From Wirzweli in the Engelberg Valley to the Sarnenaa Valley

Saturday April 18, 2026 -- Finally, a real mountain hike just the way I like them! Sunshine but cool enough so the uphill wasn't tiring, then down via our beloved small paths through clearings, meadows, and forests, plus the cows are now starting to be out on the mountain pastures. And I didn't even have to go very far from home.

I traveled to Wirzweli, a mountain village in the Engelberg Valley on the southern side of Mt.Stanserhorn, which is usually accessed by cable-car and where we have been often. But right now, many cable-cars are undergoing revision, as is this one, but because a lot of people live up there, they cover the trip with a small-bus service, which takes longer because of the crazy winding roads. (Many people have cars and travel this road to get to work!) The bus was pretty full of young people and their paragliding equipment, so I got to ride up front with the driver, which is always a treat, especially when you watch the oncoming cars have to back up to make way on the narrow roads.

I also requested to be let off earlier along the road, as I didn't need to start in the village, and that was fine with the driver, and it saved me about 15 minutes of walking! My plan was to head up to the Aecherli Pass and descend on the other side into the Sarnenaa Valley. Except for a cloud over the sun at the start, it was perfect weather. It was only a 2½-hour hike, really, but enough for the day.

Side note: I was still hoping to go to western Switzerland in the Jura for the blooming daffodils, but it's a 3-hour trip each way, and I can't be sure if they are still in bloom. It's a risk I didn't want to take, so I'll have to wait another year. BUT!!! I encountered a huge field of crocuses just before reaching the Aecherli Pass, so that made up for it!

PART I: Trip to Wirzweli to the Start of my Hike

(The cableway is currently under revision, so a small bus runs up the winding road about four times a day).

Leaving home at about 8:40, this is the weather this morning, with view from the Küssnacht train station, heading to Luzern.

North side of Mt. Rigi and Lake Küssnacht, on this beautiful morning.

I may have missed the daffodils, but there are still many of the high-growth fruit trees in bloom, although not much longer! This is on the way from Stans to Dallenwil.

The train gets into Dallenwil at 9:52, and the little van bus is waiting, with a trunk full of paragliding chutes and a bus full of young people (I forgot to photograph it!). I asked if I could ride up front with the driver, and here we go heading through Dallenwil toward the cable-car station, and then further up the mountain.

Starting on the ascent toward Wirzweli with views into the Engelberg Valley.

View of the mountains in the Engelberg Valley, as the van leaves the cable-car station, where at the present no cable-cars are running, due to spring revision.

This is how the winding vehicle road looks like from below!

VIDEO:

Just a sample of driving up the winding road

Here we pass via a small mountain hamlet called Wiesenberg, which also has a cable-way currently in operation (but too far to walk to my planned trail for the day). Urs and I passed via this church on a hike we did in February 2024, walking down to Dallenwil and crossing this winding road several times. With this on-coming vehicle, there was a spot to move out of the way.

This meeting with a vehicle with trailer was a difficult manoeuver! As the bus has the right of way, other vehicles must reverse. It's not easy backing up with a trailer, and at one point the trailer jack-knifed. In the end, our van drove with two wheels on the grassy slope on the right to pass. (Further ahead where it wasn't as steep!)

The driver let me off at this junction at 10:17, as I requested him to. It was a 90-minute trip from home, and getting off here saved me 15 minutes of uphill walking. Some of the other passengers had asked to be let off at the little Gummenalp cable-way a little further on, so that they wouldn't have to hike all the way to the snowy part on the crest.

What the vehicle road looks like from Dallenwil to Wirzweli, as opposed to the cable-way. The driver let me out along the road after Wiesenberg and before reaching the village of Wirzweli, which saved me about 15 minutes of uphill walking.

PART II: Hike uphill to the Aecherli Pass above Wirzweli

As is often the case, the only clouds in the sky at this time cover the sun and create shade where I walk.... In this case not an issue, as it's better going uphill when it is not so hot.

Starting at the road above Wirzweli at 10:17, I reached the Aecherli Pass at 11:15 after spending time in the crocus fields. Then after some time at the pass, I descended to St.Jakob, which I reached at 2 p.m., with plenty of time to visit the church there before the 14:13 bus to Stans, and ultimately another 90-minute trip back home.

I did have to walk up the paved road here, which is not an issue when there is not a lot of traffic. From here you can just get a glimpse of Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee) and the Rigi Range at the back, at the opening of the Engelberg Valley.

I really wanted a photo of the village of Wirzweli in the sunshine, but had to wait for just the perfect moment! In the back is Mt.Buochserhorn, which we also summitted once in September 2018.

