Alpenpanorama-Trail Switzerland / how to prepare for the grand adventure of the Pacific Crest Trail
12 days Hiking-Preperation in our homecountry for our planned Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike.
Our plan for 2018
In 2018 me and one of my very best friends are going to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). While we'd like beeing prepared as good as possible, we often go hiking. In fall 2017 we've choosen the Alpenpanorama-Trail (#3) in our homecountry Switzerland, of which we've heard a lot of interesting things. It was a great experiance and I'd like to write down my little story :-).
The Alpenpanorama (#3)
- Thru the whole country;
- Start: In the eastern part (Rorschach) (could say border to Germany);
- End: In the western part (Geneva) (could say border to France);
- 510km (316miles);
- Elevationprofile: Ascension: 18'500m / Descent: 18'600m.
- Condition: Easy/Average;
- Night, Food and Water-Possibilities: There are everywhere hotels and restaurants and stores (we camped on fields, forests and campings);
- Our trip: From September 23 to October 04 2017;
- All the way, with normal/low condition: 30 stages (30days).
As we couldn't take off so many days, that we could hike the whole #3 we just hiked a part of it:
Pink Line = Our way: Almost the half way: 250km (155miles) thru 8 different cantons (=States); a little smaller than in the US ;-)
Day 1: Rorschach - Rehetobel 15km (9.5miles)
After noon, we startet in Rorschach canton of St. Gallen. At the beginning we had some troubles with finding the signs of the #3. Luckily there were some nice girls which helped us out. Soon we had to climb some hills, but it was ok. The view over the Bodensee was nice and the sun shined the whole after-noon. We've found a great place above a hill where we built up our tents and ate dinner; Spätzle and red pepper!
Day 2: Rehetobel - Gonten 24km (15miles)
The night was quite cold, but ok. Glad about my very good Western-Mountaineering Sleeping bag :-) We didn't start too early - at 9am we were on the trail. The way goes thru small villages in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. We absolutly don't know this region of Switzerland and we were very surprised, how beautiful this area is! The people are also very kind and the farmer, which let us camp on his fields, gave us even a glass of fresh melked milk before we went direction sleeping-bags!
Day 3: Gonten - Schwägalp 22km (1.5miles)
After our breakfast we continoud our hike. The weather still made what we wanted! :-). In the night it was not so warm, and even in the morning, we kept our long sleeves, but in mid-day it really started to get hot! Not too hot, but actually quite hot for fall! While eating lunch we enjoyed the sun at our skin. This day we headed direction Säntis (highest mountain of the Ostschweiz) in the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden.
We spent the night right next to the Säntis, while my friend had the idea, to eat breakfast on this mountain the next day. We asked the lady in the small store where we bought some fresh Alpcheese, near to the cablecar, if we were allowed to sleep there and she was like: "No worry, nobody is interested in what people are doing..." So we did that, ate a great Couscous-Dinner with Chocolate-Mousse as dessert and went with a good feeling to "bed". 
Day 4: Schwägalp - Stein 13km (8miles) with detour...
Well, as told we packed our stuff and went early to the cablecar, which brought us on the Säntis! On the top of it, it was cooold and windy. And the sun didn't really want to come out, but it was very mystic what we liked. So we put on all our jackets, gloves and huts and ate quite quickly our breakfast.
Althought we didn't stay for a long time, we were cold and so we went short for a Kafi & Gipfeli (Coffee & Croissant) in the restaurant and charged our phones... With some chance we saw even an ibex!! 
Around 10am we were on the ground again and continoud our hike. We reached soon warmer, as the sun came out later on ;-). The nature was still awesome in all this fall colours and we really appreciated the hike. Unfortunately we missed some #3 signs.... So we hiked up on a mountain really high, and as we realised that this can't be true, it was too late... So we had to climb down everything and we lost some time, that's why we only hiked that much this day...
I really had pain in my left knee, and to walk was not funny anymore... When we arrived in Stein it began even to rain.. So we decided to stay in that small village for this night.
Day 5: Stein - Niederurnen 22km (13.5miles)
It rained the whole night, and still in the morning the weather wasn't better.. But we had to continue, as we missed some kilometers yesterday... Luckily, later the weather began to change! My knee was still hurting, but there was nothing, to do...
Now the trail goes thru the canton of Glarus! In the afternoon we reached Amden, which is quite famous, and we met a few day-hiker. 
Later we had to make some shopping, for the next days. We found a small "Spar", where we bought plenty of stuff and it was awesome! On the field of an old and cute farmer we settled down our tents and ate fresh tomates and cukes and apples and chokolate-cakes...!!! YUM!
Day 6: Niederurnen - Pfäffikon SZ 27km (16.5miles)
I was glad to know, that today the trail will be more or less flat. I still had pain in my left knee and I bought some painkiller in a pharmacy...
We decided to hike today not on the real #3, so that there are even more flat stages. Unluckily we had to walk a lot on tar, which was not that much cool, but anyway... Soon we came in the canton of Schwyz near to the Zürichsee. In a bar next to the lake we discussed the plan for the night, and realised that we had to continue a little bit, while we couldn't camp in the middle of the city of Pfäffikon ;-). (It's a real city - even for US people I guess). We were tired, but there wasn't an other possibilty. A little bit outside of the city, we found by chance a great farm called "Lützelhof", where we could put our tents. And we had even a warm place to eat dinner (Pumpkin-Soupe and Rize) and a SHOWER!
Day 7: Pfäffikon SZ - St. Jost 20km (12.5miles)
We had a good night and headed out direction west back on the #3 again! The weather has changed, it rained a little bit and was cold, but still not too bad. At mid-day we reached the Sihlsee and Einsiedeln, which has a famous cloister.
