About five years ago, I stood on top of the Druesberg, a lovely mountain in the skiing area of Hoch Ybrig. It had been one of my first blue and white trails and got stuck in my head, not because the path was very difficult, but because the view from the peak was that incredible. So the goal for this year was to scale it again and let you participate through my words and pictures. :) A neighbor of the Druesberg is the Forstberg, where another blue and white trail led to the summit and so it was natural for me to pay it a visit too. Unfortunately, our shabby summer thwarted my plans quite a bit. It had turned September already, until I finally found the time to do the intended hike. Heading out early on a beautiful Sunday morning, I made my way to the cable car station of Weglosen. Knowing the route from some past adventures, I walked past the cable car, turned onto a wide gravel road and headed towards a steep mountain wall.
Basically, today was all about blue and white, as also the part through the rock wall wasn’t an ordinary mountain trail. Well, at first there was a steep ascending slope in the forest, but this time I spare you with the details as you should know the procedure by now. :) What makes that trail a blue and white one, was a short scrambling section that ended in a climb up a vertical ladder. It was a good warm up, as it wasn’t too tough and once the scrambling part was behind me, the first lovely view into the valley below greeted my eyes.
Shortly afterwards, a turnoff led me onto a regular mountain trail where the next ascending slope was waiting just around the corner. Walking gently upwards among some cow meadows, my two goals of today appeared ahead of me and I started to get curious if the view from the Druesberg was really as stunning as I remembered it to be.
Steadily gaining height, the Druesberghütte soon made its appearance, but as it was too early for a drink, I just moved on towards my destination. The trail was pretty empty so far and I enjoyed the silence, the shining sun and the beautiful landscape around me. A break was necessary at some point, but other than that, I made good way and the ground soon got rockier. Also the steepness of the slopes intensified and I had to slow down my pace. That was no problem however, since when I brought behind another rise, the saddle between the two mountains already came into view and with it a spectacular panorama. On one side the Druesberg, on the other the Forstberg, ahead of me the Muoatathal with its mighty mountains and behind me a view that reached all the way to the Lake of Zurich.
Knowing that the outlook was best from the top, I didn’t linger on but turned left and started the final ascent towards the summit of the Druesberg. A narrow mountain trail led the way and before long some chains awaited me to overcome a short rock wall. Nothing too difficult and soon I was back on the narrow path following the mountainside. Why exactly that trail was blue and white, I couldn’t tell. After the chains, there was no other scrambling to do and the ridge at the top was also not that exposed that it justified the blue and white markings. But whatever the color, the ascent was good fun anyway. :) Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one that had the idea to get up to the Druesberg and there were quite some people around. A whole group of parents and children were sitting on the peak and I was glad when they left five minutes later, taking all their noise with them. :) For a moment I had the summit to myself and enjoyed the 360° panorama as much as I did the last time.
40 minutes later, I descended back to the saddle and walked straight ahead towards the peak of the Forstberg. A friend of mine had told me that the tough part would come during the descent on the other side, so I didn’t expect a difficult ascent and for once that was pretty accurate. :) Nevertheless, it took some time to reach the summit, mainly because the views in every direction were simply superb and I had to take some breaks to enjoy them to the fullest. :)
Arriving on the top, there were more or less the same people that had been on the Druesberg as well, only the big group with the children had luckily chosen to descend. So even though the peak was fairly crowded, I took another longer rest and marveled at the fantastic view into all cardinal points.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay forever, as the last bus in the evening was quite early and I didn’t want to miss it. Wondering what was following now, I left the summit behind to head down a steep descending slope. Walking along a grassy narrow trail, it took some time until the first scrambling section appeared and while it wasn’t too difficult, I wouldn’t want to go down there on a rainy day. The next scrambling part came shortly afterwards and while it wasn't too tough either, the ensuing two certainly had it in them.
To me, as you can imagine, it was good fun, but it also would have been lovely enough without those challenging parts. Mostly following a ridge, the views into the Muoatathal, towards the Great Mythen and the Lake of Lucerne remained stunning the whole way through.
Even though the descent had taken longer than expected, there should have been some time to get a beer in the restaurant Sternen at the very end of the ridge. Well, time there was enough, but space there wasn’t. :) Residing along a popular mountain trail just next to a chairlift, the restaurant was full to bursting. So instead of having a longer break, I soon took the decision to keep on descending. Mainly walking below the chairlift, the descent wasn’t too much fun, but at least at the end of it another sightseeing spot awaited me. Sitting down at the small Seeblisee, I enjoyed the still good weather and the perfect view back to the two mountains I just had visited.
The time was soon running out however and because I wanted to walk the whole way back to the Weglosen cable car station, there was no time left for a beer in the end. What a disappointment. :( Haha. Heading out of the hamlet at the Seeblisee, the way led mostly through the forest again and was, surprise surprise, pretty steep. :) At least I had the trail all to myself and that easily made up for the not too entertaining descent back to the bottom of the valley. Arriving at the cable car station about 20 minutes before departure of my bus, I had to conclude that everything had worked out perfectly fine. Not only the blue and white trails were good fun, but also the weather had finally held the whole day through. Looking back with some distance, I definitely haven’t been the last time on one of those mountains and they for sure are a destination where I will take some friends along one day. :)
Highlight of the day: the views on and around the Druesberg and the Forstberg
This hike is for you if:
- you want to explore the skiing area of Hoch Ybrig in summer
- you’re looking for stunning panoramic views over the Alps of Central Switzerland
- you want to try yourself on an easy blue and white trail (Druesberg, not Forstberg :))
- you prefer to skip a part of the hike by cable car or chairlift
This hike is not for you if:
- you’re looking for mountains that are difficult to reach
- you want the peak all to yourself
- you mind scrambling and/or blue and white trails
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