[Removed user]

27 July 2019 at 1:58:48 #823083

Hello!

I am planning a trip to Switzerland for next summer (last week of July 2020) and would love some insight into our potential itinerary. I have found this site so helpful and would appreciate any advice!

We are hoping to do some Inn-to-Inn hiking. We love the idea of hiking village to village, but don’t think we’re quite up for the huts.

We are currently thinking:

Day 1 – fly into Zurich, train to Grindelwald

Day 2 – Hike from Grindelwald to Wengen

Day 3 – Take a train to Murren. Day hike from Murren to Gimmewald and / or other day hikes. (We originally planned to hike From Murren to Griesalp to Kandersteg over two days, but decided some of those trails sounded kind of treacherous – is that accurate?)

Day 4 – Train from Murren to Oeschinensee and do a day hike / enjoy the lake

Day 5 – Hike from Kandersteg to Leukerbad, take a train to Montreux (we were thinking of doing this because the hike looks beautiful but we’re not sure we care about spending time in Leukerbad)

Day 6 – 9 Montreux area

Does this sound reasonable? I know it would be simpler to just pick a home base in the Bernese Oberland and do day hikes, we just really like the idea of hiking town to town, if it’s possible / makes any sense. We are fine with relatively strenuous hikes, but don’t want to do anything too scary or technical (I realize this is somewhat subjective, but are hoping to avoid super narrow trails along cliffs and that sort of thing). Is there a better route we could use for inn to inn hiking?

Thanks in advance for any input!

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[Removed user]

28 July 2019 at 4:11:50 #918734

cclem– Welcome to MySwissAlps! Hiking town to town in a linear fashion in Switzerland is a rich, varied and rewarding experience that imparts a feeling of true accomplishment at the end of each day and at the end of your entire trip. Having said that, you do need to be ready for some rather strenuous days, with 1000- 1500 meters of climbing over 17- 25 kms in some places. You didn’t provide any information about your level of experience or fitness (or age), so it is a bit hard to match you with appropriate routes, but let me comment on a couple aspects of your itinerary.

1. I strongly recommend reversing your overall route and going from W to E, starting in Montreux, 0r perhaps a bit further E, such as Gstaad, Lenk, or Adelboden, and ending up in Muerren or Grindelwald. The advantages of walking E in this area are several– (1) You will be walking towards the main event/climax area (Jungfrau/Eiger/Munch massiv), rather than away from it, so you will have it in your view much of the time, without turning around, and it will be the end goal of your excursion, rather than the beginning. (2) I find it better to walk E in the summer in this area, as then you will be ascending in the cool shade of the upcoming mountains in the AM, and have the hot afternoon sun at your back in the PM as you descend to the next valley. (3) Certain of the passes (e.g., Sefinnenfurge) I find are better ascended from the W and descended to the E.

2. Regarding the Muerren- Griesalp- Kandersteg segment– if you can manage it, you will find (especially going in the opposite direction) it to be one of the best multi-day hikes to be had anywhere in the world. It follows the Via Alpina Green route and you can get details on it on the Via Alpina website, or by purchasing Kev Reynolds’ excellent book on the route. It is definitely strenuous, but I did it at age 65 and was off the mountain each day by 3-4 PM. As to scariness, you’re right, it’s relative, but I find the descents are more nerve-wracking than the ascents. None involve need for technical gear or involve narrow tracks along cliffs, although some do have some exposure for brief moments (usually with cables to grab onto), so you want to have secure footing and no issues with heights. Definitely bring two good, reliable hiking poles that will not collapse when you put full weight on them on descent. I do not recommend doing either Hohtuerli or Sefinnenfurge in rainy conditions, as the slate chippings/scree can get very slippery, especially on descents. On sunny days, however, they are quite doable for an experienced hiker.

3. With only 6 days at your disposal, you’ll definitely need to take trains to cover certain legs between Montreaux/Gstaad/Lenk and Grindelwald. The Kev Reynolds book can help you decide which legs to train. A complicating factor is that you will find it difficult to take a train and walk a leg on the same day, so train days will be off days, which won’t leave a lot of time to actually hike. If at all possible, I recommend trying to get at least 10 days to work with, or else narrow your geographic field considerably.

