Über uns
WELCOME TO ZURICH HIKE & OUTDOOR!
This information page about our group has three main sections:
A) What we do – who we are – how we operate
B) The fine print
C) RSVP etiquette
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A) WHAT WE DO – WHO WE ARE – HOW WE OPERATE
Switzerland is a hiking paradise, with trails covering almost the whole country … and there is more to see: majestic mountains, beautiful lakes and evergreen fields, just to mention a few things.
WHAT WE DO
Since 2007 we have been organising a wide range of hikes and other outdoor activities throughout the year.
In summer we hike, but we also do rafting, canyoning, biking, inline skating and climbing (Klettersteig, Via Ferrata), swimming and more.
In winter we do snowshoeing, alpine downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, sledging/sledding, ice skating, as well as ski touring and more.
WHO WE ARE
We are a very international and diverse group, with people coming from all over the world – ranging from A like Australia and the Americas to Z like Zwitzerland.
Many members are fairly new to Zürich and are happy to meet other people and enjoy outdoor activities together.
Many of the organisers have been in Switzerland for a while, know the country well and know how to find great activities. They are happy to share their passion for the mountains and the outdoors.
Qualification:
Our organisers are usually NOT licensed mountain guides or other professional guides.
But our organisers are also NOT just random people looking for a hiking buddy, either.
We are in between – that is our positioning.
HOW WE OPERATE
- We are non-commercial:
Our organisers host events for the fun of it, to share their passion for the mountains and to enjoy the planned activities together with like-minded people. - Transport:
Our standard mode of transport is public transport – i.e. the excellent network of trains, buses, cable cars and other public transport we have in Switzerland.
No car needed!
This is why a frequently used meeting point is «under the Blue Angel» at Zürich HB. - Our group is open to everyone:
We offer events ranging from beginner-friendly activities to demanding outings for experienced participants.
However, this comes with two big «buts»! - But #1:
Nothing in the mountains is risk free and not every activity is suitable for everyone!
You need to judge for yourself whether an activity is right for you.
If you are not sure, start with an activity you consider easy.
We have a disclaimer that applies to all events.
See paragraph B) The fine print. - But #2:
Nothing in the mountains is risk free. Risks need to be taken seriously, and an individual participant can also become a risk or burden for the group.
The event organiser therefore has the right to refuse participation for risk and safety reasons. This explicitly includes situations where the organiser considers that taking a particular person along might pose an undue risk to the rest of the group, especially in difficult mountain conditions.
Such decisions are at the discretion of the event organiser and need to be respected.
Example: If the plan is a ski tour at 2'500m above sea level, the event organiser may refuse participation if they consider a person insufficiently prepared or an undue risk or burden for the group. - RSVP etiquette:
Event organisers can set a limit as to how many people can join an event.
Please be considerate and respectful of this.
See paragraph C) RSVP etiquette.
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B) THE FINE PRINT
As mentioned above, nothing in the mountains is risk free, and not every activity is suitable for everyone.
Therefore, the following disclaimer applies to all events:
THE DISCLAIMER
Our events are NOT guided tours!
Instead, they are get-togethers of individuals who are responsible for their own judgement, choices and actions.
- 1. BEFORE – What is foreseen?
It is your own responsibility to prepare appropriately before the event. You need to understand the planned activity and assess its difficulty, risks and hazards, as well as the expected weather conditions. - 2. BEFORE – Is it for me?
You need to assess the requirements of the planned activity in terms of experience, skills and fitness, and judge for yourself whether you have the necessary experience, skills and fitness level. - 3. BEFORE – Being prepared:
You also need to ensure adequate preparation, appropriate equipment (boots, clothing, gear, etc.) and sufficient insurance cover, and approach the event as if you were going by yourself. - 4. DURING – Judge and decide for yourself:
During the event, you remain responsible for applying your own judgement and making your own decisions. - 5. PHOTOS – You may appear in photos:
By joining, you accept that you may appear in photos taken during the event. Please do not expect photos to be removed or withheld from posting unless there is a compelling reason, such as a particularly embarrassing or inappropriate image.
In essence:
The events are entirely at your own risk.
The organiser also does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the descriptions.
The organiser provides an opportunity for participants to meet and undertake the activity together. Each participant remains responsible for their own decisions and actions.
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C) RSVP ETIQUETTE
Many events are limited in the number of participants they can accommodate.
WHY – REASONS FOR LIMITS
Practical constraints such as the capacity of a cable car can be a limiting factor.
In the mountains, group size itself can also become a safety factor. On some occasions, reservations or bookings may also require an exact number of participants.
