Route
The source of the river is at an altitude of approximately 2,200 m (7,200 ft), a few hundred metres to the west of the Surenenpass ridge. From here it flows westwards, descending rapidly and collecting many mountain streams. It roughly follows the route of the Surenenpass hiking trail to Blackenalp (1,760 m (5,770 ft)), the first farm dwelling along the route. At this point it is still a mountain stream and is named the Stierenbach. Below Blackenalp are the two Stäuber waterfalls (1,600 m (5,200 ft)) which fall steeply to the valley floor.
The stream continues westwards, past the Stäfeli (1,392 m (4,567 ft)) and Alpenrösli farms, and just past the latter crosses into the canton of Obwalden. From here on the river is named the Engelberger Aa. More streams from both sides of the valley join the river as it forms a wide gravel course. Flood defences have been constructed in this area to protect the town below.
Past Herrenrüti and Eienwäldli, the river flows under the Bänklialp bridge and past Engelberg town (1,000 m (3,300 ft)). It flows to the south of the Eugenisee hydroelectric reservoir but does not normally feed into it; the inflow from the Erlenbach and down from Trüebsee via the power station is usually enough to maintain required levels.
After Örtigen on the outskirts of Engelberg the river turns northwards and starts to descend a steep gorge, the Aaschlucht (possibly named as a play on words referring to the Aareschlucht). Here a hiking trail, the Erlebnisweg Aaschlucht (the "Aa Gorge Discovery Way") follows the river, crossing over it via a total of eleven foot and suspension bridges. After the confluence with the Arnibach the river forms the border between the cantons of Obwalden and Nidwalden, continuing until just past Grafenort after which the river remains in Nidwalden for the remainder of its route. The Aasclucht trail ends at Obermatt (658 m (2,159 ft)) alongside another power station reservoir.
The river continues along the valley, now flowing mostly level but still with the potential for high water during flood seasons. It follows the Luzern-Stans-Engelberg railway line and the 374 road, past the villages of Grafenort, Wolfenschiessen and Dallenwil. Along this part of the route it is sometimes named the Aawasser.
There is a dammed channel feeding a power station at Hostetten, and soon after that the river turns eastwards and crosses under the A2 autobahn. Finally the river flows through the town of Buochs and enters Lake Lucerne alongside the Aawasseregg beach (435 m (1,427 ft)).
The Aare or Aar is a tributary of the High Rhine and the longest river that both rises and ends entirely within Switzerland.
AA, Aa, Double A, or Double-A may refer to:
Lake Lucerne is a lake in central Switzerland and the fourth largest in the country.
Pilatus, also often referred to as Mount Pilatus, is a mountain massif overlooking Lucerne in Central Switzerland. It is composed of several peaks, of which the highest (2,128.5 m [6,983 ft]) is named Tomlishorn.
Obwalden or Obwald is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of seven municipalities and the seat of the government and parliament is in Sarnen. It is traditionally considered a "half-canton", the other half being Nidwalden.
Engelberg is a picturesque village resort and a municipality in the canton of Obwalden in Switzerland. Alongside the central village of Engelberg, the municipality encompasses additional settlements, including Grafenort, Oberberg and Schwand.
Nidwalden or Nidwald is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of eleven municipalities and the seat of the government and parliament is in Stans. It is traditionally considered a "half-canton", the other half being Obwalden.
Buochs is a municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland.
Wolfenschiessen is a village and municipality in the canton of Nidwalden in Switzerland. Besides the village of Wolfenschiessen itself, the municipality includes the settlements of Altzellen, Büren ob dem Bach, Dörfli, and Oberrickenbach, together with a large area of high alpine land, mountains, lakes, and glaciers.
The Reuss is a river in Switzerland. With a length of 164 kilometres (102 mi) and a drainage basin of 3,426 square kilometres (1,323 sq mi), it is the fourth largest river in Switzerland. The upper Reuss forms the main valley of the canton of Uri. The course of the lower Reuss runs from Lake Lucerne to the confluence with the Aare at Brugg and Windisch.
The Lopper Road Tunnel is a tunnel in central Switzerland. The tunnel connects Hergiswil in the canton of Nidwalden with Alpnach in the canton of Obwalden, and forms part of the A8 motorway. The tunnel was opened in 1984, and is 1,590 metres (5,220 ft) long. The tunnel has two lanes, and there is no central reservation. The tunnel runs under the Lopper, a shoulder of Mount Pilatus which extends into Lake Lucerne.
The Bernese Oberland, the highest and southernmost part of the canton of Bern, is one of the canton's five administrative regions. It constitutes the Alpine region of the canton and the northern side of the Bernese Alps, including many of its highest peaks, among which the Finsteraarhorn, the highest in both range and canton.
Titlis is a mountain of the Uri Alps, located on the border between the cantons of Obwalden and Bern. At 3,238 metres (10,623 ft) above sea level, it is the highest summit of the range north of the Susten Pass, between the Bernese Oberland and Central Switzerland. It is mainly accessed from Engelberg (OW) on the north side and is famous as the site of the world's first rotating cable car. The cable car system connects Engelberg to the summit of Klein Titlis through the three stages of Gerschnialp, Trübsee and Stand. In 2016, a direct route was created that bypassed Geraschnialp, going directly to Trübsee.
The Stanserhorn is a mountain in Switzerland, located in the canton of Nidwalden near to the border with Obwalden, with the peak at 1,898 metres (6,227 ft) above sea level.
The Bürgenstock is a mountain in Switzerland. It is located partway along the shore of Lake Lucerne. Bürgenstock is also the name of a resort located at 874 m a.s.l. on the same mountain. The lookout point at the summit of the Bürgenstock Mountain is the Hammetschwand. The mountain is almost entirely surrounded by Lake Lucerne.
The Ruchstock is a mountain of the Urner Alps in Central Switzerland.
Stansstad railway station is a Swiss railway station in the municipality of Stansstad in the canton of Nidwalden. It is on the Luzern–Stans–Engelberg line, owned by the Zentralbahn railway company, and is adjacent to the bridge that carries the line across the Alpnachersee arm of Lake Lucerne and into the Lopper II tunnel.
The Joch Pass is a mountain pass of the Uri Alps, located between the Bernese Oberland and Central Switzerland, at the foot of the Titlis. The pass crosses the col between the peaks of Graustock and Jochstock, at an elevation of 2,207 m (7,241 ft) and at the border between the cantons of Bern and Nidwalden.
The Lopper I Rail Tunnel is a railway tunnel in central Switzerland. The tunnel connects Hergiswil in the canton of Nidwalden with Alpnach in the canton of Obwalden. It forms part of the Zentralbahn Brünig line, which links Lucerne with Interlaken and the Bernese Oberland, between Hergiswil station and Alpnachstad station. It is 1,186 metres (3,891 ft) in length, and carries metre gauge track electrified at 11 kV AC 16 2/3 Hz using overhead catenary. The tunnel runs under the Lopper, a shoulder of Mount Pilatus which extends into Lake Lucerne.
The Bürgenstock Resort is a Swiss hotel and tourism complex situated above Lake Lucerne in Canton Nidwalden. The resort is located on the Bürgenberg and comprises a total of 30 buildings, including four hotels and a number of sports facilities. It is the largest integrated hotel resort in Switzerland. The complex is built above ridge offering north-facing views of the lake 450 metres below. Linking resort and lake is the Bürgenstock railway. Views to the south encompass mountains and scattered settlements on their flanks. The resort is of cultural and historical significance.