All of a sudden I came upon a huge hillside full of crocuses (only a very few purple ones). This was a real treat as I had missed the Jura Daffodils again this year. I spent quite a bit of time here, trying to find the perfect view of the most flowers!

In the mountains, the crocuses pop out just after the snow has melted.

Using a couple of shortcuts, I reached the large barn near the Aecherli Pass at 11:15, an hour after starting on my walk. Lots of sunshine from now on!

Here is the first look now into the next valley to the west, the Saarneraatal (Sarner Aa Valley) with the mighty Mount Pilatus in the background.

To the north is Mt. Stanserhorn. The summit is accessed from Stans on the north side with a special double-decker open-topped cable-car called the Cabri-O. But you can walk up from this side also, which we did back in November 2020, also having passed here via the Aecherli Pass.

From up here I can see the summit of Mount Titlis at the back of the Engelberg Valley, but this is a very zoomed view!

View directly to the East, the last view of the Engelberg Valley before heading down into the Saarneraa Valley.

PART III: Hike down to St.Jakob in the Sarneraa Valley

From here I now have another two hours to walk down to St.Jakob. It's now only 11:30.

From here all the way down I had the nicest soft dirt paths and forest trails. It was the perfect mountain hike!

Here at this place, the farmers were unfortunately using chain saws to cut down trees in the forest on the left. It happens a lot that I am met with those noises, unfortunately. So I had to bear with it for about 20 minutes until they took their lunch break!

VIDEO

Panorama View from near the Aecherli Pass

I wanted to record the sound of the chain saws!

So nice to see colour in the mountains again! The farm below is called Furmatt, and as it turns out, there was an ideal bench behind the barn (at the arrow) where I stopped for my picnic lunch after reaching that spot along the trail.

Up above on the way to the summit of Mt. Stanserhorn, a little chapel perches on the cliffside. We also detoured to that chapel on our November 2020 hike to the summit.

Really the perfect spot for a bench for my picnic lunch!

View from my bench into the Sarneraa Valley.

Continuing down the mountainside now I pass a couple of mountain farmsteads, but mostly I am impressed by the cabins higher on the mountainside! There are small cable-cars to transport goods up there, but otherwise, a long uphill climb!

Ah, the first butterflies, how lovely!

As I continue down the mountain, I see below me another farm where they are just doing the first mowing of mountain grass. The blossoming trees here were quite spectacular! This was after 30 minutes of walking from my lunch bench.

This is one of those little cableways that the farms high up on the steep mountainside use to transport goods up there. Then they have to walk up!

Another cute bench where I stopped for a break and to enjoy the views. Below at the back is a clearing which I walked through on the very final stretch before reaching the end of my hike at St.Jakob.

A close-up look at the clearing I walked through later, coming from the line of trees at the left, then along the road between the houses, and continuing along the road toward the right. The village of St.Jakob is just past the forest on the right.

From my little bench by the tree, the view up the Sarneraa Valley to Lake Sarnen and the range of mountains featuring the Brienzer Rothorn. That range separates Canton Obwalden from Canton Bern and Lake Brienz on the other side.

I could not get enough of the stunning trees! The trail now passes right through this farm, where the workers were just finishing their lunch-break.

These high-growth trees are, I believe, pear trees.

Preparing to harvest the newly-mown grass.

Also, the apples are just starting to blossom.

I stopped by in the barn to say hello to the cows

Their surprised expression might indicate that they don't often see strangers walk past here!

A quick detour off the forest trail for another view up the Sarneraa Valley.

OK, more trees! I have to enjoy it now, as soon it will simply all be green.

Nice that the cows are out in the pastures again!

Behind me: Mount Stanserhorn.

Now I've pretty well reached the valley bottom

These are the houses I saw from the little bench higher up the hill. The trail now continues on a paved road, and goes right between the houses.

Up above I can actually see the large barn a the Aecherli Pass, where I started on the descent on this side.

On the hillside across the valley, more pretty trees!

More happy cows.

Up ahead is the village of St.Jakob, where I am ending my hike at the bus stop across from the village church.

View down the valley past the village of St.Jakob, to what is the western and southern edge of Mt.Bürgenstock. We also hiked along there in September 2023.

I got to the village church at 2 p.m., with plenty of time to have a look before catching the 14:13 bus.

Inside the St. Jakob church

Particularly pretty in this church was the wooden ceiling.

A small mortuary in the church's cementery.

This is along the Via Jakobi / St.James Trail (also known as Jakobsweg) and many churches are featured along this trail.

And the bus comes exactly on time at 14:13! From here it is ultimately a 90-minute trip back home for me.

What my hike looks like on Google Satellite maps, including the road and cable-way from Dallenwil. I started near Wirzweli, crosses over the Aecherli Pass, and descended to St.Jakob.

PART IV: The trip back home via Stans and Lake Lucerne