High Trail in the Hoch-Ybrig Region of Canton Schwyz

Saturday August 12, 2023 -- Having looked forward to doing this high alpine trail in the Hoch-Ybrig region of Canton Schwyz (an area which is fairly quick for us to access), the nice weather originally forecast quickly developed into overcast skies which even brought rain along the way, something that we had absolutely not expected. Doubly disappointing was the fact that the two days before this were the most fabulous sunny days with not a single cloud. So hard to imagine it turning so fast.

From the popular pilgrim city of Einsiedeln, you take a bus along Lake Sihlsee to the very back of the Loch Valley, and travel via large cabin cable-way followed by a chair lift to a fabulous ridge very similar to the Fronalpstock ridge which I had walked a few weeks earlier (logical, as it's in the same region... and those photos are HERE) where you can look down into the Muota Valley and across the Schwyzer and Uri Alps to the south, the Mythen mountains and Ibergeregg to the West (where I had been just the day before, those photos are HERE), and back toward Lake Sihlsee in the North. These views would have been more satisfying had the sky been blue. 

But the high trail was still a pleasure to walk along, and the positive side is that it wasn't too hot. As luck would have it, the skies cleared as we approached the valley bottom at Unteriberg, and there we really felt the heat, especially as we hurried once again to catch a bus back to Einsiedeln, getting to the bus stop just as the bus pulled in. 

This was a long hike, 4.5 hours and 13 km, with a very, very long descent of 1300 meters altitude, most of which was not a problem except the final 300 meters when we came off the cliff at Unteriberg (narrow, lots of roots and rocks, not fun to descend).

This cute scene took place at the large parking lot in Weglosen, at the very back of the Loch Valley where you take a large cable car into the mountains. I figure the travelers slept here in their van for the night, and the curious cows came to check it out...

The large-cabin cable car which takes you into the Hoch-Ybrig region. At this point it looked like we were going to get blue skies with just a few clouds, as per the weather forecast!

Across the valley from the cable-car station are the upper pastures we are going to walk across. Again, at this point it is looking pretty sunny

The chair lift up to the ridge called Sternen

At the Sternen Restaurant, we look to the west to the peaks of the Gross Mythen. Between here and there is a nice trail via Ibergeregg Pass (where I was the day before). We walked that trail in August 2019

And from the ridge here, a look into the Muota Valley. We have walked down both of those side valleys which you can see from here. 

Directly South of here is the Bödmeren Forest, one of the oldest and largest virgin forests in Switzerland (550 hectares). Behind that is the Bisis Valley, and at the very back the mountains of the Klausen Pass in Canton Uri.

We are headed in the direction of Druesberghütte, and the original plan was to descend to Waag, but we ended up descending further North of that, to Unteriberg. It was slightly longer as well. (We had done the descent to Waag on a different hike earlier this year, those photos are HERE)

Starting with the cable car from Weglosen and then the chair lift to Sternen, from where we walked along the high pastures, it was about a 4½ hour hike down to the valley bottom. We started walking at 10:10 and got on the bus at 15:30. Not bad considering we stopped for coffee along the way when it started to rain. 

Always those cows on the trail!

Aww, so cute! Behind me is the Loch Valley, and the we walked all along the high pastures on the right side of this photo. 

A small window of sunshine, so I had to use it for a photo. In the background are the Gross and Klein Mythen mountains. 

This is my favourite kind of trail. 

Hiking trail on the upper right! This view is to the North. 

Across the valley is the summit station of the Hoch-Ybrig cable-car

Heading North

Found another "Farmer's Shop" at this mountain farmhouse (so Swiss, including the Edelweiss!) It was sausages we bought this time. The house has a name, it's called "Chöpslishütte".

And now it started to rain, just as we had sat down on a nearby bench to eat our sandwiches. 

Since we had just arrived at the Druesberg Hostel, we decided to stop for a cup of coffee, in the hopes that the rain would let up. 

A cup of coffee and a chat with the owner of the hostel. He says he used to have lots of young people work here over the summer, but nowadays the young people don't want to work anymore, so the business is too much work for him alone. 

Continuing on the trail. It was perfect temperature to walk, even though my photos aren't the best. (Behind me is the hostel where we had the coffee). 

This pasture is called Wannenalp. Shortly after this we had to do a steep descent. 

The only wildlife of the day!

Down below is the farm called Hirschweid and the chapel called Hirschkapelle, which we visited on our hike through here in February of this year.

