Post 1 - Overnight to the Brisenhaus SAC

The takeaway:

• The Brisenhaus is a great SAC hutte for families or beginning hikers looking for an overnight stay (7/10)

• The ridge from the Risetenstock to the Brisen and down the Haldigrat is a fantastic hike (8.5/10)

• Good hiking boots and socks are worth every dollar!

My first exposure to the huts of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) was an overnight hike to the Brisenhaus. Located in canton Nidwalden just south of the Vierwaldstattersee, the Brisenhaus is an easily accessible, low-level hut at 1752 meters. My buddy and I started from Beckenried and took the luftseilbahn to Klewenalp (1593 meters), gaining over 1000 meters in a few minutes. Nice. (Pro tip: If traveling to Beckenried from the North, it is highly worth it to take the ferry from Gersau to Beckenried: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/experiences/experience-tour/grand-tour-of-switzerland/facts-about-the-grand-tour-of-switzerland/car-ferry/).

Klewenalp is a popular tourist destination, with restaurants and views down to the lake. The trail from Klewenalp towards Hinter Jochli was wide and easy and we could easily spot our afternoon destination - the Brisen.

Apparently the trail was too easy; we got distracted and lost the path because suddenly we were standing in high grass with the way forward dropping off into a deep gorge. Whoops. After backtracking, we consulted the map and followed the chairlift pylons from Stafel to Chalen and onward to Hinter Jochli. (Another pro tip: I HIGHLY recommend the SwitzerlandMobility app. If you have cell reception, the app provides fantastic trail maps, is zoomable, and will mark where you are on the trail). The grade increased toward Hinter Jochli - it was the kind of climb where the chit-chat quickly fades away and you begin to hear your heartbeat in your head. A good workout though.

At Hinter Jochli one can hang a left to the Schalmis, but we saved that for another day and took a right up to the Risetenstock at 2290 meters. The knife-edge ridge up to the Risetenstock drops away on both sides, and we were buffeted by gusts of winds blowing clouds up from the valley below. Epic views.

After some food and a break, we continued on to Steinalpler Jochli (2157 meters) and then up to the highest point of the hike - the Brisen (2404 meters). The Brisen’s peak is adorned with a small metal cross with a summit book for hikers to record their visits. The best thing about peaks like this is that the only way up is by foot and those hanging out at the top all earned the views.

Nothing against cable cars, funiculars, and mountain trains, but the peaks serviced by those modes of transportation tend to be chocked full of tourists wearing sandals and eating ice cream (see e.g., the nearby Pilatus or Rigi as good examples). Again nothing wrong with that scene, but it can be a bit jarring when you spend 4 hours hiking up a mountain to be greeted by throngs of tourists at the top. The top of the Brisen is more my scene, with a handful of sweaty hikers eating snacks and having a swig of gipfel schnapps from their flachmann.

Let me pause here for a moment to explain that this hike was done when I was just getting started as a hiker and my gear had not caught up to my enthusiasm. To paint the picture, I was rocking a Jansport book bag from high school along with basketball shorts and t-shirt. Cool look bro. But perhaps the biggest rookie mistake was my choice of boots. I had a pair of ancient Columbia “boots” that were years past their prime and better suited for the garbage can than the trail. As the day wore on and we hiked down the stunning Haldigrat ridge from the Brisen, I began to feel every single rock through the thin sole of my shoes. Ugh. My dogs were barking and needed a break. My buddy looked on bemused as I gave my sore paws a rest in a patch of snow.

From the Haldigrat ridge, we lost altitude and sunlight as we headed toward the Brisenhaus. The Bisenhaus sleeps 50 and sits next to a nice rock wall with several climbing routes. As with most alp hutten, the Brisenhaus has dormitory-style sleeping accommodations with a communal dinner and breakfast available at a reasonable cost. I find the food to be consistently delicious in all the alp huts I’ve visited and well worth the money. SAC huts also conveniently supply guests with comfy hut footwear (e.g., crocs or slippers). The hut was quite full that night, with a large contingent of rambunctious kiddos. We enjoyed our dinner and post-dinner drinks before turning in to bed.

I never sleep well in alp hutten and the Brisenhaus was no exception. At first I thought it was something about the communal sleeping arrangements that wouldn’t allow me to fully relax. One can’t expect to sleep well in a stuffy bunk room full of snoring, slightly smelly, hikers. In a full bunk room, someone is constantly rustling or getting up to go to the bathroom. (But thank goodness that most huts have indoor plumbing!) And while all this may play a part, I have come to realize that my poor sleep is more likely due to my consumption of several after dinner coffee drinks. Duh. What did I think was going to happen after drinking 3 alp kaffees at 9:00 p.m. No wonder I was laying there at 2:00 a.m. staring at the ceiling. I have since changed course and now wisely skip the evening coffees.

After a fitful night of sleep and a tasty Swiss breakfast, we headed back down to Klewenalp to conclude our tour. All in all, it was a great trip, with the highlight most definitely the ridge walk from the Risetenstock to the Brisen and down the Haldigrat. I highly recommend checking that out if you get the chance. I give the ridge walk and hike up the Brisen an 8.5/10 and the Brisenhaus a solid 7/10 (loses points due to lack of views from the hut). For those wanting to pay a visit to the Brisenhaus, check out the following: https://www.sac-cas.ch/en/huts-and-tours/sac-route-portal/brisenhaus-2147000044/ or https://www.brisenhaus.ch/.

The hike was mostly at the T2 level with some T3 on the Swiss alpine hiking grade scale, so it is accessible to most hikers with a decent amount of fitness and experience. The trail was well marked with white-red-white blazes and signs, so the route is easy to navigate (provided you’re paying attention unlike me). For more info on the Swiss alpine hiking grade scale, check out: https://www.sac-cas.ch/en/ausbildung-und-sicherheit/tourenplanung/grading-systems/

As with any hike, it is important to consider your personal skill level and gear (don’t forget decent socks and boots!), including safety items, and remember to check the weather forecast. For safety items, consider bringing cash and a credit card, a cell phone, a small headlamp, foul/cold weather gear, an emergency blanket and whistle, plenty of food and especially water, a knife, sunscreen, and a first aid kit. You may never need these items, but you will be happy to have them if you do!! For weather, I recommend the MeteoSwiss app. Finally, prior to any tours to a SAC hut, I also recommend calling ahead to the hut warden to make a reservation if sleeping overnight, ask for info on hiking conditions, and to seek their recommendations for routes the various routes to and from the hut. A little planning goes a long way towards making your trip a successful one.

One final note on safety - it is important to be honest with yourself and those in your group when it comes to your experience, fitness level, and the conditions. Hiking is not like going to Disney World - it has real risks. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Everyone has to assess and assume the risks for themselves. I also recommend becoming a Rega patron. Rega provides emergency medical rescue services if at all possible for a small annual fee. Rega can be reached by dialing 1414 or via the Rega app. More info on Rega can be found here: https://www.rega.ch/en/

Happy hiking!