Descent on the North Side of Mt. Fronalpstock from Stoos to Morschach

Tuesday October 29, 2024 -- After the long and challenging hike I did the day before, I chose a shorter hike this time, also fairly close to home with just a little over one hour of travel time. 

To get to the recreation village of Stoos in the Muota Valley, most people (especially tourists) will take the modern funicular—the steepest in the world—, but there is another smaller cablecar which ascends from Morschach near Lake Uri. As this cable car is going into revision from the 4th of November to 6th of December, it was a good time for a final ride. (This one I can also ride for free with my pass).

To save an hour's worth of uphill climbing after that, I had to pay 11 Fr. for a short ride to the middle station of the Fronalpstock chair lift, and from there I descended on what turned out to be a very wet and slippery trail on the north side of the mountain, albeit with some pretty nice views of the Schwyz area and the Mythen mountains. (I was actually pretty lucky with this, as the fog usually fills this region as well at this time of year, but this day it only extended as far south as Goldau).

With another steep 700 meters left to descend (of a total 1075 meters) I ran into a young lady who was having difficulties as she hadn't anticipated how wet the trail was, and also wasn't wearing the proper hiking shoes. So I helped her down the rest of the way as she hung on to my arm, until we got past the worst of the descent. She then hiked back up the mountain on a wider and easier trail, while I made my way through the sunny farmsteads and pastures where the cows are enjoying still being outside. Having just missed a bus in Morschach, I was still able to enjoy sunshine while waiting for the 4 p.m. bus to Brunnen, and was back home in the eternal fog in Zug just an hour later. 

By train to Brunnen at the north end of Lake Uri (Urnersee), and then a bus takes you up to the mountain village of Morschach, below the peak that is called Fronalpstock (there is a ridge hike there which is very popular with tourists). 

Heading up by bus to Morschach (Canton Schwyz), you get a nice view across Lake Uri to Seelisberg (Canton Uri). Near the water on the left is the famous Rütli Meadow, where in 1291 representatives from the three cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden took an oath to create the Swiss Confederacy. 

Taking the 11:40 cable car from the Morschach station, this is the view over the town of Schwyz to the north, and the two Mythen peaks. The fog had already lifted here by now. The ride up was all in the shadow side of the mountain. 

After reaching the summit station of the Morschach/Stoos cableway, I had to walk about five minutes to the Fronalpstock chair lift, where I paid 11 Fr. to ride to the middle station. This is a view over the resort village of Stoos from the chair lift ride, popular in winter for skiing, both alpine and cross-country. 

View from the middle station of the Fronalpstock chair lift. The view is up the Muota Valley, to the beautiful Silberen, the largest karst landscape in Switzerland. Also here is the longest cave system in the world. 

Having taken the Morschach-Stoos cablecar (a small one) along the north side of the mountain, I walked to the Fronalp chair lift and started my hike at the middle station at about noon. I still had to walk 30 minutes uphill before starting the steep descent along a wet and slippery trail. By the time I returned to the level of the Morschach cableway station shortly before 3 p.m., I finally had sunshine! (It was a long descent, which Urs would not have liked). 

I still had an uphill climb of about 30 minutes before starting my descent on the shady side of the mountain. But here it was sunny and the view was superb. 

There were a lot of people on the trail this day, most of them hiking up to the summit of Mount Fronalpstock. 

"Aussichtspunkt" means "Look-out Point", which I stopped by for some photos. In July of 2023 I walked the popular Stoos Crest Trail, having ascended to Stoos with the funicular at that time (photos are HERE), and on my hike back down to Stoos I passed through here and spent some time on the benches at this look-out point. 

The view from the look-out point. When I was here last in July 2023, I sat on a bench here for a while, but this time there were two German tourists sitting there, talking loudly, and banging open jars of pickles, so I didn't stay long. 

In the far distance to the northwest, I can see the thick fog covering Lake Zug and the whole region to the north of Goldau, where it let up on this day.

Panorama view of the Schwyzer Alps, from Wildspitz on the left, across the city of Schwyz, to the two Mythen, the Hoch-Ybrig Region, the Glarus Alps, and the village of Stoos on the right. 

Just before starting my descent at 12:30, another look to the east to the Silberen and the Glarus Alps. 

About 10 minutes after starting my descent at 12:30, I get the first view of the city of Brunnen and the north end of Lake Uri, with the Rigi range on the north side of the lake, and all the way in the back to the foggy soup over Lake Zug. Most of my descent was here on the shadow side of the mountain.

