The Fruttstägä via ferrata is two years old but is yet to see it's first Hikr ascent. It's a short route that can be done in half a day, or it can be the start of a longer tour in the Chaiserstock massif. We go for the second option. From Biel/Kinzig, signposts show the way to the start of the Fruttstägä via ferrata (K4-)....

36km, 3500m ascent, 2900m descent, some 20 summits, 16h45, following the spine of the Brienzer Rothorn massif, including some of the best grass ridges in the Alps. Preface There's a fun exchange of comments in another Hikr report:   Übernachtet habe ich im Hotel Rothorn-Kulm, wie das wohl alle tun (Nik...

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...

You had to participate in the weather lottery, if you wanted to do any hiking this weekend. We gambled on the Büelenhorn and we hit the jackpot. A window of good weather allowed us to reach the summit with fabulous views. And yes, our luck turned in the end: a thunderstorm made us bail from the Stulsergrat and got us pretty wet...

The Raaberg, the easternmost summit of the Mattstock massiv, is only rarely climbed. When it is visited, then usually by either 360 or carpintero, it seems. The Raaberg has an east summit (P. 1723) and a west summit (P. 1779). Only the east summit is named on the map and described in the SAC Clubführer. Strange, because the west...

Day 1 Brione - Scimarmota - Alpe Masnee T4+,1700m ascent, 400m descent,7h30 (In summer conditions over the marked path ca. T3+,250m ascent fewer,2h faster)   SBB chaos part one. Extra trains and carriages going south for the bank holiday weekend? No sign of...

Sankt Antonien is a quiet place right now. Last week's fresh snow has disappeared surprisingly quickly. A fewstubborn ski mountaineers are still venturing into the north slopes of the Geisstschuggen and the Hasenflüeli. The valley of the Aschariner Alp, however, is completely deserted, and gives possibilities for a very quiet...

With the weather forecast predicting dry weather only in north-eastern Switzerland, the Gonzen seemed like a good option. Initially, I had the Leiterliweg ("ladder path") in mind, but checking the SAC Alpinwandern/Gipfelziele guidebook the night before, I discovered the Follaplatten route as a more challenging alternative. We...

The Spitzmeilen is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable summits in its area. Though the surrounding landscape is mostly relatively gentle, the wild Spitzmeilen summit crag sticks out in a forbidding fashion. The ascent is demanding, be it in summer or in winter. We decided to attempt a winter ascent and to make a two-day trip...

A new via ferrata in the Glarus valley? It was a well-kept secret to me until tricky and Alpin Risepublished their reports. Time for an exploration... ---- The "Indianerkopf" rock, on which the via ferrata is built, is clearly visible from Netstal railway station. From the station, we cross the river and head towards the...

While winter has at least made a brief visit to the north of Switzerland, the south still looks like summer. It's mid December, but alpine hiking is still possible in Tessin to altitudes well above 2000m. Our goal had a slightly more modest altitude, but an all-the-more rewarding route to the top: the via della variante onto the...

The Arosa-Lenzerheide area is not supposed to be a quiet place in winter. However, the Tschiertschen ski area was still closed due to lack of snow and Arosa-Lenzerheide was also struggling to get the winter season going. We took advantage of the unusual quiet by doing a snow shoe hike onto the Parpaner Schwarzhorn, and indeed we...

Yet another weekend with great mountain conditions, this is starting to get exhausting! This time, I drove together with David to the Valle di Blenio, where we planned a weekend of mountain fun with an overnight stay in the winter quarters of the Capanna Motterascio. Day 1 Passo Muazz - Sosto - Passo Muazz 2h30, 550m ascent,...

I've been meaning to discover more of the Freiburg Alps for quite a while. The exhaustive SAC Alpinwandern/Gipfelziele Freiburg guide book offers many great and often challenging ideas. Ironically, the choice fell on a route that's pretty much entire just across the border in canton Vaud. As seems to be the case with many...

Even just looking at a map, the Schrattenfluh is one of the most eye-catching features in the Emmentaler Alps. With its vertical walls to the north-west and its limestone slopes to the south-east, the Schrattenfluh looks pretty wild from any direction. Up close, the mountain is surprisingly accessible to hikers with several marked...

The first climbing path for tourists from Fidaz via the Pinut onto the Flimserstein was already constructed in the early 20th century. In 2007, the route was completely renovated. The ladder route is now one of the easiest via ferratas in Switzerland; ideal for beginners who want to discover the concept of via ferrata without...

The Sichelchamm is one of the most eye-catching peaks along the Walensee, thanks to the eponymous sickle-shaped west face. It's also one of the only mountains in the Churfirsten-Alvier range that can be ascended directly from the south, though by no means along an easy route! After last weekend's taste of winter, this weekend...

In summer, the Flüela Schwarzhorn has a reputation for being one of the most overcrowded 3000m summits, thanks to the easy ascent from the Flüelapass. However, after the first snow has fallen (and with Swiss people being called to vote in the elections) that picture changes dramatically. I had the whole mountain to myself.The...

With a sprained ankle, the wise decision would be to let it rest and recover all weekend. But with an opportunity to climb the spectacular Schächentaler Windgällen in perfect autumn conditions, I was never going to stay down in the fog in Zürich. So I told my ankle: "you better get well by Saturday, because I'm going up whether...

When the Föhn is doing its thing, it's always a good idea to head to the Ostschweiz. On this occasion, I made my first exploration of the Alvierkette. ---- After parking the car at the Berghaus Malbun (6 CHF, and four of those you can get back when you consume something at the restaurant), the ascend starts along a small...