Winter Hike: Lidernen
Beautiful, not too difficult, and beaten by few people: what more could you ask for from a hike in the snow?
Relatively close to Zurich, to reach the starting point of this hike, you need to get to the tiny but well-known village of Sisikon, and climb steeply up the east side of Lake Lucerne.
Between the too-tight turns, you wedge into a high valley, literally all the way to the end, when the road disappears into the snow.
Just before you reach the summit, you come across a small cable car, used to transport materials to the Lidernenhütte, the hut that will be waiting for you at the top.
For 10 Chf, you can climb aboard this basket (literally, a metal basket, open, not recommended if you suffer from vertigo) and avoid walking up a shady and steep slope, not very pleasant according to those who have ventured on foot.
You get to the top in a few minutes, and from here you start the real hike.
The hut, very pretty, made of wood with large windows with red and white shutters, will welcome you after a few steps, and is the last bastion of civilisation, with the exception of some picturesque wooden houses submerged by snow that pops up here and there along the way.
The path is not marked, and given the few tracks, you can venture into the fresh snow between the gentle depressions that rise to an isolated saddle with an incredible view of the surrounding mountains, snow-covered valleys and peaks that rise on the same side.
The descent follows a different route, and this time we went down to the valley on foot, down a very steep slope, so steep that you'll wish you had skis on your feet. You reach the edge of the valley, and continue along a more or less flat stretch, but higher up, on the sunny opposite side, along the summer track for mountain bikes, until you get back on the road. Maybe before leaving, buy some alpine cheese at the cableway, it's worth it!
