Keeping up with my hut hike tradition, there was of course another one this year. :) Trying to cover different areas, it was about time to venture into the Alps of Central Switzerland, one of my favorite parts in our mountains. Dana, Cyril, Günti and Ulisse decided to join in, as usual not knowing in advance where we were going to and as the starting point was a small hamlet of which no one had ever heard of, they literally ventured into the unknown with me. :) Fell, was the name of that hamlet and we arrived there on a beautiful Saturday morning at around 9 o’clock. A ride with a rather old and shaky cable car awaited us at first, bringing us to the gorgeous artificial lake of Bannalp and its surrounding mountains.
Doing our last preparations at the cable car station, we were soon ready to hit the trail and first of all walked over the dam to the other side of the lake. Following the lakeside for a bit, the path before long led us to the right and into our first ascending slope. Luckily it wasn’t the most steepest one and therefore served as a good warm up. The next turnoff also wasn’t too far away and turning right we started to follow the mountainside. As I had told my friends that there were a couple restaurants along the way, we had joked that we could turn the hike into a pub crawl, but that the first restaurant was awaiting just after 45 minutes came completely unexpected, even for me. :) The Alp and its restaurant were on a plateau at the end of that first slope, but as it wasn’t the time for a break, we just continued with our ascent. The next rise was quite a bit steeper, but fortunately wasn’t too long and at the end of it, a short descent brought us to the first viewing point. Overlooking the lake of Bannalp, its neighboring peaks and many of the popular mountains of the Alps of Central Switzerland, it was the perfect spot to regain our breath.
Moving on after a few minutes, we just followed the mountainside, more or less keeping the altitude until we reached the Walegg. As there was another viewpoint, we decided to take a short break and once more enjoyed the fantastic panorama that now included the Engelberger valley as well.
Being back on the trail about 10 minutes later, we took on a leisurely pace as we started to descend towards the Walenalp. The sun was still shining brightly, the path remained as lovely as before and again a gorgeous landscape surrounded us, so we certainly had a good time so far. :) Ending the descent at the Walenalp, it wasn’t yet time to start our pub crawl and for a while we walked along the ensuing gravel road.
The next turnoff appeared before long however and while we started to ascend again, the trail led into the woods, giving us some well deserved shelter from the sun. The forest with its gentle slopes was a nice change of scenery and we definitely took our time to appreciate its beauty. It was in that part, where we noticed more and more people on the trail, but that wasn’t really a surprise, as we steadily moved closer to Engelberg and all its cable cars. Unfortunately, the trees receded way too soon and once more walking along the mountainside, the next part was just a bit too hot. The sun was burning relentlessly and as there even wasn't a refreshing summer breeze, we basically sweated our way to our lunch spot. :)
Arriving at the designated place to eat, we sat down for our mandatory “summit” beer (or in Günti's case “summit” whisky) and enjoyed the fantastic outlook towards the Engelberger landmark, the Titlis. Once our stomachs were filled and we had regained our strength, we followed a wide dirt path towards the Brunni hut and its adjoining Härzlisee.
Well, I guess nothing could have prepared us for what we got when we arrived there. Tons of people at the lake, tons of people BBQing, tons of people climbing in the nearby crag and it seemed like tons of people were still arriving with the adjacent chairlift. Not really a place for us to linger and certainly no place to start our pub crawl. :) But as we were there anyway, a toilet break and some more water in our bottles didn’t do us any harm either. :) Eventually moving on, we were glad that the hustle and bustle from the Härzlisee was left behind us and maybe you can guess already what followed next? Yes, correct, a walk along another mountainside. :) This time though, it led us directly into the next valley and to some fantastic views. Stunning mountains wherever we looked and in the middle of the valley, still pretty far away, there was the Rugghubel hut where we were staying at tonight.
Continuing our walk, we soon joined a hiking path coming from the Engelberger cable car and that meant more people on the trail again. That didn’t really bother us though, we were more concerned about the last steep ascent. So before that one started, Dana, Ulisse and I decided to take a short break, while Günti and Cyril opted to move on, as they really wanted to start with that promised pub crawl. :) Well, we had plenty of time left to reach the hut and there was no need to hurry. In the end, the final slope, which had looked pretty tough from afar, wasn't that bad at all and so we arrived at the hut tired but not shattered. Joining Cyril and Günti on the terrace we had a well deserved drink, enjoyed the now cooler weather and chatted away until dinner was served.
Taking advantage of our overnight stay, we headed out to the terrace again after dinner and were treated to quite a spectacle. The sunset was absolutely magical, as the sunbeams broke through the clouds and turned them into every color imaginable.
