Limerensee Hike to Muttsee Hut Hike Via Limerensee Lake

LIMERENSEE HIKE: COMPLETE GUIDE

The Limerensee hike fascinating trek leads you from the historic village of Elm, by means of lush meadows, rocky paths, and previous cascading waterfalls, culminating on the serene Limerensee. Known for its crystal-clear turquoise waters, Limerensee is cradled amidst rugged peaks, making it a jewel within the crown of Switzerland’s picturesque Glarus area.

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MUTTSEE HUT & LIMERENSEE LAKE HIKE DETAILS

• Hike Distance:  The hike distance from the highest of the Tierfehd Cable automobile by means of the tunnel and to the Muttsee Hut is 5.8 kilometers. However, in case you are utilizing public transport, you will have to stroll from the Linthal practice station to Tierfehd cable automobile station, which is an additional 6.7km and a complete of 12.5 kilometers. As of 2019, there isn’t a bus or transport service only one taxi obtainable within the city. If you’ve a automobile you possibly can park on the cable automobile station. The hike is a round-trip hike so you will have to make your entire 10.6 kilometers with out the stroll from Linthal or 25 kilometers together with the journey to and from Linthal.
• Hike Duration: As talked about above, it will depend on whether or not it’s a must to make the journey from Linthal or you might be beginning on the Tierfehd cable automobile station. If you start at Linthal, you possibly can anticipate your entire journey to take about 4-5 hours. If you start at Tierfehd the journey will take 2-3 hours.
• Hike Difficulty: The hike is a pink and white marked path and fairly easy. I did the hike in October on the final week of opening for Muttsee Hut and even with a little bit of snow round it was fairly easy. The areas of issue are a number of slender paths with publicity on one facet however these slender paths are nonetheless no less than one meter vast and there are chains in these sections. The incline is difficult from the tip of the tunnel to the Muttsee Hut and is continuous ascent though it is just 5-600m of incline so in case you are ready to take a number of breaks you’ll make it will definitely, irrespective of your bodily capacity.
• Hike Incline: From Linthal the entire incline is 900-1000m however from the Tierfehd cable automobile station the entire climbing incline (as soon as getting off the cable automobile at the beginning of the tunnel) is 600m.

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HOW TO GET TO LIMERENSEE HIKE & MUTTSEE HUT

The journey to Muttsee Hut wasn’t the best for me to determine. When you place the cable automobile station ‘Tierfehd’ into google maps it says not potential through public transport. I assumed this was by no means the case in Switzerland however it’s true. I’ll let you know the best way to go about getting there with or with out a automobile on this part of the weblog put up.

• With a automobile: Drive to Luftseilbahn Tierfehd – Kalktrittli (the cable automobile station). There is a parking zone right here so you possibly can go away your automobile in a single day. I’ll proceed the instructions under as they’re the identical from this level on whether or not you come by automobile or practice.
• By practice: You might want to take the practice to the ‘Linthal Train Station’. At this level, you might be 6.7 km away from the Luftseilbahn Tierfehd – Kalktrittli (the cable automobile station). You can both name a taxi or begin strolling. We started the stroll and it was barely uphill however not a significant incline. Our hope was to hitchhike because it was a quiet street in a rustic city. We walked the primary 3-kilometers earlier than a person who labored on the hydroelectric dam picked us up. On the way in which again one other hiker picked us up after a number of hundred meters. You have to be ready to stroll the 6.7kms however it’s doubtless a pleasant native, hiker, or employee will take pity on you and provide you with a trip!

Once you attain the cable automobile station, the cable automobile is self-service so you should purchase your ticket  ($15 return) after which catch the cable automobile as much as the beginning of the tunnel. At the tunnel, it’s essential to placed on an orange vest from the field subsequent to the door after which stroll the two,750m by means of the tunnel, which is a part of the hydro-electricity plant. You will emerge on the different finish the place the actual path begins up the mountain. Follow the pink and white path markers all the way in which to the Muttsee Hut.

*It’s necessary to know that the cable automobile station closes for lunch at 12:00 -1:30 pm so you can not trip up throughout these hours. To verify the timetable you possibly can click on right here.

On the map under you possibly can see Linthal Train Station and I’ve pinned the situation of the Luftseilbahn Tierfehd – Kalktrittli (the cable automobile station). Muttsee Hut can be seen on the map.

If you’ve the Swiss Half-Card you’ll obtain an enormous low cost in your tickets. I purchased mine after I arrived in Switzerland and it has saved me over a thousand {dollars} all through my journey.

MY EXPERIENCE HIKING: LIMERENSEE HIKE AND MUTTSEE HUT

The practice stopped on the Linthal Train Station and off we hopped, hoping to discover a native bus or transport service to Tierfehd Cable Car Station. I’d learn you wanted to stroll however didn’t fairly imagine it as that wasn’t the Swiss effectivity I’d come to know. However, it was certainly the case. From Linthal Train Station we needed to stroll 6.7 kilometers by means of the city to the cable automobile station.

We set off at a cruisy tempo and fortuitously after 3 kilometers, our outstretched thumbs lastly paid dividends as a employee from the hydro-electricity plant picked us up and dropped us on the cable automobile station. We purchased and ticket and rode as much as the beginning of the tunnel.

Here there have been the common yellow climbing indicators pointing in towards a door. Before we entered we needed to placed on an orange security vest. It was fairly an odd expertise as noone else was there and it was all a bit eerie.

Once contained in the tunnel it was very chilly, dripping moist with puddles everywhere in the flooring. It appeared just like the scene out of a horror film and was extremely creepy. Machinery and equipment have been scattered all through the tunnel and we hopped back and forth attempting to keep away from the deep puddles of water as we made our means by means of the two.75-kilometer-long tunnel. 

