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The Schäfler Ridge trail is a true wonder of natural beauty. This spectacular mountain range offers breathtaking views and is a true paradise for hikers or adventure seekers. This place is one of the most dramatic locations of the Alpstein region and once you’ll get to the top, you’ll understand why!
And not only has this hike the Schäfler ridge, but there are a few other beautiful stops you have to see such as the Aescher mountain hut and the Seealpsee lake! You can actually hike here for such a long period of time and seeing lots of different things!
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For your information, all these pictures were taken in July 2023.
Length
2.1 kilometers
Duration
1 hour
Height difference
280 meters
Difficulty
Easy to medium
The Schäfler ridge hike is one of the best in the Appenzell region. With an altitude of 1925 meters, it’s a very popular hiking destination, because of the rugged mountain formations and stunning views! Also, the fact that it’s a perfect place for hikers, makes this place even more popular.
It’s one of my favorite places in Switzerland, not only because we had the best sunset, but also because this hike includes other stops like Seealpsee and the guesthouse called Aescher!
To get to the top of this ridge, you’ll first need to go to Wasserauen, as there is the cable car or the start of the hiking trail (if you’re up to it). There are two different ways to reach Wasserauen and that’s by car or with public transportation. Both are discussed when accommodated in Appenzell, which is a town close by.
The easiest way to reach Wasserauen is by car, which only takes 10 minutes from Appenzell. There is a small car park right next to the cable car entrance and a big car park next to the train station, where we parked our car.
We parked our car at this parking around the time the last cable car went to the top, so there were still a lot of places available. But, I can imagine that the car parking can get crowded during the day.
It costs 3 CHF for 3 hours and 5 CHF for 24 hours, which you’ll most likely need to pay. The parking machines only accept cash or coins. If you don’t have that with you, fear not, you can download the app ‘EasyPark‘ and pay online with a credit card.
You can get to Wasserauen by train or by bus and both take around 10 minutes and stop right next to the road across the cable car entrance to Ebenalp. Both leave at the Bahnhof at Appenzell.
If you go by train, you’ll need to get the S23, which leaves every half hour. The price for a one-way ticket is 2.90 CHF! Find more information about taking the train here.
You can also take the bus, called the B23, but they run way less frequently, so it’s just easier to take the train.
The easiest way is to take the cable car from Wasserauen to Ebenalp. This will save a lot of hiking time as it’s a very steep hike. The cable car itself will only take 6 minutes!
The price for a one-way ticket is 22 CHF for an adult and 34 CHF for a return trip. I would recommend getting the one-way ticket and hiking all the way down as there are a few stops along the way!
The cable car is open during the high season of summer between July and August from 7:30 AM to 7 PM. At other times, the cable car closes earlier like at 6 PM. It’s best to check the website beforehand for a more accurate timetable.
The best time to hike to Schäfler would be between late May to late September when the weather is pleasant and the hiking trails are more accessible. During the shoulder seasons of fall and spring, this might not always be the case as the weather in the Alps can always be unpredictable. If you want to be sure that it’s safe to do this hike, I would recommend between June and August, but this will be undoubtedly way busier.
We went in July and we had the hiking trail all to ourselves, but that’s because we took the last cable car up and slept in a mountain lodge at the top. I can imagine that the cable car would be very busy during the day, so make sure to come on time or do like us!
I would recommend checking the webcam beforehand! Even though it is summer, the weather can still be bad with a lot of clouds. And you don’t want to hike for nothing!
The distance from Ebenalp to Schäfler mountain ridge is 2.1 kilometers, but if you’re looking to avoid the cable car, know that the hike will be 5.8 kilometers.
But there are more stops on this hike, which will add a lot of kilometers. If you want to see Aescher and Seealpsee, the hike will be 11.6 kilometers. The best way to hike will be from Ebenalp – Schäfler – Ebenalp – Aescher – Seealpsee – Wasserauen.
If you just do the Schäfler ridge, the hike will take around 1 hour to reach the top and another to get back to the cable car. But if you do the big hike, it will take up to 5 hours to do everything. And don’t forget that you’ll probably make lots of stops for rest, food and pictures.
The total elevation from the cable car to Schäfler is 284 meters. If you want to get from Schäfler, which is at the top of this hike, to Wasserauen, you’ll need to make a descent of 1056 meters. This is very intense and is not for everyone.
The hiking trail isn’t that difficult, but the hardest part is the elevation. The incline to the top is pretty intense as it’s only climbing for an hour straight to Schäfler.
But that wasn’t the hardest part, the decline was. It’s a very big descent and it gets tough on the knees and legs, but the views are worth it. Just take your time and take the cable car if necessary.
As soon as you step outside the cable car, your adventure to the top starts. The incline is immediate and doesn’t stop until you get to the endpoint. You’ll see a sign pointing to Schäfler and follow this.
You’ll ascent the whole time and will have incredible views along the view on your right side of the hike. Once you reach a small farmer, you can see Berggasthaus Schäfler, but fear not, it’s still a 30-minute walk uphill.
The hiking trail itself is quite good. You don’t need to climb over rocks in particular.
Once you reach Berggasthaus Schäfler, make your way to the actual viewpoint. The first viewpoint is only 1 minute away from the lodge, but I recommend walking a bit further. There, the path becomes a bit more sketchy with ropes and ladders.
In the beginning, I was a bit surprised and scared when I saw this as there was a big drop-off. This section is definitely the most tricky part, because of this narrow trail and the metal cables. But as long as you keep your distance and are safe, it’s not that dangerous.
Afterwards, you can choose to go further or turn around like we did. That’s the way we went to Aescher.
I could not recommend staying overnight here enough! This mountain lodge is right at the viewpoint of Schäfler, and made it so much easier to watch the sunset and sunrise!
We stayed overnight in one of their shared rooms and to be honest, it wasn’t the most comfortable room, but that’s because we aren’t used to sleeping with other people. But we met some amazing people from our room and we stayed up late just talking, which made the experience so much better.
We paid 90 CHF for 2 people, which was cheap for Switzerland in my opinion. Also, breakfast was included which made it even more worth it.
There are so many hikes to do in Switzerland, but here are a few of my favorites:
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Hello, I’m Ellen and welcome to this blog! I’m in love with exploring the world and hopefully I get to inspire you with these blog posts and pictures to feel the same. You will find detailed itineraries, hidden gems, tips and so much more!
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