Multi-day hike in Gäntrisch: a technical ridge with beautiful views
In short
- What: Hiking and camping in Naturpark Gäntrisch, Switzerland
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Duration: 3 days (can be shortened to two)
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Distance: 37 km and 2900 height meters
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Wildcamping: tolerated above the tree line
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Seasonality: May – October
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Public transport: Niederstocken, Stockhorn (arrival) and Schwarzsee, Gypsera (departure)
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Highlights: Nüenenflue, Gantrisch, the whole ridge.
![The view on the ridge when hiking in Naturpark Gäntrisch [picture made by Sigmund Hennnum Høeg]](http://hikersguidetoearth.eu/wp-content/uploads/naturpark-gaentrisch-ridge.jpg)
We have Logan, or Loki how I like to call him, our Canadian rock. He’s extremely kind-hearted, planner of most of the hikes, and the best one as well. Shy, but sweet, makes stupid jokes and is the best badger partner you can find around. He’s an extremely good musician and if you are lucky he brings his ukulele and sings you a beautiful version of ‘tiny dancer’ (not with chords, but with actual finger-picking). My favourite redhead to photograph, especially during sunsets or autumn.
Then we have Ems/Emme, co-author of this blog, they are the most helpful person you will ever meet, always putting other people’s needs before theirs. They are loving, caring, have infinite patience, never complaining, always pushing themselves. Writes beautifully, is maybe the most outdoor fanatic of our group (never seems to miss their comfort). They are the toughest person known by me, biking, hiking, camping, climbing, swimming, nothing they can’t do. They always come prepared with enough food to share with everyone, a paper map and a gps device.
Magda is our Swedish mom. She can be scared on ridges, or vertical climbs, but mostly pushes through and gets by. She is a great runner, with jealously-making strong, long legs. Always considers other peoples feelings next to hers, doesn’t want anyone to feel left out or neglected. Extremely funny and ridiculous at the same time, without noticing herself. Smart, ambitious, works harder than she can sometimes handle, never gives up. Always interested in others, wanting to know what’s really going on in their lives.
Sigmund is the interviewer, without filters. Making funny noises when he’s surprised, when he did not see that answer coming. Loves to talk about machine learning, by using sticks to draw in the mud. Chatty, asking about which books you are reading, which music you are listening to. A never ending stream of questions and conversation. Genuinely interested in how you are actually doing. Always completely himself, does not pretend, with smile on his face and a very true way of showing his love.
![Happy to have survived the technical part of the ridge after Gäntrisch [picture made by Sigmund Hennum Høeg]](http://hikersguidetoearth.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ridge-hike-gantrisch.jpg)
Christian is the worrier. He loves to join hikes, but constantly worries about the amount of snow, the steepness of the slopes, if we will manage to catch the bus. Another physics nerd, but can tell you all about which constellations we are looking at, where to find red dwarfs, and which stars will soon be exploding, on a starry night. Peaceful, caring, and loving, he’s the kindest soul I’ve ever met.
Felix is our energy bomb. He always has too much of it. Silence it not something he is comfortable with, which results in endless conversation. He’s the one that runs up to the peak, and then returns to get the backpacks of everyone that is behind. He runs half marathons as if it’s nothing, he’s ambitious in his work, has a plan of retiring when he’s 35. Never brings enough clothing, but doesn’t complain when it’s cold, always swims in icy cold lakes (showing his butt to everyone), and eats everyone’s food.
Sofia is our kind, sweet, lovely and good-natured girl. Good at organizing, also worries a lot about the road ahead, prepares for every possible situation. Scared of being cold, rather brings too much clothing instead of too little. Attached to her home, which is Uppsala (the best town in the world, if you ask her), but brave enough to come live in Switzerland and join our hikes.
OK. back to the hike.
![The view when looking onto Schibenspitz [picture made by Felix Wursthorn]](http://hikersguidetoearth.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/gantrisch-peak.jpg)
The hike
A rainy start
So we planned this multi-day hike in Gäntrisch to be 37 km long and having 2900 height meters. This simply wasn’t possible in the two days of time we had. We started on Saturday morning taking the bus to Niederstocken in Stockhorn. Here it started raining, which is never a big deal in the beginning rain. When everyone is still in a good mood, warm and dry, feeling like being a kid playing in the rain. However this moment always comes to an end when you get hungry or your socks start to get wet. And then you get cold from the sweat which stays contained in your perfectly waterproof goretex jacket. Or, the rain starts to seep through your clothing, since you are a poor student and can’t spend loads of money on fancy stuff. Luckily for us, when this moment hit us all, around the end of the ascend, we came across a semi abandoned barn. We gladly used the barn to hang out all our clothes and enjoy some food.
