Following the Rhone River from its Source and down the Goms Valley

One of Europe's most important waterways, the Rhône River, has its source at the Rhône Glacier near the Furka Pass in the Swiss Alps. From the glacier lake near the Hotel Belvedere along the Furka Road, the river cascades down smoothly sanded rock walls into the valley, passes through the little town of Gletsch and then roars through a narrow ravine before leveling out in the Upper Goms Valley on its way to Lake Geneva.

The Rhone Glacier on the back, right, and from the lake the Rhone River flows down the rock wall.

Before the Furka Base Tunnel was opened in 1982 (providing year-round rapid vehicle transport by train instead of having to drive the winding pass road or not getting through in winter at all), the area was serviced by a high altitude train whose overhead electric lines had to be removed in winter and the railway line closed due to high levels of snow. The old railway line was later reopened as a Heritage Line for tourists.

After visiting the Rhône Glacier and Ice Grotto early in the morning we took a bus back to the Furka Pass and headed down to the old Furka Summit Tunnel to watch the crossing of two of these Heritage Steam Trains. 

From there we continued along the valley bottom following the path of the river to Gletsch, the home base of the old railway line and hub for the various pass roads which join here (Furka Pass and Grimsel Pass). 

Approx. route we took. Our goal was Oberwald in the Goms Valley below the ravine. On the left is the Furka Pass road to the East and on the right the Grimsel Pass Road heading West. 

Gletsch. In the early 1900's the Rhone Glacier reached all the way down the wall in the back. 

Along the way, as we stopped for a picnic above the ravine, we got treated to one more run of the heritage steam train coming up from Oberwald.

Our plan was to walk all the way to Oberwald in the Upper Goms Valley at the entrance to the Furka Base Tunnel, but 30 minutes short of our goal dark clouds rapidly filled the sky, and we were able to make it back to the pass road to catch a bus back home, this time over the Grimsel Pass, just before the rain started. 

Thirty minutes short of our goal we headed up the hill to the right to catch a bus back up to Gletsch.

In the mountains, the weather changes quickly.... 

Here some more photos of the hike (10 km, 3.5 hours)

From the bus back to the Furka Pass (on the left) we can see the tunnel of the original Furka Summit Railway line. The steam trains cross just this side of the tunnel. 

Heading down from the Furka Pass. To the West is the Grimsel Pass (our way home)

Zoom view of the "Dead Lake" (Totensee) at the Grimsel Pass. The road comes up from Gletsch.

First the train from Realp to the East....

Then the train from Oberwald from the West.

And here they cross. 

First we visited the ice grotto in the Rhone Glacier, then took a bus back to the Furka Pass, from where we walked into the valley and followed the Rhone River almost to Oberwald.

Back in the early 1900's the Rhone Glacier filled the entire curve in the back (that is just rock now) and flowed down to the valley floor.

Where the Glacier used to be.

Rhone River heading to Geneva.

A Eurasian Nutcracker, participates in reforestation.

Heritage train coming up through the ravine where we are headed.

                                 

Looking back to the Grimsel Pass Road. We were headed up that way later.

Heading down the valley toward Oberwald

The Rhone River tumbles through the ravine on its way toward the Goms Valley, and eventually to France.

Dudes are blocking our path. We actually had to walk around them.

We were going to head home through the Furka Base Tunnel at Oberwald, but caught a bus back over the Grimsel Pass instead.

The weather changes quickly in the mountains. When it looked like rain, we caught the bus back up the valley and crossed over the Grimsel Pass back to Central Switzerland.

From the bus near the Grimsel Pass you get a super view of the Rhone Glacier, what there still is to see of it, and the basin where it used to be, not 30 years ago.

The Grimsel Pass. Beautiful even in stormy weather.