Urnerboden to Linthal via Berglistäuber Falls (And a bus ride over Klausen Pass)

(Photos from the long hike the day before are HERE)

Saturday August 24, 2024 -- After a good sleep in our room in the cow barn at Sittlisalp (even though the cows were brought in to be milked at 5:45, we still managed over eight hours of sleep!), we left the farm and walked the 30 minutes to the cable-car station for the 7 a.m. run to valley bottom. From there it was another 30 minutes to walk out of the Brunni Valley to the nearest bus in Unterschächen in the Schächen Valley, where we had decided to take the 8:12 bus over the Klausen Pass to the east, crossing onto the beautiful Urnerboden Alp. (This is the largest alpine pasture in Switzerland, and anywhere up to 1000 cows have free range here. If they walk on the motor vehicle road, they have the right of way, and cars must wait...)

This bus ride over the Klausen Pass never gets boring, and we've done it many times already. It was another beautiful ride with perfect visibility. We got out at the Canton border between Uri and Glarus, from where we did a fairly easy hike on small paths, in large part through forest (fortunately, as it was very hot) with our goal the train station in the town of Linthal, which is toward the back of the Linth Valley in Canton Glarus.

The main purpose of this hike was to go see a popular waterfall called the Berglistäuber Falls, apparently one of the prettiest waterfalls in Switzerland, located in the UNESCO Sardona Tectonic Arena, and easily accessible to anyone driving up the Klausen Pass Road from the Glarus side.

After the huge hike from the day before, we hadn't wanted to do something strenuous, so other than the heat, it was a good hike for the second day on the go. We got to Linthal at 12:30 and were home by 3:15 p.m. 

PART I: Walk out of the Brunni Valley

We started out from the hostel before 6:30 a.m., having been woken at 5:45 by the cows being brought into the barn for milking. The first cable car descends at 7 a.m. and it takes 30 minutes to walk there (2 km). After the short, steep ride in the four-man cabin, we had another 2 km to walk to Unterschächen, where we bought pastries and coffee for our breakfast, and were in plenty of good time for the 8:12 bus over the Klausen Pass.

A look back at the Herger Farm where we spent the night in the barn loft (the building at the back). We got woken up at 5:45 when the cows were brought in from the pastures. We left at 6:20 for the 30-minute walk to the cable car station. On the left of the shed, the first cows are headed back to their pasture after milking.

The first cows are finished with the milking and are headed back to the pasture. They know the way on their own. They did see us though, and weren't sure if they should proceed. 

The beautiful north face of the GrossRuchen mountain in the early morning, before the sun has made it over the steep peaks on the left. 

There are many farmers up here on Sittlisalp with their cows during the summer (June to August) and all the milk produced is processed in a dairy up here (none of the milk is brought to valley bottom). We enjoyed meeting the cows on this early morning walk. 

The cows are also out for a stroll this early morning!

There is milking going on in all the other farms as well!

On our side of the valley (west), the sun is just starting to light up the mountain tops. 

Another look behind us 

Across from the cable car station is a small restaurant, and several benches. As it's only 6:50 now, I was going to enjoy my book for 10 minutes, but Urs called me over, as the bell alarm had sounded for the cable-car leaving (there was another local from a farm up here headed down as well). 

We had to hurry and get in to the cabin, as it leaves shortly after the bell sounds! We weren't expecting it to leave before 7 a.m.!

It is an approximately 5-minute ride with the cable car to the valley bottom (This is the Brunni Valley). We still had to walk 2 kilometers along the road below to reach the village of Unterschächen in the Schächen Valley. 

As it is now Saturday, they will be expecting a lot of people to be heading up to Sittlisalp. There is a large parking lot here, so there is easier access by car than for us by bus. Urs has to pay for our ride, 7 Fr. per person. 

The first group of four hikers are already in the cable car for the next ride up the mountain, saving 500 meters of ascent. 

After a long hike the day before (5+ hours) coming from the south, and spending the night in the barn-hostel in Sittlisalper-Boden, we had to walk 30 minutes to the cable-car, and another 30 minutes to Unterschächen to catch the 8:12 bus eastward over the Klausen Pass. 

View to the north as we approach the exit of the Brunni Valley

A look behind us into the Brunni Valley. When we were here the first time in May of 2016 (those photos are HERE), the cows and sheep were grazing here at valley bottom (too early to go up to the higher pastures) being watched by herd llamas. That was special!

This little building is a historical water-operated sawmill, built in 1850. 

First glimpse of the church in Unterschächen, and first rays of sunshine at 7:35 as we arrive in the Schächental (Schächen Valley). 

The village shop (in the yellow building on the left) opened at 7:30, so we had plenty of time to buy some pastries and real coffee, which we enjoyed in the sunshine while waiting for the 8:12 bus along the road on the far right. 

A look at the Brunni Valley on Google Satellite Maps. The day before, we walked from the Windgällen Massif on the left to the large Sittlisalp, spent a night at a farm there, then walked 2 x 30 minutes out of the valley to the bus stop in Unterschächen. 

