Hiking in the alps: Hiking: Rugghübelhütte – we could see it all the way from our Lodge!

For this week’s hike, we decided to go for Rugghubelhutte, as it’s early in the season and there is still snow left on north facing slopes. During dinner Tuesday evening, we looked up on the mountains north east of us, and spotted the hütte Oskar had pointed out for us.

(look, just left of the red flag it is, you might have to zoom a bit...)

On Wednesday morning at a quarter to 10 we started from the Lodge. You could take the Brunni cable car, which would save you an hour and a bit, but we felt strong and wanted to do it the proper way. With Elin being a former cross country skier and Joline ex-road racing cyclist, I didn’t have to wait. It was more the other way around to be honest… Wet of sweat we got up to the hütte, which serves nice food and actually has 80 beds for stayovers (seems to me as very tight, as the place isn’t that big at all). After investing in beer and soda, we sat down outside and hungrily ate the salmon pasta salad Elin had prepared.

(Joline and Elin walking up the first part of Brunni)

(the viewpoint just above Rigidal- but honestly all of the hike is a long viewpoint - our goal in the upper left corner)

(Elin looking at Hahnen, the mountain on our logo)

(beer and salomon pasta sallad)

There are several roads and trails to choose from to get up to the upper eastern part of the Brunni ski area. From here, just above Rigidalstafel, there is only one trail to follow, as you are walking with a massive cliffdrop below you on your right and one above you on your left hand side. This is the only way to access the fields of which the Rugghubelhutte is located on. We took the decent route down from Rigidal to the left, towards Ende der Welt, through the forest on the east side of Brunni.

(on the way down - really cool rock shapes)

(low tech internet map - black pen points at Rugghublehutte and blue at Rigidal)

We needed 3.5 hours to get up, including some photo and water breaks. We spent an hour and a half up there and walked down in 2.45h. This is a nice day project that can be done without going up too early and still coming home timely before the pre dinner sauna. No tricky parts, and no steep stuff, so people afraid of heights can still do it.

Today I’m slightly tired in my legs, and a bit red in my face as I forgot to put on sunscreen. However, feels good to have been up there. Later this summer I’m keen on continuing up to the ridge north of Rugghubelhutte, and walk down on the back side of Brunni, ening up in Bannalp and later Niederkrirchenbach. But that’s a proper full day thing, and you should wait until July as the back side of Brunni is north facing.(Niklas stopping and drinking)

(Joline looking down towards Ende der Welt and Engelberg)

(appraktly some construction work up at the hütte - and they were lifting everything here with heli!)