 7 a.m. 

As a side note: This is what the region where we hiked looks like from the North side of the Riemenstalden Valley, from the Fronalpstock/Klingenstock Crest Trail which I walked recently.