PART II: The never boring bus ride over the Klausen Pass from the Schächen Valley to Urnerboden

It was a one-hour ride from Unterschächen in the Schächen Valley to the starting point of our hike on the Canton border of Uri and Glarus at the large Urnerboden Alp. There were two buses headed to Urnerboden, as Saturday is a day when many people come this way, mostly to walk the Schächental High Trail starting near the Pass. By the time we left the cheese dairy at Urnerboden, there were only still three of us in the bus. I was able to get the front seat next to the driver for the best views, especially of all the cars coming toward us on the very narrow road, which had to back up to find a place to let the bus go by.

A look down at the village of Unterschächen as the bus heads up the Klausen Pass road. 

I'm sitting in the single front seat near the bus driver, so can watch as Bus meets Car on the narrow road, where they cannot pass. The car has to drive backwards until it finds a spot where it can move out of the way. The bus driver is not shy to inch real close to the car until the car realizes it must go backwards.

From higher up on the road, we can look directly into the Brunni Valley and the Sittlisalp, where the sun is now lighting up the alpine pastures. The mountain in the background is the Gross Windgällen at the foot of which is the Seewli Lake. We crossed to the right of the smaller mountain, the Schwarz Stöckli, which impressed me so much the day before. 

A look at the Brunni Valley (a north-south valley) as we head eastward on the Klausen Pass Road. In the circle is here we spent the night. It's now about 8:30 a.m. 

A look westward down the Schächen Valley. Many people got out at the bend on the right, to hike the Schächental High Trail out of the valley (A piece of which we did with my sister in October 2022, pictures are HERE). We have also done several hikes on the upper alpine pastures on the other side of the valley. (A particularly nice one where we could look into the Brunni Valley --> HERE)

The bus stops for a few minutes at the Balm Hotel this side of the Klausen Pass. This beautiful view is westward down the entire Schächen Valley, with the village of Unterschächen in the center, at the junction of the Brunni Valley. 

One of my favourite mountains called Schärhorn, because it looks like scissors. The first time we hiked from the Klausen Pass on the south side of the valley was in JULY 2016. 

Our bus taking a small break at the Klausen Pass Hotel. We have also walked twice from here up to the crest at the back, in the center of the photo. The first time I did it on my own, in OCTOBER 2017. 

A very zoomed look at the summit of the Gross Windgällen mountain which featured in our long hike of the day before, as it crowns over Lake Seewlisee on its shadow side. 

This is the section of the Klausen Pass Road which we traveled by bus, to get to the start of our hike at the Canton Border of Uri (west) and Glarus (east). This was a 25-km stretch that took an hour to cover. On the west side of the Klausen Pass is the beautiful Schächen Valley, on the east side are the Urnerboden alpine pastures, the largest alpine pastures in Switzerland, where over 1000 cows roam free all summer. 

The first glimpse of the east side of the pass into the Glarus Alps, very hazy as it is still early in the morning (8:50)

Heading down the winding road. This little hamlet is called Vorfrutt. Urs has relatives who have a small alpine summer farm building there. 

Urner Boden is the largest alpine pasture in Switzerland, where over 1000 cows roam free. Just the weekend before, the cows had been brought down from even higher alpine pastures on the right. 

Above those cliffs are a glacier lake, and higher alpine pastures where many cows graze in July and August, before they are brought back down to the Urnerboden pastures. We have walked up there several times, it is a magnificent hiking area. (For example, the hike we did in AUGUST 2018)

Nearing the valley bottom now. The mountain range on the north side of Urnerboden is particularly impressive. 

This driver almost ran into our bus coming around the corner. She had hoped our bus would back up into a nearby passing area, but just behind her was the one she should have headed over to. The bus driver signaled to her, that she needed to back up. Being from the Netherlands, she is obviously not used to mountain driving, and I have never seen anyone do such a labourious reverse on such an easy stretch. We had to wait several minutes until she was finally out of the way. 

At just past 9 a.m., the bus arrives at the large cheese dairy and shop in the village of Urnerboden, the main village here. Most of the rest of the passengers got out here, as there is a cable-car to the Fiseten Crest on the south side of the valley, a good starting point for a hike to the Clariden Hostel and the high trail back to Klausen Pass (the one we have already walked a couple of times). With the exception of a local mountain man, we were the only passengers who continued eastward to the Canton border.

The fascinating peaks above the houses in Urnerboden. 

Such beautiful peaks on the north side of the Urnerboden Valley. There is a plateau beneath the peaks with several mountain cabins, with unofficial paths leading up there, known probably only by the locals. 

A couple of small hamlets dot the pastures. 

Everywhere we saw the cows roaming free, although this time there were none on the road to impede the bus ride. (It did happen to us once before!)

