Walk around the Grosse and Kleine Mythen Mountains to Schwyz

Wednesday November 5, 2025 -- Another nice day in the forecast, although there is currently fog in the regions around Lake Zug and Küssnacht am Rigi, where I had spent the night. From there I chose to head to Schwyz to hike once again along the two Mythen mountains--which we have done often before--but this time descending to the town of Schwyz via a new path I had not yet taken before: The St.James Trail section from Haggenegg to Schwyz. The trip from Küssnacht to the summit station of the Rothenflue gondola station takes 90 minutes. 

From the summit station I first walked about 10 minutes southwards from where I had the most spectacular views of the Schwyzer and Uri Alps (Hoch-Ybrig, Muotathal, Fronalpstock, Gitschenen etc.) as visibility was once again very good this day. Then I returned to the station and headed on my hike, which turned out to be four hours of walking this day. In retrospect, I might have started a bit late at 11 a.m., as I had quite a bit of shade on the east side of the Mythen mountains, but otherwise lots of sunshine. 

This is a very lovely part of Central Switzerland with pastures, traditional houses and historical buildings, and views of lakes and mountains and many options for wonderful hikes or walks.  

There is still a little bit of fog in the valley south of Goldau on the way to Schwyz. But soon I had full sunshine. 

From Schwyz train station, a view to the Uri Alps just west of Lake Uri. (Mt. Gitschen and Uri Rotstock). 

View of the Grosse Mythen from the bus window, on the way via the town of Schwyz to the gondola cable-way at Rickenbach.

Here is the gondola cable-car which takes you up to Rothenflue summit station, which is just south of the Grosse Mythen. As I was not in a hurry, I waited till all the people from the bus and additional people who came by car had all boarded the next 6 cabins or so, and was able to ride alone!

View down onto the town of Schwyz and Lake Luzern as I head up the hill. 

Lots of views of the two Mythen peaks as the cable-car heads up to Rothenflue. 

Now close to the summit station, a better view of the valley bottom, wth Lake Luzern on the left, Lake Lauerz on the right, the stretched out Rigi range in the center. You can see where the fog ends at the south end of Lake Zug. 

View of the Grosse Mythen mountain from the summit of the cable-car. You can see a zigzag trail heading up this side of the mountain, a very popular hike up to the restaurant at the top. At the foot of the mountain on the right is a restaurant called Holzegg, which I am going to walk to later. That is also the starting point for the ascent of the mountain. 

There is a trail from the summit station which heads south for a view into the Muota Valley. My planned hike is northwards, but I made a detour in this direction first. 

A look along the range eastward from Rothenflue, to the mountains of the Hoch-Ybrig region. 

VIDEO:

Panorama view of the Schwyzer and Uri Alps

Directly below to the south is the Muota Valley. And across the valley is the popular recreational, car-free, mountain village of Stoos, accessed with the world's steepest funicular. 

Close-up view of the village of Stoos and Mt. Fronalpstock on the rght. The popular Stoos Ridge hike follows this ridge toward the left. Almost exactly a year earlier I was on this mountain, but there was no snow at all (photos are HERE). 

VIDEO:

Panorama from Lake Lauerz to Lake Luzern.

Back at the Rothenflue summit station at 11:15: My plan is to walk to Haggenegg, a walk we have done twice before (August 2019 and June 2023) , and then descend to the town of Schwyz, another two hours from there. So with the detour I just did, it was an almost four-hour hike. 

After taking a small detour to look at the Schwyzer Alps to the south, I headed north at 11:15. I had a lunch break at Haggenegg, and then descended to Schwyz town center bus stop, which I reached at 3:30 p.m. So about 4½ hours to walk the approx. (Note, the actual average time to walk this would be 3 hours 50 minutes, which is about my speed.)

After a descent through the forest, I get to a saddle called Holzegg. 

Heading toward the two Mythen mountains now along the "saddle", i.e. on the south slope you can see to Lake Luzern, and on the north slope down into the Alptal, or Alp Valley. 

On the left is the Holzegg restaurant. A small cable-car comes up from the Alp Valley to the north. Many people who want to climb up the Grosse Mythen come up via this cable-car, as the ascent starts here. 

A close-up view from directly below, of the restaurant at the summit of the Grosse Mythen. 

This is now the view to the north, into the Alp Valley. At the far back and out of this valley you would reach the town of Einsiedeln. 

The path crosses an earlier landslide. 