Splitting up
Unfortunately the only real remedy for the cold is to start moving again, and therefore we had to get back into our still semi wet stuff. Luckily it had stopped raining at this point, although there would still be some occasional drizzle when passing through a cloud. A bit further along the way, before we reached the ridge, we had to cross a snowfield. This raised for a bit of discussion, since some of us were still a bit traumatized by the last hike in Verzasca. We didn’t really want to go through something similar again, like sliding down large snow fields and falling through snow bridges. Therefore we decided to split the group into two, where half of us would take the lower road, where there was no snow. It’s often better to stay together in the mountains, but in this case it was also important to consider everyone’s comfort zone. At least never let anyone alone, you never know what can happen.
![View on the ridge [picture made by Sofia Tynelius]](http://hikersguidetoearth.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/gantrisch-ridge-hike-rotated.jpg)
The group taking the lower path had a great time, where they saw Magda change into a garbage bag hunchbacked witch. We also encountered a cute house where a couple sold soda’s. The couple only lived there in summer (being a 20 min walk from the nearest parking spot), loved norway and told us we could sleep inside (what a hospitality in the mountains!). We would have loved to, but unfortunately not wanting to leave our friends we took off again.
The group taking the upper road reached the ridge fairly easily after the snowfield, which turned out to be the only one. They had some occasional very nice views when the clouds would move away just enough to peak through them. After spending some time on the ridge they saw their friends walking 150 m below them, and took a sketchy non-existing road, skidding down some loose rocks to greet them.
![Happy for some sun and finally having arrived at a flat spot [picture made by Sigmund Hennum Høeg]](http://hikersguidetoearth.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/gantrisch-hiking-sunset.jpg)
The ridge
It’s always great fun to split ways during hiking and then reconvene again after a while. Both parties always have experienced so much and felt so differently, it’s like living in different parallel realities. After catching up with each others stories, and merging again into one group, the path slowly took us back onto the ridge. The ridge was a technical hike, which on some places turned out to be almost vertical and scrambling was needed. This was a challenge for some, and for others feeling like a kid playing in the park. Luckily for us it had completely dried up by this time. Beautiful snowy mountains peaked through the white clouds with a blue background sky.
Hiking to and on the ridge, had taken a lot of time of the day and the time had come to find a camping spot. To find a large and flat enough area such that all our tents would fit and to have water nearby, we descended from the ridge. We asked at the Mittlist Morgeten hut if it was possible to camp a bit up ahead on the road, on which they agreed. We could even get some of their wood to make a campfire. After a very nice campfire evening where we sang some songs, everyone fell fastly asleep in their tents.
The long way down
The next morning was a slow one, since why go hiking if you don’t relax a little. We didn’t want to pass on an opportunity of drinks and cake at the hut, which is like the highest reward you can get on any a hike. So we spend some time there enjoying the dry weather. Afterwards we slowly started our descend to Oberwil im Simmertal, and made our way back to Zürich. Often when hiking we have a quite intense first day, where we ascend a lot and make a lot of kilometers. However the last or second day we normally take it very slowly, with long breakfasts. On the way down, which should normally be very fast, we play games and take lots of breaks. For us this is the ideal combination between pushing ourselves, but also taking time to enjoy the nature and rest for the week ahead.
This multi-day ridge hike in Gäntrisch was one of my favourites. I really enjoyed hiking and scrambling on the ridge and the views it gave. Yes, it was really tough as well, we didn’t have any long breaks in the sun.. But, going through something like this also makes you realize again how much you appreciate the little things. Going trough it with your friends, being able to keep up high spirits together, gives for livelong memories.
The route
Getting there
For this hike we started at the busstop Niederstocken, Stockhorn and would have ended at the busstop Schwarzsee, Gypsera. It takes you respectively 2h20 from and back to Zürich HB (main station). For a shorter hike descend after the Mittlist Morgeten hut to Oberwil im Simmertal and take the train from there. A more detailed train schedule can be found on the website of the swiss train company.
Good to know
- Length – The original multi-day hike in Gäntrisch was planned to be 39 km can be done in 3 to 4 days. For a two day hike go down to the village Oberwill im Simmental after the hut Mittlist Morgeten.
- Difficulty – The ridge can be technical to hike, but that makes it also very fun.
- Camping spots – Finding camping spots on ridges is hard, if not impossible. Therefore you almost always need to descent the ridge to find a proper camping spot and water.
Best time to hike
This ridge hike in Naturpark Gäntrisch is also great to do early season, around May/June, since not much snow stays on the ridge. However there can still be snow when getting to and down from the ridge (especially on the north side). For a more accurate weather forecast check meteoswiss or SRF Meteo.
![Camping close to Mittlist Morgeten hut [picture made by Sigmund Hennum Høeg]](http://hikersguidetoearth.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/camping-gantrisch.jpg)