Toggenburg High Trail from Amden to Krummenau

Sunday September 24, 2023 -- This wasn't one of my favourite hikes, even though it might have been, had we had more sunshine and if it hadn't been so extremely cold. 

After an early September heat wave, the temperatures dropped drastically, and it snowed at the elevations where there are many other hikes we want to do, so we had to compromise with something lower down but still in the mountains. Weather forecast was for pure sunshine and maximum 15 degrees, but after a few days of rain, we should have realized by now that there would be lots of fog and clouds just the same. And we hadn't reckoned with the icy winds. Nor with the extremely muddy trails. 

We did another section of Trail no.48: "Toggenburg High Trail", where there are not many public transport accesses, so it took us about five hours to walk from cable car station to cable car station from Amden near Lake Walensee on one side of the Churfirsten Mountains to the Thur River Valley on the North side of these peaks. The day started out looking promising, but as we headed up the first chair lift, low clouds already started rolling in. And as we walked in the direction of a local popular peak called Mount Speer, more and more people appeared on the trail, heading for that summit, which was not part of our plan. As we continued toward the Thur Valley, we were almost alone on the trail, though. In retrospect, I wish we had waited till later in the week to do this hike, as the temperatures are supposed to get warmer again. 

To get to Amden we take a train to Ziegelbrücke, and then a bus. (The bus was filled to overflowing, mostly with people wanting to walk the popular Amden High Trail). From the village is a chair lift, a peaceful 15-minute ride which saves us 385 meters' ascent (about an hour of walking). We got on the chair lift at about 9:35

After riding this chairlift several times already, I have realized that the stuffed marmot rides the chair lift all day, and I have come to start looking for him! There he is, on his way down!

The hillside is dotted with barns and grazing cows

After reaching the summit station called Niederschlag (there is a restaurant) where the trail starts, we get a look toward the Glärnisch mountains of the Linth Valley. The fog below didn't bother me, as long as it stayed there!

The full hike was almost five hours. This map shows the first section which we walked, in the shadow of the north side of Mount Mattstock, to the restaurant at Oberchäseren, and to the foot of Mount Speer, where most of the other Sunday hikers ascended. We continued north, though, into the Thur River Valley. 

Heading up the road on our day's hike, it's now 10:15. The white-capped peak in the back is Mount Tödi, the dominant peak at the far end of the Linth Valley, and the border of Canton Glarus and Canton Graubünden. 

Due to the cold weather, the higher peaks received a fresh layer of snow. Such a nice clear view of Mount Tödi. 

Our first goal is Oberchäseren, in 90 minutes. We didn't ascend to the summit of Mount Speer. Trail no. 48 is the "Toggenburg High Trail". To get to this junction here, we had to walk 2 km on a paved road, but it was OK, because it wasn't hot.

From the junction we crossed to the North side of Mount Mattstock, and had to walk for 30 minutes along this dirt road in the shade. It was quite cold. 

We were still in the shadow of the mountain on its west side as we reached this farm at 11:00. But at least the uphill section kept us a bit warm. Soon we got into the sunshine. 

Looking behind us at the shady side of the mountain we just walked along. From here on in it was more pleasant in the sunshine. 

After almost an hour of uphill section we finally come to the Oberchäseren farm, and have the first glimpse of the summit of Mount Speer, the popular hiking goal for this day. 

A stunning ridge of mountains formed by a 45-degree lift of the earth's crust! The highest peak at the back is called the Federispitz

To the northeast, the Alpstein Massif is visible (the main peak is Mount Säntis but it's in the clouds on the left). This is the only view we had of the peaks there (close-up view) as the clouds moved in fully afterwards.

There were picnic tables and self-serve at the Oberchäseren Farm, but we didn't see this until after we had had our picnic lunch on the other side of the building!

We had found a spot on a log on the east side of the building at about 11:45 where we ate our picnic lunch, with this view down into the Linth Valley. 

Slightly southeast are the fabulous Churfirsten mountains, which also received snow, even though the elevation is not so high, namely about 1800 meters at the lower edge of the snow. The Toggenburg High Trail passes along those flanks, a section we did in August 2020, ending where we started this day (Those photos are HERE). 

After our picnic lunch, we have another uphill section. It was here where we met up with many other people on the trail, as they were also coming up from the right side. 

This looks like something out of a Jules Vernes novel!

Up ahead is the summit of Mount Speer, and we could see a lot of people up there. Once we got to closer below the summit, we headed down to the right. 

Another look to the South at the Federispitz

And this is a look to the east to the magnificent Mount Mattstock, which we circled along the left. 

This is our first view to the north into the Thur Valley

A close-up look behind us at the summit of Mount Speer

The geology of the landscape around us was very unusual. The hillsides and the projections were all composed of molasse geology, but very coarse, as opposed to the finer conglomerates we are used to, for example, on Mount Rigi

An inviting-looking high trail which we first had to reach by descending a steep and rough section.