Or – simply – the volunteer event organiser prefers a small group size and does not feel comfortable with a large group.
TWO SIDES OF RESPECT
a) If your RSVP is «Yes, going» and you do not show up, you may have taken a spot away from someone else who really wanted to join.
b) The event organiser will have a reason for setting the limit and has both the need and the right to manage the number of participants.
Therefore…
THE RSVP ETIQUETTE
- 1. Only sign up «Yes, going» if you genuinely intend to go.
«Yes, going» is not a «Like» button.
Rationale: Please respect that others might want the spot. - 2. If your plans change, sign out «No» as soon as possible.
Please also do that if – at that moment – you are only on the waitlist.
Rationale: Give others a chance to join. - 3. If you are thinking about changing your plans, please decide early enough to give others a realistic chance to join.
This means: Sign out «No» at least 12–18 hours before the event (≈ midday the day before).
Rationale: Give others enough time to still join. - 4. If you are signed up «Yes, going», then do join.
Rationale: See above. - 5. If two events take place at the same time, only sign up «Yes, going» for one of them – even if the other event is in a different Meetup group.
Rationale: You cannot split yourself. - 6. If you are still on the waitlist, please respect that you do NOT have a spot.
Rationale: The organiser will have a good reason for having set the limit.
All in all:
Please be considerate and reliable with your RSVP.
Your fellow members and the organisers will appreciate this!
(And – people see, people talk – you might want to uphold a good reputation.)
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LOOKING FORWARD TO YOU JOINING!
So ... please don’t be put off by the disclaimer. Just take it seriously!
And please don’t be put off by the RSVP etiquette. Just take it seriously!
See you soon!
The team of organisers
Kommende Veranstaltungen
3

Hallo Wien ! (T2-T3)
Zurich HB - Under the blue angel hanging from the ceiling., Zurich HB, 8001 Zurich, Zürich, CHNo, we are not going to Vienna. And, no, we are not even going to Austria.
The idea is a hike from Schwende up to Hoher Kasten and then a walk along the ridge to Stauberenkanzel, with panoramic views across the Rhine Valley and – yes – across to Austria. So we can give them a friendly wave and shout: "Hallo Wien!"##############################
RSVP RULES:
Cancellations after Friday noon will count as no-shows!##############################
OUTBOUND TRAVEL:
- 07:30h: Meet under the «Blue Angel»
- 07:37h: IC1 Zürich HB (direction St. Gallen) to Gossau SG
- 08:51h: S23 Gossau SG (direction Wasserauen) to Schwende
- 09:37h: Arrival at Schwende & start of the hike
THE HIKE:
- Duration: 5½h (plus breaks)
- Distance: 13.9km
- Ascent/descent: 1'350m/450m
- Difficulty/SAC class: T2-T3 (white/red markings)
- Map: https://schweizmobil.ch/en/tour/2422456
LUNCH:
- Picnic
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Weather: https://www.peakobello.ch/en/berge/hoher-kasten/
- https://www.staubern.ch/
- Photos 2021: https://www.meetup.com/zurich-hike-outdoor/photos/31454817/
- Photos 2016: https://www.meetup.com/zurich-hike-outdoor/photos/27495555/
RETURN TRAVEL:
- Cable car down from Stauberenkanzel (xx:00h, xx:20h, xx:40h)
- Bus from «Frümsen, Rathaus / Staubern» every hour at xx:08h
Target: - 16:10h: Drinks at Stauberenkanzel
- 16:40h: Cable car down
- 17:08h: Bus 411 (dir. «Bendern, Post») from «Frümsen, Rathaus / Staubern»,
then via «Gams, Zentrum», Buchs SG, Ziegelbrücke to Zürich - 18:53h: Arrival at Zürich HB
TICKET COST w/HALBTAX:
Total ticket cost: CHF 63.60 w/HT (plus drinks /food)
Thereof:- Zürich HB to Schwende: CHF 20.- w/HT
- Cable car down: CHF 20.-
- «Frümsen, Rathaus / Staubern» to Zürich HB: CHF 23.60 w/HT
TICKET COST w/GA:
- Cable car down: CHF 20.-
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DISCLAIMER:
By joining this walk, you acknowledge and accept the terms set out below.
This is NOT a guided tour. It is a private get-together of individuals hiking together. Each participant remains responsible for their own judgement, decisions, actions and safety.
It is your responsibility to prepare appropriately before the event. You need to understand the nature of the activity, assess its difficulty, risks and hazards, and consider the expected weather and trail conditions.
You also need to assess the required experience, skills and fitness level and decide for yourself whether you meet these requirements.
