Long Hike on the Lötschental Valley High Trail

Thursday Sept.12 -- The reason we stayed at the Bietschhorn Hotel in the Lötschental Valley was so that we could start very early the next day on the 17-km, approx. 5+ hour hike on the Lötschental High Trail. That is, the other half of the high trail, having done the more popular part several years ago.

A short bus ride from the hotel is the large-cabin cableway to Lauchernalp, a popular starting spot for hikes in all directions. We were planning to walk out of the valley, and then overnight in the town of Baltschieder near the end of our hike.

We lucked out with another fabulous day! First a nice buffet breakfast at the hotel, then off in the cold and shade of the valley bottom, but glad of the sunshine on the trail above! The hike was superb. Not a lot of ascent, so the distance was manageable for me. The first half of the trail heading westward was above the tree line with extraordinary views into the Lötschental Valley (largest valley in Canton Valais) right down to the end where we had hiked the day before. Through alpine pastures and small communities of typical wooden Valais houses. Wonderful trails, lots of variety, we even saw what we believe is an Asp Viper (one of two poisonous snakes in Switzerland) right on the trail, spotted a rare Golden Eagle, and watched deer chasing each other through the meadows. 

The second half of the trail heading South was mostly on paths through the woods, although sometimes somewhat narrow with dizzying views into the steep valley below and the vertical flanks of the mountains across the valley. And then at the end an equally marvelous view from high up of the Rhône Valley before descending on the small cable car from Jeizinen.

When we got to the little town of Baltschieder (30 minutes with public transit) where we had rented a private room with a lovely family for the next two nights, we were thrilled to see Valais Black-Nosed sheep in several yards directly in the old town! We fell asleep to the lovely sound of their bells.

Large-Capacity Cableway from Wiler to Lauchernalp. At this time of morning there were only 8 of us riding up. That weird figure on the right is a local tradition in this valley. There are many such masks hand-carved here. They are called Tschäggättä masks and are worn at spring carnival to scare away the winter (pagan tradition)

Once up at Lauchernalp, the high trail we want to hike (along the right) is in sunshine, the valley below still dark, the air and view clear and exciting. The white mountain to the South is the Weisshorn, very prominent peak in the Rhone Valley

Heading West along the Lötschental High Trail

 

First stop after 15-20 minutes at the little collection of houses called Staffel. It was already getting warm and we had to peel off all the coats and leggings required in the cold of the shade below

As we admired the meadows below us, we saw these two chasing each other first round and round a little hill, then off across the meadow. Surprisingly close to where a farmer was mowing the meadow.

VIDEO: 

Dear chasing each other across the meadow

We started with a cable car to Lauchernalp, and ended with a cable car from Jeizinen to Gampel. There were only a few short uphill sections and the trail was so wonderful, that the length of it didn't bother me. At about the halfway point above Goppenstein, we no longer had the view into the Lötschental Valley, but rather of the steep furrowed flanks to the East, and then at the end into the Rhone Valley

Heading West, then South. In the center of the picture is a large clearing. That is the Faldumalp, the half-way point of our hike. The rest of the hike is mostly through forested area

Right in the middle of the trail was this snake (I checked it with experts, most likely the poisonous Asp Viper). We've encountered snakes on trails before, usually I almost step on them. I saw this one ahead of time, but by the time I had my camera ready, it was already disappearing into the schrubs. 

Still some cows up on these high pastures, but they are coming down in the next couple of weeks

The next community of Kummenalp. Here the trail heads South. (There is also a large Gasthaus up here). This place is a 1-hour walk from the Laucheneralp Cable Car Station.

First view into the Lötschental Valley as we head South. The day before we hiked at the very end of the valley, to those glaciers at the back. 

30 minutes after Kummenalp is another small alp called Restialp. The owners of this building and a few sheep and cows are up here for three months in the summer and cook small meals for hikers. 

Looking back at the small alp called Restialp, and the Lötschental Valley

The trails were beautiful, easy to walk, and the fall colours just starting, yellow and red (blueberry bushes) and sage greens

The prominent peak in the Lötschental Valley is Mount Bietschhorn, 3934m .

Extensive repair work done on these trails.

We saw a Golden Eagle, second-largest bird in Europe and a rare sighting as the population of these magnificent birds was largely decimated through hunting by end of 19th Century. One time when my photo is in focus, there HAVE to be branches in the way...

At the halfway point of our hike near Faldumalp is the best view into the Lötschental Valley, the largest valley in Canton Valais. 

A perfect spot for a well-deserved rest at the half-way point of our hike. (We started at Lauchernalp, which is just above my head in this photo). The day before we hiked at the very back of this valley, to the two glaciers.

Faldumalp

From Faldumalp was a short uphill section and the then rest of the hike was downhill

Looking way way down at the train station in Goppenstein. The trainline here comes out of the Lötschberg Tunnel to the North, and continues to Visp in the Rhone Valley to the South. From here we had taken the bus into the Lötschental Valley the day before

Lunch time at the highest point of the trail, the Faldumtörli. We were hoping for a bench, but it was high time to eat, so a large rock had to do.

The Rhone Valley is already opening up on the second half of the hike, with the Mischabel mountains (highest peaks totally on Swiss Territory) dominating the view. We had about 40 minutes of this kind of trail on the descent to the next alpine meadows.

At the alpine meadows called Underi Meiggu there were lots of these jet black Valais Ehringer cows. The trail continues as a mountain trail for the rest of the way, sometimes along narrow cliff trails with steep drops into the valley below.

A totally different landscape and trail than the first half of the hike. Very exciting.

This view is to the hillside on the South side of the Rhone Valley, to a community called Bürchen. Two days later we rode a bus through this community (a wild ride) for our fourth and final hike in the Matter Valley behind that rise.

This trail was wide enough to not be "dangerous", but exciting just the same!

This part of the trail already has quite a bit of shade mid-afternoon at this time of year. But this long flat stretch was very similar to the irrigation channel hikes which we like to do.

 

Shortly before our destination we are now high above the Rhone Valley. In the center of the photo is the city of Visp, gateway to the Matter and Saas Valleys, where we did hikes 3 and 4. 

A different kind of cow than what we usually see in this area

And our destination village: Jeizinen. From here we took the small-capacity cable car down to the village of Gampel.

Gampel-Jeizinen cable car

Gampel-Jeizinen cable car. From here we caught the bus to Visp, bought something for dinner, and headed to the nearby village of Baltschieder to our next accommodation. 

17-km trail high above the Lötschental Valley

Day 1 Hike: Fafleralp to Anenhütte and back, then overnight in the Hotel Bietschhorn in Ried
Day 2 Hike: Laucheneralp to Jeizinen, with overnight in a private room in Baltschieder.

Note: Baltschieder is a town at the entrance to the Baltschieder Valley, where we did the exciting hike along the irrigation channels two weeks earlier. 

Across from the cable-car station in Gampel were these Valais Black-Nosed sheep, and a tiny lamb, how cute! 

And when we got to the town of Baltschieder, there were sheep in yards and lots all around the village, getting ready for shearing. We fell asleep to the sound of their bells.