Stoos

my first big hike in switzerland

08.27

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

[halves]Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos[/halves]

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

[halves]

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos[/halves]

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

[halves]Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos[/halves]

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

[halves]Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos[/halves]

Best Hiking Trails outside of Zurich, Switzerland | Klingenstock Trail in Stoos

Happy Monday! It’s a bit ironic (and a tad sad) that my first post from Switzerland goes live on the day I’m leaving… I honestly could spend another month here! If Switzerland wasn’t on your bucket list, you better add it now. It’s definitely in my top five list of my favorite places I’ve ever visited! The country is absolutely beautiful, the people are friendly, the food is delicious, and it’s really easy to get around. With Switzerland being so small, you can get around to many different places in a very short amount of time!

When planning this trip for summer, I knew I was going to need to put some outdoor activities into my itinerary! I’m afraid of heights and a major control freak, so parasailing/gliding/base jumping/etc are completely out of the question. I am the opposite of an adrenaline junkie, that’s for sure! Hiking seemed like the best option for me because I could take some amazing photos, explore new areas and get a workout in all at once. I was a little apprehensive at first, mostly because I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. This first hike I went on was of “moderate” difficulty, and having never really been on an actual hike before I wasn’t sure how tough it would actually be… cue me putting a bunch of probably unnecessary safety items in my backpack: a whistle, a first aid kit, flashlight, a LifeStraw (cool gadget, actually!), these electrolyte tablets (I have actually used these… but not on my hikes haha!), and a mylar emergency blanket. Needless to say I didn’t end up needing to use any of it, but it helped put my mind at easy for my first hike. Better to be prepared than sorry later, right? By the way, the backpack I bought has a hidden compartment in the back for the sole purpose of protecting your DSLR camera. GENIUS! With that said, if you remove the velcro sections, it can be a big compartment to fit other things like your wallet, important documents, your phone and other equipment. I put my card case in there to protect it from pickpockets! The only way you can get into that section is if you take the backpack completely off your body.

This hike was called the Klingenstock-Fronalpstock Panorama Trail, and it took me about an hour and half total to get there from Zurich. I took the train from Zurich to Brunnen, and then took the bus just outside the station over to the Luftseibahn Morschach Stoos cable car. You take the cable car up and then when you step off, go right for a five minute walk to the Klingenstock chair lift. Take this list all the way to the top! You’ll have to get off one chair lift and get right back on another one headed even further up the mountain. Once you step off the chair lift, the trail starts immediately to your left. You can also start this hike from the other side, but I recommend doing it this way – at the very end is another chair lift taking you down to a couple of cute beirgartens where you can sit and enjoy a cool treat after your hike!

The hike itself lasted exactly 2.5 hours and is a mostly steep incline, with about 70% of it going uphill. I work out nearly every day and I had to stop several times for a break! I was also very, very happy I bought a good pair of hiking boots, as this particular hike requires sure, steady footing throughout. While I felt mostly safe the entire hike, there are a few areas where there’s a sheer drop-off that’ll make you glad you have great sturdy boots on to keep you steady! Don’t worry though, at the scariest parts of the hike there was usually some kind of hand rail or chain to hold onto just in case. I really didn’t feel that scared, and that’s saying something!!

If you’re planning a trip to Zurich, I highly recommend adding the Klingenstock-Fronalpstock hike to your list as a day trip! I’ve linked all of my hiking gear and the outfit I wore on this first hike below – stay tuned for more from my trip coming soon!

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