Hike over the Steinalper-Jochli from Isenthal to Klewenalp

Sunday October 8, 2023 -- After traveling such a long way for the hike we did the day before, we kept it close to home this time, and did a hike over a pass that we had wanted to do for a while, from the Isenthal Valley (where we had also been recently) in Canton Uri over the border into Canton Nidwalden to the Brisen Alpine Hostel, and ending at Klewenalp above Lake Luzern. 

This is a region where we have done so much hiking already, and in particular, when we walked to the summit of Mount Brisen last year (those photos are HERE), we passed via the Steinalperjoch saddle on that hike, and determined to one day cross it in the East-West direction. So that was the plan for this day. Quite a challenge though, as it was a straight-up hike of 600 meters (two hours). What surprised us was how warm the air temperature was when we left the summit of the St.Jakob/Gitschenen cable car station, and were we glad that we had a slight breeze for most of the ascent!

With the exception of one other hiker, we were alone on this ascent, but on the other side there were very many people this Sunday, all them them wanting to summit Mt.Brisen on this beautiful day. Even on the descent there were many people on the trail. We stopped for a light lunch of gulasch soup at the Brisenhaus restaurant, even though we had brought our sandwiches. It wasn't our best experience, much too expensive for the broth with three small pieces of meat (and definitely not homemade)! 

From there to Klewenalp was less exciting as most of the trail was along a wide road, and it's a popular destination on a Sunday, so there were a lot of people there as well. A large-cabin cable-way takes you down to lake level from Klewenalp, and from there, the fastest way for us to get home was with another boat ride on Lake Luzern, in the direction of Brunnen. 

It turned out to be a very good choice for the day. 

With another warm day, and a Sunday at that, we expected a lot of people to be heading into the side valleys of the Reuss Valley, so we started very early. Here we are crossing the Reuss River by bus at 8:30 a.m. The bus was full even at this hour.

Heading up the winding Isenthal road with a look north along Lake Uri

The sun is just rising and starting to illuminate the steep mountain flanks on the west side of Lake Uri. 

Heading up into one of our favourite valleys: Isenthal. Just two weeks earlier we had traveled into the side valley to the left, those photos are HERE. 

At the final bus stop in the Isenthal Valley is a small cable-way which takes you up to the alpine pastures called Gitschenen. This is the start of many hikes we have done over the years. There were only 8 people from the bus who wanted to come up here, and the cabin holds eight, so we didn't have to wait. 

On previous occasions we have crossed the "Hinter Jochli" Pass to the north, and the Schonegg Pass to the west. This time we are going over the Steinalper Jochli, two hours from the cable car station. We didn't take any breaks during the climb, and made it in exactly two hours. 

We started at 9:15 at the summit station of the St.Jakob cable car, and the first two hours were spent just ascending the 620 meters to the pass. The descent to Klewenalp was another two hours. At the pass, we crossed from Canton Uri (east) to Canton Nidwalden (West and North). 

Heading off on our hike. There was only one other lady who walked at about the same distance from us the whole way. And it was already so warm that I had to change into shorts. 

That pass is our first challenge of the day: 620 meters ascent, takes about two hours. 

There are still some cows in the pastures up here! These babies are so cute. 

This farm at Geissboden is where the cows spend the summer. (Later they will most likely walk down to the Isenthal Valley, to where we caught the cable-car). 

A steep trail means you gain altitude quickly. We were lucky to have a cool breeze, or it might have been too hot, even on this October day. 

A look behind us as we climb toward the Steinalper Jochli. 

Nearing the pass now (off photo on the left), we look northward to the ridge we walked the last time we were here, in August 2022. That was another spectacular hike. Those photos are HERE. 

Not far now. This time we are crossing the pass from east to west/north. Last time we came down from Mount Brisen on our left, walked via the Steinalper Jochli Pass across the flank of that mountain straight ahead. There is a trail at pass level, just above the carved cliffs. 

Once in a while we spot some birds. This one, I believe, is a female Black Redstart (Hausrotschwanz in German)

So here we are at the pass (Steinalper Jochli), at 11:18, exactly two hours from when we started at the cable-car station. Any exhaustion felt along the way is immediately forgotten when you reach "the top"!!

