Jänzi Trail: panoramic snowshoe tour in the Glaubeberg

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Virgin powder snow, snow-covered fir forests and a peace and quiet that we would not have expected on this picture-perfect winter day. The fairytale winter landscape in the Glaubenberg area above Sarnen is an insider tip for fans of small, fine resorts. There we went on the Jänzi Panorama Trail and immersed ourselves step by step in the wonderful winter landscape.

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This year, in cooperation with the Central Swiss fare network Passepartout, I present you four great excursion destinations in the cantons of Lucerne, Obwalden and Nidwalden, which are located away from the tourist hotspots and can be easily reached by train and bus. As a prelude to this series, I have chosen the Jänzi Trail in the Glaubenberg area – a wonderful landscape that you have almost to yourself even in good weather.

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Insidertipp Oil-Glaubenberg

As we board the Lucerne-Interlaken Express early in the morning, we’re not sure if it was a wise decision to schedule the trip on a Saturday. The eight o’clock train is filled to capacity with winter sports enthusiasts, day-trippers and tourists looking forward to the panoramic journey from Lucerne over the Brünig to Meiringen. How many of them have set their sights on the Glaubenberg area as a destination for excursions?

Many – I suspect when the train arrives at Sarnen station and numerous fellow passengers gather their skis and snowboards and get off with us at the same time. But my fears are quickly dispelled. Sarnen is not only the transfer point for the Glaubenberg area, but also for connections to Melchsee-Frutt. And so only a handful with cross-country skiing equipment and snowshoes head for the post bus in the direction of Langis/Glaubenberg.

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Shortly after nine o’clock in the morning we reach the Berghotel Langis. This is the starting point for the extensive network of cross-country ski trails and the signposted Jänzi Trail. The Glaubenberg area is considered one of the largest contiguous moorland landscapes in Switzerland and forms an important habitat for the endangered capercaillie. This makes it all the more important that we move considerately in the area of the marked paths and do not crisscross the forest.

After a quick look at the information board at the starting point of the cross-country ski trail network and a chat with acquaintances who happen to cross our path here (and dare to take to the trails for the first time that day), we follow the groomed path towards Schwendi-Kaltbad. The former spa house, from which the town’s name derives, burned down in the 1970s. Today there is a nice mountain restaurant and a pretty chapel here.

Lapland feeling in Central Switzerland

It seems too early for a stop for refreshments, so we cross the hamlet without a break. Behind Schwendi-Kaltbad, the groomed path ends. From here, the pink markings show us the path through the virgin fresh snow. I can hardly believe it: We are actually the first to make the tracks in the powder snow on this beautiful winter day. On the one hand, this is beautiful, but also exhausting – a junction proves to be particularly tricky. After an additional loop, we catch the right fork in the road. The whole thing is topped by the fantastic landscape. The plateau reminds us of Lapland with its glittering white fir trees.

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Entertaining ascent to the Jänzi

For a good 1.5 kilometres, the path winds its way along the torrents through the snow-covered moorland until the path branches off to the right. Now it’s time to overcome the 350 metres of altitude difference to the Jänzi. Soon we start to sweat a lot. Trailing uphill is a bit more strenuous than on the flat. From time to time, the fir forest thins out and offers views of the opposite side of the valley, where the trail runs. Only the Jänzi we don’t get to see. How far is it to the summit?

When the summit finally comes within reach, a layer of fog swallows the landscape in front of us from one minute to the next. Oh no, what will become of the panorama now? I’m afraid that we wasted too much time in the first section and that the announced bad weather front will catch up with us before the summit. But the short-lived panic was in vain. After a good two hours, the sun is shining on us on the high plateau in front of the Jänzi summit.

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Ungeteiltes Gipfelglück

And we are truly lucky children on this day. I was amazed that we didn’t cross any snowshoe hikers on the ascent, and suspected that at least at the summit we would meet those who complete the Jänzi trail in the opposite direction. But nothing there! Not a soul far and wide. Just us, the sun and a beautiful panoramic view from Mount Pilatus to the Bernese Oberland. By the way, the most surprising sight for me was the back of Mount Pilatus – I have never seen Lucerne’s local mountain from this perspective.

After a short break at the summit, we start the descent towards Wolfetsmatt. We have completed the majority of the altitude meters, but we still have a good six kilometers back to the starting point in Langis. From Jänzi, the path leads stodgy down to Siwellenbrunnen – if you tackle the tour in the opposite direction, you will probably shed the most sweat here.

After 11 kilometres of pure nature, it’s just a pity that the snowshoe trail ends abruptly on the road shortly after Hohnegg and we are a bit lost in world history. It would be ideal if the path would either lead back to Langis completely off the road, or if there was a post bus stop at the end of the trail. As it is, however, we march the last kilometer along the roadside back to Langis and accomplish a point load. 4 minutes before the post bus leaves, we reach the starting point of the tour. And apart from this last section, it was a fantastic winter trip from A to Z in the midst of wonderful nature. Glaubenberg, we will be back!

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Practical information about the Jänzi Trail

The detailed route can be found on the map below. The Jänzi Trail starts at the Langis post bus stop. The information board at the cross-country ski trail house gives an overview of the trails in the Langis-Glaubenberg area. The circular route can be hiked clockwise as well as counterclockwise – we started in the direction of Schwendi Kaltbad and did it counterclockwise (in this direction the slope is a little more evenly distributed). If you want to combine the snowshoe tour with a stop at the Schwendi-Kaltbad mountain restaurant, you should ideally do the other way around. In total, the 12-kilometre-long circular hike has around 570 metres of altitude to overcome uphill. The time required is a good four hours without breaks, depending on snow conditions. After Hohnegg back to the Langis car park, the trail runs on the road for a good kilometre – depending on the traffic, this is a rather uncomfortable section.

You can reach the starting point of the tour from Sarnen train station by post bus, which runs 4 times a day in the winter months. It takes 55 minutes to get from Lucerne to Langis by public transport.