Enjoy the trip!

NTL

[Removed user]

28 July 2019 at 19:49:48 #918735

Thank you so much for your helpful response!

We are in our early 30’s and have lots of hiking experience, mostly in US national parks (Glacier, Rocky Mountain, etc.) We have only done one multi-day backpacking trip, which was on relatively easy terrain (Isle Royale National Park).

Your description of the trails sounds like just what we’re looking for – challenging, but not overly scary.

I think we’re going to take your suggestion and go West to East, and I will definitely be ordering that book you recommended.

We are now thinking:

Days 1-5: Arrive in Zurich, train to Montreux, sightsee around Montreux (Lake Geneva, Lavaux, not sure what else, but we are not planning to do Inn to Inn hiking for this portion of the trip.)

Day 5 – Early train to Leukerbad; hike from Leukerbad to Kandersteg (hoping we can do this on the same day as the train – looks like we could get a train arriving at 9 AM and looks like this leg of the hike isn’t quite as long / hard)

Day 6 – Hike Kandersteg to Griesalp

Day 7 – Hike from Griesalp to Murren

Day 8 – Still based in Murren – day trip to jungfraujoch

Day 9 – Train to Zurich, depart

Does this seem like a better itinerary?

Thanks so much!

[Removed user]

28 July 2019 at 21:39:39 #918736

cclem– Your experience sounds spot on for this kind of excursion. One of the things I love best about the Alps is not having to carry heavy backpacks while still covering some serious distance. It turns a drudge into a pleasure.

I’d sign up for that itinerary in a heartbeat, and then would be sure to log some serious time on the trail (or in the gym) getting in shape for it. I’ve not done the Leukerbad-K’steg segment, but the map (Schweizer Wanderkarte– Wildstrubel– 263-T) indicates there is a lift from L’bad up to the Gemmipass, which is about 1100 m above. Given this will be your first day on the trail and you are starting a bit late, taking the train, I’d tend to favor taking the lift (check to see that it is open, of course). Otherwise, that first day will be a long one.

BTW, would recommend staying at Berghotel Golderli in Griesalp. A classic Swiss berghotel, with wonderful surroundings and excellent food (and deserts!)

Others on this forum will probably have other thoughts/recommendations, especially as to places to see from Montreux. I’ve tended to hang more on the German side of Switz. While in Montreux, if you are a fan of classic rock n roll, be sure to ask about the hotel that the Mothers of Invention burned down there, in or about 1967, which gave rise to the Deep Purple rock classic Smoke on the Water.

NTL

[Removed user]

29 July 2019 at 1:41:52 #918737

Excellent, thank you! Your replies are making me even more excited for our trip 🙂

Thanks for the information on the lift in Leukerbad, that sounds perfect, and we will definitely look into Golderli too.

I appreciate all of your input!

[Slowpoke]

29 July 2019 at 17:14:24 #918738

Hi cclem-

Here are some useful resources. These maps are wonderful:

shop.swisstopo.admin.c h/en/products/maps

The ones called Wanderkarte(n) have the signposted trails marked clearly. I like to use the 1:25,000 when I am in difficult terrain (these are not Wanderkarten) . There is a smartphone app. Handy on the trail, weak for planning because you want to see a large area.

It is helpful to have a map on hand when you read Kev’s book. The Swisstopo map is the best:

map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=swisstopo&lang=e n&bgLayer=ch.swisstopo .pixelkarte-farbe&catalogNodes=139 2,1538,1396,1430,1436& layers=ch.swisstopo.sw isstlm3d-wanderwege&E=2626550.9 9&N=1152554.01&zoom=5

This explains the color coding:

http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en /wanderland/more-wl/hiking-trail-network-and-signalization.html

Here is more information on trails:

http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en /wanderland/wanderland .html

You can work from the map on that page ( click on the heavy green lines) , or from the named routes. Click on National Routes, then Via Alpina, and follow the links. The information includes altitude profiles, accommodation, etc.

My Swiss Alps also has a section on hiking, with a wide wide range of options, including a lot of easy ones:

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

Slowpoke