Hiking to Saxer Lücke in Switzerland
Kraig AdamsSep 2024 · Solo
- Days
- 2 days
- Cost
- Train from St
- Lodging
- Huts
Europe · Switzerland
Alpstein and the Saxer Lücke
Appenzell, Switzerland
- Distance
- 19.7 mi31.7 km
- Days
- 2 days
- Elevation gain
- 7,736 ft2,358 m
- High point
- 6,188 ft1,886 m
- Season
- I went September 18 and 19, 2024
- Lodging
- Huts
Hikes / Europe / Alpstein and the Saxer Lücke
In September 2024 I spent two days hiking in the Alpstein, the mountains of Appenzell in northeast Switzerland. I went up from Wasserauen past the Seealpsee and the Aescher, the inn built into the cliff, to a night at the Berggasthaus Schäfler on its ridge. The next day I walked past Mesmer, the Seealpsee again and Meglisalp, over the Widderalpsattel to Bollenwees on the Fälensee, up to the Saxer Lücke, and along the Stauberen ridge to the cable car at Staubern. Two days, about 20 miles by my GPS. It's the trip from my film Hiking to Saxer Lücke in Switzerland.
Kraig Adams
Effort at this pace: Hard · about 10 mi (16 km) and 3,868 ft (1,179 m) of climbing a day over 2 days, up to 6,188 ft (1,886 m). Our grade for the days given, worked out from distance, climbing and altitude a day; it isn't the trail's usual difficulty rating (under Basics) and doesn't rate exposure, terrain or weather.
Where these numbers come from
From Kraig Adams's GPS recording and guide.
From Kraig Adams's GPS
The route, day by day
Elevation2,848–6,188 ft19.7 mi
From Kraig Adams's GPS. Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (EU-DEM, SRTM) on AWS · Glaciers, rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors
Tap a day for his map of it
Download GPX525 KB · free
Each day and variant (2 files)
- Day 1: Wasserauen station, the Seealpsee, the Aescher, the Wildkirchli caves, Ebenalp, Chlus and the Berggasthaus Schäfler (7.1 mi / 11.4 km) 186 KB
- Day 2: the Schäfler, the Altenalpsattel, Mesmer, down to the Seealpsee, Meglisalp, the Widderalpsattel, Bollenwees on the Fälensee, the Saxer Lücke, the Stauberen ridge and the top station of the Staubern cable car (12.6 mi / 20.3 km) 338 KB
The film
Watch it first
Hiking to Saxer Lücke in Switzerland
Before you go
The basics
- Start
- Wasserauen station, 2,848 ft (868 m), the end of the Appenzeller Bahnen line from Appenzell
- Finish
- The Staubern cable car, about 5,720 ft (1,744 m), down to Frümsen in the Rhine valley
- Usual difficulty
- White-red-white mountain trails the whole way, with steep, exposed stretches secured with cables. Snow lingers into summer and can come back in September
- Best time
- I went September 18 and 19, 2024
- Permits
- None. You book the mountain inns directly
- Getting there
- My way in, 2024. I came to Switzerland for Creator Camp, a trip for a big group of creators, then spent a few days on my own in the St. Gallen area, recharging and getting ready to shoot. On the morning of Day 1 I was sick and took half the day to rest in town. By late morning I was in Appenzell; I took the train to Wasserauen, about 12 minutes, and started walking at 1:17 p.m.
- Lodging
- Huts
From Kraig Adams's guide
Costs and gear
What Kraig carried
my backpack · Arc’teryx Cerium Hoody · Crocs Classic Clog · my tent and sleeping gear · Holafly eSIM · Naturehike ZY20 Sleeping Bag Liner · Hyperlite Mountain Gear Waypoint 35 · Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Z Poles and 16 more.
From Kraig Adams's guide
Safety
Rescue numbers
- Emergency: 1414 (Rega), 144, 112.
Phone signal
- The Rega app sends your position with the alarm, but needs at least some phone signal.
- The federal coverage map predicts a signal along the whole route, but not in every gully; if you have none, move and try again, or try 112.
Insurance
- A GHIC or EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance.
- Your policy should include mountain rescue, helicopter costs and repatriation.
Bail-out points
- Day 1, Wasserauen to Schäfler. At any point before Ebenalp, go back down to the Seealpsee and on to Wasserauen. From Ebenalp the cable car goes down to Wasserauen in 6 minutes; in late September and October 2026 the last ride down was at 5:30 p.m. The Seealpsee, the Aescher and Ebenalp all have beds (see Huts and rules). In an emergency call 1414 (Rega, the air rescue) or 144.
