High Trail to Tällialp in the Gadmen Valley near Innertkirchen

Wednesday July 8 -- This one was a last-minute decision, a variation on our original plan which was too risky to follow through because of a bus you had to book the day before. What we wanted to do was ride the Tällibahn cable-car near Innertkirchen in the Bernese Oberland, one of several cable-ways owned by the KWO "Kraftwerke Oberhasli" (the power plant most notable for its operations in the Grimsel and Susten regions, providing about 7% of Switzerland's electric power). 

According to our hiking map, if we started on the Susten Pass Road we could hike an approx. 3.5-hour high trail beneath the jagged ridge called Gadmerflue and then use the cable-car to return to the valley bottom near Gadmen, and the hike required only three ascending sections, so definitely an agreeable idea. As it turns out, this hike, like most of our hikes, took longer than the trail markers and maps indicated, as our very first descent was difficult: Overgrown trail, steep, loose rocks, and very wet. Never-the-less, once again we lucked out with perfect hiking weather, so it became a most enjoyable day. 

And an additional plus: The fastest way for us to get there was with the Postbus from the Reuss Valley over the Susten Pass, one of the most beautiful mountain passes in my opinion. Exactly two years earlier to the day we walked down the Meien Valley which is on the East side of the Pass, and in July 2017 we walked down the Gadmen Valley from the Pass to the West... (links to those photos at the bottom)

Heading up the Meiental Valley from Wassen in the Reuss Valley, toward the Susten Pass. Exactly two years ago on this very day, we walked down this valley.

Another marvelous switchback road toward the Susten Pass

On the other side of the pass is the Stein Glacier and the lake of the same name. 

On the way down the Susten Pass Road

Heading down the Gadmer Valley, we got out of the bus around the corner, and headed up into the side valley, then along that mountain flank

Start of our hike. Sign tells us that it should take 3 hours and 30 minutes to get to the cable car at the Tällihütte restaurant, but it took us at least 4 hours

We had three ascents to do, which wasn't too bad. It was the first descent that was the most difficult, on an overgrown path that was quite wet with lots of little rivulets sharing the trail. We started on the road side because there are only two buses during the day that travel over the pass (on the East side), and more buses that run from Gadmen toward the West

A short piece on the road before heading up into the forest. It looks a bit like Canada!

Heading into the Wendenwasser Valley

A Song-Thrush with its breakfast of caterpillar....

As we head eastward into the Wendenwasser Valley, this view is westward down the Gadmer Valley, and on the right is the hillside that we will be walking along

Heading down the hill toward the Wendenwasser River at the back of the valley. The mountain in the middle is Mt. Titlis, but it is not recognizable from this side. On the other side is Engelberg, from where you get the iconic view of Mt. Titlis with its year-long snow (glacier skiing)

At the peak of Mt. Titlis is the large hotel and weather station. A popular tourist spot when we have tourists

Below us is the bridge we are going to cross

Finally at the valley bottom, we head West to first cross the bridge, then head up the hill again on the other side

Looking westward along the Wendenwasser River

Another look back to the back of the valley and Mt. Titlis

Here is Urs showing respect for the cows by "Social Distancing"!

The whole hillside is an open pasture

Looking up at the steep cliffs and craggy peaks of the entire Gadmerflue range that we are walking beneath

Top of the second ascent. Way below is the farm we passed earlier, and across the way is the hillside we first descended

Ahead of us we can now see the Tälli restaurant from where we are taking the cable car down to the road in the valley bottom. 

A very nice hike with perfect weather for walking and super views

Looking back again toward the Susten Pass and where we started our hike

Very nice trails

Lush Meadows

Crossing a river with refreshing mountain water

Nice trails to walk. On the left is the Triftwasser Gorge, where you can take a cable car up to the famous Trift suspension bridge

45 minutes to the Tällihütte Restaurant actually turned out to be an hour

Cows grazing next to the Tällihütte

Looking back again along the high trail that we have been walking

Now we can really see down into the Gadmen Valley toward the Susten Pass. Three years ago we walked down the entire valley to the town of Gadmen below.

Made it to the restaurant!

Enough time for a panaché before we had to head down to cable car station!

This cable car actually belongs to the KWO power plant, but is available for public use. It is automated, and after you buy your ticket at the machine, you set the cable car into operation yourself. No need to wait, except if the cable car is already in use.

Heading down to the valley bottom. The bus stops along the road right at the little cable car station below.

Riding the KWO Tällibahn cable car, another one for my collection

In 2017 we walking all the way down the valley from the Susten Pass to Gadmen. This time we wanted to walk the high trail belown the Gadmerflue Ridge

Link to our hike in July 2017 down the Gadmen Valley:  HERE

Link to our hike in July 2018 down the Meiental Valley on the other side of the pass:  HERE