Post 6 - A Hike to the Stanserhorn

The Takeaway:

• The hike from Wirzweli to the Stanserhorn is an enjoyable 7-hour hike for those at all skill levels and with decent fitness.

• Though long, the trail is safe and has amenities along the way, making it good for families with older kids.

• For those looking for a shorter hike, the second portion from Acherli to the Stanserhorn was far more interesting than the first half.

• This hike gets a 8/10 - RECOMMENDED rating.

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

On a hot summer day, we gathered the gang together for a hike to the Stanserhorn (1,898 m). This is a popular peak in Central Switzerland known for its open-air “Cabrio” cable car that was installed in 2012. The allure of the unique cable car, its convenient location, and the facilities at the summit make this a busy spot, especially on nice days. Although I try to avoid touristy peaks, we made an exception for the Stanserhorn because of the interesting route to the summit we wanted to try.

Our hike started in the tiny village of Wirzweli (1,227 m), which can be accessed by its own cable car from Dallenwil or by a tiny, one-lane mountain road. We picked the road - sketchy during the day and super sketchy at night, not recommended. With a few restaurants and some vacation homes, Wirzweli mostly caters to tourists, but we found that it wasn’t nearly as crowded as similar spots in the area. One highlight for the younger members of our group was the Wirzweli playground and rodelbahn (toboggan run). For the uninitiated, a rodelbahn consists of a wheeled sled that rests in a smooth metal track that winds its way downhill. The driver is first pulled up to the top of the run via a cable and then gravity takes over during the descent. In theory, one can control the speed of the sled with a handbrake, but we tend to just let it rip. Pro tip: never pass up a rodelbahn without doing a ride or 10. More Wirzweli info here: https://www.wirzweli.ch/en/

After enjoying the rodelbahn and playground, we started our hike. The path out of the village started off uphill on a rough farm track, finally merging with a legit hiking trail. At 1,474 meters, we reached the Wirzweligrat, a partially tree covered ridge with expansive views to the south. The wildflowers were in full bloom, the weather was warm and clear, and we were alone on the trail - pretty perfect.

We reached Gummenalp (1,578 m), with its alpine restaurant serviced by a small cable car from Wirzweli, and had a snack. From Gummenalp, the trail turned back into a small farm road, winding its way downhill past several farms. Pro tip: most of these farms have self-serve shops where you can buy homemade cheese, drinks, and other snacks. Near Durrenboden, we picked up the trail but it soon disappeared into a field. Kind of odd - this hike was otherwise well-marked and easy to navigate. After several failed attempts to find the trail, we bailed out back to the farm roads until we reached Acherli (1,397 m). Here we looked back and clearly saw the trail just a few meters from where had been 30 minutes earlier - haha, of course.

From Acherli, the trail to the Stanserhorn summit started out with a gentle climb to the farm at Ober Holzwang. Because we got a late start and took our time, we reached this point in the afternoon, just in time to see the cows come home to the barn using our trail. Pro tip: cows get the right of way on hiking trails. We scooted to the side and watched the ~30 or so dairy cows cruise by. Nice to watch the parade of cows, not so nice to dodge the dozens of fresh cow pies they left for us. Thanks cows!

Leaving our cow friends, we snaked through a forested area as the trail became much steeper and more interesting. The path hugged a steep slope, snaking around rocky gullies. At 1,522 meters, the trail surged upward, with switchbacks and small steps built into the path.

Above Chrinnen at 1,719 meters, we encountered a super steep drop-off to our left; however, the trail was wide and secured so we were free to gaze at the amazing views without being too focused on avoiding the edge. The final portion of the climb involved a series of metal stairways before finally reaching the Stanserhorn facilities at the summit.

Fortunately for us, we reached the top after the last cable car had already departed and the facilities shut down for the evening. The good news - we had the summit all to ourselves! The bad news - no chance to buy ice cream, sorry kids. We checked out the summit with its numerous tourist attractions: viewing platform, (closed) revolving restaurant, circular summit trail, and marmot village. We were lucky to have the place to ourselves and took time to savor the panoramic views. More info about the Stanserhorn here: https://www.stanserhorn.ch/

With the sun beginning to set, we retraced our steps back down the trail to Acherli and then via farm roads to Wirzweli. This 7-hour hike is at the T1/T2 grade level on the Swiss alpine hiking scale, so it is accessible for those at all skill levels. However, due to its length, the hike is best for those with some hiking experience and a decent level of fitness. Aside from the portion of the trail below Acherli that could have been more clearly marked, the path was otherwise easy to navigate. For more info on the Swiss alpine hiking grade scale, check out the link below:

This was a relaxing hike, which I would recommend to all level of hikers looking for an enjoyable day in the mountains. I give it a 8/10 rating, with the hike losing a few points because it involved so many farm roads. It might lose more points had we reached the summit earlier in the day and found it teeming with tourists. Because the Stanserhorn is so popular and accessible, you can imagine how crowded it gets, especially on nice summer days. Those looking for solitude and tranquility should look elsewhere unless you time the hike to summit in the later part of the day,

STANDARD SAFETY DISCLAIMER - As with any hike, even a relatively easy one like this, 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, food and 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. 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!

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