PART III: The actual hike for the day

From the Canton Border on the Klausenpass road into the Linth Valley to the train station in Linthal. We took a short detour to the Berglistäuber Waterfall, supposedly one of the nicest waterfalls in Switzerland, and one that Urs had wanted to see for a long time. It was hot hiking down through the forests, sometimes near the road, so we always heard the motorbikes, which love to drive the pass roads. There was also some sort of cycling event going on (Chasing Cancellara) and we felt really bad for the cyclists who had started that morning in Zurich and were ascending the pass road from the Linthal side in the stifling heat. 

We started our hike at the Canton border, where the road does its final descent from Urnerboden into the Linthal Valley. Signs on either side welcome you into Canton Uri, or Canton Glarus. We had ended hikes on two other occasions at this point, so it was a good place to continue from. (OCTOBER 2021 and OCTOBER 2018)

A look up to the Klausen Pass to the west, as we head across the river to descend toward Linthal to the east.  

It's a short hike we have planned (after already having walked an hour in the Brunni Valley). Just over an hour to the Bergli Waterfalls which Urs wants to see, and about an hour more from there to the train station in Linthal. 

This was an easy walk for us, about 2½ hours including a detour to the waterfalls. Most of the descent was through forested areas, but it was still hot. Surprisingly, the last two kilometers along the paved road at valley bottom were the most comfortable, as there was a breeze (we were worried it might be too hot without shade). In all we still did a 3½-hour walk this day. 

Crossing the Fätschbach River to the south side of the valley. It is later along this river, that the Bergli Waterfall is created. 

From the bridge over the Fätschbach River, a final look up to the Klausen Pass, before we head down to the Linth Valley. 

A look behind us again as we get another glimpse of that massif north of the Urnerboden Valley. 

A look eastward down the Klausen Pass Road as we head to the north side.

Much of the trail was near the road, so we often heard the motorcycles roaring past, but we didn't mind. The path was narrow and comfortable, and most importantly, we had lots of shade. 

Above us to the north is Mount Ortstock, the dominant mountain at the east end of the Massif. (We once did a fabulous crossing on the other side of that mountain from Braunwald to Glattalp. Those photos are HERE). 

Here we started to notice more and more cyclists headed up the road toward the pass. There are often cyclists here, but this was an unusually large number. Then I saw the two cows (upper left) also watching the road (or us), and then Urs pointed out the large rock that at one time must have rolled down the mountain and landed on top of the gallery!

Our first view of the back of the Linth Valley as we head further down, through more open clearings now. (A very hot day already, and it's only 10:30 a.m.)

We are always being spied on!

It was so hot, and I was glad I could change into the lightest blouse I had brought along!

Heading through open clearings and looking forward to the shade of the tree up ahead!

Now we have reached the junction of the trail to the waterfall (on the right) and are sure now that there was a cycling event going on! I can't imagine how hot it must have been for them to ride up this road! (Cyclists are a nuisance on this road at the best of times, because cars, in particular buses, have a hard time passing them).

At the detour to the waterfalls, there was a little refreshment stand, where Urs later had an ice cream, and several cyclists stopped for a cold drink break. We talked to a couple of them who told us about the Cancellara Event, which was not really a race, but a stretch where cyclists could test their personal stamina. I think those two had had enough!

Heading to the Berglistüber Waterfall

Urs was impressed, although I've seen more spectacular falls. The information panel lets us know that the Fätschbach river (which flows from Urnerboden to the Linth River) falls three times along the way, and this is the nicest of the three falls. What makes this most impressive is that behind the waterfall is a geological thrust similar to the famount Glarus Thrust of 200-300 million years, but apparently "only" 155 million years ago. 

A sign warns hikers that going behind the waterfall is at their own risk, but many people did it anyway. 

The falls are popular as the access is easy and so close to the road, with a big parking lot. So why not stop there?

Back out at the road again and heading down the last stretch to valley bottom. Another look up into the Urnerboden Valley. 

Looking down the Linth Valley

More toward the back part of the Linth Valley

We had to cross the main road to get back to the trail. There are loads more cyclists heading up the road, and you can just "feel" the impatience of the cars and motorcycles trying to pass them along the narrow road and corners with no visibility. 

A close-up view of the town of Linthal. Because of the water power available from the river, this valley used to be an industrial valley with many factories and operations such as bakeries, flower mills etc. There are still many of the old factory chimneys and buildings in all the villages down the valley. 

We're never too happy when a section of the trail is along a main road like this. But sometimes it is unavoidable!

Finally down at valley bottom with a look up toward the back of the Linth Valley. There was a breeze blowing here, and it was surprisingly comfortable to walk the final two kilometers to the train station. 

A large water reservoir. 

Final stretch to Linthal

This is the first part of the Klausen Pass road on this side. It was originally built using only cobblestones!

Main road in Linthal. We headed directly to the train station instead of passing via the village church. 

Shortcut to the train station. This pizzeria was quite busy, as it was now 12:20.

Shortly before the train station which we reached at 12:30, in plenty of time for the 12:42 train and the 2½-hour ride home.

All the hikes we have done to date around the Klausen Pass and Urnerboden (Canton Uri), to Linthal and Braunwald (Canton Glarus) 

Region of our hike for the day near Linthal