You are responsible for your own preparation, equipment (boots, clothing, gear, etc.) and adequate insurance cover. Prepare and equip yourself as you would if you were undertaking the walk on your own.
During the event, you remain responsible for exercising your own judgement and making your own decisions. If at any point you consider the route, conditions or any other circumstances unsafe or unsuitable for you, it is your responsibility to act accordingly.
Participation is entirely at your own risk. The organiser does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the event description and merely provides an opportunity for participants to meet and hike together. Any liability of the organiser is excluded.
By joining, you accept that you may appear in photos. Please do not expect photos to be removed or withheld from posting unless there is a compelling reason, such as a particularly embarrassing or inappropriate image.2 Teilnehmer
T1 hike Castles and Amusement: Augusta Raurica to Basel Herbstmesse
Zürich HB, Bahnhofplatz, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland, Zürich, ZH, CHT1 hike with 2000 years of Circus, Castles, and Amusement in Basel: From Augusta Raurica to the Herbstmesse via Alt-Schauenburg
T1, 20.5km, 773m ascent, 682m descent, 5h51’ walking time
The weather forecast for Sunday November 1, 2026 is downright spectacular for autumn in Basel, sunny and dry with some clouds, with noon temperatures of 8°C at the 700m high point Schauenburgerflue.
We note that the whole week is predicted mostly dry, so we expect dry sailing.We will be mostly on T1 forestry roads with some steeper parts in the woods.
The hike starts at 07:00 in Zurich HB under the "Blue Angel".
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RSVP:
- Please respond no later than Saturday noon with your firm participation.
- Do not cancel on short notice/last min before the event, else you are taking away someone’s spot and make organization difficult.
- No shows with no communication are not appreciated and can lead to elimination from the Zurich Hike and Outdoor meetup group.
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OUTBOUND TRAVEL:
- 07: 00 Meet under the «Blue Angel» in Zurich HB
(note: I will join the group on the train in Zurich
from a connecting train.) - 07: 10 IR36 (direction Basel).
Let’s try to sit together in the second 2nd class car
behind the train engine. - 08: 10 arrive in Rheinfelden, change train to Kaiseraugst
- 08: 22 S1 (direction Basel) to Kaiseraugst
- 08: 27 arrive Kaiseraugst
- 08: 30 Meet the group at Kaiseraugst train station
THE HIKE:
- Duration: 5h51’ (plus breaks)
- Distance: 20.5km
- Leistungskilometer: 28 lkm
- Maximum altitude: 700m
- Ascent/descent: 773m/682m
- SAC classification: T1
- Map and Route Profile: https://swisstopo.app/i/5/DTKRGUEQ
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Augusta Raurica
The well preserved Roman fortified castle city which controlled the access from Barbaric Germany over the Rhine to Switzerland:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusta_Raurica- Burg Madeln
The first of our medieval castles. According to legend, the knight of Madlen slew the knight of Schauenburg in order to steal his wife.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruine_Madeln- Burg Schauenburg
Alt-Schauenburg and Neu-Schauenburg, the two high-lookout mountaintop medieval fortified castles providing the rearguard protection against the barbaric Germans and dominated the local serfs:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruine_Alt-Schauenburg
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruine_Neu-Schauenburg
Notice how “Neu” actually means the older castle in this instance, as the younger castle was abandoned after the Great Basel Earthquake of 1356, while the older one was rebuilt, and thus became “New”.
Also note that Basel is on an active tectonic fault line, and this earthquake is supposed to repeat every 500 years.
So the earthquake is overdue by 200 years now, and we might just enjoy a really rocking weekend!- The dominating cliffs of the Schauenburgerfluh:
We will enjoy panoramic views and see the Gallo-Roman hill temple where sacrifices were made to the gods.
Best suggestions for sacrifices are encouraged 😊
Burning Snickers bars and incense, that kind …
https://www.mythische-orte.eu/frenkendorf/#:~:text=Auf%20der%20Schauenburgerfluh%20%E2%80%93%20einem,400%20den%20G%C3%B6ttern%20geopfert%20wurde.- Gallo-Roman Temple on Schauenburgerflue
- Burg Reichenstein
The fifth castle on our itinerary, today still serving as a fantastic lookout over Arlesheim, Basel and the Rhine Valley, and as a restaurant for fancy weddings:
https://www.arlesheim.ch/de/portrait/burg_reichenstein.php- Basler Wasserturm auf dem Bruderholz:
The ultimate children and dog walkers dreamspot in the park on the Bruderholz hill, where the rich Basler Bürger have their villas and need their water supplied from an even higher tower, offering a grandiose viewing platform over Basel.