- Day 2, Schäfler to Staubern over the Saxer Lücke. Mesmer, the Seealpsee, Meglisalp, Bollenwees and Staubern all have beds. From Mesmer or Meglisalp, the way out is down to the Seealpsee and Wasserauen. From Bollenwees, a trail goes down past the Sämtisersee to Brülisau, where bus 192 runs to Weissbad station (the last bus in 2026 at 6:14 p.m.). From the Saxer Lücke you can go back down to Bollenwees, or on along the ridge to the Staubern cable car, which ran until 10 p.m.
From Kraig Adams's guide. For planning, not navigation: check before you go.
Their films and versions
Creators who've done it
1 creator so far: Kraig, 2 days, huts.
Hiking to Saxer Lücke in Switzerland
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Typical: 2 days (the hike's facts).
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Planning questions about Alpstein and the Saxer Lücke, answered only from this page's facts, the creators' versions and hikers' public tracks, with where each answer comes from. When the data doesn't say, the answer says "not given".
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Answered from the data
Questions people ask
How many days do you need for Alpstein and the Saxer Lücke?
I did it in two, with one night at the Schäfler. If you don't want to go back down to the Seealpsee as I did, you can do it in two shorter days, or spread it over three with a night at Bollenwees or Meglisalp. See Other ways to do it.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How much does Alpstein and the Saxer Lücke cost?
Train from St. Gallen to Wasserauen CHF 12.60; from Zürich CHF 41 (Supersaver from CHF 30.80). The Ebenalp cable car CHF 24 one way. The Staubern cable car CHF 20 one way. Meglisalp's dorm with half board CHF 90; Bollenwees's dorm CHF 50 to 60, with breakfast. Tourist tax CHF 2.50 a night. Parking at Wasserauen up to CHF 15.75 for 24 hours.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
When is the best time to hike Alpstein and the Saxer Lücke?
The high trails have their season from about the end of June to October, and the inns open from about May to early November. I went in mid-September, a few days after an early snowstorm left snow on the high passes. Summer has the most rain and thunderstorms; September and October are drier.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Do you need a permit for Alpstein and the Saxer Lücke?
No. You pay for the cable cars and book the inns.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How do you hike to the Saxer Lücke?
The Saxer Lücke is a gap in the Alpstein ridge above the Fälensee, on the border between Appenzell Innerrhoden and St. Gallen. I reached it on the second day of a 2-day hike from Wasserauen, up from Berggasthaus Bollenwees at the east end of the Fälensee: 26 minutes and about 590 ft of climbing (the signpost says 35 minutes). From the gap a ridge trail runs northeast to Staubern, where a cable car goes down to Frümsen in the Rhine valley.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How long is the hike from Wasserauen to the Saxer Lücke?
My route was 19.7 miles (31.7 km) over two days, with about 7,740 ft of climbing: 7.1 miles on Day 1 from Wasserauen past the Seealpsee, the Aescher and Ebenalp to the Berggasthaus Schäfler, and 12.6 miles on Day 2 past Mesmer, the Seealpsee again and Meglisalp, over the Widderalpsattel to Bollenwees, the Saxer Lücke and Staubern.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Is the Saxer Lücke hike open?
Yes. In October 2026 the official Swiss closures map showed nothing on the route, and Appenzell tourism's trail report said the trails were in very good condition. A rockfall warning was posted above the Seealpsee in September 2026. Most of the mountain inns are open from May to about November 1.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
Can you camp at the Saxer Lücke?
No. Appenzell tourism says wild camping isn't allowed in the Alpstein, the canton is drafting a law that would allow a bivouac only with the landowner's permission, and the St. Gallen side says wild camping up high isn't wanted. Sleep in one of the mountain inns, such as Bollenwees, Meglisalp or Staubern.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.
How do you get back from the Saxer Lücke?
Walk northeast along the ridge to the Berggasthaus Staubern and take the Staubern cable car down to Frümsen; in 2026 it ran daily until 10 p.m. from May to October, CHF 20 one way. Bus 411 runs hourly from Frümsen to the trains, about 1.5 hours to St. Gallen. Or walk back down to Bollenwees and on to Brülisau.
From Kraig Adams's trip and guide.