[Anonymous]

17 April 2017 at 18:39:35 #811436

My husband and I will be in Switzerland this September. We are 57 and 62, enjoy taking the path less travelled and prefer easy/moderate hiking, but don’t mind kicking it up to strenuous for short bursts!

We arrive in Geneva (firm because of frequent flier points)on the 13th. From there I thought we could use Hotel Bernerhof/Kandersteg as a home base and spend 5-6 days doing day hikes around the area , weather permitting(Blause, Gasterntal/Kanderfirn Glacier, Oeschinensee, Allmenalp,Daubensee/Gemini Pass) . sAny value staying around Geneva for a day or 2?

For the next part, my thought is to use Lucerne as a home base and see Mount Stanserhorn, Mount Pilatus, Mount Titlis. Any other suggestions?

Can we fit in a trip To Junfraujoch? To BIRG? Ideally, we don’t want to pack and unpack too many times ;o), but others have mentioned staying in Engelberg or Murren – comments?

Our plan is to meet our daughter on the 25th or 26th in Munich for Oktoberfest and fly home on the 29th to the US.

Any advice would be appreciated!

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[User]

Reply 1 of 7 • 17 April 2017 at 23:21:31 #861689

Hi Robnclaire –

Welcome to My Swiss Alps.

I can see that you have been doing your homework. Unfortunately, there are very few hikes in Switzerland which qualify as “less travelled.” The Swiss make it easy to get to trail heads, and the scenery is so spectacular that a lot of peole show up in the warmer months

There are certainly good hikes available from Kandersteg. (By the way, it is the Gemmi Pass, not Gemini). The Gemmi Pass is famous, and you will find a lot of hikers on it, and even more around the Oeschinensee.

The question of packing and unpacking is tough to answer. I hate to waste time checking in and out of hotels, and my compromise is 2-3 nights in one place; 4 if it is really a good location. (Such as Wengen) But, there are too many good things almost everywhere….sometimes when I am short on time and plan to visit several friends I end up with one night stands. However, I have been around Switzerland a lot, and I can pick and choose with some idea of what I am passing up elsewhere. 😉

Near Luzern, you might like to hike some or all of the Swiss Path. (Auf deutsch – “Der Weg der Schweiz.”)

map.wanderland.ch/?lang=de&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=20&X =688529&Y=199855&layer s=Wanderland

Here is my take on an easy portion of it:

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/the-swiss-path-and-southern-lake-lucerne

Here are some things to consider –

1.- A good source of information about the Jungfrau region might cause you to consider visiting there:

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim

2.- The best link for information about hikes:

map.wanderland.ch/?lang=de&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=20&X =612240&Y=149000&layer s=Wanderland

Note the menu is in the link above. You can turn on transport connections, etc.

I turned off the menu to get more map in this one:

map.wanderland.ch/?lang=de&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=10&X =618020&Y=149170&layer s=Wanderland

If i enter the search term “Gemmi Pass” I get this:

map.wanderland.ch/?lang=de&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=1&X= 613289&Y=138338&layers =Wanderland

You can find out about some routes by clicking on them. Or, search by a town name, etc.

Once you have a major named route, you can get altitude profiles, accommodation information, etc. My only problem with this site is that I have to try a few different ways to search each time I use it…I have not mastered the tricks to quickly get to the substantial information available.

3.- SwissTopo is the most complete map for geographers, geologists, serious hikers…..

There are many “overlays” available.

Here, I have turned on hiking trails, and you get the color coding for difficulty:

map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=ech&lang=en&bgLa yer=ch.swisstopo.pixel karte-farbe&layers=ch.bav.ha ltestellen-oev,ch.swisstopo.swiss tlm3d-wanderwege&layers_visi bility=false,true&X=14 9711.06&Y=618032.66&zo om=5

Note at least one blue route shows – technical climbing.

http://www.alpenwild.com/stat icpage/trail-signs-in-the-swiss-alps/

4.- Suggested hikes in this forum:

http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king

Check under “Find Trails.”

5.-You can certainly fit in a trip to Jungfraujoch.

To understand travel routes and times, use the SBB Timetable. The link in this forum is a good place to startm because it has some useful pointers:

http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

The direct link is:

http://www.sbb.ch/en/

The new edition, now made friendly for tablets and smart phones, has just appeared. I am still learning my way around it, as I am am used to working from the older version that was best for desktops…lots of detail on one page. So, I can’t give much guidance, but I strongly suggest that you spend time with it and a map. It will give you a good sense of the possible, and how long it will take.

