Maderaner Valley, Lake Golzeren, Silenen Tower, and a Farmer's Cable Car!

Wednesday October 11, 2023 -- We currently have visitors from the USA and I wanted to take them on a special excursion to experience a few things about Swiss mountain life that most tourists don't get to see.

Back in October 2014, we took these same friends to Lake Arnisee near Amsteg in the Reuss Valley, a favourite place of ours and where Urs' father grew up. At that time we looked into the beautiful Maderaner Valley on the east side of the Reuss Valley, with the winding road that accessed it, and Carrie thought it might be fun to drive up there one day. 

So that's what I did with them this day. We started with a car ride up that narrow winding road into the valley. (Carrie did a great job of navigating this narrow road, as it required a couple of well-timed manoeuvers into small niches on the road-side to let trucks and buses pass!). From there we took a small cable-car to a lovely upper valley called Golzeren, walked around the lake, and had lunch at a very busy mountain restaurant (since Covid, they are very short on personnel, and it's mostly younger family members who have to help.). Among the variety of new things they experienced here was the sale of locally-harvested quartz crystals at several roadside stands, buying locally-made cheese from a trail-side refrigerator, discovering how the locals deal with avalanches, and partaking in the lovely smell of freshly-spread pig manure.

After leaving this valley, we did a quick walk up the 12th-Century Meierturm Tower in Silenen before experiencing the "piece-de-resistance": A ride in one of those cargo cable-cars which are the life-line of the hard-working mountain farmers and offered for a small fee to the public so they can access the higher elevations on these steep mountainsides. This was a real hit, as it is really a local secret, and not something just anyone knows to do! (We are so used to riding these that we don't give it another thought, but it did make our guests a bit nervous).

PART I:  Golzeren Valley

Back in 2014 we were up here on the west side of the Reuss Valley with our friends Jeff and Carrie, looking into the Maderaner Valley. Lake Golzeren, where I took them this day, is up at the arrow. 

Driving up into the Maderaner Valley on the narrow, curvy road, requires quick thinking, as you need to be able to pull off in a timely manner into small niches and allow buses and trucks to pass, sometimes on the right side. We also had to time our trip to reach the top of the valley before the Postauto did its 11:07 run from the top (right now it's 10:56, cutting it close!)

The view into the Reuss Valley as we head up along the winding road into the Maderaner Valley. (As a side note, we did a hike recently high above the Maderaner Valley, and walked out of the valley on the opposite side, with a good view of this winding road. Those photos, also worth looking at, are HERE)

The 8-man cable-car which takes you up to Golzeren from Bristen. We didn't have to wait long for our turn, just one run. 

Heading onto the cable-car in Bristen. 

Crossing with the other cable car on its way down the mountain. 

From the summit station, we watch as the cable car descends again. It's a beautiful day for this outing. 

This house next to the cable car station is where Urs' maternal grandmother grew up. 

A trail-side refrigerator where you can buy locally-made cheese (we see these often). You put the money into the little cash-box provided!

Starting at the summit station of the Bristen-Golzeren cable-car at about 11:30, we walked to the lake along a wide road, then around the lake on a narrow trail, and back to the Edelweiss restaurant for lunch, before heading back to the cable car station. An approximately 4-km walk. 

The cows are enjoying the late summer weather, and the farmers are preparing to spread manure. 

A look behind us now at the road from the cable-car station. Many families live up here all year-round, and the kids have to walk to the cable-car in winter to head down into the valley to go to school. Along the road are small shelters at regular intervals where they can duck into in case of avalanches. 

The first look at Lake Golzeren

We started on our walk around the lake along this boardwalk, going counter-clockwise. 

The water is so still you can see the reflection of the mountains. 

Heading counter-clockwise around the lake. 

Now we are at the furtherst eastern side of the lake, looking west down the Golzeren Valley. 

Taking a break!

A zoomed view of the mountains on the west side of the Reuss Valley

Now we are at the large grassy area on the east side of the lake where people like to picnic and go in for a swim. Considering the large number of cars in the parking lot at Bristen, we were surprised that there were so few people here. 

On our way finally to one of the two restaurants for lunch. It's already 1:15 p.m. 

Heading to the restaurants. 

This is the way they sell the quartz crystals (very many in these mountains). You pick one you want and pay the amount into the little cash boxes. The person pricing these crystals is asking rather steep prices!

The first restaurant closest to the lake was quite full, so we chose the second one, the "Berggasthaus Edelweiss", but it was also full and they are extremely understaffed. We had to wait a long time for service!

