When I called to book the Riemenstalden bus (www.riemenstalden.com), there seemed to be some surprise at the other end of the line that anybody would want to use the bus at all. Indeed, the conditions on the Lidernen side look pretty unsuitable for both hiking and skiing and the cable car is not in service. But we have our eye on...

Another worthwhile after-work sunset hike, this time onto the Farenstöckli and the Roggenstock. I park the car at the church in Oberiberg. There's an asphalted road to Stafel and then a hiking path to the saddle between Roggenstock and Farenstöckli. I go south along the ridge towards the Farenstöckli, first on a comfortable...

Finally I have managed to do another after-work sunset hike. They never disappoint! The mix of clouds and the setting sun created some amazing light. On Hikr, the Lauiberg is often visited as part of a longer and more challenging Sihltal round, but the mountain is also a very worthwhile objective on its own. ---- I park...

I've really come to enjoy my after work sunset hikes this spring. The time had come for another one: Grosser Mythen via Schafweg and Rot Grätli. It's hardly a secret route. There are tons of reports here on Hikr (excellent descriptions in German e.g. by Chrichen,Bergmuzz, أجنبيand HBT), some of which also at sunset. The...

The Stockberg (the one near Siebnen at the entrance to the Wägital) has been described about as often as can be expected here on Hikr. With a modest altitude of 1212m and no particularly interesting ascent routes, the alpine hiker rather looks higher up the valley where many fabulous mountains await. The Stockberg has two massive...

The Wägital offers an unusually high concentration of exciting alpine hikes, and this just a stone's throw away from Zürich. As such, it's almost scandalous that I hadn't explored this valley much so far. The continued superb mountain weather this autumn and a confident hiking partner - Hikr's madu - provided an unexpected...

I had to be back in Zürich by mid-afternoon, so I had to choose a relatively short hike this Sunday. I selected the Rigi Hochflue, taking advantage of the Urmiberg cable car, which was open for the final day this year. I wasn't the only one with this idea... ---- A queue isalready forming ten minutes before the cable car...

"You know that the Hoch Ybrig cable cars are still closed, right?" inquires the bus driver when we board the bus to Weglosen. Well, we didn't know, but we had planned to start walking from the valley in Weglosen anyway. The fact that the cable cars are still closed, should mean that it's going to be nice and quiet in the Hoch...

It's been almost two years since my last proper 'challenge hike', the Lakeland 50 in the English Lake District. That was 50 miles with a total ascent of 3000 meters. So the Rigimarsch (http://www.rigimarsch.ch/), with its 50 km and total ascent of 1550 meters should be easy, right? The fact that all of the ascent is concentrated...

Through the website Spontacts, I ran across some other hikers who are planning to do the Rigimarch in May as well. They had planned a training/reconnaissance hike on Rigi last Sunday, along the final part of the Rigimarch route. What better way to spend a sunny Sunday? A large group (eleven of us, though not everybody training...

Snowshoeing is almost unknown in the UK, even though some showshoes certainly would have been useful a couple of times doing some Scottish winter routes. In Switzerland it is however the number one winter activity for those who love the outdoors but can't ski. (That includes me, though hopefully not for long.) So I was quite eager...

What a beautiful day. And to think that I almost couldn't be bothered to get out of bed! Sadly, it was to be the last trip of my beloved camera, but still I don't regret going out.   My weekends have been pretty packed lately, so I was looking forward to a more relaxed weekend this time. Also the recent snowfall made me a...