Winter Walk on the Arni Upper Plateau in the Reuss Valley

Sunday February 2nd, 2025 -- The fog is back, but there was sunshine in the mountains, so we opted for another snow hike in the Uri Alps, near a lovely alpine lake called Arnisee, a place we have been many times in summer, as this is where Urs' father grew up. There are two cable-cars which access the upper plateau where the lake is located: A southern line (from Intschi) with an eight-man cabin directly to the mountain restaurant called Berggasthaus Alpenblick next to the lake, and a smaller four-man cabin from near Amsteg to the upper plateau, which is the one we prefer to take.

It's only a 90-minute trip for us to get here, so a nice place to spend a few hours in the sunshine above the fog. We knew of prepared walking and snow-shoe trails we could follow to get some walking done, a short "hike" of less than six kilometers for us. But we hadn't been up to the lake in a long time, although we have often taken our foreign visitors there, so it seemed like a good time to go again.  

The little Amsteg-Arnisee cable-car is the preferred cable-car by locals, but on a Sunday there are usually many people who want to travel with this cute cable-car, so it runs constantly (7 minutes each run), and we only had to wait about twenty minutes till we got up into the sunshine. 

After a 7-minute walk from the bus stop along the road to Amsteg, we reached the Amsteg-Arnisee cable-car station at 10:45. (Having left home shortly after 9 a.m. for the 90-minute trip). There were about a dozen people waiting here already (lots of cars in the parking lot), and we had to wait for a couple of runs of the cable-car (6 minutes each run). 

Watching the cable-car run up to the Arni Plateau. The fog is very thick here!

This is the cute little Amsteg-Arni cable car which we have used many times already to get up to the Arni plateau. It carries four people at a time and each run takes 6-7 minutes. 

We got up to the summit station at 11:10, above the fog, to wonderful sunshine!

Lake Arnisee is a 30-minute walk from the summit station, on a prepared winter walking trail. In the direction of Vorder Arni is a snow-shoe trail, and since it hadn't snowed for several days, we decided to follow the snow-shoe trail, as it was tramped down quite well. 

To the east on the other side of the Reuss Valley is the fabulous Gross Windgällen mountain. 

This wasn't a very long trail which we walked, about 6 kilometers. We started at the summit cable-car station at Mittelarni at 11:15, did the loop walk on the snow-shoe trail to Vorderarni and back, then did the winter walking trail which is also a loop to Lake Arnisee, and then back to the cablecar station. We spent about three hours in the sunshine up here, taking the cable car back down again at about 2:15 p.m.  

Heading north toward VorderArni on the snow-shoe trail. 

Looking behind us as we reach the northern-most point of the loop trail. 

This is the look-out point and furthest north along the VorderArni loop, where we get a view down the Reuss Valley.... well, on this day, along the top of the blanket of fog!

We sat here for only about five minutes, as other people who had been walking behind us (talking very loudly) showed up, so we left again. (Unfortunately those people ended up catching up to us later as well, still talking loudly! So much for enjoying the peace and quiet of a winter mountain landscape). 

The fog blanket is very high this day, but at least we can get above it!

After we left the look-out bench, many other walkers reached there! (The three people on the left were the ones who did all the talking! The two women had even ridden in the cable-car with us, already non-stop chatting there!)

A cute little house along the way as we head back toward the cable-car station. 

We were following a nicely-tramped snow-shoe trail!

We were following a nicely-tramped snow-shoe trail!

Another look to the east across from the Reuss Valley, into the Maderaner Valley, which is also full of fog!

As we get closer to the cable car station, we started looking for a place to sit to eat our sandwiches. Later we started on the second loop walk to the lake up the hill on the right, but ultimately walking up through the forested section from the left. 

We could not find a snow-free bench, but this large boulder turned out to be a great place to sit and eat our sandwiches! This was shortly after noon-time. 

The view from our Rock, of the beautiful Mount Bristen. Those two ladies are just starting up along the snow-shoe trail (using actual snow-shoes) where we had just descended from. 

Ahead to the south is where we continued walking, heading into the forest and approaching the lake along the forest trail. 

The second part of our walk was along an official walking trail, prepared for walkers. 

