Hike to the Engelhorn Hostel in the Rychenbach Valley.

Tuesday September 6, 2022 -- Plans for the day changed yet again. We were going to hike to the summit of a mountain not far from Luzern (Fürstein) but traveling on the Luzern-Interlaken train through the valley, it was obvious there was too much cloud cover for my taste. But southward, toward the Bernese Oberland Alps, the sky was blue. So we switched plans for a hike I have long wanted to do, to the Rosenlaui Gorge in the Rychenbach Valley.

To get to the Rychenbach Valley, you take a bus from Meiringen, a popular route as there are connections along the way to the Grosse Scheidegg pass and Grindelwald, but the Rosenlaui Gorge is usually also a popular destination for tourists. Fortunately for us this time, only one other person from the bus wanted to walk via the gorge, so we didn't have to contend with masses of tourists.

Our ultimate goal was the Engelhorn Hostel, located at the foot of the magnificent Engelhorn Peaks and a popular starting point for rock climbers. To get there we had to ascend over 500m (a 2-hour hike), which was surprisingly easy to do, as the first part of the hike through the fantastic gorge was an ascent on a stone stairway, then we were still in the morning shade, and we stopped often to admire the spectacular Rosenlaui Glacier, a sight we had not expected to see. When the sun finally emerged from behind the peaks, we had some forested sections or otherwise a good variety of trail. The "icing on the cake" was a lovely simple lunch at the hostel, homemade potato/carrot/leek soup with bread and SUNSHINE before the clouds quickly covered the sky here also. Which didn't matter as the 90-minute descent back into the valley was also mostly through the forest. 

We were mostly thrilled that we had about two hours of sunshine for the best part of this improptu hike. (Even though we traveled 2.5 hours to get there). 

Heading south from Luzern toward the Brünig Pass. Originally we were planning a hike in this valley, but there was cloud cover for most of the day here, whereas further south, the sky was blue. So we kept going over the Brünig Pass to Meirigen. 

Heading up the Rychenbach valley by bus, this view is of Mt.Wellhorn, with the Rosenlaui Glacier on the left. The water from this glacier is what carved out the beautiful Rosenlaui Gorge. 

This region of the Bernese Oberland is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Aletscharena

Heading toward the gorge. Here the river rushed out of the gorge in form of this waterfall. We started here at 10 a.m.  

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The Weissenbach Falls, as the river exits the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge

A path has been carved out of the cliffs inside the gorge, so that it actually becomes part of the trail to hike up to the Engelhorn Hostel

It was an interesting passage through the Rosenlaui Gorge, and well worth the 10 CHF entry fee (especially as there were no tourists!)

At some places the gorge is so narrow that the vertical walls on either side almost touch each other!

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Walking through the gorge:

 

VIDEO 2:

At the top of the gorge

As we emerged from the gorge, we looked straight up to the summit of Mt.Wellhorn

After leaving the Rosenlaui gorge, we ascended along the base of the Engelhorn mountains, a total ascent of almost 600 meters, which didn't seem that much at all. Normal hiking time to the hostel is 2 hours, which is just about what it took us, even though we spent quite some time in the gorge and admiring the glacier!

As we ascend above the gorge, we get the first glimpse of the glacier above. It is incredible to think that at some time, probably not that long ago, the glacial ice covered this cliff face as well

Our uphill hike went quickly because we were in the shade of the mountain (sun had not passed the Engelhorn peaks yet on this side).

Mt Wellhorn and the Rosenlaui Glacier

A zoomed view of the fabulous Rosenlaui Glacier. 

A lower section of the Rosenlaui Glacier. On my current map, it shows this piece still connected to the main glacier by snow or ice!

After the main ascent, the trail rose slightly higher, through forested sections and interesting rocky sections. For most of the way we were able to see the glacier. We also finally had some sunshine here at 11:15 a.m.!

Final look behind us at the Rosenlaui Glacier and Mt. Wellhorn

A look up the Rychenbach Valley, which rises to the Grosse Scheidegg, and on the other side is Grindelwald. Straight ahead below the last line of peaks is Grindelwald First (Summit station of the popular cableway). 

Several interesting sections, never too difficult

Several interesting sections, never too difficult

First glimpse of the Engelberg Hostel (top right) and the Haslital Valley to the North (in the center of the photo is the town of Meiringen. We came from the North and crossed over the Brünig Pass on the left). 

Around a corner the first glimpse of the stunning Engelhorn peaks, a popular climbing destination. We had to walk this fabulous trail in a long half-circle before getting to the hostel. 

Standing below the Engelhorn peaks. Behind me is a valley called Ochsetal. At the back, according to the map, is another glacier, which we could not see from here. 

The clouds had started to move in now, but as we got to the Engelhorn hostel (30 people can overnight here!) we were greeted with the last sunshine. 

Final approach to the hostel, over a narrow rocky ledge

We had the most fantastic homemade potato/carrot/leek soup up here at the hostel. It's amazing what they can cook up here!

As we ate our soup, we spotted one of the rock climbers on that first peak above the hostel. It's mostly climbers that overnight here. 

Heading down now to the bottom of the Rychenbach valley to Kaltenbrunnensäge bus stop. It is 90 minutes to walk to the road down there (approx. behind the tree on the left. From there we took the bus back to Meiringen again, center of the photo). The low clouds remained all day north of the Brünig Pass. At this point, though, we had the final sunshine till we got back down to the valley bottom. 

Guarding his territory!

As we walked down the easy forest road, Mt. Wetterhorn came into view (one of the main mountains in Grindelwald, on the right with the three glaciers). It was a shame that both peaks (Klein and Gross Wellhorn on the left) were now covered in clouds. Still magnificent, though. 

