Post 8 - A quick hike to the Sustlihutte SAC

The Takeaway:

• The Sustlihutte, a Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) hut, is perched on a sunny ridge at 2,257 meters, high above the Sustenpass in Canton Uri.

• The quick 2-hour hike is great, either as a standalone hike or part of a larger tour.

• The trail is safe, secured with several ladders, and well-marked.

• This hike gets a 9.75/10 - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating.

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

On a sunny day earlier this summer, we paid a visit to the Sustlihutte in Canton Uri, high above the Sustenpass. We were lucky to find a parking spot at the small lot near the trailhead by the little roadside restaurant at Sustenbruggli (1,908m). Some pictures of the restaurant and surrounding area can be found here: https://www.sustenbrueggli.ch/de/Bildergalerie. The trail begins next to the restaurant, with two choices: the leiterweg (ladder path) on the right or the path on the left that follows the creek. We ascended via the leiterweg and descended via the creek path. Always easier going up ladders than down!

The trail headed straight uphill from the restaurant, passing through some fields with grazing sheep. At the time, the Alpenrosen were in bloom, which added a nice touch of color to the trail.

The neat part about the leiterweg is, as you may have guessed, the series of ladders affixed to the rocks to aid with the ascent. The kids were big fans of this part of the hike!

The views during the ascent were amazing and we quickly gained altitude. We reached the hut in about an hour. More info about the hut can be found here https://www.sustlihuette.ch/ and here https://www.sac-cas.ch/en/huts-and-tours/sac-route-portal/sustlihuette-sac-2147000262/.

The hut was packed with all types of hikers, including groups practicing for high-level climbing tours, families, and day hikers. Speaking of families, the hut wardens had two little kids running around - a fun place for a kid to spend a summer! The hut had an amazing terrace to take in the views and have a drink.

From the hut, one can descend via the leiterweg or via the path that follows the creek. One can also use the hut as a base for high-level hiking and climbing tours, or link up with other SAC huts including the Sewenhutte and Voralphutte.

We descended via the route that follows the creek, which was a great choice. The second half of this trail winds its way along the rocks in the creek itself - Super fun!

The descent took only 45 minutes, so this was a pretty quick hike. Although short, it was a ton of fun and greatly enjoyed by the whole family. I give this hike a 9.75/10 rating, with a minor 0.25 deduction for the limited parking at Sustenbrugglli. I recommend this trip to anyone with descent fitness, who is in the Sustenpass area, and who is not afraid to scale a ladder or two 😀. Kids will especially find the leiterweg exciting and the path through the creek engaging, so it is great for the whole family.

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!

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