Along the South Flank of Mt.Brienzer Rothorn to the Cable-car at Turren

Tuesday September 8, 2026 -- We have been up on the Brienzer Rothorn summit twice now, both times traveling up on the popular steam train from Brienz in Canton Bern on the south side of the range.

But there is also access to the crest via a cable car from Sörenberg in Canton Luzern on the north side of the range, a cable car we had yet to ride on. So on this beautiful day we undertook the trip to Brienzer Rothorn once again, with our goal the Turren cable-car above Lake Lungern, where we had been just recently on a nearby hike on June 13th this year. To get to the summit this way is only a two-hour trip (although this time the bus was running late, and the connecting cable-car took off just as we arrived, which meant another 20-minute wait). 

Back in August 2019, we did our first hike here along the popular crest trail, crossing then northwards at a point called Gibel to pass by the Schönbüel Restaurant and ultimately ending at the Glaubenbielen Pass (photos HERE). This time we hiked in the same direction parallel to the ridge but 300 meters lower, with the same fantastic views of Lake Brienz along the entire route, and we also crossed back northwards lower down, ending at the Turren cable car. 

It was a long four-hour hike, the first part of which (a 550-meter descent) on a rather gravelly path, but otherwise a spectacular hike. It started cold and very windy at the top, but we were granted views of a large herd of male ibex, always a spectacular sighting. (I regret not making the detour to see them up close). 

PART I: Travel to Brienzer Rothorn Summit and watching the Ibex.

Having left home at 7:15, we were headed up the Mariental (Marien Valley) toward Sörenberg at 8:45, with a view of the Brienzer Rothorn Range where we got up to the ridge by cable-car from this side. (The more common way is with the little steam train from Brienz on the south side of this range).

The bus should have gotten to the cable-car station at 9:03, but there were delays along the way, and so we just missed the 9:10 run of the cable-car, even though we hurried to get our tickets. So we had to wait 20 minutes, and I watched the next cable-car arriving at the station. 

Watching the cable car at the half-way point to where we are headed. 

We were then headed up to the Brienzer Rothorn crest on the 9:30 cable-car run. This early there were not a lot of people in the cable car, as you can also see from the fairly empty parking lot. 

Urs spotted an interesting design in the field below! Some farmer had creativity in mowing his pastures!

Far below now we can see the town of Sörenberg on the left. Recently we did a hike coming down from the right near the Glaubenbielen Pass, and ending at this cable-car station (photos HERE), and back in October 2021 we had hiked to the summit of Mt.Nünalpstock, which is the center peak on this photo, and we then walked down from there toward the Glaubenbielen Pass. 

And to the northwest we get a very nice look at the Schrattenfluh range. This whole region is still part of the UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch region in Canton Luzern. 

And now at mid-point, the other cable car passes us. 

To the northeast, the morning sun makes some really nice shadow effects on all the mountain ranges in that direction. (All these hills are now actually in Canton Obwalden, as the cable-way follows parallel very near the border between Cantons Luzern to the west, and Obwalden to the east.)

Final look to the north across the Entlebuch, as we reach the top station of the Sörenberg-Rothorn cable-way. This is the first time we have ridden on this cable-way (it was also quite expensive, even with the half-fare reduction that we get, i.e. regular price is 32 Fr. for a one-way trip!). 

And here is the first view that we get of Lake Brienz from the crest. You can see the railway line below, where most people (mostly all tourists) now come up the mountain from the south side. On the far left you can just make out the north face of Mt.Eiger. 

This is the restaurant terrace at the cable-car summit station. Further in the back (behind Urs) would be the summit station of the Brienzer Rothorn steam train. It is now 9:50.

We went up to the viewing platform above the cable-car station building. Interesting swing, a "monument" to the presence of ibex on this mountain. 

The view to the west across the entire Brienzer Rothorn range. You can see the summit station of the Rothorn railway line, and the first set of tourists heading up this way, as we are right next to the actual summit of Mt. Brienzer Rothorn (which we did not go up to). The nearer part of this range forms the Canton border with Bern to the south, and Luzern to the north. Behind us where we are headed, the border is between Bern to the south and Obwalden to the north. 

The first steam train run of the day, which arrived at the summit at 9:30 a.m., is now headed down the mountain. A close-up look as it passes the farming hamlet of Obristen. (Interesting side-note: The buildings are protected on the north side by a wedge-shaped construction to prevent them being swept away in case of an avalanche). 

