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on the trail // rigi panorama trail

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.

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

freitag favorites + catch-up weekend

Well, that was a fast week, but I am especially happy about a break this weekend as I seem to be fighting off some sort of fall flu. After surviving a full more training session at work, I’m home and bundled up on the couch this afternoon bemoaning the fact that I’ll be home alone for two weekends in a row as Martin has athletics-related events both this weekend and next. I have made a long list of tasks around home that I want to catch up on though so perhaps I’ll make some progress, as well as read some magazines, clean out my closet, and think about plans for our Christmas vacation. (I am so excited that my family will be here this year!) Read more

freitag favorites + visiting friends

It has been awhile since I last shared the things that have caught my eye recently. I really wanted to share most of these last week, but was so ecstatic to have my dear friend Kim arriving for the weekend that I forgot to finish the post.  Instead, we spent the weekend walking around Rigi, soaking in the indoor/outdoor pool at the Mineralbad, and enjoying plenty of time to catch-up on all the news from home. Read more

rigi in winter

Considering my love for snow, mountains, and water, it is really not surprising that I consider myself extra lucky to live in Switzerland, especially this time of year. Well, we finally took enough naps, deep cleaned the apartment and basement, and ran enough errands around town that the time had come to escape to the mountains. You probably already know that a favorite spot in Switzerland is Rigi. I have already written about it several times about summer hiking, stone throwing, and visiting with the cows, but this was our first winter trip. Read more

seeing switzerland

Yesterday was Swiss National Day and we enjoyed a mid-week day off to sleep in, workout (Martin) and take a long run (me), watch the Olympics, and see The Dark Knight Rises. I also took some time to go through the rest of my photos from my mini-vacation around Switzerland with my parents a few weeks ago. Read more

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views from rigi

After an evening with Sting, we spend Sunday heading in the mountains. Rigi is Martin’s favorite Swiss mountain and it was green and beautiful when we reached the top. It was the Rigi Schwingfest (Swiss wrestling) and Stone Throw so Martin took part and then we hiked around before the torrential downpour arrived. Unfortunately the fog and chill made it impossible to see the Schwingen, but it was still a fun day. I anticipate we will be spending many more days on Rigi, whether hiking in summer or snowshoeing in winter. Read more