Logbook 1: Hundsteinhütte

Our very first SAC hut visit was Hundsteinhütte in Canton Appenzell in the northeast corner of Switzerland.

The Appenzell Alps (I have not found a different name so that is what I call them) are a strange micro range measuring ~5x10km that is completely seperated from the main Alps range that spans across the central part of Switzerland. The small but mighty range is likely most famous for Saxer Lücke, a dramatic pillar that resembles the peaks of Torres del Paine in Patagonia.

The hike begins from the Pfannenstiel parking lot and right away kicks off with an extremely steep gravel road. At times, it is hard to gain traction and it is unbelievable that cars can even get up this road but they in fact do.

As you come out of the tree line near Samtisersee, the views come into view right away and they are simply breathtaking.

We timed the hike almost perfectly in mid-October. The fall foliage was painting the northern wall of the valley and the late autumn temperatures brought a dusting of snow already to the Widderalpstock summit in the background.

This valley remains one of my favorite in all of Switzerland. Small shepards huts and farm homes dotted the valley floor and a babbling stream found its way down to the Samtisersee.

There is a final steep 150m climb up to the Fahlensee alpine bowl where the Hundsteinhutte and guest house sit on the shores of this epic lake.

The whole area resembles a scene out of Lord of the Rings with dramatic rock pillars jutting out of the earth.

We enjoyed a lunch at the guesthouse near the hut and then made our way back down.

The wonderfully cliche Swiss flag flying proud above us as we descended back to our car.