Oberseetal – Klöntal

Two lakes and a waterfall

A carefree pass hike leads from the wide Oberseetal over the Lachengrat to the mountain-framed Klöntaler See. The tour should be undertaken in the summer months of June – September, when the Obersee taxi runs from Näfels daily at 8.30 a.m. and the post bus runs from Lake Klöntal to Glarus. Early in the morning, the Obersee is still surrounded by soothing silence. A mighty, post-glacial landslide from the Rautispitz once dammed up the water. Its natural drainage takes place in infiltration funnels; an artificial exit through the landslide heap to the small Rüfiberg power plant has only existed since 1960.

If you are not in a hurry, you can also reach the Obersee on foot from Näfels on shady but steep forest paths and spend the night there in the idyllically located mountain hotel. As an afternoon excursion, a hike to Ahornen is a good idea, in the most beautiful valley head far away. For the pass route, use the riverside road or the uphill forest path from the Berghotel to the western end of the lake, cross the Sulzbach to the Oberseestafel, stop next to the stream to Chalten Brunnen and march on the alpine road to the holiday home settlement of Sulzboden (1131 m). Shortening a few hairpin bends in the forest, the hiking route reaches Alp Sulz (1372 m) on the road. There the path flows into a dried-up stream bed and later reaches Unter Lachenalp (1563 m) and further on to the swamp floors of the Ober Lachenalp on a steep trail. Marking posts now point up the slope into the Längenegg Pass, at 1814 m the deepest saddle in the Lachengrat. On the south side, a well-trodden footprint turns down to the buildings of Ober Längenegg (1691 m), an alp of the Bund. Indistinct alpine paths lead downhill to the Chängel, where the paved goods road begins. It describes several hairpin bends in the pastureland, which is broken up by forest strips, passes wonderful vantage points and finally joins the Pragelpass road at Schwandli (1020 m). At the beginning, two large curves are cut off on a footpath, otherwise you keep on the road downhill towards Lake Klöntal. Shortly before the weekend houses, an unsignposted path branches off to the left to the waterfall, which tumbles thunderously down a steep step. Especially on hot summer days, its spray curtain provides pleasant cooling. Back on the road, it is not far to the post bus stop at the Vorauen inn.