And now a wider view of the panorama as we spot the little train below. At the far west end of Lake Brienz is the city of Interlaken. 

And then we spotted the herd of ibex just below us! They live up here on these flanks, but travel all over the mountain, so it was just our luck that they were here. These are all males. 

The ones with longer horns are older. These are all males. Those hikers sure got close! This was not the trail we were headed on, but it would have been only a 10-minute detour to get up closer to them, something I also regret not doing. 

 

VIDEO:

Watching the herd of ibex.

(It was very windy, so the camera shakes and the wind is noisy. 

Also, the zoomed view makes it hard to keep the picture still).  

Spectacular panoram views ahead of us as well. 

And now at 10:05 we stand near the very summit of Mt.Brienzer Rothorn (it would be a very short walk to the top, just three minutes, but we didn't detour there either). It was time to move on because it was actually very windy and rather cold up here. 

PART II: Walking eastward along the Southern Flank of the Brienzer Rothorn Range

The more spectacular hike is along the green line on this map, along the actual crest, but it requires a lot of uphill and downhill, and we did that hike northwards via Schönbüel in August 2019. This time we wanted to try the less strenuous trail about 300 meters below the crest. Distance-wise, it takes longer to get to the Turren cable-car this way. 

This section downhill from Brienzer Rothorn summit to the level of the small lake below (Eisee) is rather gravelly and not so fun to walk on. 

Down below at the saddle is the junction of the trails. All other hikers head to the left along the crest, and we were the only ones heading along the right-hand trail, about 300 meters below the crest, and then crossing toward the north at the further arrow. 

The fairly rough (and well-trodden trail) heads down from the summit of Mt.Brienzer Rothorn. 

Down below, Lake Eisee is still mostly in shadow of the ridge. The crest trail starts out along the north flank that we see here, but we are headed into the sunshine on the right. There is a chair lift here that one could take down to the level of the lake.  

Near the junction of the two trails, we discovered this "photo-stop", where we had to take a shot with the Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau trio of mountains to the south. 

Final look at Lake Eisee to the north, and the other trail about halfway up that mountainside. We are heading in the other direction, though, from here. 

Another look at the summit of Mt. Brienzer Rothorn as we now head along the southern trail below the crest. 

As it turns out, we were the only hikers along this southern trail, and we had fantastic views of Lake Brienz the whole way as well, without all the uphill sections! 

Our trail follows the southern flank of the Rothorn Range. We can see up ahead where the trail reaches the southernmost point before a shorter uphill stretch over the crest and down the north side. 

As it turns out, the first part of this descent, about 200 meters and 20 minutes downhill, wasn't so great as the trail was rough and gravelly. 

Now we get to the more interesting part of our hike, better trodden paths, no more downhill on gravelly paths, and some interesting stretches across sections of rock slides. 

Always some interesting sections to navigate!

As it was no longer windy in the protection of the mountain flank, and the day was getting hot, we were glad to find a wayside bench in the shade at shortly before noon, also perfect time for our picnic lunch!

I took lots of photos across Lake Brienz toward the west! Here is a view of alpine pastures and the town of Brienz below. 

By 12:30 we had reached the single alpine farm up here on a hillside called Chäseren. The farmer was cutting grass with one of those weed-whackers, which we unfortunately still heard for at least the next half hour of our hike!

A view behind us again as we continue across the Chäseren Alp. 

A stunning ravine/gorge below us. It is called Stelli. 

The landscape and trails here never got boring, and we really did enjoy this walk!

Stunning geology with the layers of rock that look like steps up the entire mountainside here!

Spectacular views over Lake Brienz and the Bernese Oberland along this entire stretch of trail. 

The trail winds in and out along the mountainside. Here we look back toward the Chäserenalp Farm and the summit of Mt. Brienzer Rothorn where we started on this hike. 

More views of the lake and the town of Brienz below. 

As we reach the southernmost part of our hike (before heading over the saddle back into Canton Obwalden to the north), another fantastic panorama view along the hillside we had walked on, starting at the summit of Mt. Brienzer Rothorn, and passing via Chäseren Alp. It took us 3½ hours to get to this point.  

At 1:30 p.m. we got to the southernmost point of our hike, before heading north to cross the saddle called Tüfengrad. From here we had a great view to the mountains in the southeast. We wanted to take a break, but it was too hot here, so we returned to a small piece of shade on our trail. 

