Post 3 - Day Hike to the Leglerhutte

The Takeaway:

• The Leglerhutte, a Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) hut, is perched on a rocky ridge at 2,273 meters.

• The hut is a must-visit for those in Central Switzerland and who have at least an intermediate level of fitness.

• The trail from Mettmenalp to the hut is well-secured with few drop-offs.

• The hike and hut itself both get a 10/10 - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating.

• For more of my Swiss hiking trips, tips, and pictures , check out @HikingSchweiz on Twitter.

On a sunny July day, I gathered the gang for a day hike to a Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) hut on my to-do list - the Leglerhutte. Just a couple hours from Zurich, the hut is located in canton Glarus within Europe’s oldest wildlife preserve. The hut can be reached via Elm, but we decided to take the trail from Mettmenalp, which features a large rock bridge over the river that runs along the path.

We drove through Glarus to Schwanden and finally to the Kies Talstation Luftseilbahn (1,027 meters). To ensure everyone in the group was still happy at the end of the day, we decided to skip the first 581 meters of elevation gain and took the tiny cable car to Mettmenalp (1,608 meters). Mettmenalp is popular with both tourists and locals, and features a new hotel with killer views, the Berghotel Mettmen.

From the upper station, we walked around the left side of the Stausee Garichti, a large alpine reservoir. Allegedly there is good fishing in the lake; while there were a ton of fishermen, I didn’t see much catching from what I could tell. Maybe they just wanted an excuse to drink beer in the mountains next to the water.

Leaving the lake behind, we followed the river past a few alpine farms to the Charpfbrugg, a natural rock bridge over the river. This impressive natural bridge was so large that it created a dark cavern into which the river flowed before popping out the other side. I was tempted to jump down and explore the cave but was cautioned not to by the group, reminded that geological time includes now. They had a point so we kept moving.

At just below 2,000 meters, we took a righthand turn towards the hut. At this point, the trail got even more interesting with several snowfields to traverse (also snowball fights) and killer views to the Glarnerland valley stretching away to the north. Just past the Sunnenbergfurggele at 2,211 meters, the hut came into view.

The Leglerhutte (2,273 meters) was constructed in 1908 on a rocky ridge with nearly 360 degree views. In 2008, the hut received an extensive renovation and addition, making it one of the most modern and comfortable huts in Central Switzerland. Because of its comfort and modernity relative to other nearby huts, it is highly recommended that you book reservations in advance if planning to stay overnight. Contact info and other details about the hut can be found here: https://leglerhuette.ch/.

We hung out at the hut for a bit, had a couple of drinks, took in the views, and headed back down to Mettmenalp. As is typical, there was a lot less complaining from some members of the group (who will remain nameless) on the way down than there was on the way up. Thanks gravity. We did a little glissading down the snow patches, saw a couple Gamse (aka Chamois), and caught one of the last luftseilbahn rides back down to the valley.

This was a truly excellent day trip. I highly recommend the hut and the hike, giving both my highest rating of 10/10.

The hike was at the T2 grade level on the Swiss alpine hiking grade scale, so it is accessible to most hikers with a decent amount of hiking experience and fitness. While steep in parts, there are very few drop-offs so it is good for families. For more info on the Swiss alpine hiking grade scale, check out: https://www.sac-cas.ch/en/ausbildung-und-sicherheit/tourenplanung/grading-systems/. The hike will be most enjoyable for folks with a solid base of fitness, as the vertical gain is moderate at 665 meters. The trail was well marked with white-red-white blazes and signs, so the route was easy to navigate.

STANDARD SAFETY DISCLAIMER - As with any hike, it is important to consider your personal skill level and gear, 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 most of these items, but you will be happy to have them if you do!! For weather, I recommend the MeteoSwiss app. Finally, prior to any tour to a SAC hut, you can also consider calling ahead to the hut warden to ask for info on hiking conditions. 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 if you hike in Switzerland. Rega provides emergency medical rescue services if at all possible for a small annual donation. 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!