Säntis - Säntis

The Säntis is a mountain in the Eastern Switzerland, the summit exactly marks the border of the cantons of St. Gallen, Appenzell Ausser- and Innerrhoden.

location
Situation map of Switzerland
Säntis
Säntis

background

Säntis: summit from the southeast
Säntis: mountain station
Säntis summit: new restaurant

The Säntis has a height of 2502 m above sea level. M. and forms the highest elevation of the Alpstein massif. Due to the exposed location of the Alpstein massif in the northern foothills of the Alps, the Säntis Visible from afar and offers a unique panorama. From the Säntis summit you can see six countries: Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein, and with good visibility even as far as the French and Italian Alps.

The mountain is well developed for tourism: its summit can be reached by cable car Schwägalp, through trails from there, from Water meadows as well as from Wildhaus and Underwater in the Toggenburg or can be reached via other routes.

history

The Säntis was probably already climbed in 1680, a first refuge was built in 1842 and an inn was built in 1846. In 1887 the Weather station with a connecting passage to the Säntis summit that had been blasted into the rock and was manned all year round, the murder of the Wetterwart on the Säntis and his wife in 1922 made the weather station famous.

Since the Säntis at the end of the 19th century. enjoyed great popularity as a travel destination, plans were drawn up to open up the Säntis with a mountain railway. Several attempts to plan a cogwheel or funicular railway failed. Only the part Appenzell - Water meadows was built in 1911/12, the "Electric Railway Appenzell-Wasserauen" was connected to the Appenzellerbahn network in 1947 and today serves as a feeder for the Ebenalpbahn and starting point for hikes in the Alpstein.

A first cable car from the Schwägalp on the Säntis was built between 1933 and 1935. Between 1968 and 1976 the cable car on the Säntis was completely renewed and in 2000 it was equipped with new cable car cabins. Today's Schwägalp – Säntis cable car has a length of 2307 m and overcomes a difference in altitude of 1123 m. It is one of the most popular mountain railways in Switzerland.

language

The Säntis is located in the German-speaking area of ​​Switzerland, in the vicinity is Appenzeller- resp. Toggenburg dialect spoken.

getting there

  • With the automobile across the main street 463 of Herisau to Urnaesch in and on the 462 in the direction Schwägalp and Nesslau / Wildhaus. At the 1278 m high Schwägalp pass are the 1 Valley station of the Säntis suspension railway, an inn and a mountain hotel.
  • To the 2 summit The easiest way to get there is with the Säntis suspension railway

Tourist Attractions

  • the panorama from the Säntis summit

activities

Schwägalp valley station
Schwägalp: signpost
  • the Valley station Schwägalp (1352 m) is the starting point for numerous easy mountain hikes
    • first to the east and to the north 3 Chammhalden hut and over Steinfluh and Rossfall to Urnaesch or continue on the Kronberg.
    • About the Animal meadow (with mountain inn) and down towards Toggenburg
  • The ascent to Säntis takes around 3½ hours, good conditions and sure-footed shoes. The final section on the Rock stairs needs some climbing experience, not suitable for children.
    • an alternative is a drive up to Support 2 the Säntisbahn possible, there you can get out via a fold-out platform and you can save yourself the lower part of the ascent from Schwägalp. Register with the railway staff!
  • From Säntis summit can about the Blue snow direction 4 Seealp (with guest house) or via the Big snow and the wagon gap direction 5 Meglisalp (with guest house).
  • To the south the path leads over the Lisengrat in the direction 6 Rotstein Pass (Gasthaus), from there on the mule track to Meglisalp or for Altmann (2435 m) to the south.
  • Säntis run: The Säntis run can be made on skis in spring / early summer: the most popular route leads over the large snow and the Mesmerchämi down to Wasserauen. In early summer you start on the Säntis in high winter conditions and carry your skis through a spring landscape to the train station.
The unprepared or marked Säntis run is only reserved for experienced skiers (ideally under an experienced guide), depending on the weather and avalanche situation (inquire with Old Säntis, see website, the departures will be blocked. If necessary, information from SAC - Swiss Alpine Club catch up.

kitchen

  • the 1  Säntis summit panorama restaurant. Tel.: 41 (0)71 365 65 00, Fax: 41 (0)71 277 99 98, Email: . in the area of ​​the new mountain station of the Säntis suspension railway
  • the Old Säntis can be reached on a short distance to the south and is a little sheltered from the wind on the southern flank of the summit
2  Mountain inn Alter Säntis. Tel.: 41 71 799 11 60, Email: .

security

anecdote Alpstein: Risk of falling for hikers
Be careful, thanks to several mountain railways, great heights can be reached in the Alpstein without any problems and the rustic mountain restaurants create a Sunday stroll atmosphere. Every year there are accidents, some with fatal results, because hikers overestimated themselves, were out with insufficient equipment (without mountain boots ...) or were surprised by sudden changes in the weather!

The ride on the Säntis with the suspension railway is unproblematic, cardiac patients should take it easy at altitude, a ride at 2500 m above sea level. is usually well tolerated.

The ascent to the Säntis over the rock stairs requires surefootedness and a head for heights, without expert guidance only experienced mountaineers should make the ascent on foot!

climate

The mean temperature is −1.9 ° C, precipitation 2487 mm per year. If the weather is nice in summer, around 15 ° C can be expected.

Literature / cinema

Web links

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