Gommiswald in Winter: Ski Area, Ricken Cross-Country Ski Trail and Cultural Landscape

In winter, Gommiswald’s ski area with its easy and wide pistes takes centre stage. These pistes are suitable for families with younger children. The ski area includes a 280 m-long pole lift with tow bars and a 220 m-long pony lift.

Winter activities

The Ricken cross-country ski trail comprises 24 km of gently undulating trails, a 2 km-long night trail and a 14 km-long panoramic hiking trail. It also has a predominantly flat, 3.5 km-long beginners’ trail through the Durschlagen moorland, suitable for skating and classic cross-country skiing.

A 3.8 km-long toboggan run leads from the mountain restaurant to Ricken. A winter hike to Alp Egg, classified as easy, covers 3.5 km and includes a toboggan descent. Snow-covered mountains, frozen lakes, picturesque landscapes and cosy huts provide the natural backdrop for winter hikes around Gommiswald.

The different lengths and types of activity help you compare the winter activities according to their scope and focus.

Landscape and setting

Gommiswald lies approximately 4 km east of Uznach on the Ricken, in a gentle hilly landscape at the foot of the Ricken Pass and amid a local recreation area. The south-west-facing hillside location offers views of Lake Zurich, the Linth plain and the Glarus Alps.

An elevated terrace stretches from Giegen via Ottenhofen and Uetliburg to Berg Sion Monastery.

Culture and history

The Sagenbänkli network in Gommiswald comprises 15 benches with QR codes that can be used to listen to narrated local legends. All Sagenbänkli can be reached on foot or by bicycle. Their locations include the church, Ramendingen/Port, the Englenweg and the Griessweg.

The late Baroque parish church of St. James is considered the most significant cultural property in the municipality of Gommiswald. From 1789 onwards, it was built as a complete replacement for a James Chapel erected in 1497 and the old church dating from 1599. During the historicist redesign by August Hardegger in 1888, the interior of the parish church of St. James the Elder received two new altar panels and two new upper altar paintings by Franz Vettiger.

The Chapel of St. Felix and Regula in Uetliburg was built in 1676. During its renovation in 1882, Franz Vettiger created an altarpiece depicting Saints Felix and Regula. Uetliburg/Berg Sion in Gommiswald is listed in the Swiss Inventory of Heritage Sites of National Importance.

The Rickenstrasse, which runs through Uetliburg and Gommiswald, was an old pilgrimage route from southern Germany to Einsiedeln Abbey. The abbey church at Berg Sion Monastery is open for worship during the day.

Further activities

Badi Gommiswald has a 25 m-long swimming pool, 1 m and 3 m diving platforms, a 3 m-wide and 12 m-long flat slide, as well as a non-swimmer pool. The facilities also include a beach volleyball court, table tennis and play areas for ball games. The complex is complemented by extensive children’s playground facilities with a shaded paddling pool and play equipment for children.

For the overarching travel overview: See-Gaster.

More destinations

More places within the same destination:

Weesen, Ernetschwil, Goldingen, Schänis, Amden, Hintergoldingen.