Linthal: Mountain History, Trails and Hydropower

If you’re looking for a hotel in Linthal, you can plan your trip around the area’s themes: local history, trails, mountaineering and hydropower. This helps you decide in advance whether to focus on visiting the village, going hiking or exploring the technology of the pumped-storage plant.

Districts and settlement history

Linthal comprises the districts of Matt, Dorf and Ennetlinth, as well as the scattered settlement of Auen to the south. The area was initially settled on the alluvial fans of Auen, Durnagel and Ennetlinth, as well as on the mountain slopes. The village’s layout therefore includes both named districts and a southern scattered settlement.

Church and mountain history

A chapel in Linthal is documented as far back as 1283; it had been elevated to parish church by 1319 at the latest. A convent of sisters is also documented from 1333. The 1518 obituary book of Linthal recorded, among others, the people from Glarus who fell at the Battle of Näfels in 1388. The interdenominational parish of Linthal, which included three Tagwen (local communities), existed until 1869. The tower of the former Catholic church in Linthal is a protected cultural property.

The mountain history also has an exact date: on 11 August 1837, the three Linthal farmers and chamois hunters Bernhard Vögeli, his son Gabriel, and Thomas Thut made the first ascent of the Tödi. Their names and occupations make this historic mountaineering achievement a distinctive story from Linthal.

Trails and experiences

The historic Linthal–Breil/GR route crosses the Kisten Pass and includes a pack-animal and footpath over the Panten Bridge and Tor. Along the route, the Glarnerland Play and Experience Trail offers balancing and play features. It ends at the valley station of the Braunwald railway in Linthal.

Tierfed is the starting point for the hike to Muttsee. The first 1,000 metres of elevation gain can be covered by the KLL Tierfed–Kalktrittli aerial cableway. This makes it easy to distinguish between two different routes when planning your trip: a trail that ends in Linthal and a hike that begins in Tierfed.

Pumped-storage plant and getting to Tierfed

The underground Limmern pumped-storage plant pumps water from Lake Limmern to Lake Mutt, 630 metres higher up. The guided tour takes you 700 metres deep into the mountain, through machine and transformer caverns and the connecting tunnels. This gives the area a distinct technological focus alongside its mountain and local history.

The nearest railway station for Tierfed is in Linthal; the walk from Linthal to Tierfed takes around 1½ hours. The S25 runs hourly and directly between Linthal and Zurich. Check the timetable for your travel date. The KLL Tierfed–Kalktrittli aerial cableway takes about 7.5 minutes and covers an elevation difference of 1,053 metres. During its seasonal operating hours, it operates on a self-service basis.

Planning your stay

You can therefore decide whether your stay should focus on local history and trails connected to Linthal or on activities starting from Tierfed. The seasonal operating hours of the aerial cableway should be factored into your plans.

For the broader travel overview: Glarus South.