It was the perfect ending of a lovely day and we all wondered what tomorrow would have in store for us. Well, at first, it was a hearty breakfast and a promising look outside, as the clouds from yesterday evening had cleared away and the sky was once more as blue as possible. It also was the time now to repair Dana’s shoe, as unfortunately the sole on her right boot had started to come off. Luckily, the hut’s owner was so friendly to give us a strong duct tape and with a freshly repaired shoe, we hit the trail again at around 8:30.
We didn't get very far however, as the first break of the day was just around the corner, caused by a couple marmots that were taking a bath in the morning sun with not a care in the world. :) Moving on a few minutes later, the trail soon became rockier and more challenging, but at the same time it also became more beautiful with every step we took. Gently walking uphill, we stopped more than once to admire our surroundings.
The next turnoff was soon upon us however and it was about time to decide what to do. As the weather was simply gorgeous, as we had plenty of time and as everybody felt strong enough to do it, we decided to pay the Wissigstock a visit. That certainly was a good choice as it definitely is the peak with the best views in the area. We just sent a few prayers towards heaven that Dana’s boots would hold. :) At first however, Cyril took the lead and suddenly was scrambling upwards in the wrong direction. Well, if you give Möschtravel the lead, it can only go wrong. :) Somewhere along the way we had missed a marking and it took a moment and some more scrambling to get back onto the official path.
Luckily it was only a small detour and we were all back again together for the strenuous ascent to the Engelberger Lücke. Or I probably should say: for some more strenuous than for the others, as Ulisse, Günti and Cyril almost ran up the steep and rocky path, while Dana and I took our time, making up the rear of the group. At the Engelberger Lücke, the views opened up for a first time towards the canton of Uri and the gorgeous views in every direction served as a good pretext to take a break.
Ignoring the ultra steep slope of the Engelberger Rotstock, we started to walk towards the Wissigstock and were glad that the ascent wasn’t as steep as before. The trail remained challenging enough however, after all it still was a blue and white one. Dana’s shoes did a good job as well so far, at least until we had conquered one of the steeper rises in between and the duct tape was suddenly coming off shortly afterwards. Having made the wise decision to take some additional tape with us, we fixed the boot once more and soon were on our way again. Not much later, the final slopes started to decrease and the summit of the Wissigstock came into view. Günti, Cyril and Ulisse were there already and together we enjoyed the spectacular 360° panoramic view.
On this peak we could have stayed for hours, but unfortunately, the time was running fast and after an early lunch break, we retraced our steps to the Engelberger Lücke.
From there, we went further back down to a turnoff, where we turned right to ascend along a mountainside for a short time, before at last a descending slope led us to the Rot Grätli. Everyone was feeling fine and I was glad that we all had made it safely to the summit and back.
It wasn't the end of the challenging slopes however, as the descent from the Rot Grätli wasn’t one to underestimate. Some patches of snow were the easier of those challenges, while a couple short scrambling sections with some old ropes were the more difficult ones. We took our time in those parts and step by step ventured deeper into the valley.
Luckily, already having left behind the most difficult sections, the duct tape on Dana’s shoes eventually gave way once more. Unfortunately, the sole on the left boot also started to come off and we barely managed to hold everything together. At least the grassier slopes were soon about to come and while we kept on descending, the trail gradually became much gentler. After a while, one last ascent was waiting for us and just like before, everyone took on their own pace. It wasn’t too strenuous anymore and sitting down at the end of the slope, we enjoyed the view back to the Engelberger Rotstock, while eating our last food and drinking away the rest of Günti's whisky. :)
The only thing left to do now was to descend back to the lake of Bannalp. At first, that descent was rather steep, but it became gentler before long, which was a blessing for our weary legs. Regrettably, there weren't too many views to be had, so basically, we just headed down as soon as possible to end our hike with a refreshing drink in the restaurant of Bannalp. :) Well, it took a bit longer than expected, also because the soles of both of Dana’s shoes had come off completely in the meantime. Fortunately, she had some pretty sturdy boots, so she didn’t feel every stone on the ground and was able to continue without taking them off. For once however, there was no complaint when we had reached the lake of Bannalp and had to walk the last kilometer on paved ground. :) Sitting down at the restaurant, enjoying the view over the lake together with a cold beer, we all were tired but happy how those two days had turned out. The perfect weather, the diverse and stunning landscape, the lovely Rugghubel hut as well as the fantastic company, it simply was the best combination we could have asked for. For sure the tradition will continue next year, so be ready for some more hut hiking blog entries in the near future. :)
Highlights of the weekend: the gorgeous weather, the views from the Wissigstock, the diversity of the landscape and the hospitality in the Rugghubel hut
This hike is for you if:
- you’re looking for a strenuous but doable hut hike
- you want to do a blue and white trail for a first time
- you’re seeking a 360° panoramic view over the Alps of Central Switzerland
- you can handle rocky and challenging trails
This hike is not for you if:
- you mind a scramble with ropes in between
- you want the peak or the trails all to yourselves
- you're hiking boots are about to fall apart :)
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