Saxer Lücke (The Alpstein Gateway)

The Saxer Lücke is one of the most geographically dramatic points in the Alpstein massif. This 'Lücke' (gap) sits between the vertical limestone 'teeth' of the Kreuzberge and the Rhine valley floor, nearly 1,200m below. The trail from the Staubern cable car station follows a spectacularly flat ridge-line path before descending into the notch. Beyond the gap, the trail drops further to the Fählensee, a dark, fjord-like lake surrounded by vertical rock walls. The contrast between the rolling hills of Appenzell and the sheer, jagged limestone of the Saxer Lücke is staggering.

While the Ebenalp is most famous for the Aescher cliff-restaurant, the true adventurer continues upward to the Schäfler ridge. This hike follows the 'Dragon’s Back' of the Alpstein, a series of increasingly jagged limestone peaks leading toward the mighty Säntis. The view from the Schäfler hut (1,925m) across the Altenalptürm—a row of vertical rock fins—is arguably the most dramatic ridge view in Europe. The return trip involves a technical descent to the jewel-green Seealpsee, where the reflection of the mountains creates an almost unreal alpine scene.