From Simmenthal to Adelboden via Mt. Tierberg

(This post published on January 11, 2023. Photos of Day 1 and Day 2 in Lenk area are HERE and HERE)

Tuesday September 13, 2022 -- The nice thing about overnighting in a small mountain hostel is that there are not a lot of people when you get up in the morning! After a pretty restful night we had coffee at the hotel restaurant, brushed our teeth in the outdoors basin, and waited for the first bus to arrive at 9 a.m. It was already full of people heading up to the lake we'd hiked down from the day before, and we were the only passengers for the ride back to Lenk!

On this third day of our 3-day trip to the Simmen Valley, we had planned to ascend a mountain called Tierberg on the East side of the valley near the Hahnenmoos Pass, which is the vehicle road between Lenk and Adelboden. Without actually descending to the pass, we walked to the Sillerenbüel cable-way and took a bus from the valley station to Adelboden.

We knew the third day would be more overcast with less clear visibility, but we didn't expect it to be so hot. With a small bus we could get a ride along narrow winding roads about 800 altitude meters to a small mountain restaurant called Laubbärgli, but the 500m we had to climb uphill from there were tough going, as the air was very still and there was no wind blowing. We arrived at the Lavey ridge to fortunately catch a good glimpse of the Bernese Oberland Alps before the air became too hazy, but found ourselves in a thick cloud of gnats along most of the crest, so we descended quickly. 

This is the Mountain Gasthaus at Iffigenalp where we spent a night after our second hike of the three-day vacation in the Simmen Valley 

Coffee at the restaurant while waiting for the first bus (9 a.m., bringing up the first hikers). The outdoor sink is handy for brushing teeth...

We were the only passengers on the bus headed back down to Lenk. 

In Lenk we switched to this small van-bus to go up the mountain on the east side of the valley. 

This is how narrow the roads are up the mountain! It gets kind of tricky when there is oncoming "traffic". Deciding where to pass seems to come easy for the locals!

As we climb by van on this side of the mountain , we can see the town of Lenk below, and where we were the previous day, hiking from the summit of Betelberg (center) to Gryden and then from the back down the Iffig Valley (Iffigtal). 

Interesting roof on this farm house

The final stop of the van-bus was at the Laubbärgli mountain restaurant, 800m higher than the valley bottom. They had a "Great Bernese Mountain Dog" (you don't see these often). We stopped for a snack. The sign says: "Payment Options are Cash, Washing Dishes, Chopping Wood, or Twint as an Exception" ! (Very clever)

We stopped here at the Laubbärgli restaurant for snacks before heading up the mountain

Our goal of the summit of Tierberg, 500m altitude and almost two hours to reach. 

The first 20 minutes was a zigzag trail through the forest. We had never seen so many fly amanita fungi, the woods were full of them, everywhere we looked!

Above the forest section, a beautiful view once again!

Close-up view of the Tungel Glacier in the Wildhorn Massif, which was actually just above the Tungel Pass where we were the day before, but we couldn't see it from there. 

The first uphill section is behind us, now it's an easy hike to the farmhouse on the right, then another hot uphill slog of 45 minutes!

We filled our water bottles here at the fountain next to this farmhouse before the next uphill section. 

45 minutes like this to the summit. It was a tough section because it was hot and there was no wind. 

A look behind us down to the forested section we ascended on the left, and the farmhouses we passed. In the back are the mountains of Canton Fribourg. 

It took us two hours from the restaurant to reach the summit of Mt. Tierberg, and glad to still get a good look at the Berneses Alps to the East!

This valley is called the Hindersillere, and below, around the corner, is Adelboden. There were so many gnats (you can see them on the photo) that we didn't stay long. 

And a wide view of the beautiful Entschligen Valley and Adelboden at the center. Our goal is the cluster of buildings on the brown hill on the right, at the end of the road. This is the Sillerebüel cableway. 

A close-up view of the Eiger/Mönch/Jungfrau trio on the left, and probably Blüemlisalp on the right. 

A final look up the Albristhore mountain before we head down toward the Hahnenmoos Pass.

In the back is the "Glacier de la Plaine Morte", the wide flat glacier. 

Heading along the Lavey crest trail now southward toward the Hahnenmoos Pass. 

At the Lavey chair lift station it is 30 minutes to the Hahnenmoos Pass, but we are now going to Sillerebüel, 40 minutes from here. 

Down below is the Hahnenmoos Pass, the connecting road between Lenk and Adelboden. 

A zoomed view of the "Glacier de la Plaine Morte". The trail between the glacier and the waterfall is closed in the afternoons because too much water comes out of the glacier later in the day. 

Descending to the Sillerebüel station.

The lower trail which comes from the pass seems to be a popular one! We are glad we decided not to take that trail. 

Look at all those gnats!

This was cute

After three days of walking I am getting tired now, and that uphill paved road is an arduous way to end the final day of hiking!

Not 100% sure, but I think that is the Tierberg, where we started, coming up from the other side and heading to the left. 

The Sillerenbüel cableway to valley bottom, from where we caught a bus to Adelboden. 

Heading down to Bergläger at valley bottom. 

A three-hour hike from the Simmental to Sillerebüel near Adelboden. 

We had a bit of time in Adelboden before taking the next bus to Frutigen. We walked down the main street and had a look at some of the nice chalets here. There are lots of sports stores as is common in these resort villages. 

The church in Adelboden, built in 1433

Before leaving Adelboden, a look into the next side valley, to the Entschligen Alp, the largest upper plateau in the western Alps. This is a place we have yet to visit. 

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

The three hikes we did on our 3-day trip to the Simmental and Lenk