We will of course climb this tower:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasserturm_Bruderholz- Basler Herbstmesse
The biggest and oldest amusement and trade fair in Switzerland, which opened a week ago and lasts for another week.
We will do joyrides and eat sweets!
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basler_Herbstmesse- Basler Münster cathedral
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basler_M%C3%BCnster
DESCRIPTION:
We will go on a hike spanning two thousand years of circus and fortifications. A line of castles erected along the Rhine is our guide, starting at the strategic shallow river fords at “Rhein Felden” where Romans and Germans fought back and forth to cross the river without the need for a bridge at Augusta Raurica, whose remarkably well preserved Amphitheater and Museum we will pass.
Crossing the Ergolz river, we pass the Hülftendenkmal, commemorating the WW2 bunker fortress line blocking access from the north into the center of Switzerland against the Germanic hordes (yes, it’s a theme of the last 2000 years…).
We then ascend the steep Jura heights, where medieval knights and dukes built their dominating castles of Madeln, Schauenburg, and Reichenstein, guarding against the Germanic hordes.
The highest point on our route is the Schauenburgerfluh at 700m, an impressive sheer cliff giving spectacular views of the Rhine valley, and an option to perform sacrifices at the historic Roman temple.
We continue conquering castle after castle by proceeding to Burg Reichenstein in Arlesheim.
From there, through lush villa suburbs, we cross the Birs, and ascend the even lusher argented hill suburb of Bruderholz, the “Züriberg” of Basel. At the peak we climb the Bruderholz Wasserturm water tower.
Then we descend into the Gundeli suburb, where we take the tram to the Münsterplatz on the Rhine knee bend.
The Münsterplatz is one of the seven locations of the Basler Herbstmesse, and we might see more of those locations, time and energy permitting.
In front of the beautiful Münster cathedral we take a ride on the romantic Ferris wheel and enjoy yet another spectacular view.The hike starts at the train station in Kaiseraugst.
We will always be reasonably close to civilization and public transport.
After 15km at maybe 14:00 we come back down to Arlesheim, where those in a hurry can jump on a train and join the amusements of the Herbstmesse faster.
EQUIPMENT:
· Sunscreen
· Good sturdy shoes with a high-grip big-block mountain Vibram sole. (categorically no sneakers, no sandals or open shoes)
· Hiking Poles seem unnecessary but optional
· Rain jacket, just in case.
· Picnic lunch and Water (It will be a long walk. There might be a village fountain or Restaurant every couple km where you can refill your bottle, no guarantee)
· Money, smartphone, ID, health insurance card, train ticket
· Good mood 😊LUNCH and Food:
Coffee, maybe around 13:30 at Restaurant Schönmatt
Picnic, planned at 12:00 at Alt-Schauenburg.RETURN TRAVEL:
We should arrive in Basel at the Münster around 16h-17h, where the autumn fair Herbstmesse fun part starts. Depart Basel any time to Zurich.
Travel to Zurich takes ca 1h, departing every few minutes until late into the night.COST w/HALBTAX:
Total cost about CHF 40.- w/HT (plus food/drinks/water tower)
Consider buying a ticket option including local transport in Basel.COST w/GA:
none (plus food/drinks/water tower)############################
DISCLAIMER:
By joining this walk, you acknowledge and accept the terms set out below.
This is NOT a guided tour. It is a private get-together of individuals hiking together. Each participant remains responsible for their own judgement, decisions, actions and safety.
It is your responsibility to prepare appropriately before the event. You need to understand the nature of the activity, assess its difficulty, risks and hazards, and consider the expected weather and trail conditions.
You also need to assess the required experience, skills and fitness level and decide for yourself whether you meet these requirements.
You are responsible for your own preparation, equipment (boots, clothing, gear, etc.) and adequate insurance cover. Prepare and equip yourself as you would if you were undertaking the walk on your own.
PLEASE DO NOT JOIN IF YOU ARE NOT ABSOLUTELY SURE TO BE FIT AND PREPARED AND HAVE THE NECESSARY EXPERIENCE.
During the event, you remain responsible for exercising your own judgement and making your own decisions. If at any point you consider the route, conditions or any other circumstances unsafe or unsuitable for you, it is your responsibility to act accordingly.
Participation is entirely at your own risk. The organiser does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the event description and merely provides an opportunity for participants to meet and hike together. Any liability of the organiser is excluded.
By joining, you accept that you may appear in photos. Please do not expect photos to be removed or withheld from posting unless there is a compelling reason, such as a particularly embarrassing or inappropriate image.5 Teilnehmer
Vergangene Veranstaltungen
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