It must have been at least 2:15 p.m. before we got our refreshments. First time for Jeff and Carrie trying out the Eichhof Lemon Radler and they really loved it! (As do we, it is part of every hike we do, either in a restaurant or when we get home... there's always a couple of cans in the fridge!)

Heading back to the cable-car station we passed several houses like this, with the side facing the avalanche-prone slopes built up like this. In case of an avalanche, the snow will simply fly over the house, instead of sweeping it away. 

A look back up the Golzeren Valley as we reach the cable-car station. The little structure on the left is one of the shelters along the road where you can duck into in winter if you think an avalanche is coming. 

Heading back down to the parking lot at the valley station of the Golzeren cable-car

PART II:  Silenen Tower and Chilcherbergen Cable-Car

On our way to the special cable-car, we did a quick stop at the ruins of the Meierturm, a five-storey 12th-Century tower which served as the residence of the Nobles of Silenen. It now belongs to Canton Uri, and was restored in 1989 when they also added the roof and parapet. 

Heading up three flights of steps to the parapet (the metal stairways are obviously new. Previously, the separate floors were built on wooden beams set into the slots in the stone walls. The beams rotted over time). 

Back in May of 2022, Urs and I did a hike in the Reuss Valley from Erstfeld to Amsteg and passed by the Meier Tower (those photos are HERE). This is what it looks like from the north side. 

Then we got to the little shed which houses the Chilcherbergen cable-car! (We have ridden this one many times, it's one of the best!). You have to phone the operator (using a wall-phone in the shed), Mr. Epp, who lives on the mountain 600 meters higher up! He then starts the cable-car, and you pay him at the top.

 We had to hurry to get into the cargo car, because I'd already phoned up, and didn't know how long it would take till the ride started. Jeff and Carrie were a bit nervous....

A look up the Reuss Valley as the cable-car starts up the mountain. Unfortunately we did this a bit late in the day (4:30 p.m.) and there is already a lot of shade at the valley bottom. 

The Chilcherbergen cable-car, a life-line for mountain farmers as they have no roads going up the mountain. All their goods are transported this way. Many farmers have cable-cars like this, but not all of them are cleared for public use. 

Up on the hillside now, there is still plenty of sunshine. The farmers are still busy harvesting a final growth of hay (the late summer has been lucky for them, even though this is a lot of work). And what a fantastic view up the Reuss Valley from here. The dominant mountain here is called Mount Bristen. 

Enjoying 15 minutes of sunshine up here at Kilcherberg alpine pastures! (Behind my friends is one of the grass-cutting machines used on these steep slopes). 

"Selfie"!!. (One of our hiking plans for a 2-day hike is to start here in this pasture, and hike straight uphill to the saddle above our heads. It's 900 meters straight uphill, and beyond that is a lake, the deepest lake in Canton Uri, stocked with Canadian Trout. It requires an overnight, though, and we have not yet had two "fantastic" available days in a row here in July or August, which is when we need to do this). 

This is Mr. Epp's house. I believe he lives here all year. The hiking trail goes right past his house. 

A fellow-hiker who was visiting with Mr. Epp offered to take this photo. He did a good job! It's about 5 p.m. now, and we are headed back down on the 7- or 8-minute ride, back down to the shadowy Reuss Valley!

Heading back down to Silenen in the cargo cable car!

VIDEO:

As we head down to Silenen in the little cable car, the other one heading up is passing us.

This is so cool!!

Down below us, the village of Silenen

Looking down the Reuss River Valley. 

There's the car! It was a complicated manoeuver to park it there, but better than having to walk from further down. 

In November of 2016, Urs and I did a hike on the opposite side of the valley. Here is a view of Silenen below, and the Chilcherbergen cable-car to the alpine pasture called Kilcherberg. 

What the region of our excursion looks like on Google Satellite Maps

Location of Maderaner Valley in Switzerland

As a side note: Urs and I have done many hikes starting and ending with the Chilcherbergen cable-way. The most notable, and the first time we rode this was in August 2017 when we hiked from there into the Maderaner Valley and to the restaurant near Lake Golzeren, where we had lunch before returning to and descending with the Bristen cable car. At that time you could get a combination ticket for both cable-cars for about 10 Fr.!!! This was one of my favourite hikes. Those photos are HERE.   

From the Reuss Valley into the Maderaner Valley

Wednesday August 2, 2017 -- Another wonderful hike close to home, high above the Reuss Valley on the East Side this time. The 7½-km trail offered so much variety, starting in Silenen with a cable-car ride in an old open transport car, to lush grassy trails and mystical forests, and steep rocky sections with stunning views into the busy Reuss valley. There was even an old Tibetan-Style suspension bridge, with maximum capacity of ONE (in winter, but who comes up here in winter?)