From here (Trittli) we had a steep descent of about 200 meters to the next plateau below. In the far back we get our first glimpse of Lake Sihlsee. This area is called Unterweid. 

After Unterweid, another descent, this one wasn't as challenging!

How cute!

A look behind us to the passage called Trittli from which we first descended steeply to the Unterweid plateau, and then down to here. Unbelievable when we look back at how high we were!

Down below is the Hirschkapelle again, and the road down to Waag, which is the way we descended last time. In retrospect, it was the more agreeable way down than the one we took this time. Across the valley on the saddle is the village of Oberiberg. 

Crossing paths now with where we walked in February. At that time we detoured to the cross for a view of Lake Sihlsee. (The skies are now clearing and we are getting some sunshine). 

Here's where we decided to descend to Unteriberg instead of Waag. Both paths take 45 minutes, so why not try a new one? The one to Waag is on a paved road, and we had done it before, and thought that with the sun shining now, it would be too hot. The one to Unteriberg was in the forest, fortunately, but it was a rough and steep trail, and very uncomfortable. 

A view to Lake Sihlsee behind me, and Unteriberg below. We had so much wanted the sunshine when we were at the higher elevations, but down here it was too hot. And we still had to descend a steep 300 meters along the forest on the left. 

Probably left over from August 1st Festivities (National Confederacy Day)

A long, steep and tiresome descent, but at least it was in the shade of the forest. 

We got down to valley bottom at 15:17, and had barely 10 minutes to make it to the bus stop in Unteriberg. We walked quickly, and made it on time. 

Getting to the bus stop just as the bus pulled in at 15:27. We hadn't needed to hurry though, as there was another bus coming in 20 minutes. But we were glad we didn't have to wait in the heat. 

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

On our way back toward Lake Sihlsee by bus, a look down the next side valley to the village of Studen, from where we also recently did a hike over the Fläschlipass on the left. (Those photos HERE)

And now a look back across Lake Sihlsee to the beautiful Hoch-Ybrig region of Canton Schwyz. 

All the hikes which we have done in the Hoch-Ybrig region and around the Muotathal Valley. 

Where Hoch-Ybrig is located in Switzerland. 

Easy Mountain Hike near Lake Sihlsee (Unteriberg)

Wednesday February 22, 2023 -- Urs has a daughter who was spending a week at a friend's vacation home in Canton Schwyz near Hoch-Ybrig ski region, and she wanted us to come by for a coffee, so we worked a 10-km hike into the plan!

The valley toward Hoch-Ybrig is one of several valleys which branch out from the large flat area of Lake Sihlsee near Unteriberg, and an area where we unfortunately have not yet done much hiking. The vacation house is reached by a winding paved road from the valley bottom at a village called Waag, but since I don't like to walk uphill on paved roads, we approached the house from above, first ascending the mountain along a trail further to the north, and passing via the highly visible "Hirschkapelle" on the hill above the Waag Valley. The hike started with a 20-minute walk along the channel of the Minster River, followed by a really nice dry forest trail, and then a snow-covered section which was easy enough to navigate as it was along a forest road. 

After a coffee and a tour of the house (which is about 200 years old and still has some of its original large beam walls and low ceilings), we descended on the paved road back to the bus stop on the main road at Waag.

The weather forecast was actually for very cloudy weather, but we had an unexpected sunny day, which made the trip rather enjoyable. 

Heading south by bus along Lake Sihl (Sihlsee) from Einsiedeln toward the Schwyzer Alps. There is little water in the lake, and because the lake is so shallow, the water is frozen.

At the back part (south end) of Sihlsee, the lake has almost no water at all. Granted, the lake is shallow here; in fact, the deepest point on this side of the bridge is 10 meters below road level. 

We started our hike (at 11 a.m.) where the Minster River Canal crosses the main road to Unteriberg. Our goal is on the mountain at the upper arrow, and we ascended at the farm on the left. But first we had to walk about 20 minutes along this canal.

A look into the other side valley at the south end of the lake. This is called the Sihltal (Sihl Valley) named for the river which flows from here into Lake Sihl. We have never walked in that valley, and hope to hike there this summer. That Massif is called Fluebrig.

A look back along the Minster River to the North. The entire plain on both sides is a popular cross-country skiing site when there is snow! I was here in March 2015, it looked like THIS.   (Photo also at bottom of this album)

A relatively "short" and easy hike for us, with an easy ascent through the forest at Breitplangg and a pleasant descent along a paved road on the Waag side. 

