Toggenburger Höhenweg
Overview
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Distance 14 km
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Duration 4 h 30 min
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Ascent 900 m
Intro
At the start, hikers are accompanied by the tones of the Klangweg (Sound Trail) and the myths of the Sagenweg (Legend Trail). This is followed by inspiring views of the Churfirsten mountains. The stage destination, the Vordere Selunalp is located close to the prehistoric Wildenmannlisloch caves.
Description
Wildhaus lies between the twin massifs of the Alpstein and the Churfirsten, not far from the source of the Thur River. It is the highest municipality in Toggenburg – in fact, in the whole of the Canton of St. Gallen. The climb begins at the cable car, in which you ascend some 200 metres to Oberdorf before continuing steadily uphill on foot. Your hike takes you through beautiful woodland and pastureland via Freienalp and Dunkelboden to Iltios, the funicular that connects Unterwasser with Chäserugg. The restaurant here is an inviting spot to take a break.
The Toggenburger Höhenweg then follows the Klangweg for about two kilometres. Along the panoramic trail with its views of the mountains and countryside, «Klangstationen» («sound stations») are waiting to be discovered. These are made up of sound patterns and metallic tones produced by all manner of different sound sculptures, including hand-operated sound mills, musical rocks, a bell tree and many more. Please do touch!
The Klangweg ends at Selamatt, another mountain station, which connects Alt St. Johann with the Höhenweg. The hike continues steadily uphill over more stretches of pasture and pretty paths to the Vordere Selunalp. Up here, the Churfirsten seem so close you could almost touch them. On the other side, meanwhile, you can admire the beautiful valley landscape and the imposing Säntis mountain in the heart of the Alpstein range. The first stage of the Toggenburger Höhenweg thus ends at the Vordere Selunalp almost 1,600 metres above sea level. You’re now just a stone’s throw from the prehistoric Wildenmannlisloch karst cave. Situated on the north side of the Selun, it extends more than 150 metres into the mountain but is perfectly safe to explore.
An enjoyable tour includes the careful planning of the same. Please inform yourself in advance at the local information center about the route and weather conditions. Depending on the season and weather conditions, this route may be blocked or interrupted
| Start location |
Wildhaus
|
|---|---|
| Destination |
Selunalp
|
| Direction |
One way
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| Altitude (meter above sea level) |
1500 m
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| Ascent |
900 m
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| Descent |
400 m
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| Distance |
14 km
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| Duration |
4 h 30 min
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| Duration back |
4 h
|
| Technical requirements |
Medium
|
| Physical requirements |
Medium
|
| Season |
May - October
|
| Theme |
To an alp, With panoramic view
|
Quick Facts
Route number
