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Longbyt · #12 14.07.2009, 17:43

Canton Schwyz (Muotatal) Round Trip - Stalden, Unter Roggenloch, Stalden 71/2 to 8 hours (Longish lunch break!), 16 Km, 900 uphill, 900 downhill.

A great hike if you want to get away from it all.
Having many times seen how the Muota valley narrows beyond Schwyz, it was odd to see it widen again beyond Schlättli and the funicular up to the Stoos.

After passing through Muotathal, we left the car in Stalden (Höllloch Caves for those who prefer going down to going up!).
The track goes more or less parallel to the Pragelpass Road up the valley, crosses the road and returns on the other side of it.

The first couple of serpentines are hard surface but at least it makes it easy going to gain a bit of height. The path leaves the road, rises steadily, not difficult terrain but after rain (and it rains an awful lot in this area – second only the the Napf Gebiet – (Emmental Canton Berne) er- slightly damp. From time to time you can look back down to Stalden and the Alp huts often have a bench outside which makes a pleasant spot to have a break. This part of the path is well marked - looks like the ‘hiking path apprentices’ practiced here – I have never seen so many white/red/white markings. (Perhaps they need them if they have a lot of fog up there). The only problem is that following the path means following the cow tracks and the choice is slippery wet stones or deep mud. The wooden trunks which have been put down over the wettest bits are not really nice to walk on either but, as so often, the impressive landscape and the flowers compensate for the state of the path. There are masses of orchids and other varieties which are long since ‘over’ in the lowlands.

On the forest path further up we made great progress to compensate for the slow start.
The Restaurant Roggenloch was a good place for a halt and we listened to the live Ländler music while we enjoyed a delicious bacon and cheese platter. A chap from Basel joined us – he is working with two others up on the alp and told us his tale of woe – three weeks with rain every day, cows sinking up to their udders in the mud. He was enjoying the peace and quiet though – no reception for the mobile…

On the other side of the valley there was a steep section, also muddy with slippery stones which needed a bit of care. And then the bridge – something must have hit it. It wasn’t tilting VERY far sideways, but the handrail at the near end was too far ‘out’ to be held. The tree on the photo is vertical!

After a broader stretch of valley, a couple of alp huts and a few people enjoying the peace and quiet, we reached the path which goes beneath masses of large rocks. The path has been brilliantly made of enormous flat stones nearly a meter broad which makes an excellent surface. It was fascinating to see how small flowers had started to grow in so many of the tiny cracks in the rocks beside the track.

The last part of the hike cuts fairly steeply down between the serpentines of the road. The path is, oddly enough, not marked where it crosses the road but if one is on the lookout for the next section it is easy enough to find.

It’s a great walk. Better by dry weather if there is any. However, although it rained on us as we drove from Lake Zürich to Stalden, rained while we sat under an umbrella at the restaurant, and rained when we got back into the car, our waterproofs stayed in the rucksack all day.