View into the Hasli Valley and the mountains to the south and east. Far on the left is the valley which leads up to the Grimsel Pass. And the trail on the left (which we did not take) continues now along the regional trail no.57: "Obwaldner Höhenweg" down to the Brünig Pass (Urs has done this before, he says it is a very long and steep descent). 

PART III: Heading North into Canton Obwalden, to the Turren Cable-Car and Lungern.

Now we head back north with an uphill section to cross into Canton Obwalden, to catch the cable-car at Turren down to the valley bottom at Lake Lungern. Just over an hour more of straight walking from here. (In the other direction you can hike down to the Brünig Pass, but it is a descent of another 840 meters altitude from here!)

Having come along the trail about 300 meters below the highest part of the ridge, we now head north to cross at the arrow. It is an ascent of only 100 meters from here, about 15 minutes. That entire ridge forms the border of Canton Bern (where we are) and Canton Obwalden (where we are now headed). 

Even though the air was somewhat hazy this day (I would have wished for super good visibility), we still had nice views over the lake and the Bernese Oberland region. 

At exactly 2 p.m. we reached the Tüfengrat (ridge) from where we now descend into Canton Obwalden, with views into the Sarneraa Valley to the north. From here we have another hour to walk to the cable-car station at Turren, a cable-car that takes us down to Lake Lungern. 

Lovely upper mountain pastures called Breitenfeld, which we now cross to the small hamlet at the back with the same name, then down to the right. Before getting to the village, though, is a small farm where we are hoping we might find a small "honesty shop". 

Directly above us to the west, the Schönbüel mountain inn and restaurant stands all alone above the alpine pastures. We had stopped for lunch at this restaurant when we did the ridge hike from Brienzer Rothorn in August 2019. 

And from here we get some more spectacular views down to the Brünig Pass and into the Hasli Valley!

The small farm building along the way is on a farm called "Usseri Alp Breitenfeld", and Urs was happy to discover that they had some cold drinks in the little shop fridge there! (Here in Switzerland we pay either by cash into a cash box, or by direct transfer called TWINT -- an App on the phone -- which is very convenient!)

Close-up view of the mountain hamlet called Breitenfeld. 

It's always a treat to spot the small alpine birds. This one is called a "Northern Wheatear" (German = Steinschmätzer), birds with long wings that breed in Greenland and fly 3000 meters over the Atlantic and Iberian Peninsula to their winter place south of the Sahara. 

Now we have arrived in the little hamlet called Breitenfeld at 14:40 (here we also checked out the honesty shops and bought some locally-produced cheese). 

In February 2023 we did a winter hike to this village, starting at the Turren cable-car station (where we are now headed) and continuing almost to the Schönbüel hotel. This village chapel was built in 1729-1732. 

Shortly before 3 p.m. we are continuing on again, toward the Turren cable-car station, with more views of the Hasli Valley to the south. 

Up ahead now we can see the cable-car station at Turren. Back in June of this year we also ended a hike there, but having come up from the road on the left. This time there's not a lot of uphill any more!

From up here we can also see where we descended on the June 2026 hike from Fluonalp. 

A quick detour to the restaurant terrace to watch the cable-car come up from the valley bottom, where we are now headed. That's the town of Lungern below, with a glimpse of the south side of the lake. (It's a long walk from the cable-car station to the train station, but there is a free shuttle service which is great, so we don't have to walk in the heat and possibly miss the hourly train to Luzern). 

By 15:40 (after a five-minute wait in an incredibly hot waiting room at the top, where I thought for sure I was going to faint), we were on the way down to lake level. It's a long walk from the cable-car station to the train station, but there is a free shuttle service which is great, so we don't have to walk in the heat and possibly miss the hourly train to Luzern.

After a short ride with the shuttle bus (free service run by local volunteers, tips appreciated!) we were at the train station in plenty of time for the 16:04 train to Luzern, total travel time of about 90 minutes to get back home from here. This, by the way, is the popular Panorama Express train which runs between Luzern and Interlaken. 

What our entire hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps. After some time at the Brienzer Rothorn summit, we started our hike at 10 a.m., and got to the cable-car station at 3:30 p.m. 

These are all the hikes we have done in the region of the Brienzer Rothorn Range, Sörenberg, and the Brünig Pass. 

Location of the Brienzer Rothorn range within Switzerland.