Karst & Chaos: Hiking the Pragel Pass via the Landslide Trail
On August 1st, 2021, a thunderous roar echoed through the Muota Valley as 450,000 cubic meters of mountain collapsed into the valley below. On August 6th, 2024, I strapped on my hiking boots to walk right by it…
Tucked between the jagged peaks of Canton Glarus and the dramatic valleys of Canton Schwyz lies one of Switzerland’s most underrated point-to-point alpine crossings: the Pragel Pass.
While many casual sightseers content themselves with driving the narrow pass road, the real magic is only revealed on foot - specifically if you step off the smooth asphalt and plunge directly into the moon-like chaos of an active alpine landslide.
This is a detailed trail guide to hiking the 16 Km one-way journey from Richisau to Hölloch, tracking right through the heavy stone blocks of the historic Staldenweg.
Route at a Glance
Start: Gasthaus Richisau, GL (~1,100m)
End: Hölloch Bus Stop / Stalden, Muotathal (~660m)
Distance: 16 km (10 miles)
Time: ~3.5 to 5 hours
Elevation: +500 meters | -950 meters
Difficulty: Moderate Alpine Hiking (T2/T3)
Note that the route can be done either way, but is harder in the other direction. If you avoid the landslide area the winding roads on the other side will add another couple of easy road kilometers to the route.
When to Go: The Alpine Window
The Pragel Pass is an entirely different beast depending on the season. In winter, the pass road completely closes to vehicle traffic as an incredibly deep snowpack blankets the limestone karst.
Attempting this trail out of season leaves you facing a hazardous winter wilderness with obscured trail markers and deep, hidden sinkholes.
To experience this hike safely on foot, you should time your journey within the tight alpine summer window:
Early Summer (Late May – June): Stubborn, deep snow fields can hold out inside the shaded limestone crevices, making the rocky descents tricky.
Peak Season (July – August): The sweet spot. The snow has completely vanished, the alpine wildflowers are in full bloom, the high cattle pastures are active, and the mountain outposts are open.
Autumn (Sept – October): A spectacular time for crisp air and golden light over the primeval forest, but watch the forecast closely for early high-altitude winter storms.
Ghost Route of the Russian Empire: 1799 Suvorov Campaign
As you tread across the Pragel Pass, you aren't just following a scenic Swiss hiking path - you are walking directly in the footsteps of General Alexander Suvorov and his 20,000-strong Russian Imperial Army. In the autumn of 1799, during the War of the Second Coalition against Revolutionary France, the 69-year-old Russian General pulled off a move of pure tactical desperation.
Surrounded and starving, he marched his barefoot army out of Muotathal and forced them up a brutal, freezing ascent right up the valley you are descending.
Snow blanketed the pass, hidden crevices claimed horses carrying artillery, and cold rain battered the soldiers. Suvorov himself spent the night of Sept. 30th, 1799, huddled in a cold stone alpine hut right on the pass plateau before escaping down past Richisau.
Today, this route is preserved as the historic Via Suworow (Cultural Trail #55).
Stage 1: The Glarus Ascent (Richisau to the Pass)
The journey begins at the historic Gasthaus Richisau, a rustic alpine oasis surrounded by old maple trees. Lacing up in early August captures the peak of the Swiss alpine summer.
Historical Spotlight: The Forgotten Artist Oasis of Richisau
Before taking your first step, look around the clearing. In the late 19th century, this tiny alpine hamlet was a world-famous Belle Époque luxury wellness resort. High-society European travelers journeyed here for the "whey cure" - drinking warm, medicinal goat's milk whey in the clean mountain air.
It became a legendary sanctuary for famous writers and painters like Thomas Mann and Rudolf Koller, who came to escape reality under the centuries-old maple trees. The grand hotel palace tragically burned down in 1915, but if you look closely around the forest today, you can still find avant-garde outdoor sculptures hidden along the local Kulturpfad (Cultural Trail).
The current 1987 guesthouse building was built intentionally in the architectural shape of a traditional, three-aisled alpine Senn-hut.
The trail winds steeply upward through mountain pastures, offering sweeping backward views over the shimmering, turquoise waters of Klöntalersee. Hemmed in closely by the vertical walls of the Glärnisch massif, its deep alpine waters look absolutely spectacular under the morning sun.
Drowned Gold Legend
Keep an eye out on the lake below as you climb. Local folklore suggests that as Suvorov’s starving soldiers scrambled down past Richisau, they realized their heavy military carts couldn't navigate the terrain and allegedly dumped their heavy imperial war chest directly into the depths of Klöntalersee to keep it out of French hands.
Despite numerous deep-water diving expeditions over the centuries, the gold remains missing...
As you crest the alpine ridge, you hit the Pragel Pass summit at 1,548m - the border between two cantons.
Stage 2: Bödmerenwald, The Kapelle & Alpkäserei
Crossing onto the flat pass plateau of Canton Schwyz, you are treated to a wonderful mix of culture and geology. Standing right at the pass height is the Pragelkapelle, a beautiful little stone chapel built in 1969. Its bright wooden interior and quiet ambiance make for a highly peaceful rest stop.
Nearby sits the Alpkäserei Pragel, a fully operational summer dairy. Stop by their self-service fridge to buy a fresh, vacuum-sealed block of raw-milk Pragel Alpkäse (AOP) produced from the very cows grazing outside.
