Winter Wonderland in the Linth Valley and on the Rothenthurm Moorlands

Sunday December 3, 2023 -- So much snow over the weekend, even down to the flat lands, which is quite unusual. In fact, on Saturday alone, many parts of Switzerland (Davos for example) got over 50 cm of snow in just 24 hours! Saturday was not a day to be on the road, as there were so many car accidents and many trains got stuck along the way, with some people having to spend the night in the trains.

But Sunday was a spectacular day, pure sunshine most everywhere, and absolutely magical with all that snow on roofs and trees. I really wanted to do a hike on prepared winter walking trails in the mountains, so I inquired in a couple of places if the trails were ready. So we made our way early Sunday morning to head eastward to our first choice of Flims in Graubünden, where I was informed the trails were ready.

But what do they say about best-laid plans? Early webcams showed cloud cover in Flims, so we quickly changed plans to Braunwald in Canton Glarus, a better choice because the air was clear and the panorama trail all ready to go as well. But our train in Zug was 8 minutes late, meaning we'd miss the planned connection. But Urs wanted to try to catch the connecting train anyway, and pulled a muscle while doing so. (No chance of catching that train, but we only would have lost 30 minutes). Deciding to continue to Braunwald anyway, where I would walk alone, we had to change to a bus for the final stretch, but were told by the driver that there was a car blocking the road, and we'd have to wait at least 30 minutes in the cold bus until the road was clear to drive..... So we gave up on that plan and headed back toward home. 

The day wasn't quite lost, as there is a lovely high moor called Rothenthurm along the way and near home, popular mostly for its cross-country ski trails, but where you can also do a nice winter walk. So not really my favourite choice for the day, but I did get 90 minutes of exercise and sunshine. And the views of the snow-covered landscape on our long train ride were quite lovely as well.

Here's to hoping we have more snow and sunny days this winter... 

PART I:  Train Trip to the Linth Valley, and back to Rothenthurm

Heading North from Zug at 8:15 a.m., this is the landscape near home, with the sun just starting to shine on the summit of Mount Rigi

Now heading south along Lake Zürich, this is a look at the island called Ufenau, which we saw just a few days earlier when we did a small walk to the Pfäffikon castle

Passing the Pfäffikon castle tower and chapel, which we had a look at a few days earlier when we skipped a train on our way to Malans. 

The farms along the way look like paintings, or something you would see on a jigsaw puzzle!

There was some ground fog in the wide flat expanse south of Lake Zurich

There was some ground fog in the wide flat expanse south of Lake Zurich

Another "painting"!

At Ziegelbrücke we had a 20-minute wait for the next train into the Linth Valley.

Heading south now into the Linth Valley, these mountains are always spectacular

In the town of Glarus, capital city of Canton Glarus. This magnificent mountain is called the Glärnisch. 

This is the entrance to the Klöntal (Klön Valley) with its magnificent lake, the Klöntalersee

Glärnisch

As the train arrives in Schwanden (which is the junction with the Sernft Valley, which leads to the popular recreation town of Elm) we had to change to a bus for the rest of the way to the end of the line, because the National Railway is making all the train stations wheel-chair accessible. The dominant peak at the south end of the valley is Mount Tödi. 

I was dressed in stockings under my jeans, a sweater, an inner jacket and outer jacket, gloves and scarf.... and this guy is in shorts and sandals! It was about minus 5 degrees Celsius!!!

As it turns out, the bus driver in Schwanden said he could not continue on to the Braunwald Funicular because a car was blocking the road. So we took the train back out of the valley again. This view is to Amden at the east end of Lake Walensee, near Ziegelbrücke. There was a winter hike I could have done on that sunny hillside, but with my luck the low cloud casting a shadow there would have stayed all day. 

A small lake on the way back to Lake Zurich

Sitting on the railway cables! Surely he's watching us personally...