Our final destination is Wolzenalp, two hours from here (It's now 1 p.m.). More very coarse molasse conglomerate on the side here, and patches of it all across the hillside. 

Heading along the high trail now with the Thur Valley below (toward Stein in St.Gallen), and the Alpstein Massif straight ahead, fully hidden by low clouds, unfortunately. 

Some very nice lighting across an insteresting farmstead below, perched on a small ridge. 

Another look behind us as we see the fog ascend from the north, not a welcome sight as we'll be crossing that way soon. Urs is looking at some interesting rock formations on the ridge. 

Very cool rock formations on the ridge which separates us now from what is called the Elisalp on the other side. 

A neat little section called Leiterli (which means "Small Ladder") which is actually the passage along a ridge. 

Looking behind us at the Leiterli Passage (the steps to the right of center). These are always fun!

But now as we cross the ridge onto the Elisalp, we are greeted by an entire valley of fog, which is disappointing as we can't see the landscape on the other side. (As a side note, we did hear the bellowing of the deer in the hidden forests, as it is currently rutting season. Together with the fog, this was quite eerie!)

Urs applying his sunscreen, although not sure for what! (Actually, we were lucky in that our trail northwards was actually in the sunshine, and the fog was to the left of us). 

Some very pretty flowers called "Alpine Eyebright" (in German = Alpen Augentrost)

Fog rising from the north to the ridge where we had just walked on the other side! Looks cool, as long as we're not IN it. 

This map shows the entire 13.5-km trail which we hiked, from the summit of the chairlift on the Amden side, to the summit of the chair lift on the Thur River Valley side. We left the Toggenburg High Trail on the north side of Mount Speer. (There is unfortunately no other public transit access for another 15 km or 4½ hours along that trail) 

As we approach the farmstead called "Bütz" where you could stop for refreshments, the fog has already lifted. We didn't go down there, but rather continued along a higher trail. Here's where we left the Toggenburg High Trail to make our way down to the nearest cable car station, along a long ridge, for the next 90 minutes (560 meters descent!)

As we descended along the crest, we got several nice views to the north into the Thur Valley, to the larger cities of Ebnat-Kappel and Wattwil. This whole region of rolling hills in the northeastern part of the country is called the Toggenburg.

A view toward the Alpstein Massif (and Mount Säntis in the clouds on the left), we get a really nice view of the Risi Pass (no.2 on this photo) which we once crossed from Schwägalp (no.1. on the photo at the foot of Mount Säntis) to the village of Stein in the Thur valley. Those photos are HERE. 

After a long section of muddy trail along the ridge, we finally reach a road that's easier to walk along!

We reached the Wolzenalp restaurant at 3:30 p.m. (end of the long downhill section) but didn't stop there, as it was obviously a very popular Sunday excursion goal for families, with its very large playground. Not wanting to waste time getting to the train station in Krummenau at the valley bottom, we headed off right away to the cable car station, which was along a very pretty bog trail.

Other families heading to the chair lift. Urs hurrying ahead to get there before all the other people, to buy our tickets... and all these little hikers walking faster than I can!

Near the chair lift station was this cute little house with a very private terrace. This could also be a perfect home for me!

The chair lift ride to Krummenau was VERY long, longer than expected (about 25 minutes) which would have been more enjoyable if we'd had sunshine and not the icy cold wind which was blowing! That city below is Nesslau-St.Johann, one of the very many towns we passed through on our walk along the Thur River in September 2022, at which time we also ended our walk in Krummenau (those photos are HERE)

Again, another look at the north side of the Churfirsten mountains with their new snow. At this time of year, there should not be snow here!

The very long chair lift ride to the town of Krummenau, where we plan to catch the 16:17 train home. (We still had to walk 10 minutes from the cable car to the train station). It was an icy cold ride. 

Down below in the pastures, what looks like a very recently-born calf!

At the base of the chair lift, these girls are watching us alight!

What our 13.5-km hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps, including the two chair lifts and the 10-minute walk to the train station in Krummenau. 

Crossing the Thur River. (In the end, we had made it to the train station with just 7 minutes to spare!)

The window-box flowers on all these houses just make the buildings look so much prettier!

A final look at the Churfirsten mountains as we make our way by train to the city of Wattwil. 

All the hikes we have done in the region around Amden and this section of the Thur River Valley. In fact, we did three hikes this year alone, starting in Amden! (Three of the light blue trails). In JUNE we walked along the east flank of Mount Mattstock, and in MARCH we walked below it, on its South side, a hike I would do again with better visibility!. 

The region between Amden and the Thur River Valley, north of Lake Walensee