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on the trail // brienzer rothorn

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Our last hike of the summer season was a trip up the Brienzer Rothorn, the highest peak in the Emmental Alps, and with panoramic views in all directions.

The trip up the mountain was via a red panoramic steam train which has been operating since 1892 from the shores of Lake Brienz to the summit at 2350 m (ca. 7700 feet). We enjoyed the mostly easy path, catching up with our friend Andrea, and the views both into the valley and over the beautiful blue glacial waters of Lake Brienz and over green slopes towards the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. There was also a steep but fun descent down a concrete stairway making up part of the trail. For Reese, the most fun parts of the day were definitely the train ride itself and seeing some happy sheep along the path. Read more →

on the trail // hoher kasten geology trail

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In late August we took our longest hike of the year in Appenzell from Hoher Kasten to Brülisau on the geological panoramic Alpstein trail. Approximately 11 miles long, the hike begins with a cable car ride and panoramic views over the Rhine Valley and Appenzellerland, including views into Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein. Along the way, 20 signs mark various geological phenomena, layers and fault line.  Read more →

on the trail // rigi panorama trail

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In early June we had another opportunity to share one of our favorite nearby mountains (and views) with friends visiting from Alaska. It was a beautiful early summer Saturday and we decided on the easy and scenic Rigi panorama trail followed by lunch and a stop at the Mineralbad. It was the perfect opportunity for them to see a bit more of Switzerland, enjoy lake and mountain views, and enjoy the day outside.

In our case, following a rejuvenating swim through the mineral pools, we rode the cogwheel train up to the summit at Rigi Kulm before taking the main train back down to Arth-Goldau and back to Zurich.

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hiking details
The hike is an easy, mostly flat 7.1km and takes about 2 hours following the former Rigi-Scheidegg railway line ((1874 – 1931) to Unterstetten. We took a slight detour off the main path, which is stroller-friendly, onto a side trail that descended a bit down the mountainside before climbing back up and rejoining the main trail which we followed to Rigi Kaltbad-First. The panoramic path is excellent for leisurely family-friendly walks, but side trails can also be taken for a slightly more challenging hike.  Read more →

swiss summer hiking goals

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I’ve mentioned in my last few posts that I’m really excited about this summer’s hiking season. I would love to be hiking every weekend, and though this hasn’t been the case so far as Martin has been gone the last few weekends on sporting-related trips, I’m ready to get going. So, let’s start by setting out some of the places I really want to go this season. First, there are a few destinations from last year’s UBS summer mountain getaway partnership with Swiss Tourism. Second, I really want to explore a bit more around Ticino and in Graubünden, perhaps even around a long weekend. So, here’s my starting list of mostly mountain-top locations for summer hiking exploration. Read more →