The first part of the trail basically followed the path of the Gotthard Basis Tunnel 900m below. Then we turned eastward into the equally stunning Maderaner Valley with some nice views into the Etzli Valley, as the trail continued high above the valley across some interesting cliff faces. Our goal was the little mountain hamlet of Seewen in the Golzern Valley, with a little lake of the same name. Having started early because the day promised to be hot, we reached the hamlet at 12:30, just in time for a lunch of Rösti on a terrace with a view of the lake.

The Maderaner Valley is known for its bounty of quartz crystals, and the locals know where to find them. Instead of lemonade stands, the kids set up crystal stands and price the crystals based on size and formation. You can pick out your crystal and pay into the little cash box. I got a good deal on a pretty smoky quartz for just 2 Francs!

From here, another cable car takes you down the vertical hill to Bristen, from where you can ride a bus down the steep and winding road back into the Reuss Valley. (This is the road that was washed out this spring, leaving the residents of the Maderaner Valley cut off for a few days.)

Side Note: After getting home and looking at my pictures, I tend to forget that part of the pleasure of hiking as we do is the ever-present scent of fresh damp forests after the rain, and newly-mown hay. Everywhere on these steep slopes the farmers mow every possible inch of grass, with special equipment, or by hand with scythes, and sometimes the hay even gets transported out by helicopter....

Heading through the village of Silenen to the cable car station.

Canton Uri has most of Switzerland's cable cars, I think... at least the funnest anyway!

To ride the cable car, you have to phone up to the operator, who lives just a few meters from the upper station. This cable car actually has space for two people and two bikes!

Some other early birds, already heading down the hill!

How great is this view, to the North along the Reuss Valley.

The cable car operator lives in this house just a few meters from the station. He has been operating the cable car for 40 years along with farming up on these steep slopes. He hopes to continue operating the cable car for a few more years....

This helicopter is removing wild hay that has been harvested in the particularly hard-to-reach areas.

In all we walked 7.5km, but there were several steep rocky uphill sections so we went slowly. It took us about 3.5 hours, although the trail markers claimed 2.5 hours.

On the Tibetan-style suspension bridge. Max. capacity = 5, or in winter just ONE person at a time.

Crossing a slide area on the Tibetan-Style suspension bridge.

From up here we get a good view of Arni on the opposite side of the valley, a place we go often with our visitors.

The trail is narrow and rocky but the views are wonderful.

A pleasant trail to walk on, even on the steeper sections!

A large part of this hike is through forests. But we selected the trail on purpose for that reason because the day was going to be hot.

Coffee break on one of the few benches up here.

At this spot called Eisten, we are directly above the Gotthard Basis Tunnel, 900m below us.

View down to Bristen in the Maderaner Valley.

Another view to Arni and Gurtnellen on the opposite side of the Reuss Valley

There was such a great variety along this trail, including this steep cliff area.

 

I believe this bird is a Wallcreeper. This zoom photo was taken from quite a distance, so the red feathers are not visible, but it might be a female.

Another interesting section with an overhanging rock ledge

Looking across the Maderaner Valley into the Etzli Valley to the South

Looking across the Maderaner Valley into the Etzli Valley to the South

The first glimpse of the Golzeren Valley, high above the Maderaner Valley.

When the weather is nice, the slopes are mown and the hay is dried for winter

 

Mowing the steep slopes is a lot of work

In some places where there are lots of boulders, the grass is cut by hand with scythes

This is the cable car which we will take back down to Bristen in the Maderaner Valley.

That's a lot of wood in preparation for a cold winter up here!

Buying the quartz crystals is a matter of honesty. But what's a couple of Francs? And I got myself a nice smoky quartz (upper right) for only 2 Francs.

In the hamlet of Seewen we enjoyed a nice lunch with a view of the lake.

In the hamlet of Seewen we enjoyed a nice lunch with a view of the lake.

Heading back to the cable car station to go down into the Maderaner Valley

 

One last look back into the upper Golzern Valley

The road out of the Maderaner Valley is steep and curvy and was washed out this spring, cutting the entire valley off for a few days, until they resuscitated an old funicular from the power plant at Amsteg in the Reuss Valley below.

What our hike looks like, starting at the summit station of the Chilcherberg cable-way, and walking into the Golzern high plateau, then back to the Golzern cable-car station.