East Flank of Mt.Rooterberg from Udligenswil to Küssnacht

Friday February 13, 2026 -- The only nice day this week, so it was important to take advantage of it! 

I hadn't made any plans for an "official" hike, as I was headed to the house in Küssnacht for the weekend, so after arriving, I simply caught a bus for the 15-minute ride up the hill (Mt.Rooterberg) on the north side of Lake Küssnacht to the village of Udligenswil (from where we have started other hikes) for an easy 8-km walk through the pastoral landscape, ending back down in Küssnacht. The views of the Alps is quite magnificent from here, as well as from the lakeside promenade in town. 

Most of the walk was on paved roads, which is not an issue currently as it has been raining quite a bit, and meadow trails are very muddy. I was alone for most of my walk, but when I got back to the lake, there were quite a few people on the lakeside promenade, and almost all the benches were occupied.

After returning to the house and taking a coffee break, I then headed out to Greppen to pick up some firewood from a local farmer, and ended up doing another kilometer walk, so in all it was 9-1/2 kilometers of walking this day!

View of Mt. Rigi from my little house, as it looms above the town of Küssnacht. 

At 11:24 I am waiting for the bus to Udligenswil. Mt. Pilatus looms large from near where I live!

There was a children's carnival parade taking place this weekend in Udligenswil, and one family brought their castle float along, in the bus!

From up here in Udligenswil, though not quite at the highest part of the mountain, you get a really good view of the Bernese Alps. Right in the center are the famous Eiger/Mönch/Jungfrau mountains. 

This is a close-up view of the north face of Mt.Eiger. On its left is the Mönch, and I am not sure if Mt.Jungfrau is hidden behind the Eiger North wall, or whether it's that peak just to the right.

Starting in Udligenswil at 11:45 (after a 15-minute bus ride from home), I walked via several farms northwards along Mt.Rooterberg, and then descended back to the lake. I was home again by 2:30 p.m. after this ca. 8-km walk, with a detour into the town to buy some groceries. 

As is often the case, I spotted a large bird of prey... this is probably a buzzard. 

Somewhat to the southeast are the mountains of the Uri Alps. 

Now Mount Rigi looms up ahead of me as I make my way toward Haltikon. This is a large factory here, EBL Energy Center, which provides district heating with renewable resources, in this case wood. This factory used to be called Ecogen, but was acquired by the same company whose factory we had seen on a hike in January along the Rhine River in Canton Baselland (photo HERE). 

To avoid walking along the main road, I took a longer detour around the wood-recycling plant through a forested section, which was quite nice, but as expected, the trail was muddy. 

Then I reached the chapel at Haltikon, which we had visited once before on a hike almost exactly two years ago (photos HERE), but I popped in once again. 

The Haltikon Chapel was built in 1636 in honour of St. Katharina. The building was completely renovated in 1971-1973. At that time remains of the original wooden ceiling were found, and the ceiling was reconstructed. 

Particularly pretty is the wood-paneled ceiling. 

Typical farm houses in this region. 

Heading north now along paved roads and past a variety of farms. At the house straight ahead were two large dogs on the terrace, and for the first time these were dogs who did not bark at all when people passed! (Barking dogs in the countryside are a pet peeve of mine). 

What a surprise to see these crocuses bursting through!

A cute fountain and waterwheel! I checked, but the water didn't seem to be going anywhere, except sickering into the ground. 

One single self-timed photo on this walk! (I didn't particularly pay attention as to where I could set up my camera along the way). 

There are so many of these little shops / farmers' stands along most trails. This one called "Most-Hüsli" is mostly offering various homemade fruit juices. 

Always a nice view of Mt. Rigi

At the northernmost point of my loop, I could actually see Lake Zug and the city of Zug at the north end of the lake. 

Now hiking back toward Küssnacht on the lake. This is passing a farm called Nühus.

Looking back at the farmhouse at Nühus. 

An easy walk mostly on paved roads. 

Just as one reaches the first houses at the northern end of Küssnacht, there is this little chapel called Rotchrüz, or the Rotkreuz Chapel, built in the 17th Century, and renovated in 1990/91. 

First sighting of the lake from the level of the train station in Küssnacht. 

A close-up view of the east side of Lake Küssnacht (which is an arm of the Vierwaldstättersee). A long time ago, only the two little chalets stood there, but now the entire neighbourhood has been rebuilt into all those apartment buildings. 

And now I've reached the lakeside promenade, a very nice walk all along the north end of the lake. 

Lakeside promenade in Küssnacht am Rigi. 

Looking in the southwest direction down the lake, you can see all the way to the Bernese Alps. 

Close-up look at the Nidwalden Alps, as well as all the way to the Eiger north face. 

The parish church in Küssnacht. It is a very large building that dominates the landscape here. 

Considering that this is a very large building, it is surprisingly "empty" inside. The organ is particularly impressive. 

Next to the church is the town's city hall building. 

On the other side of the church facing the lakeside square is the Seehof Hotel. 

I've never seen this interesting sculpture before. 

This part of the lakeside promenade is right across from the town's elementary school, and the stairway up to my house. I got here just before 2:30 p.m. 

These are the two chalet buildings which you can see from the train station across the lake. The house used to belong to my grandfather, since about 1947. The house is now almost 100 years old!

Great view from the balcony of my grandfather's house in Küssnacht am Rigi. 

I took an hour coffee break and then caught another bus southwards along the lakeshore (a 7-minute bus ride) to pick up some wood I had purchased for my woodstove. Walking to the farm and then to the next bus stop in Greppen took about 20 minutes. 

By 3:45 p.m. the sky has started to cloud over, but the mountains south of Lake Luzern loom hugely here in Greppen. It was about 10 minutes to walk to the farm to pick up some wood for the woodstove. 

Another farmhouse with a little self-serve shop, where I purchased 10 kg of wood which I had ordered and was able to carry home. Exactly two years ago (right to the day!) I did a hike which also took me past this farm, and I bought some Fig-Mustard here! (Photos HERE). 

This trail is part of the "Waldstätter Trail". I only had to carry the wood for a little over 10 minutes to the next bus stop!

A look down at the village of Greppen from the bus stop along the main road. I was back home again by about 4:15 p.m. after a four-minute bus ride. Back in November I had done a ca. 5-km walk from Küssnacht to here.