Looking behind us as we continue south... just behind Urs (above his head) is the cable-car station, and that mountain is the Grosse Windgällen. 

Another look behind us. 

A lovely small trail through the forest. 

From a look-out point on the most eastern side of the loop, we get a lovely view of Mt.Bristen and the very high blanket of fog in the Reuss Valley below. 

Heading up through the forest toward Lake Arnisee from the East. This wasn't actually the officially walking trail, but parallel to the official trail which was lower down and more in the shade!

This is now up at the lake, which is almost all frozen over. 

Making our way around the lake on the popular walking trail. 

This is the popular view across Lake Arnisee!

At the south end of the lake is another cable car which comes up from the valley bottom to this restaurant. We decided we didn't want to stop here for something to drink, as it being a lovely Sunday afternoon, there were a lot of people here! (As a side note, the summit of the mountain on the right is called Sunnig Grat, a summit we ascended to in October 2022, those photos are HERE). 

At 1:40 p.m. we headed back toward Mittel Arni to the cable car station. 

Another look into the Maderaner Valley on the other side of the Reuss Valley. On the first part of our loop we had walked via that farm below. 

A cool snowman!

Back at the cable-car station at 2 p.m. we had just missed the ride down to valley bottom which connected to our bus. Not wanting to wait too long in the fog below, we enjoyed the sun up here for a while longer. (We didn't want to stay too long because as time went on, more and more people would be wanting to descend, and only four people could travel on any one trip!)

At this point, at 2:15 p.m., it looked like the fog was moving onto the plateau anyway, so we decided to head back down, after enjoying three hours of sunshine up here!

Getting ready for the trip back down to valley bottom!

Crossing the bridge over the Reuss River on our way back to the bus station. We only had to wait about 10 minutes for the 14:44 bus for the 90-minute trip home. 

This is what our walk looks like on Google Satellite Maps. 

These are all the hikes we have done around the hillside between Erstfeld, Arnisee and Gurtnellen. 

Location of Lake Arnisee within Switzerland. 

Sunnig Grat Ridge/Summit Loop Hike high above the Reuss Valley

(Posted on Nov.5, 2022)

Wednesday October 19, 2022 -- With this warm weather and the August snow having now disappeared, we can still do some real mountain hiking, and we don't even have to go very far. Canton Uri has lots of beautiful mountain hiking and we can reach most places in less than two hours.

Urs' Dad grew up in Gurtnellen in the Reuss Valley, and the region around Lake Arni is a favourite of ours. We used to go a lot, but hadn't been for a while. There is a popular look-out point above the lake, called Sunniggrätli, which I had been putting off for a long time because it is a 2-hour hike straight uphill, and I wasn't ready for this. But Urs really wanted to go, because he had been only once as a child with his father....

I found the ascent through forest and small scrubby pines to be really boring and strenuous, as there was little variety in the trail and little to see, so the two hours stretched for a long time. But getting up to the view-point at Sunnig Grat (Sunnig Ridge) and the rest of the loop hike back to the lake were magnificent, and the boring ascent is soon forgotten. With clarity of air, we could see far to the north past Lake Uri and the fog where we live, and to the Gotthard mountains to the south. Slightly unfortunate was that the descent in the side valley (Leitschachtal) was all in the shade of the mountains by the time we got there at 3:30 p.m., but that wasn't really a big deal, as it wasn't cold.

As usual, we made it back to the cable car just as it was ready to depart for a trip down into the valley, so there was little waiting time for the short trip (90 minutes) back home. 

Heading up with the cable car from Amsteg in the Reuss Valley to the upper mountain plateau called Arni

This is the little Arni Cable car, carries only four people. I rode up with three other people who got there before us, and Urs followed on the next cable car (upper left). It's a good thing it only takes about 8 minutes for one run, and I could enjoy the sunshine

I just got to the top, watched as the cable car descended for the next run

While waiting for Urs, I can admire the idyllic mountain alp called Arni

This was a really challenging hike, two hours to climb straight up from Lake Arni to the Sunnig Grat Ridge, and an almost 5-hour hike in total. The day was perfect for it, though. Unfortunately, the Leitschach Valley where we came out of, was in the shade by that time.