Up ahead is a small farm called Zwüschet Mythen, currently in the shadow of the Grosse Mythen. The farmers spend the summer up here but have left the farm now. They make and sell cheese here in summer, which we have also purchased from there previously. (see also these PHOTOS)

By now, at about noon, the forest trail on the east side of the Mythen mountains was in shadow. It might have been better to start an hour earlier, but I wanted to make sure I had sunshine on the west side of the mountain. 

Down below in the Alptal is the little village of Brunni, where people can park their cars and take the little cable-car up to Holzegg. 

A look up at the jagged peaks of the Mythen range, just before I round them on the north side. 

Now I'm at the highest point of the trail near the pass called Haggenegg. This view down the couloir is the regular hiking trail. I took a different way up this time, as we had walked here twice before. In the background are the Schwyzer and Glarus Alps. 

This farm is a cheese dairy, called Alpkäserei Gummen, and they make original Schwyzer Alp cheese here. At this time of year, the farmers are also no longer here. In the background is the Glärnisch Massif in Canton Glarus. 

From here at Haggenegg, I am going to descend to the south to Schwyz. But first I saw a sign for a look-out point slightly higher up, so I headed up that way for my lunch break. It's about 1 p.m. now. 

Perfect place for a lunch break! There was a bench, and two panorama panels where you could check the names of the surrounding mountains. 

Enjoying a 20-minute break up at the look-out point. It was lovely. 

Down below me is the Haggenegg restaurant. After my lunch break I headed back down there, through the parking lot and along the trail which descends through the forest on the left. 

To my westward side, a large plume of smoke. It died down a bit after this, so I suspect someone was burning a pile of brush or similar. 

From directly to the north of the Mythen massif, one can no longer see the Grosse Mythen. The closest peak here is actually called Haggenspitz, and the one behind it is the Kleiner Mythen. 

Back down on the road now and ready for the second part of my hike, which is the long descent to Schwyz (two hours) along Trail no.4: "Via Jakobi", or the "St.James Trail / Switzerland"

The peaks of the Mythen Range were on my left as I descended through the forest. 

Some nice colour in the forest. 

It's also nice to walk through forests. 

Now out of he forest, I descend through green pastures with a view of Lake Lauerz and Mt.Rigi on the far right. This final stretch was a little over three kilometers along a paved road, but I actually enjoyed this more than the steep forest trail as there is so much to see. 

Everywhere are lovely farm houses. 

Another short section of forest with some very nice fall colours. 

Nice sunshine through the forest. 

Such a beautiful countryside here. 

An attractive old farmhouse. In the background are the snow-covered mountains of the south side of the Muota Valley, i.e. above Stoos etc. 

And now I get a good view of the Grosse Mythen once again, this time from its West side. The top of the mountain is a rust-colour, and that rock is actually much older than the rock below it, which indicates that the Earth's crust flipped over once long ago. 

A look behind me to the mountain called Hochstuckli. I descended from that mountain, but more on the right side (on this photo). 

Crossing a stream called Nietenbach. 

Every pasture has a resident cat!

An attractive and very large barn. Again, the snow-covered peaks of the Schwyzer Alps south of the Muota Valley. 

Following Trail no.4: "Via Jakobi" / "St.James Trail". It's now 3 p.m. and the sign tells me I still have 25 minutes to the bus stop in Schwyz. 

Here in the hillside community of Reid, is a small chapel aptly called the Riedkapelle. 

I had a quick look into the chapel. It was apparently built in 1780 and has received several renovations. 

Typical farm house for this region. 

More barns. Note that the grass is still green here in November. (It's such a great place for hiking, except there is a lot of fog in November). 

And now from this vantage point is the way the two Mythen Mountains are most recognizable. So nice that there are still cows in the pastures!

Now, from above, I reach the Cantonal High School called the Kollegium. A fantastic building. The farmers are still out cutting another harvest of grass. The tractor is mowing, and the lady on the right was dragging a rake through the cut grass. It's a lot of work!

A beautiful builing. This is the Kollegi, i.e. a high school!

Front of the Kollegium building with the summit of the Grosse Mythen burning rust colour in the afternoon sunshine. 

Now I'm down in the town, looking straight at the parish church before heading to the bus stop. It is now 3:30 p.m. and I have to wait 20 minutes for the next bus to the train station, a total 50-minute trip home. I would have had time to go through the church again, but I've seen it many times. It is considered one of the most elaborate Baroque Churches in Switzerland. (See Photos HERE). 

What my hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

Looking back at the familiar view of the Grosse and Kleine Mythen as the train heads to Arth-Goldau station from Schwyz. My descent to Schwyz was from the saddle to the left of the left-most peak, and through the forest below the cliffs. 

All the hikes we have done around the Mythen mountains, the Muota Valley, and Schwyz.