Cute baby cows

Mt Wellhorn (small and large), Mt. Wetterhorn, and on the far left you can just see the Rosenlaui Glacier

The sky is clearing now again in the Bernese mountains to the South. This is Mt. Rosenhorn, at whose flank lies the Rosenlaui Glacier. Looks like they got some new snow here. (After this excursion, the temperatures in the mountains did drop considerably) 

Another photo of Mt.Wetterhorn from our bus stop at the valley bottom. The weather changes very quickly in the mountains. On our descent we even had a few rain drops. Within approx. 2 hours it went from clear skies to rain clouds and back to clear skies. 

How the hike looks on Google Maps. For us, this was actually a very short and quick hike, even though it was almost 600m of ascent!

Heading back down the Rychenbach Valley toward Meiringen in the Hasli Valley. We had to wait 40 minutes for our train in Meiringen, but at least there was sunshine again! It was a good choice we made, spur-of-the-moment.

Where the Rychenbach Valley is located in Switzerland. We can get there in 2½ hours from our home via Luzern and the Brünig Pass

13-km Walk along the Thur River in the Toggenburg (Starkenbach to Krummenau)

Sunday September 4, 2022 -- It's becoming difficult again to plan according to weather forecast: It was supposed to be sunny in the East (Toggenburg and Appenzell/Alpstein Region), which it only partly was. But that is not the reason why we changed our plans of walking along the north side of the Churfirsten Mountains in Canton St.Gallen, but because we would have had to wait about 90 minutes just to ride the farmer's cargo cable-car to the start of our hike! (A similar thing happened to us here in August 2020, but that was on a Wednesday! (Those photos are HERE).). Planning a Sunday hike and limiting it to good weather areas is difficult, because everyone else goes there as well...

We knew we were taking a risk going there on a Sunday, but we had prepared a Plan B if there were too many people (which there were, as this little cable car in Starkenbach has become something of an attraction in Eastern Switzerland, as it's the only one of this kind there!) and that was to walk along the Thur River for about three hours, along the local themed trail called "Thurweg". This region, by the way, is known as the Toggenburg, with its lovely rolling hills and pastures.

Even though I love the sound of the river, (and there was plenty of water this time), my feet reminded me that two hours is about the maximum I can manage of straight riverside walking! We ended up with sunshine (as opposed to our original plan.... there was a lot of cloud cover in the mountains), but being valley bottom also meant that it was very hot. So this day was either: "Sunshine and Heat", or "Mountains and No Sunshine"..... Much of the trail was a nice walking path, though. Not a lot of paved roads...

On the train ride from Wattwil to Neu-St.Johann, we can see the Churfirsten mountains up ahead where we want to start our hike. But even from here we can tell there is more cloud than we had expected (the hope was they would break up soon). We ended up coming back this way on foot along the river and railway track. In fact, we walked under that railway bridge...

Passing through the village of Stein on our way to Starkenbach. We passed through here again on our way along the Thur River. 

This is the little cable car at Starkenbach, which we had hoped to use to get up to the higher alpine pastures. I didn't think to take a photo this time, as we were scrambling to decide on what to do, based on the fact that there were 30 people ahead of us! (which would mean about 60-90 minutes to wait...). This photo is from August. 2020. The other photos from that excursion are HERE

So instead of taking the cable car from Starkenbach, we crossed to the Thurweg (Thur River Trail no.24) and walked for 13 km down-river. We had more sunshine than if we had decided to wait and go up the mountain. It did get hot, though. 

Crossing the Thur River, how idyllic

An old stone bridge

This narrow passage was barely 10 minutes further down-river from the first idyllic crossing!

The rolling hills of Toggenburg

Below us is the village of Stein. Back in August 2019 we hiked along the Alpine Panorama Trail starting at Schwägalp below Mt.Säntis to the East, and ended our hike here in Stein. (Those photos are HERE)

Cows in the back yard!

This signals an easy hiking trail. Part of the "Thur River Trail"

Always being observed by the cows

In the village of Stein, St.Gallen

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Ponies playing in the pasture (I'm not sure what this behaviour means!)

Even though I get more tired on river walks than mountain walks, there are always very interesting things to see, like this stone bridge....

... or some pretty wooden covered bridges

Another wild part of the river, in the sun-dappled forest

Heading back up out from the river bottom (ravine).

Here we passed a restaurant alled Gasthof Freihof (along the road across from a bus stop) where several of these sculptures were displayed (also some of people playing musical instruments or other sports) 

These are the Giessen Falls (the smaller ones) dropping from a reservoir lake at a small power station. Further upriver were larger falls but we missed them because they were in a ravine and hidden from view from the trail 

Before crossing the river again at Nesslau, we came upon some festivities and a paragliding competition

There is a little island in the river with a small chapel and picnic tables for families to enjoy a Sunday outdoor BBQ. We crossed over for a small break!

We took a break on the little island next to the chapel...

A view across the river at Neu St.Johann and the former monastery (on the left).

A look back again aat the Churfirsten mountains, where the clouds are low and there is little sunshine. Here downriver we had sunshine, but it got hot!

To the East, a look at Mt. Säntis. The clouds are low here as well, and a hike in the Alpstein Massif would not have been so great this day either. (That had also been an consideration)

Former monastery in Neu St.Johann

The water here flowed into some nice pools in the forest.

Railway bridge for the train crossing, near the end of our hike in Krummenau. 

Crossing the Thur River to Krummenau, where we caught a bus to Wattwil. We had read that the nicest part of the Thur River Trail were the next 5 km downriver, but it would have taken another 90 minutes to walk that, and it was simply too much for me.

In 2020 we rode the cable car up the north side of the Churfirsten mountains. We wanted to do this again, but walk eastward this time. Instead, we walked for 13 km along the Thur River.

Location of the Toggenburg Region of Switzerland