It takes about 15 minutes to walk from the cable car station to the lake (Arnisee). From the lake, we climbed for over two hours to the look-out point at Sunnig Grat summit. 

There were only two view points along the way: This one is a view down onto Lake Arni, and at the back into the Maderaner Valley

View point about 25 minutes after starting into the climb. The mountain straight across is called Mt. Bristen. 

The next viewpoint, about 30 minutes later, was into the Leitschach Valley

Currently there is sunshine in the Leitschach Valley, where we will be descending later. But later it was all in shade. 

A look down into the Reuss Valley, all the way to the Gotthard mountains on the right. Below is the entire hillside between Arni and Gurtnellen, where we have walked many times. 

Another 45 minutes of steep climbing through short stunted pine trees and no view, we finally got to above the tree line. 

Heading toward the Sunnig Grat Ridge, and the look-out (summit) on the right. 

Here is where we stopped for our picnic lunch, before climbing up to the ridge

From the little lake, it should take 20 minutes to the Sunnig Grat Summit, and another 2 hrs and 10 + 10 minutes back to Arni Lake (but it took took longer, not sure if the timing is wrong on the signs.). 

A look down at the lake from the ridge. We had our lunch on that large flat rock to the right of the lake

Up ahead is the summit. It wasn't an easy walk over there, there were lots of boulders to cross

From the ridge, a look to the north to the cities of Altdorf and Flüelen, Lake Uri, and the fog where we live!!! (It's nice, we don't have to come far to get out of the fog)

Across the Reuss Valley is a mountain massif where we have also done lots of hikes. 

The sign reads "Congratulations, you accomplished the climb!"

From the summit of Sunnig Grat, you can see down to lake Arni where we started the climb, and behind that the beautiful Reuss Valley

The boring climb is forgotten with the beautiful mountains up here. From here we walk back along the ridge behind Urs, and then to the left. 

A closer look at the fascinating Uri Alps to the West. 

Another look to the north as we walk back along the ridge

Walking along the Sunnig Grad crest/ridge

Down below is the lake where we had our picnic lunch, and the Sunnig Grat Hostel on the right. They were not yet closed for the season

Behind Urs is the Sunnig Grat Ridge and the Uri mountains to the East. 

We walked along a comfortable high trail above the upper plain and toward the Leitschach Valley. From here you can see into the beautiful Maderaner Valley

The beautiful Mt. Bristen, and behind me to the right, the long Fellital Valley, from where you can cross to Oberalp near Andermatt. 

A last look into the Reuss Valley. The dark valley on the right is where we are going to descend. 

Now we are heading toward the back of the Leitschach Valley. We were surprised to see an entire group of hikers making the ascent this late in the day. (It was 2:45 p.m. by this time). Maybe they were spending the night in the hostel?

I find hiking groups very annoying. If the trail is narrow, and they are going uphill, we have to wait until they have all passed us....

Back at the lake where we had our picnic lunch, the signs claimed it would take 55 minutes to get to this point, and 2:10 back to Lake Arni, so why does the sign now say 1:30??? That's 20 minutes more than on the original sign...

Up there at the very back of the valley is a Swiss Alpine Hostel: Leutschachhütte. It is closed for the season, but the hike up there would have been too long for me (to include into a day trip loop hike)

Heading out of the Leitschach Valley. Even in the shade it was still a very warm day!

Looking out of the Leitschach Valley toward Mt. Bristen in the late afternoon sunshine

We got back at Lake Arni at 4:30 p.m., 6 hours after starting at the cable car station, which is another 20 minutes from here 

A look back at Lake Arni, as we head back to the cable car station. 

Heading back to the cable car station at Arni.

A zoomed view shows us there are people waiting for the ride down. We were worried that there would be too many people and that we would have a long wait. We were lucky to catch the next run just as we got to the building (along with two other fellows who were waiting)

Back down at the valley bottom, posing with the cute little Arni Cable Car (from here we still had to walk 500 meters to the bus stop). 

What our ca. 5-hour hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

These are some of the many hikes we have done in the Gurtnellen / Erstfeld and Maderaner Valley region

Location of Amsteg / Gurtnellen in Switzerland