Medieval "Border Wars"
Long before it was a peaceful hiking path, this plateau was a flashpoint for centuries of territorial tension. Farmers from Schwyz regularly pushed their cattle over the geographical watershed down into Glarus territory, sparking fierce land disputes and cattle theft that escalated into regional court battles as early as 1417. A definitive border wasn't officially settled until 1680.
From here, the path skirts the edge of the Bödmerenwald, Western Europe’s largest primeval spruce forest. Growing out of a deeply fractured limestone karst landscape, this ancient woodland features unique, 500-year-old "columnar spruces" built narrow to survive winter snow loads - see my other article…
To your left rises the immense flank of the Silberen (2,319m), home to the most extensive limestone karst plateau in Switzerland, packed with deep, razor-sharp grooves (karren) and bottomless sinkholes (dolines). Again, I have an article on this hike.
Stage 3: The Landslide Area & Stone Slabs (Route Highlight)
Just past the high plateau, it’s time to leave the easy road behind. Branching off the main track, the trail drops sharply toward the roaring waters of the Starzlenbach.
WWII Fortress Connection
The only reason a reliable trail down this side exists today is due to the Swiss Army's emergency strategy during WW2. Under the Swiss National Redoubt strategy, the military carved out this high pass road in 1940 as a critical, highly protected backup supply line to transport ammunition and food from central Switzerland directly into the alpine fortresses if lower transit lines were compromised.
Once you cross the stream via the footbridge, the lush pastures vanish quickly. You are now standing directly inside the active landslide zone, right beneath the imposing cliffs where the massive 450,000-cubic-meter collapse of 2021 took place. To make this shifting sea of scree passable, early trail builders laid down the Staldenweg - a spectacular path constructed entirely out of massive, heavy stone slabs.
As you make your way down, the jagged crowns of Druesberg (2,282m) and Forstberg (2,215m) burst into view, towering nearly a thousand vertical meters directly above you. Navigating this section is an absolute thrill. Every step requires focus as you carefully navigate the slabs and rocks.
Stage 4: Final Descent to Hölloch
As the scree field tapers off, the trail brings you back into the greenery of the Muota Valley. The descent remains steady and continuous until you reach the valley floor at Stalden.
Your endpoint is the car park/bus stop near the entrance to the legendary Hölloch Cave, one of the largest cave systems in the world. This is where the landscape's deep secrets tie together: every drop of rain that disappears into the fissures of the Silberen karst and the landslide zone flows down through thousands of meters of vertical shafts, directly feeding the 200+ kilometer-long subterranean rivers rumbling far beneath your feet!
Refueling: Where to Eat Along the Way
One of the greatest perks of hiking in Switzerland is that even when you are walking through rugged landslide debris or dense primeval forests, a hot plate of local food or a cold drink is never too far away. There are some fantastic pit stops scattered perfectly along this route:
Start – Gasthaus Richisau (~1,100m): Before taking your first step, grab a coffee or a traditional pastry here. Surrounded by century-old maples, this historic guesthouse is famous for its idyllic garden and traditional Swiss hospitality.
Summit – Bergrestaurant Pragelpasshöhe (1,548m): Right at the highest point of your hike, you’ll find this rustic summit restaurant. Boasting a beautiful sun terrace with panoramic views of the massifs, it is a great halfway oasis - but bring cash…
Finish Line – Gasthaus Hölloch (Stalden): Once you exit the landslide zone and step off the trail, celebrate your 16 km crossing at this classic valley tavern. It is the perfect place to grab a local brew & a hot meal while resting your knees after that long 950m descent.
Logistics & Public Transport Access
Because this is a strict point-to-point hike over a mountain pass, using public transport is highly recommended:
Getting to the Start: Take the train to Glarus station, then board PostBus Line 504 directly to the Richisau, Gasthaus stop.
Leaving the Finish: Your hike finishes directly in the hamlet of Stalden. Walk to the Muotathal, Hölloch bus stop and take Bus Line 501 (Auto AG Schwyz) straight to Schwyz railway station, where trains connect you back to Zurich, Lucerne or Glarus.
Pro-Tips for Your Hike
Go on the Weekend: The Pragel Pass road is closed to motorized traffic on Saturdays & Sundays on the Glarus side. Hiking it on a weekend means mostly alpine silence, save for the cowbells and the rushing river.
Pack Trekking Poles: The 950m descent over hard stone slabs and loose scree is brutal on the joints. Trekking poles are useful for balancing on the uneven stone blocks of the Staldenweg.
Check the Weather: Because this route passes through an active landslide and riverbed zone, avoid this trail during or immediately after heavy downpours due to rockfall risk. Storms can also pose a lightning risk.
Mind the Operational Window: While hikers can technically brave the path whenever the snow allows, the full transit infrastructure - including seasonal PostBus Line 504 & the alpine outposts like Alpwirtschaft Roggenloch - strictly operates from late May until the mountain road officially winterizes in mid-to-late October.
NB: If you hike from Muotathal and miss the Richisau bus you've got a long walk ahead of you, but if heading to Stalden there are more choices available…
This route was hiked in both directions and in different seasons by the Author from 2017-25. Contact me by email for photos or to ask questions...
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