And we also liked that:
We made a short Lunch-break somewhere and went on. At an other small Alp-Cottage we drunk some coffee, bought fresh cheese (I REALLY LOVE CHEESE), and occupied a sweet cat and then, we went on.
Later somewhere on a small hill, we put on our tents, ate dinner, discussed the plan for the next days and went to sleep. The sun shined for us and we really enjoyed the place! Ah and by the way, we are in the canton of Zug now.
Day 8: St. Jost - Zug 23km (14miles)
Today we started at about 8am. We had a long day in front of us, as we had to do shopping for the next days, and because we had to reach Zug before 5pm, while there will be a huge rain-storm (as the weather-app said!). The day before, we had oranised a place on a camp-ground near to the Zugersee. In the morning to hike was nice, some hills, but not too much and a great view. (My knee still hurt.)
We arrived in time in Zug, and made our shopping! Quickly we put everything in small Zip-Locks and we were ready to go to the camping place. We had enough time to put on the tents, and then it started to rain!!! Really, mabye 2minutes later! Sometimes we have chance :-) :-) :-) We ate our dinner on the rain-covered terrace and were happy! The people on the camping were so nice, and we had a long speech with them. They know a lady which has hiked the PCT 2017. Sadly she wasn't back yet!
Day 9: Zug - a little bit above of Luzern 26km (16miles)
It really rained the whole night! I was afraid that my tent could fail, but no way! (BA is the best!). In the morning it still was cloudy, but not rainy anymore: Such lucky girls we are! We continued our hike, which went along the Zugersee, then a little bit up, to a small chappel and then down again.
We saw the Zugersee and the Vierwaldstättersee at the same time!!! How cool is that though?! 
In this region are a lot of apple-trees, and I even bought some fresh made apple juice from a self-selling-fridge near to a farmer!!!
We walked quite long, that we kept our plan and reached at almost 6pm Luzern! Above of the city we asked a farmer, if we could settle down our tents, and it was fine! These swiss farmers are real charming people!
Day 10: Luzern - Werthenstein 17km (10.5miles)
We slept well, after a great dinner and were ready for that day! The trail goes thru the city of Luzern and follows the hills around there.
Near to Kriens we made a long coffee-break in a restaurant, as it rained a looot outside. We know on the PCT that'll not be possible, but here, in Switzerland it is ;-). After that, the trail follows the river "kleine Emme" and is easy to hike. We slept near to Wertheinstein, and were lucky enough, that it only rained in the night again.
Day 11: Werthenstein - a little further than Willisau 19km (12miles)
Today was our last day on the #3. We hiked till Wolhusen and then we had to left the Alpenpanorama. Our aim was to reach OUR canton, the most beautiful canton ever: BERN, before we had to take the train, back home, and the next stage would have been on a mountain in the Emmental, so we decided to hike on other trails, than the #3, till Huttwil, which would be our final destination. The weather was very nice again, and we appreciated (disregarding my knee...), to hike!
Our last dinner, in a perfect location.
We felt so free and happy that evening. A little bit sad anyways, as we knew it was our last one...
For our dessert we ate a huge "Willisauer-Ringli"! The sweet girl in the bakary in Willisau gave us a lot of those nice biscuits, while she may thought that we'd be crazy a little bit. Or mabye we just looked hungry ;-)
Day 12: a little further than Willisau - Huttwil 14km (8.5miles)
The very last day of our hike. We were kind of happy and sad at the same time. I had still a lot of pain in my left knee, so I was glad, to know, that'll be over and also I was kind of tired, but I was like adappted for that "style of living" and really liked it, that I didn't want it to be over....
We followed the last signes back in the canton of Bern, on the top of some hills, very nice to walk and reached our final destination Huttwil about mid-day. 
We ate our last snacks, drunk our water empty and were glad, that everything went well, and like we planned it :-).I hope to hike the rest of the Alpenpanorama one time, and would love to doing that!
Alright...
Well, our adventure in the Swissalps is over and we're back in our warm and comfortable homes.;-)
I do highly recommend the Alpenpanorma-Trail in Switzerland. You can see really a lot of great spots of our nice, little country in a short time. I liked to hike the #3. As I said, it's a very various hike. A lot of mountains, and lakes, rivers, forests... What I also liked, and I know in the US it'll not be like that; almost every, let's say, two hours, there's a little town (village), or at least an Alp to see. I like that, so you can discover something and you realise that you are out of civilication and appreciate what you have! And what's nice too, everywhere, where houses are, there is also food!! And in Switzerland you don't have to worry about water. Almost near to every farmers-house or restaurant there's a little spring, and even sometimes "nowhere" you may find a spring (which is used for the cattles for example). And normally you can refill all your blatters.
That means, though, that you don't have to plan the hike, like you have to on the PCT! We planned of course, as I like to create nice maps and stuff, and we wanted to be prepared, but it's not that necessery, when you don't have a time-window. You find foot, water and sleeping-possibilitys everywhere, and when it's not high-season (summer) you don't have to make reservation.
The swisspeople are in generally nice people. They're not very "open to ask you: what the hell are you doing with that huge pack?!", and may just look scary at you, but when you begin to talk with them, or ask a question, they start to get interested and are very helpful! And as you can read in my text, we really had no problem with settle our tents somewhere. There was just one little farmer, which was'nt that friendly, but all the others were so nice, I'm really thankful about that. But, we recommend to ask, before you put on your tent somewhere...
I'm just a little bit afraid of my knee, and hope that everything is ok now. I do a lot of exercices, physio, massage and of course training! Every week-end I go at least hiking 10-20km (6-12miles), so I hope to be as good as possible it is, prepared for the big faraway PCT! :-)
If u should have questions about my (our) preparation for the PCT or the #3 in generally, don't hesitate to contact me :-)
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