The fantastic view down the valley which we just ascended, all the way to the still-green alpine pastures of Gitschenen where we started, and beyond that to the saddle we crossed two weeks earlier, above center in the photo (along the ridge from the Uri Rotstock on the right). And way far at the back are the mountains of Schwyz and Glarus

Straight ahead is the trail we followed last time. This time we are descending on the left, to the Brisenhaus and Klewenalp, another two hours approximately. 

And this is the fantastic view that greets us on the west side of the pass. Mount Stanserhorn in the center, Mount Pilatus beyond that. And the city of Luzern far back on the right. 

This group of young fellows are on their way to the summit of Mount Brisen (to the left). We stopped here for a small break and watched many other people either coming down from Mount Brisen or heading up, all of them coming from or going to Klewenalp. 

The ascent to Mount Brisen to the south, where so many people are headed this day. 

A zoomed view of the summit of Mt.Brisen

On the right is where our trail continues. Center back is the city of Luzern. 

On our way again now, heading north along the trail. The geology up here is ever-fascinating and never gets boring. 

Heading north

A perfect and mild October day to do this fantastic hike in the Nidwalden mountains, not far from our home. 

Now we can see the Brisenhaus (a Swiss Alpine Club Hostel). The top of the mountain in the center is called Musenalp, and we have been there often. In fact, most recently (in May of this year) I hiked up there on my own from Klewenalp, those photos are HERE. 

We got to the Brisenhaus at 12:40, and Urs wanted to eat something here, even though we had sandwiches along. Urs likes to stop at the mountain hostels, but I am always wary of people smoking. 

There wasn't a large selection on the menu, but the gulasch soup sounded good even though it was 10 CHF for a bowl! And turns out it was just a lot of spicy broth with about three tiny pieces of meat and potato, and tasted just like the gulasch out of the can. But the lemon Radler was good, that's always good. 

At least no one smoked. We were here for about 40 minutes. Continued on our hike at 13:20

Most of the rest of the trail to the cable-car at Klewenalp was along a wide road, which was OK until we got to the paved part. 

Ahead of us is the resort at Klewenalp. The hardest part of the hike was the ascending slope of the paved road, about 30 minutes from the lowest point! The cable-car station and the end of our hike is at the arrow. 

The final (and hardest!) stretch. Behind Urs is the pass where we crossed (arrow) and we also passed by those buildings in the center. 

A glimpse now to the northwest to Mount Bürgenstock, and past that to Weggis on the next promontory, and past the Küssnacht arm of Lake Luzern are Meggen and Merlischachen. 

We caught the cable-car to Beckenried at 14:35, very early for us to already be heading home!

View east along the south side of Luzern, all the way to the Mythen mountains at the back. (We caught the boat in that direction after getting to lake level. It's the fastest way for us to get home!)

Arriving in Beckenried. 

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps, starting at the back of the Isenthal Valley, and ending at Klewenalp. 

I'm not a dog person, but these guys are cute.

Our boat arriving from Luzern, heading to Brunnen and Flüelen. It's now 15:25. 

As we head eastward on the lake, the steamship "Stadt Luzern" arrives at Beckenried where a whole lot of people were waiting to board in the direction of Luzern to the northwest. 

Passing another ship on its way to Luzern. In the background is Mount Pilatus. 

Docking at Treib at the foot of Mount Seelisberg

A look south down the Uri arm of Lake Luzern as we approach Brunnen where we catch the bus and train. The Isenthal Valley is one of the valleys on the right. (We were home by 5:15 p.m.! Still time to enjoy some additional sunshine on the balcony). 

We have done many hikes in this region, and still have many more planned!

The region of Isenthal and Klewenalp in Switzerland. This is very close to where we live. 

Crest Hike: Haldigrat - Mt.Brisen - Mt.Risetenstock - Hinter Jochli - Gitschenen

Friday August 12, 2022 -- I can't even begin to describe how fantastic this hike was! We made a short-notice decision the evening before to do a challenging 5-hour crest hike in the beautiful Nidwalden Alps less than two hours travel from home. And this time we were lucky with the most perfect weather and visibility for the main part of the hike. And whereas some of the surrounding peaks like Mt. Titlis (again) were covered in low cloud, we had only pure sunshine.