Because you have mentioned a couple of famous and hardly “less travelled” destinations (Jungfrau and Birg) , I wonder if you might stay a couple of nights in that area, near the Jungfrau?

http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

http://www.swissholidayco.com /Public/Assets/User/fi les/Map-of-Jungfrauregion1.jpg

My favorite easy hike, which can be beautiful at any time of year and combines”easy” with stunning scenery, but, especially in September, is the walk from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg.

http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/maennlichen-kleinescheidegg

A few pictures are attached.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 2 of 7 • 18 April 2017 at 0:21:46 #861690

Slowpoke- It’ll take us a couple of days to sift through all the links, but your thoroughness (and quick response!)is greatly appreciated!

Best,

Claire and Rob

[User]

Reply 3 of 7 • 18 April 2017 at 1:36:15 #861691

<<“Slowpoke- It’ll take us a couple of days to sift through all the links, but your thoroughness (and quick response!)is greatly appreciated!”>>

Thanks- You have some time to sort things out.

Too many good things to do and see.

Ask as you look through things.

Oh yes. I used to work near Geneva.. I was based in the USA, but our laboratory had some locations near Geneva. After many trips, I found that I did not stay near Geneva after my trips, but, rather took the train to more eastern and northern parts.

Near Geneva, I would send colleagues from the USA to Rochers de Naye ( above Montreux) and Gruyeres. I tended to stay in Murten.

These days, I always include a stop in the “Three Lakes Region” at Ligerz or Sugiez, or, Fribourg.

There is more to Switzerland than the Alps, but he Alps are the place to go on your first trip. And, Luzern.

Slowpoke

[AlanPrice]

Reply 4 of 7 • 18 April 2017 at 20:24:46 #861692

Hi Rob n Claire,

Slowpoke has given you a lot of pertinent info, but I just wanted to add a couple of things. As he pointed out, there really aren’t too many places in Switzerland you could call “Less Traveled”. Famous attractions such as the Jungfrau and the Matterhorn are a magnet for people from all over the world , but lesser know areas like Glarusland or Graubunden are places that appeal to Swiss and German holiday makers because they are less busy.

The Kandertal has a lot of attractions. The Allmenalp is best known for a spectacular rock climb, but there is a cable car that runs up to a mountain restaurant with fantastic views of the valley. It’s a favorite place for paragliders. Oeschinensee is a jewel and a must see.

You mentioned going to Birg, and I was wondering if you meant the cable car station halfway along the Schilthorn cable way? It’s not really a destination in itself, but a transfer point for the cable car going to the Piz Gloria.

Cheers

Alan

[User]

Reply 5 of 7 • 19 April 2017 at 0:37:50 #861693

Hi Allan –

Thanks for jumping in. Nice to have your experienced comments. Especially about “less-travelled.”

I do find trails without many hikers in the Emmental, but then you have to look at the Alps from a distance.

See attached. (oops- attachments are not sticking. I’ve tried twice. Will try again in another post.)

I don’t know the Kandertal very well, and your comments have caused me to want to go back. Thank you. The restaurant at Allmenalp (is that correct? not quite sure from your comments) ) sounds like a good target. I’ve a friend with limited mobility ( bad back) and I’m working toward knee joint replacement(s). Is it easily accessible from the Seilbahn?

We have enjoyed the Graubunden… the vineyards near Maienfeld, Altes Bad Pfäfers, and the Engadine at the Austrian end…Scuol, Ftan, Guarda. Nice walks, including the National Park. Lots of old trans-Alpine history.

However…less traveled? In this parking lot at S-Charl, there is a “Zentral Parkuhr” ( a pay station that dispenses tickets to put on your dashboard.) That is really out in the middle of nowhere.

map.search.ch/?pos=821271,177955&z=51 2

Slowpoke

[AlanPrice]

Reply 6 of 7 • 19 April 2017 at 7:48:22 #861694

Hi Slowpoke,

The Bergrestaurent Allmenalp is right next to the cable car top station and is well placed for those with mobility issues. The photo is of friends who did the Klettersteig with me, having a well earned Rosti, while enjoying the view. The cable car doesn’t go to the top of the mountain, but is well placed, none the less.

Check out Google maps http://www.google.com.au/maps /@46.4923839,7.6494924 ,144m/data=!3m1!1e3 and zoom out to get the overall view

[User]

Reply 7 of 7 • 19 April 2017 at 9:11:40 #861695

Hi Alan –

Thanks.

We had gotten in the habit of thinking of Kandersteg as a place that we pass through when we are going to and from the Südrampe trail.

Looks like the walk from the Bahnhof to the Talstation is easy, too. Less than a km and only 5 meters altitude change.

For hikes in Switzerland, I tend to use the map on Switzerland Mobility because it shows altitudes. I’ve not figured out how to do that on Google maps.

map.wanderland.ch/?lang=de&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=2.5& X=616695&Y=149055&laye rs=Wanderland%2CStatio n

Or, if i want a good choice of map views, including satellite and various graphic treatments as well as a wide choice of other esoteric information, I use SwissTopo.

Slowpoke