Ascending the hillside called Breitplangg (name of the farm) with a view across the plain to Lake Sihl. 

A zoomed view of the shallow lake to the north

The ascent through the forest was comfortable (dry trail) and there were actually lots of "steps" along the trail. 

A view down to the Minster Canal and the town of Unteriberg. The mountain on the left of the town splits into two valleys. Our goal is the left-hand valley.  

A zoomed view of the highest point of our hike at the cross and tower ahead. There is a lot of snow to cross, but as it turns out there is a road, which was fairly snow-free. 

Around the corner and such a fantastic view of the peaks of the Fluebrig Massif in the next valley over, the Sihl Valley. We are walking along a hill called Karenstock. 

Here is the junction where we are now headed up into the snow-covered section, which is actually a long marshy couloir. The ground was very wet where the snow had melted. 

Where there was snow on the road, it wasn't too difficult to walk. 

After the farm at Schlund, the road was paved. The road goes around the hill to the right, and we ascended to the cross from the other side. 

The highest point of our hike. On the right is the snowy section and road we had walked. Right behind Urs, the lower hill is called Karenstock, where we walked lower down. 

A look to the North from the summit at the cross. Our hike started near the middle of the photo, where the road crosses the river. 

The south part of the hill below us is called Hirschweid, and this chapel can be seen from all the way down in the valley below. 

Hirschweid farm next to the chapel. Urs is taking a photo of me and the chapel. 

This "chapel" is actually much larger than we expected! It is called "Our Lady of the Ascension" but better known as the "Hirschkapelle" or "Hirsch Chapel" (named after the "location" on this hill, called Hirsch).

The chapel was built in 1905 by a local politician named Franz-Wiget, who lived here in Hirsch. So it's a rather "young" building. 

Our lunch picnic on one of the two benches in front of the chapel at 13:15 (a bit late, but there were no benches along the way until here). We didn't stay long because the wind here was cold. 

Our view from the chapel to the valley below (on the left) and to the village of Oberiberg on the ridge ahead (another valley behind it). You can just see the tip of the Grosse Mythen from here. 

A look back at the chapel as we descend along the trail to the paved road. 

This is the house we have come to look at (and to enjoy an afternoon coffee on the lovely terrace). 

This used to be an old farmhouse which is at least two hundred years old. I had no trouble with the low beams, but the taller people had to duck their heads when walking in the main living area. People used to be much shorter a couple of centuries ago, and the rooms could also be heated better when the ceilings were low. 

Some nice details inside this beautiful old home, like the original solid wood beam walls, a tile wood oven with surrounding bench, and a beautiful cupboard from 1785 with typical paintings which we call "Bauern Malerei" (Farmer Painting)

View from the house up the valley toward the ski region called Hoch Ybrig

Time to head down to the valley bottom to catch the 15:49 bus back to Einsiedeln. Here is a look back at the lovely house on the hill

In a curve of the road we could look down at the village of Waag where we were catching the bus. The river through this valley is called Waag!

We had plenty of time to get to the village of Waag (not visible, but straight ahead at valley bottom) so we took a detour past the little lake on the left and around the hill

Bridge over the river Waag. We took a small detour this way as we still had plenty of time before the bus came. 

From the bridge, a look up to the Chapel on the hill on the left, and the house we visited behind the small clump of green trees. 

Our hike as viewed on Google Satellite maps. There are three valleys here. 

Now on the bus on the way back to Sihlsee and Einsiedeln. We got a look at the hillside where we walked this day. 

Not a good time to have boats moored on this quay! The lake here is at most 10 m lower than street level. 

A look back past the lake to the valleys in the south. Weather forecast did have for cloudy skies later in the afternoon, but we really lucked out this time with the sunshine.

The hikes which we have done in this region. There are several different options for us that we could still do....

I did a 6-km winter walk on my own in March of 2015, and at that time there was still lots of snow and loads of cross-country skiiers! The red line shows approximately where we hiked this time. 

Another look at the winter trail along the Minster River in Winter. 

And in summer once we traveled all the way to the back of the same valley (where the river Waag flows through) for a hike in the Hoch-Ybrig area. This is what the lake looks like in summer, with the boats on the boat quay!!!

In summer, on the stretch between the village of Waag and the very back of the valley, this was the first time I noticed the little chapel on the hill, and have always wanted to go up there for a look!