Another Farmer's Cable Car at Oberrickenbach in the Engelberg Valley

Sunday June 27, 2021 -- Because we did a long hike the day before, this one we kept short and close to home. We traveled to Oberrickenbach off the Engelberg Valley, the starting point for several cable cars to higher elevations. The most popular are two cable cars to Lake Bannalpsee, a family destination for barbecuing along the lake, and the start of the popular Walenpfad Trail to Engelberg (currently closed due to too much snow still).

The other three cable cars are farmer's cable cars (called Buiräbähnli), one of which we had yet to ride, so that was the main point of this day's excursion. And as most people are not familiar with these, we were, once again, the only people who got off here to ride the cable car! We called the lady who owns the Schmiedsboden Farm at the top, and she instructed us on how to operate the cable car. These cable cars also give us the opportunity to chat with the locals. She introduced us to her pet goat, who follows her like a dog.

The cable car costs only 5 SFr. each to ride, and saves us 300m of ascent to a hillside we hadn't walked before. We still had to climb another 400m or so to the highest point of our tour, but it was a lot through the forest which protected a bit from the heat. On our way we "borrowed" a bench from a farmhouse where the owner wasn't there this day, for our picnic lunch. Besides the fantasic views into the Engelberg Valley, the North end of our loop also overlooked the South end of Lake Lucerne (Bürgenstock, Stans, etc.). And on the way back, we followed the Nidwaldner Höhenweg (Nidwalden High Trail) all the way back down to Oberrickenbach. Altogether an approx. 3-hour hike, in a landscape we love.

From Luzern, we took the train toward Engelberg, transferring here in Wolfenschiessen to a bus up to Oberrickenbach.

Here we are ascending from the Engelberg Valley into a side valley to Oberrickenbach, where there are five cable cars, three of which are the rustic farmer's cable cars. Across the valley on this photo, on the other hillside, are another four of these farmer's cable cars, and two more on this side. 

We were the only people who got off here, at the church in Oberrickenbach. All the others went to the final stop, where they will go up by cable car to Lake Bannalpsee

Here's the bus stop, behind the cable car station

The Schmiedsboden cable car. We phoned up from inside the car, and the owner told us which buttons to push to operate the cable-car

Of all the farmer's cable cars we have ridden, this was probably the least "rustic"!

Passing over another farm. See the shadow of the cable car?

Up at the Schmiedsboden farm, Mrs. Wicki-Waser met us at the cable-car shed with her goat-dog, and we followed her to the house to pay for the ride and buy some home-made sausages.

Instead of a dog, this farm has a goat.

And cows. These mountain farmers make a living from the milk of these cows. In fact, the owner's son was right then mowing one of the mountainsides for hay.

From Wolfenschiessen we took the bus to Oberrickenbach, then the "Buiräbähnli" to Schmiedsboden farm. We still had quite a bit of uphill to walk! But then we returned via the "Niedwaldner Höhenweg" past the Brändlen cable-car -- which is also a "Buiräbähnli" -- and finished the loop by walking down to Oberrickenbach. 

Heading uphill from the Schmiedsboden farm. There is no street access here, and the family relies on the cable car both summer and winter to access the valley. 

High above the village of Oberrickenbach

It was a very hot day. Even though we started at 10 a.m., we were glad that a large part of the hike was through the forest

There was another cable car which also started below at Oberrickenbach, but this one is massive and seems to be for forestry work. It is not open for public use.

Some interesting funghi

The Engelberg Tourist Bureau has created an official "Buiräbähnli" trail, a 46-km loop tour which includes rides on 7 or 8 of these cable cars. 

At the highest point of our hike, we could see down into the Engelberg valley, and the top of that hill called Wellenberg

Panorama view of this part of Canton Nidwalden

Down below is the village of Oberrickenbach

Narrow forest and meadow trails

On the North side of the loop, we are across from Wirzweli and Mt. Stanserhorn

We couldn't find a bench anywhere to stop for lunch. At this cute house, the owners weren't home, so we moved their bench out from behind the table a bit for a good place to rest. We made sure to put the bench back exactly where it was!