A beautiful view of Lake Luzern, all the way to the Bürgenstock and Mount Pilatus on the left in the west, and the summit of Rigi Kulm at the back on the right. The Lake Uri arm of Lake Luzern extends from Brunnen southwards. After a section of shady trail, I spent some time on the small sunny spot high on the left, but after that still had to descend here on the shadow side. 

Having crossed the shady clearing on the right, I reached this single sunny spot at 1:10 p.m., and spent some time here eating my sandwich and enjoying (finally!) some sunshine again! And the view, of course. This was a detour from my main trail, which descends in the shadow of the mountain again, just behind this sunny rise. 

There was a look-out point here on this sunny point, and a convenient bench, but there was still too much shade here for me to rest on this bench. 

The view from the bench at the look-out point. The sunny plateau below is Morschach, the lake is Lake Uri on this side of Seelisberg, and Lake Luzern on the north side, extending all the way to Mount Pilatus. From here I can see that the city of Luzern and the lake north of Bürgenstock are also covered in fog. 

A close-up look at the Morschach plateau below. There is a special little church on the edge there, one which we visited on our hike along the Swiss Path in 2014. The church belongs to a Catholic religious community called the Pallotines, and only members of that order are buried in the cemetery there. 

A close-up view of Mounts Bürgenstock and Pilatus, and the fog over the city of Luzern on the right. 

I found a better place in the sunshine to rest for a while and have my picnic lunch, at 1:30 p.m.

One single meadow flower still blooming!

Returning back to the junction of the trail which heads down the mountain, I first filled up my water bottle from the water trough on the right. It is now shortly before 2 p.m. 

A look up to the summit of Mt. Fronalpstock before heading down the rest of the steep mountainside, a total of 700 meters to go, 400 of which were pretty steep as well. The sign reads 1 hour 20 minutes to Morschach from here. It took me an hour and 40 minutes. 

Heading around a corner, I noticed a young lady having difficulty with the trail. (She had actually passed me on her way up the mountain just before I reached the sunny spot where I had my lunch). It turns out she was having difficulties with the wet and slippery trail as she did not have proper hiking shoes, so I assisted her down the mountain, for which she was very grateful. 

More views across the city of Schwyz and the two Mythen mountains, as we continue down the trail. We had a couple of sunny spots along the way, which was very welcome! Down below on the left you can see the parking lot of the Morschach cableway, where I started this excursion. 

The whole plateau below is in the sunshine here, above the city of Brunnen. 

The remainder of the trail to the level of the parking lot wasn't very difficult any more. 

Continuing on my own now, I have another hour from here across these sunny pastures on easy trails, until I get to the village of Morschach. 

In the background, the Rigi Range, and Mt.Pilatus at the far back on the left. 

This cute place had a sitting area with several tables, and self-serve refreshments. 

So lovely to still see the cows out in the pastures!

Looking up to the summit of Mt. Fronalpstock. Most of the trees have lost their leaves by now, but there is still some colour. 

This is a much better stretch to walk now, compared to the descent on the shadow side of the mountain. 

Look at all the cows enjoying the sunshine!

What a great view of the two Mythen Peaks!

At this time of year, I don't even mind the paved back-roads!

The mountain village of Morschach. (According to a panel at the front wall of the church, the name of this town was first mentioned in documents of 1261!)

Last stretch before reaching the village

A lovely house in the village of Morschach. I got here at 15:40, and the next bus was shortly after 4 p.m. 

This whole region is replete with stories about William Tell

A look at the summit of Mt.Fronalpstock. I went to have a look at the church, of course, and then sat on a sunny bench in the square in front of the church, until it was time to head to the bus stop. 

Even though there was already a church dedicated to St.Gallus here at least since 1283, the main building here is from about the year 1509, as the original one was damaged by an earthquake in the year 1500. As usual, a lot of changes and additions were made over the centuries, so that the interior exhibits parts of various architectural eras. 

Enjoying the sunshine in front of the Morschach church while waiting for the 4 p.m. bus. 

My view of the Uri Alps from in front of the church in Morschach. 

In Morschach.

Heading back down now by bus, back to the train station in Brunnen. (I was back home in just one hour). 

At the train station in Brunnen, you can see the entire Fronalpstock Massif, and can even make out the approximate path I took when hiking down the mountain. 

Just before the train reaches Goldau (and the fog), this is one of my favourite views across Lake Lauerzersee to the two Mythen mountains. Mount Fronalpstock is in the back, on the right. 

These are all the hikes we have done in the area of Stoos, Schwyz, Brunnen, and Lake Uri. The pink trail in the center, from Stoos to Morschach, is the one I did this day.  

Location of Morschach in Switzerland, close to where I live in Zug.