To get to the start of the hike on Haldigrat (Haldi Crest) in the Engelberg Valley, you first take a cable car to the mountain village called Niederrickenbach Dorf and walk for 30 minutes to the chair lift. We had planned to start earlier than we actually did, but the chair lift only starts operation at 9:00. We got to the station at 9:20, to the crest at 9:35, and after drinking in the fantastic view for a while, started on our steep uphill climb to the summit of Mt. Brisen, which took us exactly 1 hour and 15 minutes (the suggested time).

It definitely is exhilirating to summit a peak, to see what you have achieved. The view was fantastic, especially when looking along the crest that forms the border between Cantons Nidwalden and Uri, along which we continued for another hour and 15 minutes to the summit of Mt. Risetenstock. By then it was lunch time, and to our surprise there were wisps of cloud coming in low, and they covered the summit of Mt.Brisen. Good thing we started early and were past that!

From Mt. Risetenstock, the rest of the hike was 90 minutes downhill to the cable-car at Gitschenen at the back of the Isenthal Valley, a section of trail we have hiked before. (That was in Autumn and the air was much clearer. I have included a photo at the bottom, to compare). The bus ride from St.Jakob down to Lake Uri is always exciting, watching other vehicles which are not supposed to be on this road during bus runs, but whose drivers ignore the warnings, and then have to back down the hairpin turns until they find a passing place!

The excursion starts with a cable car ride from Dallenwil in the Engelberg Valley, to Niederrickenbach, a small mountain village of about 100 people centered around a Benedictine Abbey.

On the 30-minute level walk to the chair lift, we had this view of Mt. Stanserhorn on the other side of the valley. We passed through a forested section, nice and cool on this hot morning at 9 a.m. 

There are only 4 sets of three double-chairs on this lift, and it took about 15 minutes to get to the top. So 25 people per hour? Hopefully no groups come here!

First order of the day: A look-out point with a bench. This view is toward the north, toward the city of Luzern and Mt. Pilatus

Drinking in the fantastic panorama over the northern part of Switzerland (past Luzern to Germany). (Mt. Buochserhorn and Musenalp)

Also to the west....

Heading up now along the crest toward the summit of Mt. Brisen. It takes 1 hr. 15 minutes to walk up there. From here it looks far, but it went quite well!

The crest hike was about four hours from Haldigrat to Gitschenen. With the additional 30 minutes to Alpboden chair lift, a total of approx. 4.5 hours of hiking time. The Haldigrat crest is still in Canton Nidwalden, but Mt. Brisen is shared with Canton Uri, and the rest of the crest which we followed is the border of the two. 

A look back shortly after the start of our hike at the Haldigrat restaurant and summit station of the chair lift. 

This first section took 20 minutes, and behind that are two more sections. The steep trail means you gain elevation really quickly!

VIDEO:

Panorama of Central Switzerland and the Engelberg Valley.

Fabulous!

Looking down at the village of Oberrickenbach, from where you can ride on about four different cable cars! Behind the small hill (Wellenberg) is the Engelberg Valley. 

Across from here on the upper plateau is Lake Bannalp (Bannalpsee). There is a popular trail called Walenpfad, to the right around that mountain and then down to Engelberg (A hike we did in 2015).

Fabulous landscape! We were here in 2014 and we took this particular trail back down to Niederrickenbach.

Absolutely fabulous view of the Luzern area, with Mt. Stanserhorn and Mt. Pilatus at the very back. In the middle on the right is the little village of Niederrickenbach, from where we had to walk 30 minutes to the chair lift. 

You can almost see Lake Bannalp in the dip below the massif. I have no album for our 2105 hike along the Walenpfad trail, but we did walk part of it with a friend in 2018 (photos HERE), and did another hike last year starting at the lake and hiking up to the left (photos HERE).

In the circle on the right is where we started on this hike. 

The detour to the summit of Mt. Brisen is only another 5 minutes! After that, we are going on to the Risetenstock (approx. 90 minutes, although it took us less than that).

On the way to the summit of Mt. Brisen. Afterwards, we are descending the zig-zig trail from the saddle on the left. 

