Zindlenspitz (27.09.2009)

Roman had come up with an idea for a little day hike, however, the military fraction of our team opted to make it a bit harder. Turns out that even so, it was a bit longer and wilder than some expected ...

As it was quite close to Zurich, we had a lazy, civilian start in the morning and met at Zurich main station. A bus took us on the second leg of this journey to Innerthal, from where we started tramping. First along the lake, then ascending through forest and over pastures.

Tramping through mixed alpine forest

When we left the tree line, our destination towered above us, looking formidable and in-ascendable from this point.

The Zindlenspitz in the hazy background

The weather was hazy and cloudy and most of the surrounding landscape remained hidden. We had however a good view over some vast limestone slope in the vicinity of the Zindlenspitz.

Limestone formation to the South (Lachenstock, 2027m)

The final ascent was steep and the last few metres led along a ridge line to the summit.

Along the ridge towards the summit.

The last few metres!

We ate our lunch and then proceeded to locate a geocache, which was discovered by Hanna after quite some combined effort. Most of the team had never seen a cache and was enthusiastically looking at the logbook and fingering some of the trashy holdings. However, there was also a red dragon with a travel bug tag, which we took along to figure out where it had come from and what its mission might be. Turns out that it wants to stay in Switzerland but had already travelled a wee bit around the country:

Trail of the travel bug, stop number 18 is the Zindlenspitz where we picked it up.

The team on the summit (2097m).

The downhill trail was graded a bit more difficult and I was stoked to see it following a sharply defined ridge!

Negotiating a short scrambling section.

On the ridge.

Hanging on and having fun.

Soon the exciting part was over and a hiking trail of normal gradient led further downhill. We had a look at the map and figured that a possible way to get back to the bus station involved a section called the 'Bear Path' (Baerenpfad). Surely, the track was somewhat unclearly marked on the map, but you get that in the mountains. It was decided to go for it, and it proved to add some more adventure to the trip. Had it not been for the scarce and faded markings on some trees and rocks, one might have called it bushbashing.

Michael stated that things could be worse: "There could be stinging nettles and stuff!" - 'Shut up!!!' the others protested, only to find some nasty nettle field fifty metres later!

Trying to get a sure footing on slippery and wet grass.

Another cable (the crew is delighted!)

Pretty everyone was happy to reach a proper trail again which brought us swiftly back to the bus station, where we had enough time for some after action review in a restaurant. It was concluded that it had been a neat trip, although, next time we might get up a bit earlier!

Cheers to the team

Andy