Daisies are the happiest flowers

Up ahead of us is Mt. Bürgenstock, and you can see a piece of lake Lucerne.

The northernmost part of our loop. Here we join the "Nidwaldner Höhenweg", or "Nidwalden High Trail" to return to Oberrickenbach

A long section through cool forests

Trail 88 is the Nidwaldner Höhenweg. Along this trail we pass above the Brändlen cable car, another of those Farmer's Cable Cars

Below is the Engelberg Valley. The river is called Engelberger Aa. On the left is Mt. Stanserhorn and the town of Dallenwil. In the back is Mt. Bürgenstock

Last stretch through lots of meadows before the descent to Oberrickenbach

A zoomed view of the two cable car "sheds" where we started. The one on the left belongs to the Schmiedsboden Farm. The one on the right is the larger, forestry-used one, not open to the public. 

Almost back in Oberrickenbach. 

Was this done on purpose?

A shady spot in front of the church, to wait for the bus

A look uphill to the Schmiedsboden farm where we started on our hike

Another group of hikers has joined us at the bus stop for the bus ride back down to Wolfenschiessen. There is no bus service between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., so starting at 10 a.m. on our hike, we timed it so we would be back down just shortly before 2 p.m.

This hike gave us the chance to try out the Schmiedsboden cable car. Starting at 10 a.m. at the top, we got back to Oberrickenbach at 13:45, 20 minutes early for the next bus. 

The loop trail as shown on Google Earth, with the other farmer's cable cars in the area (the ones we have already used). Most people go up to Lake Bannalpsee.

Another favourite area of ours to hike in!

High Trail Hike from Engstlenalp to Reuti in Hasliberg

Saturday June 26, 2021 -- This time we really lucked out! It's so hard to tell where the weather is going to be nice these days. We took a risk with our choice to ride a bus up the Gental Valley from Meiringen to Engstlenalp in the Bernese Oberland. A risk mainly because the regular Post Bus (for which we don't have to pay extra) doesn't do that run anymore, and the private bus costs a whopping 24 SFr. each! The advantage of this is that not a lot of people are willing to pay that, so the bus wasn't full.

On the way to Meiringen by train over the Brünig Pass, the sky was very overcast, and the clouds were low on many mountain peaks, but as we emerged into the Haslital, and as the bus drove the 50 minutes up the valley to the Engstlenalp plateau, we saw that we were going to have very nice weather. By 2 p.m. it was supposed to cloud over, but it didn't.

We also picked a high trail which ran along the entire side of the valley, a trail which isn't popularly known, and for most of the 4.5-hour hike there was not a single other hiker on the trail. A small narrow mountain trail, lots of meadows, cows, sheep, rock-falls and streams to cross, and a view to make the heart stand still. We had glimpses of Mt. Wetterhorn and Mt. Wellhorn, and even the peak of Mt. Eiger before it was hidden in the clouds.

And being up this high, it was relatively "cool" to walk. We only felt the heat as we reached Reuti on the Hasliberg mountain, where we caught a bus back to the Brünig Pass.

In the end, even the 24 SFr. bus ride was worth it! I couldn't believe that such a large bus could travel such a narrow road. The usual dance was played out when cars came down the road and had to back up out of the way. And best of all: The entire valley floor on the way up is an open meadow, and the cows LOVE walking on the street! The bus had to kind of "push" them off the road to get to the Engstlenalp. There was a lot of honking, and a lot of surprised looks from the cows!

We got on the bus at Meiringen, then it drove to Innertkirchen to the other pick-up spot, and then drove up the Gental Valley. This is the view just at the start of the Gental Valley, looking Southwest.

Vehicles coming up and down this narrow road in the Gental Valley have to give way to the cows. The valley is an open meadow. We were surprised at the large amount of avalanche snow which had not yet melted.

I forgot to take a photo of the bus, so I looked for one on their website. This photo describes perfectly the situation as we drove up here!