On the summit of Mt. Brisen, looking down on Mt. Buochserhorn and Musenalp, and Lake Lucerne, and Mt. Rigi at the back.  

To the south at the back of the Engelberg Valley, Mt. Titlis is once again in the clouds. Those poor Asian tourists! (View on Canton Nidwalden side)

Panorama view to the East, where we are headed. (View on Canton Uri side)

Up ahead is the summit of Mt.Risetenstock, where we are headed. First we cross the flank of the striated hillside, then continue along another crest. Nowhere was it difficult or dangerous! 

Enjoying the satisfaction of reaching the summit of Mt. Brisen!

I took a photo of the lady in blue, so she took a photo of the two of us (we don't often get photos like this!)

A popular summit, but all locals! Most of them head down to Klewenalp to the north. We were the only ones who later headed east.  

The mountain ridges here are magnificent. Heading down now to the saddle below!

Heading to Mt. Risetenstock along the crest

Unbelievable that we were up there!

Down below is the alpine pasture called Gitschenen. You can get there from here, another saddle called Steinalper Jochli, but we will come down from the left

The trails we followed to get to Mt. Risetenstock. Below is the saddle called Steinalper Jochli, from where you can descend to Gitschenen in this valley

In the back is the popular Mt. Rigi. Our home is not far on the other side. 

The next crest trail (it's called Glattgrat)

Even in the mountains you have to put up with the sound of the leaf blowers. Of course, the work of harvesting mountain hay on this steep slopes is hard enough, and the leaf-blowers just make it a bit easier.... 

A look to the South, to the alternate valley which goes directly to Gitschenen. There is a large glacier at the back, but unfortunately visibility isn't good in that direction

Final ascent to the Risetenstock, with a look behind us

Amazing how the farmers can get their equipment up that high on those steep slopes to mow the grasse there!

Here on the summit of Mt. Risetenstock we had our picnic lunch and a view of the small lakes below which we will be passing on our way down to Gitschenen on the right. 

Some fog is rolling in now, obscuring some of the view, but by now we had the best of it!

Heading down to the next saddle called Hinter Jochli

Here at the Hinter Jochli saddle it takes about 90 minutes to walk either to Klewenalp or Gitschenen (the time is slightly wrong). Back in 2015 we started at Gitschenen, hiked over this saddle down to Klewenalp. 

Urs is always very cautious when passing cows on the alpine pastures!

From my vantage point, this looked like a rock with horns!

Down at the lakes we saw from above. I'm sure the cows are happy to have their own swimming pool!

Below is another alpine farm, which we passed on our way down. The cows up here belong to them, and they make their own cheese here, which you can buy at the farmhouse. 

Similar view from our October 3, 2015 hike, where we started in Gitschenen, and crossed the Hinter Jochli saddle to Klewenalp

Passing by the Unterbolgen farm where they also sell cheese, but we didn't buy any this time. 

Now we get a good look down the Isenthal Valley, and across to the popular Eggbergen. Where the arrow is, is the summit we walked to when trying out the Horlachen cable car (farm in the middle) and where Urs had to go back for my phone as we were already on our way down (Those photos are HERE)

Another leaf-blower at work below!

I'm not sure what these flowers are, but they sure are pretty!

Behind the mountain on the right (which is called Hoh Brisen) is Mt. Brisen, which you cannot see on this photo. 

Last stretch before the restaurants (two of them) and cable car station at Gitschenen. 

Heading down to the Isenthal Valley on the Gitschenen Cable Car

Heading down to the Isenthal Valley on the Gitschenen Cable Car

The cute little Gitschenen Cable Car

And the next batch of people are on their way down already!

This is what our hike across the Haldigrat crest to Gitschenen looks like on Google Satellite Maps. This total 4.5-hour hike includes three cableways. 

Bus ride back down to Lake Uri. This is always a treat because cars aren't supposed to go up when the bus is on the road, but they do anyway, and then they have to drive backwards down the hairpin turns!

The lake is beautiful today (Uri arm of Lake Lucerne / Vierwaldstättersee). 

One of my favourite places to hike, and it is so close to where we live. (Cantons Nidwalden and Uri).