Wasserauen - Meglisalp - Säntis - Ebenalp - Wasserauen
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 16.43 mi
- Elevation gain
- 8,442 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 8,442 ft
- Max elevation
- 8,422 ft
- TrailRank
- 34
- Min elevation
- 3,024 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- 8 hours 53 minutes
- Time
- 11 hours 22 minutes
- Coordinates
- 4612
- Uploaded
- October 16, 2022
- Recorded
- October 2022
near Wasserauen, Kanton Appenzell Innerrhoden (Switzerland)
Viewed 114 times, downloaded 1 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
A fairly long loop trail with beautiful views starting at Wasserauen train station leading to Säntis (2502m) and back. The trail leads through a few narrow sections with a lot of exposure so might not be safe for people with vertigo. Please also make sure that the weather conditions are safe. I hiked in mid-October and the trail was mostly safe but please take precautions and don't risk it if it has snowed or rained heavily. Also, the hike is quite long, so start early so you can finish it with the daylight (I ran out of daylight for the last few kilometers of descent).
The easiest way to get to the mountain is by train, so check https://www.sbb.ch/en for the prices and timetables. Alternatively, you can also reach by car - there is plentiful parking space, or bus. The trail starts of in a forest with trees that drop their leaves at the end of the year, hence it can be slippery in the autumn on rainy days. The path will lead you up along the side of the valley with Seealpsee lake in the middle.
Next you will reach the Meglisalp camp, after which the second half of the ascent begins. Most of the ascent is fairly steep but not technical. The steepness is compensated by the beautiful views of the valley and then the alps. Towards the end of the ascent you will reach a ridge, where the trail becomes extremely narrow with a high drop on one of the sides, you have to be comfortable using cable supports in this section. Having crossed the ridge and another small ascent you will reach the Säntis peak.
At this point you can take a gondola down to Schwägalp. Alternatively, you can continue the hike on the other side of the valley.
If you decide to hike down, you will have to walk down some fairly steep cable-suported stairs, and then pass through a valley of snow, where the snow remains for most of the year, and can be slippery, so take care. After that, the hike is fairly straightforward, but there are sharp drops at times and hidden caves in the ground, so do not stray away from the well-marked hiking trails.
You will first reach Ebenalp, where you can take a gondola down back to Wasserauen if you feel tired. Otherwise you can continue the hike down, that will lead you to Berggasthaus Aescher, a famous mountain-side guest house with a restaurant.
The rest of the hike is fairly straightforward, but take care when walking through the forest as the leaves might be slippery when wet.
The easiest way to get to the mountain is by train, so check https://www.sbb.ch/en for the prices and timetables. Alternatively, you can also reach by car - there is plentiful parking space, or bus. The trail starts of in a forest with trees that drop their leaves at the end of the year, hence it can be slippery in the autumn on rainy days. The path will lead you up along the side of the valley with Seealpsee lake in the middle.
Next you will reach the Meglisalp camp, after which the second half of the ascent begins. Most of the ascent is fairly steep but not technical. The steepness is compensated by the beautiful views of the valley and then the alps. Towards the end of the ascent you will reach a ridge, where the trail becomes extremely narrow with a high drop on one of the sides, you have to be comfortable using cable supports in this section. Having crossed the ridge and another small ascent you will reach the Säntis peak.
At this point you can take a gondola down to Schwägalp. Alternatively, you can continue the hike on the other side of the valley.
If you decide to hike down, you will have to walk down some fairly steep cable-suported stairs, and then pass through a valley of snow, where the snow remains for most of the year, and can be slippery, so take care. After that, the hike is fairly straightforward, but there are sharp drops at times and hidden caves in the ground, so do not stray away from the well-marked hiking trails.
You will first reach Ebenalp, where you can take a gondola down back to Wasserauen if you feel tired. Otherwise you can continue the hike down, that will lead you to Berggasthaus Aescher, a famous mountain-side guest house with a restaurant.
The rest of the hike is fairly straightforward, but take care when walking through the forest as the leaves might be slippery when wet.
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