Post 2 - Overnight hike to the Bluemlisalphutte SAC

The takeaway:

• The Bluemlisalphutte, a Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) hut, is perched on a rocky outcrop at 2840 meters and is a must visit for those with an intermediate to high level of fitness - 10/10 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

• The hike from the hut to the Oeschinensee goes from rock and ice to lush meadows, and when the lake comes into view - WOW - maybe the prettiest lake in the alps - 10/10 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Learning an important lesson about the value of decent hiking gear on my last hike to the Brisenhaus, I chucked my old Columbia boots straight into the garbage. After I tried on roughly 37 pairs of new boots, I finally found the winner - the Zamberlan 760 Steep GT. Sadly Zamberlan has stopped producing this fine boot, but I have stuck with Zamberlans ever since. I currently rock the Zamberlan 1996 Vioz Lux GTX RR, which is like wearing a Cadillac on your feet (https://www.zamberlanusa.com/product/10698147/1996-vioz-lux-gtx-r-rr-men-s-hiking-backpacking-boots-waxed-black).

Along with my new boots, I also bought new Smartwool trekking socks for this hike. These fluffy monsters stood out above my boots and prompted my buddy to ask whether my granny had knitted them for me. Sick burn bro… but he actually had a good point, they did look homemade. I have since moved on to wearing Darn Tough hiking socks.

My buddy and I set off to the Berner Oberland for our overnight hike to the Bluemlisalphutte. This hut is quite popular as it is located on Switzerland’s most famous long distance hiking route - the Via Alpina (Route 1). The Via Alpina traverses Switzerland over 20 stages, from Vaduz (technically in Liechtenstein) to Montreux. Learn more about this amazing hike here: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/experiences/summer-autumn/hiking/via-alpina/. This hike constitutes stage 13 of the Via Alpina, from Griesalp to Kandersteg. Route 13 is notable because it crosses the highest pass of the entire route, the Hohturli at 2778 meters.

We began our trip by traveling to Kandersteg, our final destination the following day. We enjoyed a beverage in the sun while waiting for the train to take us to Reichenbach. From there we boarded one of Switzerland’s famous yellow Post Buses to take us to Kiental and finally to Griesalp (1409 meters). The Kiental Valley belongs to the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschorn UNESCO World Heritage Site and feels a bit remote. The 45-minute ride up to Griesalp is Europe’s steepest Post Bus route with grades of up to 28%! Lots of downshifting to get up those climbs!

The trail led off from the bus stop at the end of the road surrounded by a lush Spruce forest. 90 minutes of steep hiking brought us above the tree line at Bundalp. The forest gave way to meadows and the grade steepened. This was the type of hiking that quickly shuts down conversation, with the only sound being the wind and my heartbeat pounding in my head. At one point, we looked over and saw a Steinbock just 50 meters away. Pretty cool.

This portion of the hike was punctuated with constant on and off again rain. We were prepared with rain gear but the weather annoyingly shifted from cold rain to warm sun every 15 minutes. This meant constantly pausing to put on and take off our rain gear. On and off, on and off. Kind of annoying but better than getting soaked.

At 2400 meters or so, the meadows gave way to rocky ground. The final 300 meters to the Hohturli pass were fitted with wide steps, perfect for making our heartbeats max out. From the Hohturli, it was another 5 minute uphill walk to the hut. Oof. 4.5 straight hours of hiking and nearly 1400 meters of elevation gain. But so worth it. The views were epic.

Because of its location on the Via Alpina, the Bluemlisalphutte is very popular. Reservations are a must, especially if visiting on a weekend. Contact and other information can be found here: https://www.sac-bluemlisalp.ch/en/Blueemlisalphuette

On the day of our visit, the hut was packed. One of the downsides of staying in a popular hut is that the bunk rooms tend to be quite full. Anyone who has stayed at a hostel knows how hard it is to sleep with two dozen people rustling around and getting up to use the restroom all night long. On the flip side, staying at a busy hut gives one the opportunity to meet interesting people from all over the world. This is made even easier with the communal dining arrangements for dinner and breakfast.

By far, the best aspect of this hut is its location on a rocky outcrop high above the valleys below. From the hut, one has 270 degree views that explode into color at sunset. As the clouds shifted, we could see at various times: the famous trifecta of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau; the Schilthorn with its famous rotating Piz Gloria restaurant (featured in the James Bond movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service); the Niesen, an almost perfect pyramid next to Lake Thun; the Wildi Frau (translated - Wild Woman); and the Bluemlisalphorn with the glacier tumbling down off its face.

After a less than restful night of sleep, we ate breakfast and made our down the trail towards our final destination of Kandersteg. From the hut, the rocky trail descends towards the Oeschinensee, offering spectacular views toward the Kandertal valley. The top part of the trail was still covered in snow, so we got the chance to glissade down the slopes (aka sliding down the snow fields using our boots as skis). I only ate it 15 or so times, getting a face full of snow. Ouch but still fun.

With these views, this is really a hike you want to do in good weather. As we lost altitude, the snow and ice gave way to green meadows, with waterfalls and creeks swollen from the rain. At the Oberbargli hut, the lake springs into view with its surrounding 500 meter cliff faces rising up from the water. In my opinion, there is no prettier lake than the Oeschinensee. It is a must visit.

We took some time to relax at the lake and to soak our tired feet in the cool water. A bit weary from the descent from the hut, we gave our legs a break by taking the cable car from the lake to Kandersteg, saving an 500 meters of descent.

This was a truly excellent trip, with the highlights being the views from the hut and the walk the next day down to the amazing Oeschinensee. I highly recommend both the hut and the hike, giving both my highest rating of 10/10.

The hike was at the T2/T3 grade levels on the Swiss alpine hiking grade scale, so it is accessible to most hikers with a good amount of hiking experience. While steep, there are few drop-offs and the sections that do have them are well-secured. For more info on the Swiss alpine hiking grade scale, check out: https://www.sac-cas.ch/en/ausbildung-und-sicherheit/tourenplanung/grading-systems/. The hike will be most enjoyable for folks with a solid base of fitness, as the nearly 1400 meters of elevation gain on day one is quite demanding. The trail was well marked with white-red-white blazes and signs, so the route is easy to navigate.

As with any hike, it is important to consider your personal skill level and gear, including safety items, and remember to check the weather forecast. For safety items, consider bringing cash and a credit card, a cell phone, a small headlamp, foul/cold weather gear, an emergency blanket and whistle, plenty of food and especially water, a knife, sunscreen, and a first aid kit. You may never need these items, but you will be happy to have them if you do!! For weather, I recommend the MeteoSwiss app. Finally, prior to any tours to a SAC hut, I also recommend calling ahead to the hut warden to ask for info on hiking conditions. A little planning goes a long way towards making your trip a successful one.

One final note on safety - it is important to be honest with yourself and those in your group when it comes to your experience, fitness level, and the conditions. Hiking is not like going to Disney World - it has real risks. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Everyone has to assess and assume the risks for themselves. I also recommend becoming a Rega patron. Rega provides emergency medical rescue services if at all possible for a small annual fee. Rega can be reached by dialing 1414 or via the Rega app. More info on Rega can be found here: https://www.rega.ch/en/

Happy hiking!