After a lot of honking and slowly "pushing" the cows off the road, we were able to continue on, to some surprised looks from the cows!

A look back down the Gental Valley as we get closer to Engstlenalp

There is a show dairy at Engstlenalp, so we stopped there to buy some cheese

Setting up for the cheese making for the day

The 1892 historical Hotel Engstlenalp

Summer houses and barns on the Engstlenalp. In the background is Mt. Titlis, which has snow year-round. It is now 10:30 at the start of our hike.

Looking down the valley to the South, our trail passes through the farm called Baumgarten.

The first marmots of the year! They were far away, so the photos are blurry

Lots of waterfalls and small streams to cross

Several national and regional trails pass through here, from Engelberg to Melchsee-Frutt, but the trail we picked is a less-used one. We met no other hikers all day on this trail. 

For all the way out of the valley, the trail was narrow like this

Some spots with rock-falls require more care to cross

Once-in-a-while a look back to see how far we have come

A patch of weeds!

Trail heading South

This fabulous waterfall across the valley is actually about a dozen streams coming out of holes in the cliff wall!

A close-up shot of the streams coming out of the rock wall to create a waterfall

This stream was a bit of a tricky one to cross! Down below is the farm at Baumgarten, where we stopped for our picnic lunch

The sound of the cow bells carried up high, it was so loud!

VIDEO:

Cows on the high alpine meadows

One of the buildings at Baumgarten Farm

We found a good place for a picnic lunch, with a view up and down the valley and across to the waterfall...

This is the best version of the Swiss flag which I had ever seen!

Our lovely picnic spot, with a view up and down the Gental Valley, and across at the mighty cliffs (we watched hikers crossing several snow patches there)

The trail on the other side of the valley still has lots of snow patches. We do want to walk this trail some time too, but we will wait till the snow is gone!

A collection of large cowbells!!

A good look down the Gental Valley

There is a trail on the other side of the valley as well, it follows just below the cliffs

Another marmot! Urs spots these faster than I do

Continuing southward after our picnic lunch. We still have a long way to go

The cliff walls on the opposite side of the valley

A look up the valley

There is a lot of water coming down this mountain river. We think this is where the avalanche came down to cause the pile-up in the valley below. It was a difficult stream to cross.

VIDEO:

Urs crossing the stream/river

The road below that goes up to the Engstlenalp

The sheep we encounter.... we're never really sure if they are agressive either!

And then we encountered some cows on the trail again. These are not quite full-grown, but we detoured up the hill above them anyway!

Urs is trying to figure out the best way to pass by these two cows in the narrow bend in the trail.

Another look up the valley as we detour above the cows (they are lying all over the hiking trail!)

Can you see the snake? It was a baby, not more than about 25 cm long, slithered across the road in front of us, and disappeared into the grass

At the mouth of the Gental Valley, where we turned and headed West, we got this magnificent view into several valleys: Right below is the Gadmertal (heads up to the Susten Pass to the left) from where the Gental branches off... in the middle heading left is the Haslital toward the Grimselpass, and straight ahead is a side valley called Uerbachtal. Right in the middle below is the town of Innertkirchen

We are still enjoying lovely flowering meadows

After a long section through the cool forest, we emerge into the western part of the Haslital Valley. Down below is Lake Brienzersee

Reuti (Hasliberg), the end of our 4.5-hour hike. From here we took a bus to the Brünig Pass, then a train back home. (It's only a 2.5-hour trip)

Last bit along the road at 4 p.m.

First the bus took us up the Gental Valley along a narrow road to Engstlenalp, from where we walked 4.5 hours and over 15 km to Reuti in the Hasliberg Valley. The more popular trail is along the ridge, or over to Melchsee-Frutt. But we met no other people along the way. The Gental Valley and Hasliberg are in Canton Bern, but right along the border with Cantons Nidwalden and Obwalden

The turquoise trail is the one we did this day. All the others are trail hikes over the past eight years in this area. 

The region of the Gental Valley and Engstlenalp