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KANDERSTEG TO GSTEIG

Day 11 Friday 18.8.00  

We woke to rain and distant thunder. The forecast was for a mixture of weather so we decided to go as far as the tree line and see how the weather progressed. The path followed the Kander valley as far as the Lotschberg railway tunnel and then climbed steeply uphill through forests; a very unpleasant walk due to the extremely high humidity.  

Uschental and the Lohner

Looking up the Uschenetal towards the Felsenhorn

  At Usser Uschene the valley opened out and the weather was obviously settling down, so we continued climbing up through a fault line in the cliffs and onto a terrace at Alpschole. Here we had a cup of tea at a farm and quite a long conversation with the farmer’s wife about the stresses of modern life in Zurich where her son lives. Then it was up towards the pass over grassy Alps and then on a firm path across scree slopes to a nick in the skyline at the Bunderchrinde (2385m).  

The Bunderchrinde from the east.

I had to include a least one Swiss Wanderweg signpost. This is the one perched on the top of the Bunderchrinde.

The Gasteretal and Balmhorn from Bunderchrinde.

Blumlisalp and Hohturli from Bunderchrinde

Here there were surprisingly good views of the Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger as well as deep down into the Gasternaltal, and a superb view down to Adelboden. After lunch we continued down the path across scree until we eventually reached the lane at Bonderalp. 

Adelboden from the Bunderchrinde

Bunderchrinde from the west - the path zig-zags down  the scree.

Bunderchrinde from the Vordere Bunder

Continuing along tarmac we walked down to Boden, where we stayed in preference to Adelboden.  

Just to show that not all the Alpine Pass Route is mountain walking here is a view of the gentle walk towards Boden with the Wildstrubel in the background.

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