Passing the Pfäffikerturm (Tower of Weissenburg Castle) in Pfäffikon again. We had to change trains here again to head westward away from Lake Zurich. 

The landscape here in the hills west of Lake Zurich was particularly pretty. 

A look down at Lake Zurich from Schindellegi. 

Passing the cathedral in Schindellegi

Now we finally get the views I really came for: Snow-covered trees! So lovely!

After changing trains again in Biberbrugg, we now head westward past the Rothenthurm Moorlands. My plan was to start walking in the village of Rothenturm at the west end, and head back to the next train station to the east. 

Heading westward along the Rothenthurm Moorlands.

There is a prepared walking trail through the moorlands, which Urs and I have walked together in January 2019. I was planning to walk a different trail this time. 

The map which shows our long train trip to end up walking so close to home. Blue arrows are train from Zug to Thalwil, change to train to Ziegelbrücke, change to train to Schwanden, get on the bus which was supposed to take us to the Braunwald funicular, but we didn't want to wait for them to get the road freed up, so back by train to Pfäffikon (at the bridge over Lake Zurich), then on to Rothenthurm where I did my 6-km walk, then back home via Arth-Goldau.... We left home at 7:45, and I finally got to go on my walk at noon.

PART II -- 6-km, 90-minute walk through the Rothenthurm Moorlands

(I am posting some of my favourite photos, there are so many nice ones!)

I started my hike in Rothenthurm village, at the west end of the Moorlands. There are a few suggested winter hiking trails here. I'm headed to the restaurant at Steinstoss, and then continuing on to the train station at Altmatt. Not officially part of the winter trail, which is meant to be done back in this direction after reaching the restaurant. 

Urs wasn't able to walk with me, but he took a photo of me before I headed out at 11:50. He then went to have a cup of coffee and quiche in a café in the village, before heading home. 

This is the path I took to get to the Almatt train station. As it turns out, the prepared trail was a bit too soft for me, I kept sinking in a couple of centimeters, so I decided to walk on the vehicle road instead. The snow was packed better there. 

This is the typical prepared winter walking trail. But being the first snow, it wasn't well-packed yet, and I found walking here a bit tedious. So I continued on the vehicle road later. 

Walking on the road was easier and still nice because the snow was packed better, althoug slippery in places. And a few cars traveled here as well. 

The Rothenthurm high moor is a popular cross-country skiing landscape. There weren't overly too many skiers here (we heard later that the downhill ski slopes were overrun with skiers this day). 

It was hard to find a snow-free spot to take a self-timed photo of myself! I was too warmly dressed for this open sunny region and was glad to find a WC at the restaurant (behind me) so I could remove the stockings, the sweater, and one jacket!

These are some special kind of horses!

Here is the restaurant called Steinstoss (self-serve). Technically, one would take the same walking trail back to Rothenthurm, but it's also possible to continue along the road, which I did. 

My goal is the train station in that little hamlet ahead. 

Looking behind me as I follow the road

Even though this is not part of the prepared walking trails, it is here that you can join the trail to the other train station. There were many people walking in the opposite direction to me, and passing each other was a bit tricky!

Crossing the Biber River at Bibersteg

It is strictly "forbidden" to walk on the cross-country ski trails!

The final stretch before the train station. Although people obviously walk here, it's not a prepared trail, and walking does take longer!

I got to Altmatt train station at 1:40 p.m., just a couple of minutes till the train came. It took me about 1¾ hours to walk the approx. 6 kilometers.  

I could have walked back to Rothenthurm along the other preparted trail to make it a 3-hour hike (there would have been enough sunshine), but I felt it was good timing with the train, and the walk was long enough. 

View out the train window on my way to Arth Goldau

At Steinerberg the train emerges from the upper valley 

At Steinerberg the train emerges from the upper valley with a view of the Mythen peaks. This is just before the Arth-Goldau train station, where I will switch to the train below, which is just arriving from Lugano.