Roundtour Hike from Biel-Kinzig to Chinzig Chulm and Geissgrat in the Schächental

Sunday November 21, 2021 -- Lately there is so much fog in the flatlands, especially above the lakes, but we were lucky with some spectacular weather above the fog on the weekend! 

One particularly nice place to go which is usually above the fog is at the entrance to the Schächen Valley (Schächental) near Altdorf, one of our favourite valleys and relatively quick to get to. The hillside below some fantastic rocky outcroppings is populated with many farms and accessed with a large variety of cable cars, all of which we have ridden many times. Webcams from near the summit of the cable car at Biel-Kinzig had shown us relatively little remaining snow from previous snowfalls, so we chose to hike to a pass called Chinzig Chulm, one of the many renowned passages taken by the Russian General Suvorov on his campaign to defeat Napoleon's troops in Switzerland. (That history is worth a read, HERE at this Wikipedia article).

We had already done the hike up to the pass in July 2020, following the Via Suvorov Trail down the other side to Muotathal (a lengthy 5-hour hike at the time.... those photos can be viewed HERE), but this time the plan was to follow a ridge called Geissgrat to the next pass over, from where we could then return to the cable car station. The only problem is, even though one side of the mountain looks like there is no snow, you don't know exactly how ice-free the trail is, nor what the conditions are on the other side. But we figured we'd make the 470-m climb to the pass and see what happens. As it turns out, there were a handful of icy sections on the way up, but we managed just fine.

Once at the top, the entire upper region of these Schwyzer Alps was beyond breathtaking! We had dressed for cold weather, but quickly stripped down to T-shirts, it was that warm! The amount of snow along the ridge had us worried, though, and we almost decided to return along an easier trail, but speaking to other hikers up here, we found out that the snow-covered trail was well-trodden and easy to walk. We were so glad we had inquired, because it turned out to be a really nice crossing within a spectacular karst landscape, with incredible views. A really successful 3-hour round-tour hike without actually knowing ahead of time if we could complete it!

The excursion starts with two cable-cars from Brügg-Bürglen in the Schächental Valley below (currently not in fog!) to the summit station at Biel-Kinzig, about 1000m above the valley floor!

First uphill stretch to the little chapel... it sure looks different right now than when we did this in July 2020, when everything was GREEN!

Our 9-km and 3-hour loop hike started with a steep uphill section to access the passage at Chinzig Chulm (General Suvorov came up here with his army from the other side. Trail No.55 is the ViaSuworow trail created in his honour). Then we crossed the GeissGrat ridge on a snow-covered trail, and descended via a wide gravel road back to the cable car station. 

Way up there is the Chinzig Chulm Pass. We can see a bit of snow on the trail, but decided to go up anyway. 

A good spot for a snack before tackling the steep part. We were dressed for ca. 6 degree weather, but soon had to peel off all our jackets and sweaters, because it was so warm up here!

Here is the trail up to the Chinzig Chulm Pass, about 45 minutes from here. 

A glint of sunlight caught my eye on what we knew was a Via Ferrata route (for rock climbers). A zoomed look shows a bench bolted to the cliff! A place to rest and enjoy the view while climbing. Now that's unique!

The rocky outcroppings are stunning. 

First batch of snow, but it was easy to cross. There were lots of steps as well, which makes an ascent quite quick, but we had to be very careful of the ice. 

Making our way up slowly through snowy and icy sections

As we approach the pass, we get this great look down at the cable car station where we started, and at the fog down in the Reuss Valley

Final stretch! 

Alpine Choughs are the pigeons/seagulls/sparrows of the mountains!

A plaque commemorates Russian General Suvorov's passage over Chinzig Chulm in the fall of 1799. NOTE: The story of General Suvorov and his Swiss/Italian campaign is worth reading about. The Wikipedia Article is HERE

A look behind us at the passage we crossed (you can just see a couple more people coming up through there). 

I can't believe that it was warm enough in a T-shirt!

Panorama view from the bench where we enjoyed our picnic lunch

Best spot for a picnic lunch!

We had such good visibility to see all the details of this "barren" landscape! The valley on the left is the one that General Suvorov and his troops ascended from Muotathal to Chinzig Chulm in fall of 1799. 

