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