The tunnel appeared to go on without end and three kilometers in a straight line felt like 10 kilometers. It appeared to tug on without end. Finally, we made it out the opposite facet, took off our orange vests and started the ‘real’ hike on the opposite facet.

The hike begins proper on the stage of the Limmerensee, which is a lake constructed up by the dam, which powers the hydro-electricity plant. It’s a surprising shade of blue when within the shade and jade-green when the solar shines down onto it. If you need to get a better view you possibly can take an earlier exit out of the tunnel and stroll alongside the dam wall. We determined to exit the common route and take a look earlier than we began the hike.

The hike begins to the left once you come out of the tunnel and could be very well-signed and marked with the pink and white path markers the entire means. It is a fairly intimidating climb and simply goes straight up from the get-go with out a lot of a break within the incline. The photograph under exhibits the cliff-side the path is situated on, proper subsequent to the Limerensee.

The first a part of the path is a collection of switchbacks up the hill. I saved wanting again because the view bought higher and higher with each step greater up the mountain. One factor to maintain a watch out for from the wildlife on this area. We noticed greater than thirty Chamois and a number of other Ibex. They will not be proper on the path however hold a watch and an ear out on the encompassing cliffs.

You will come throughout one small part of the hike that’s fairly steep and made from rocky stairs. There are chains that will help you on this part however they’re fairly pointless until it’s slippery from the rain. Overall it was fairly a easy hike apart from the incline.

During the ultimate levels of the hike we got here throughout essentially the most Chamois on your entire route as they took cowl beneath the large cliff partitions. One Chamois household was nervous however didn’t run away as we made our means up the path and it was potential for me to take some photographs on my 24-105mm that turned out fairly properly contemplating I don’t hike with a giant zoom lens.

Before we made all of it the way in which to the hut, we determined to move over to the point of view of Limerensee Lake, which is just some minutes away from the hut. The lighting was good and we didn’t know if the situations could be good once more within the morning. The lighting bought higher and higher because the solar lit up one little plateau whereas the remainder of the lake and surrounding cliffs stayed within the shadow of the mountains. We couldn’t have requested for a greater scenario. Hanging out on the viewpoint and taking within the lake, the transferring clouds, and the hut within the distance was stunning but in addition freezing. These are the photographs I took earlier than we needed to retreat to the hut because it turned freezing chilly in a short time.

Just because the blue hour was in full swing we made it to the Muttsee Hut and came upon that we have been the one guests for that evening, which is kind of unusual. However, it was the final week the hut was open earlier than closing in the course of the winter so it was comprehensible. During the height of summer time, there are enormous teams of individuals staying up on the cabin.

The couple who warden the hut cooked an attractive soup, pasta, and dessert, which had us happy and prepared for a very good evening of sleep within the dormitory, which was now a personal room fairly than shared with ten different hikers as per regular.

Behind the Muttsee Hut is, in fact, the Muttsee Lake. It is a extremely scenic cabin and a very good base for different hikes within the space. Because the climate was stormy within the morning, we simply made our means again down the identical means we had come and continued on again to Linthal (one other pleasant native gave us a raise). It’s a little bit of an odd journey with the strolling by means of Linthal and tunnel sections however when you emerge from the tunnel it is vitally, very epic and an excellent hike!

HOW TO BOOK A NIGHT AT MUTTSEE HUT

In order to ebook an evening (or extra) at Muttsee Hut you will have to ship an electronic mail, make a cellphone name or fill out the shape on their web site. They will not be on different reserving platforms, that is how the hut is booked.

• To electronic mail Muttsee Hut you possibly can contact them right here: [email protected]
• To go to the web site to make a reserving you are able to do so right here: muttseehuette.ch
• To make a reserving through cellphone you are able to do so with this quantity: +41 55 643 32 12

WHAT IS INCLUDED WHEN YOU STAY AT MUTTSEE HUT

The means mountain huts usually work is that you simply reserve a mattress and likewise your half-board is included, which suggests you get an excellent dinner and breakfast service. Depending on the hut you can even get tea and consuming water however some do cost for this pending availability. You can select to remain in a single day with out half-board however perceive that there isn’t a ‘cafe’ across the nook. I feel the one motive you’d select to not have half-board is when you arrived very late and left very early lacking dinner and breakfast.

• The value of 1 evening at Muttsee Hut with half-board (two meals) is: $80
• If you’re a Swiss Alpine Club member (SAC) your value will probably be: $65

OPTION 1: Buy the Swiss Half Fare Card: Switzerland trains, buses, and cable vehicles are EXPENSIVE! I discovered one of the best ways to get round cheaply was to purchase the Swiss Half-Fare Card earlier than I arrived. It provides you 50% off each common practice, bus, and even many cable vehicles. It solely prices $150 USD however pays itself off in just some days with many practice tickets in Switzerland costing near $100 alone. If you might be staying for greater than 5 days, I counsel shopping for the Swiss Half-Fare Card.

OPTION 2: Buy the Swiss Travel Pass: The second choice is to get the Swiss Travel Pass, which provides you limitless practice, bus, and (many) cable automobile rides however it’s fairly costly at round $100 USD per day so when you don’t journey every day it isn’t value it.

OPTION 3: Buy the FLEXI Swiss Travel Pass: The ultimate (BEST) choice is to get the FLEXI Swiss Travel Pass, which lets you purchase 8 days’ value of transit however you possibly can select the evening earlier than if you wish to activate the following day. That means you don’t have to journey on daily basis to get your cash’s value, you possibly can simply activate the FLEXI Swiss Travel Pass on the times if you find yourself doing sizeable transits. My recommendation is to ebook the Swiss Half-Fare Card or the FLEXI Swiss Travel Pass upfront earlier than your journey so it’s able to go once you arrive.