Now we're headed out along the Geissgrat Ridge, looking back at our picnic spot at the cross, now taken by someone else! We were told by another hiker that the snow-covered trail was easy to walk and definitely worth the effort!

We were surprised that it was possible to pass through here despite the snow. This is a large karst region, absolutely fascinating.

Walking the well-trodden trail along the Geissgrat Ridge

Karst landscape. In the background is the Silberen / Charet region of Schwyz, unique in Switzerland as the largest eroded limestone region in the country. (The Muotathal Hölloch cave system below that is one of the largest in the world with 200 kilometers of tunnels)

Walking along the Geissgrat ridge, with Mt. Schärhorn and the Uri Alps in the background. 

Another view to the West, to the fog-filled Reuss Valley and the sunny Biel-Kinzig and Eggbergen region. You can just see the road below, which we are taking on our way back to the cable car station.

Down below is the military road, which we are taking to get back to the cable car station. 

Self-timed photo of the two of us in this splendid landscape. 

We are so glad we came this way! It would have been a shame to miss this. 

I thought this might be the passage down, but it is still a bit beyond here!

First we had to cross this natural bridge!

So fascinating how this limestone has been carved out by water!

And here is the second pass, to get to the military road

From here the rest of the way back to the cable car station, almost five kilometers, was along a road

A look up at the cleft where I originally thought we needed to descend!

The road was very popular with mountain bikers

The fog down below is now moving up the Schächental Valley

Amazing to think that we were up there on that ridge (The pass is at the arrow). 

At the Gisleralp farm they recently completed building this cheese dairy (2019), and obviously it was a popular spot for an afternoon break! (We think this must have been an organized event). 

Shortly before the end of our hike the sky clouded over. This was in the forecast. So we timed it fairly well to have a lot of sunshine. This is a look up the Schächental Valley, with its side valley called the Brunnital. 

There were many people waiting to descend with the cable car, several families with small children, enjoying a Sunday afternoon in the sun like we did. We were lucky to only have to wait three runs of 7 minutes each for our turn, and just made it to the bottom in the fog with five minutes or so to spare until the bus came. 

The fog is moving up the Schächental Valley.

And now our cable car is disappearing into the fog.

Our 3-hour round tour hike as viewed on Google Satellite Maps

Many hikes we've done in this area!

The beautiful Schächental Valley is not far from where we live in Zug. With public transit, including 2x15 minutes waiting time and the cable car ride, we can be there in 2 hours!

A Section of the ViaSuworov Trail from Schächental to Muotathal

Sunday July 5 -- General Alexander Suvorov, considered to be one of the most talented military commanders in world history, marched his troops through Switzerland in 1799 during the French Revolutionary Wars, after driving the French Troops out of Italy and being recalled via Switzerland. On his way, he met resistance at Lake Uri and had to divert his troops over the mountain to get to the Muotathal Valley. There are several monuments to him along the 170-km themed trail created in his honour: ViaSuworow (Regional Trial no.55 from Airolo to Ilanz via Muothathal). 

It has been my desire for a long time to hike the section from the Schächental Valley to Muotathal, a 15-km, 5-hour hike with a very long descent of about 1500m altitude. (Also near to our home in the same region as the 2-day hike we recently did). Of course we were able to start with a cable-car ride, which took us to within 90 minutes of the Chinzig Chulm Pass, and unlike Suvorov and his 22,000 troops, who had to make the crossing with their heavy field guns in bad weather at the onset of winter, we had another fantastically beautiful day for this new adventure. Technically, though, we didn't quite follow his route, as his descent through the narrow Chinzig Valley was dark and in shadow, even on this July day. We opted for a slightly longer trail that kept us up higher for longer and allowed us a nice long rest at an alpine lake, before the long, although not-at-all strenuous descent to Muotathal.

More sightings of marmots and chamois, as on our previous three hikes! And very few people on our trail again as well....

The excursion starts with a cable-car ride from Bürglen in the Schächental Valley below (a place we have been often) to the Biel-Kinzig summit station

Riding the Biel-Kinzig Cable Car

Here's the trail we picked: 90 minutes to walk to the pass, an hour more to the Seenalp (lake) and a total of 5 hours to Muotathal, although for us that probably means about 6 hours!

