Blümlisalphütte from Griesalp and back via the Oeschinensee
Over Hohtürli pass from Griesalp to Kandersteg and down via the Oeschinensee.
The Blümlisalphütte:
This is a long, hard but very rewarding walk with incredible views from Hohtürli pass on good days.
The walk is more interesting starting from Griesalp, rather than doing an out-and-back from Kandersteg but the
train and
Post Bus times are very unfavourable ( see
http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadmin/fap_pdf_fields/2017/330.pdf and
http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadmin/fap_pdf_fields/2017/31.220.pdf ). To get the 7:27 Post Bus from Reichenbach you need to catch the 6:27 bus (Mondays to Fridays only) from Kandersteg to Frutigen and change to the 7:06 train to Reichenbach, arriving at the Griesalp at 8:12. The 7:12 train from Kandersteg to Reichenbach will miss the Post Bus by 7 minutes!
It is a good walk from the Griesalp over alpine meadow to Undere Bundalp and on to Obere Bundalp. From here it is between 2 1/4 and 2 1/2 hours up to Hohtürli pass, zigzagging over the lower shale path and finally up the steep rock path with occasional steps and rope hand-holds provided. The vertical rise from Griesalp to Hohtürli is 1370m with another 80m up the short (but steep) path to the Blümlisalphütte.
The Blümlisalphütte is a large and very well founded "hut" where food and drink is readily available (delivered by helicopter but at amazingly good prices when that is considered). The view over the Blümlisalp range and the glaciers is wonderful.
The way down to Kandersteg retraces the route back to Hohtürli and then follows a steep but well-made zigzag path down to a small lake and a moraine. You probably want to rest your knees for a while at this point! From here it is about another 50 minutes down to the farm house at Ober Bärgli. At Ober Bärgli there are two choices: take the higher path over Heuberg arriving on the main Oeschinensee path 10 minutes away from the top of the gondolbahn; or continue down beside a waterfall to Unter Bärgli and down to the shore of the Oeschinensee lake with a 25 minute walk from there to the top of the gondolbahn. Overall, there isn't much difference in timings - it's about 1 hour 30 minutes from Ober Bärgli to the top of the Oeschinensee gondolbahn. It is nearly 1200m vertical distance from the Blümlisalphütte to the top of the gondolbahn (last journey down is 18:00).
Timings are given both from the Griesalp and as an out-and-back from Kandersteg.
Time |
Height |
Location |
Comment |
OR from Kandersteg |
Time |
Height |
Location |
Comment |
08:20:00 |
1408 |
Griesalp |
08:20 |
1682 |
Top of Gondolbahn |
09:05:00 |
1690 |
Undere Bundalp |
08:27 |
1670 |
Schalthaus |
Having taken the path to Heuberg |
09:25:00 |
1840 |
Obere Bundalp |
09:20 |
1940 |
Heuberg |
10 mins rest |
09:55:00 |
2020 |
Signpost |
10:05 |
1973 |
Ober Bärgli |
11:40:00 |
2778 |
Hohtürli |
10 mins rest & view |
11:05 |
2365 |
Start of moraine |
12:00:00 |
2840 |
Blümlisalphütte |
60 mins lunch |
12:20 |
2778 |
Hohtürli |
14:35:00 |
|
Base of moraine |
10 mins rest |
12:35 |
2840 |
Blümlisalphütte |
85 mins lunch at Hut, leave 14:00 |
15:35:00 |
1973 |
Ober Bärgli |
15 mins rest |
15:10 |
2365 |
Moraine |
16:55:00 |
1593 |
Oeschinensee |
10 mins rest |
16:00 |
1973 |
Ober Bärgli |
10 mins rest |
17:30:00 |
1682 |
Top of Gondolbahn |
Last descent at 18:00 (2017) |
16:25 |
1724 |
Unter Bärgli |
|
16:55 |
1590 |
Chuematti |
At Oeschinensee shore |
|
17:10 |
1593 |
Hotel Oeschinensee |
10 mins rest |
|
17:45 |
1682 |
Top of Gondolbahn |
--
JaneCurry - 2011-05-18 - 19:43