Hiking

Via Alpina
Stage 5, Linthal–Urner Boden

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Via Alpina
Stage 5, Linthal–Urner Boden
From Linthal via a steep forest path to Braunwald, a sunny depression in the landscape, and on along wooded bands of rock to the largest Swiss alp with 1200 cows. Open, flat, rugged terrain along the Fätschbach river to Urrnerboden.
Linthal is the southernmost village in the Glarus region and the largest in area. From the train station a steep path climbs through countless zigzags up the hillside. It is a solidly built trail with many dry stone and residual rock walls and retaining walls in the turns to ensure a completely even gradient. Once in Braunwald, you have a panoramic view across the Richetli Pass leading to Elm, of the Ortstock, Braunwald‘s very own mountain, and Tödi, the highest point of the municipality and the Canton of Glarus at 3614 m.
From the sunny terrace of Braunwald, where no motorised traffic is allowed, a shaded forest path follows the steep slope of the Ortstock. Past burbling brooks and a cascade of waterfalls you reach Nussbühl with a restaurant perched above the rock face. A beautiful, seemingly endless path continues through Balmwald forest to Balmboden, where the forest gives way to meadows. After Vorder Stafel the view opens up to Urnerboden, Switzerland’s largest alp. An interesting fact is that although geographically the mountain valley belongs to Glarus, it is an exclave of Spirigen in the Canton Uri.
A few minutes and a short, steep descent later you follow the main road crossing the Klausen Pass for a short while. By the way, you don’t hear the noise of the cars on the entire hike, except for the melodious three-tone horn of the postbus. Continuing along the Fätschbach creek and past cattle herds, you head for the destination, just barely going uphill. The attractive, but physically demanding hike ends at Urnerboden.
From the sunny terrace of Braunwald, where no motorised traffic is allowed, a shaded forest path follows the steep slope of the Ortstock. Past burbling brooks and a cascade of waterfalls you reach Nussbühl with a restaurant perched above the rock face. A beautiful, seemingly endless path continues through Balmwald forest to Balmboden, where the forest gives way to meadows. After Vorder Stafel the view opens up to Urnerboden, Switzerland’s largest alp. An interesting fact is that although geographically the mountain valley belongs to Glarus, it is an exclave of Spirigen in the Canton Uri.
A few minutes and a short, steep descent later you follow the main road crossing the Klausen Pass for a short while. By the way, you don’t hear the noise of the cars on the entire hike, except for the melodious three-tone horn of the postbus. Continuing along the Fätschbach creek and past cattle herds, you head for the destination, just barely going uphill. The attractive, but physically demanding hike ends at Urnerboden.
From Linthal via a steep forest path to Braunwald, a sunny depression in the landscape, and on along wooded bands of rock to the largest Swiss alp with 1200 cows. Open, flat, rugged terrain along the Fätschbach river to Urrnerboden.
Linthal is the southernmost village in the Glarus region and the largest in area. From the train station a steep path climbs through countless zigzags up the hillside. It is a solidly built trail with many dry stone and residual rock walls and retaining walls in the turns to ensure a completely even gradient. Once in Braunwald, you have a panoramic view across the Richetli Pass leading to Elm, of the Ortstock, Braunwald‘s very own mountain, and Tödi, the highest point of the municipality and the Canton of Glarus at 3614 m.
From the sunny terrace of Braunwald, where no motorised traffic is allowed, a shaded forest path follows the steep slope of the Ortstock. Past burbling brooks and a cascade of waterfalls you reach Nussbühl with a restaurant perched above the rock face. A beautiful, seemingly endless path continues through Balmwald forest to Balmboden, where the forest gives way to meadows. After Vorder Stafel the view opens up to Urnerboden, Switzerland’s largest alp. An interesting fact is that although geographically the mountain valley belongs to Glarus, it is an exclave of Spirigen in the Canton Uri.
A few minutes and a short, steep descent later you follow the main road crossing the Klausen Pass for a short while. By the way, you don’t hear the noise of the cars on the entire hike, except for the melodious three-tone horn of the postbus. Continuing along the Fätschbach creek and past cattle herds, you head for the destination, just barely going uphill. The attractive, but physically demanding hike ends at Urnerboden.
From the sunny terrace of Braunwald, where no motorised traffic is allowed, a shaded forest path follows the steep slope of the Ortstock. Past burbling brooks and a cascade of waterfalls you reach Nussbühl with a restaurant perched above the rock face. A beautiful, seemingly endless path continues through Balmwald forest to Balmboden, where the forest gives way to meadows. After Vorder Stafel the view opens up to Urnerboden, Switzerland’s largest alp. An interesting fact is that although geographically the mountain valley belongs to Glarus, it is an exclave of Spirigen in the Canton Uri.
A few minutes and a short, steep descent later you follow the main road crossing the Klausen Pass for a short while. By the way, you don’t hear the noise of the cars on the entire hike, except for the melodious three-tone horn of the postbus. Continuing along the Fätschbach creek and past cattle herds, you head for the destination, just barely going uphill. The attractive, but physically demanding hike ends at Urnerboden.
Length
16 km
Ascent | Descent
1100 m | 380 m
Hiking time
5 h 25 min
Grade | Fitness level
medium
(mountain hiking trail)
|
difficult
(without ascending to Braunwald: medium)
Arrival | return travel
More …
Saving metres in altitude
There is a funicular railway between Linthal Braunwaldbahn (Talst.) and Braunwald that saves about 600 metres in altitude.
Saving metres in altitude
There is a bus between Linthal, Bahnhof and Klausen Passhöhe that saves about 1300 metres in altitude.
Arrival | return travel
More …
Via Alpina hiking pass
With the Via Alpina hiking passbook, you collect 38 stamps with memories to cherish. The stamp stations are located at each stage start and finish. More information about the hiking passbook.
Overview map of all stamp stations
Contact
Gestione della segnaletica
Signposting is managed by the cantonal hiking trail organisation on behalf of the communities.
Schweizer Wanderwege
Monbijoustrasse 61
3000 Bern 23