08:30 -- Heading up the hill toward the trail that takes us up to the Chinzig-Chulm pass

And a look back at the massif that we had spent two days at just earlier in the week. (Sittlisalp is where we had started, then walked to the top of the Hoch Fulen, overnighted at the Seewli Lake just behind that, and on the next day walked down to Haldi.) It's always fun to see where we've been from a different point of view!

Filling up our bottles with fresh mountain water, before heading up to the Chinzig Chulm Pass. Suvarov walked up here with 22,000 soldieres! Can't imagine it.

Our easier path across the back of the alp. A few other hikers went up the higher alpine trail, a more direct way.

Beautiful rock formations up here

We saw two chamois in the early morning shady side of the mountain. Always a thrill to watch them move on the slopes

VIDEO:

Powerful Chamois racing up the slope

as he saw us on the trail, early morning

Final ascent to the pass. Because this is the shady side, it was a pleasantly cool climb.

At the Chinzig Chulm Pass, looking southwards toward Hoch Fulen, the Reuss Valley and the Uri Alps

This is part of Trail no.55: ViaSuworow

A commemoration to Generalissumus Suvarov's crossing of Chinzig Chulm in Fall of 1799

At the Chinzig Chulm Pass

From here we look down the Chinzig Valley, where the troops actually passed. We chose a trail further to the left

Behind us to the Southeast, near the Klausenpass in the Schächental Valley, is Mt. Schärhorn, one of my favourite mountains.

Directly to our West and on the other side of Lake Uri is Mount Gitschenen. Urs has climbed to the top of that one in his younger days.

The rock here is called karst, and the ground is very porous. Water sickers away quickly and finds its way through underground tunnels. Near here is the largest series of underground caves in Europe. Also, sometimes holes simply open up in the ground....

A single patch of snow that we had to cross here!

Ahead of us is a peak called Rossstock, which apparently many people have climbed up this Saturday morning! (Ascent is from the other side).

This sheep was trying to make its way to its flock behind us. For a moment I thought he might charge us!

First view of the Seenalp Lake where we had a 1-hour lunch break. It took us another full hour to get to the lake

A large upper moor landscape

More fantastic rock formations. There is a trail across this large heap of fallen rocks

Almost there!

We found a nice place in the meadow near the lake for a one-hour lunch break and a quick nap before continuing on the second half of our hike: All downhill from here

Small mountain trail all the way, very interesting to walk.

Actually there is a road all the way up to the lake, but cars can only go as far as that curve below. In any case, the trail continues down that valley at the back.

Almost down at the river (called Wängibach)

A welcome long flat stretch and a look back at the valley where Suvarov crossed with his troops.

A herd of goats joined us for the stretch into the little hamlet of Lipplisbüel, a scattering of vacation houses just over 1 hour by foot from Muotathal, but easily accessible by car. 

Lipplisbüel, where we stopped at the Gasthaus for Panaché and Ice Cream Sundae.

From Lipplisbüel the final 1-hour stretch into Muotathal was through the forest and a small ravine. We were glad for the shade now!

Nearing the bottom of the Muotathal Valley

Muotathal Valley below

Cool and refreshing in the ravine

A look backwards into the canyon (ravine) we just descended.

Just a few meters more to the main road in Hinterthal (Muotathal), where we caught a bus back to the train station in Schwyz. This Valley to the East is where the troops continued, over the Pragel Pass and to Glarus, past Lake Klöntalersee, a hike we did in 2016 but in the other direction.

General Suvarov was a guest in the Muotathal Monastery during his 1799 campaign, a historical fact that the locals are very proud of.

In Yellow our 15-km hike, took us at least 5 hours 30 minutes of walking. With all the breaks, we arrived in Hinterthal 8 hours after starting our hike in the Schächental Valley

Stage 6 of the ViaSuwarow Trail from Biel-Kinzig in the Schächental Valley, to Hinterthal in the Muotathal Valley (15 km)

When we were at the Haldi Plateau on the South side of the Schächental Valley less than a week earlier, this is what the Chinzig Chulm Pass looked like from that vantage point. We can take a cable car to within 90 minutes hike of the pass, but the 21,000 soldiers and 6000 horses had to walk up from the valley bottom!