Heart of the Swiss Alps (future trip)

I’m beginning to work on the outline of a trip I’ve had on the back burner for many years. The essense is a 250+km trek from the shores of Lac Leman (Geneva/Lausanne). Departing either from Vevey or Montreux, through the resort town of Gstaad, over the mountains to Adelboden and Kandersteg. From here one crosses through the high Alps, passing Oeschinensee, Bluemlisalphutte and eventually entering the Jungfraujoch region (Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald) and exiting over Grosse Scheidegg to Meiringen. From here one can shorten the route and end the trek, or finish the final 50km to Buochs on the Vierwaldstattersee (Lake Lucerne), via the route pass by Engelberg Titlis.

I’ve spent many days in this area, hiking and riding trains and buses. Hutte are readily available along the route, so pack weight isn’t an issue though there maybe as much as 10,000m climbing involved. I’m going to begin planning in detail, building a day by day itenerary.  Hope you can join us, if we ever make this trip actually happen.

For those going on my trip in 2022 you can access more details with this private password required link.

I am planning to hike this trip West to East, and stop at Altdorf, rather than go all the way to the eastern boarder. The trip is know as: Via Alpina or Swiss Route 1 Trek.

Here are the basic stages: (Remember you need to read these segments from bottom to top to understand the West to East route.) You can also on the maps see photographs along the routes.

These are from the SwitzerlandMobility 🇨🇭 website:

1.20 Rochers de Naye–Montreux

1.19 Rossinière–Rochers de Naye

1.18 L’Etivaz–Rossinière

1.17 Gstaad–L’Etivaz

1.16 Lenk–Gstaad

1.15 Adelboden–Lenk

1.14 Kandersteg–Adelboden

1.13 Griesalp–Kandersteg

1.12 Lauterbrunnen–Griesalp

Listed below is the official Route to Grindelwald and Meiringen

I will provide additional details but from Lauterbrunnen I am planning to go by train to Wilderswil, and then take the cog railway up to Schynige Platte. From there I will hike to the Faulhorn overlooking the whole valley with views of the Jungfrau, Monch, Eiger and the overall panaroma from the Schilthorn to the Wetterhorn. From the Faulhorn this hike will continue and pick up the main route again at Grosse Scheidegg.

1.11 Grindelwald–Lauterbrunnen

1.10 Meiringen–Grindelwald

1.9 Engstlenalp–Meiringen

1.8 Engelberg–Engstlenalp

1.7 Altdorf (UR)–Engelberg

 

There is also some useful information on the SAC site, but since there are not many Hutte on the via Alpina, it is not that useful, though for two of the Hutte mid trip it does provide route information to the Hutte and can be used to make Hutte reservations.