Mount Niesen and a Hike to Frutigen in the Kander Valley

Thursday July 27, 2023 -- I think we need to forget about following the weather prognosis.  If there is a prediction for good weather up until the evening before, that usually changes to worse on the day of. 

But we went up to the summit of Mount Niesen in Canton Bern anyway, and even though it was icy cold up there and very overcast, we still had good clear views of all the Bernese Alps, many of them which had received fresh snow the night before, which always makes a nice contrast. The view to Lakes Thun and Brienz and the city of Interlaken could have been better, but we'll just have to make another trip. Mount Niesen is definitely the "360-Degree View Mountain" of that area. (Note: In July 2015 we made our first trip to this summit, on a much nicer day, and the photos HERE are worth looking at, to compare). 

Our main plan for the day was a 3.5-hour hike along the flank of Mount Niesen, starting at the middle station (Schwandegg) of the 3.5-km long funicular railway, and walking down to the city of Frutigen in the Kander Valley. At just after noon, the sky cleared somewhat, and even some of the snow-covered peaks such as Mount Balmhorn at the back of the Kander Valley and the Bluemlisalp Massif at the back of the Kien Valley glowed with detail against the blue backdrop. By the time we boarded the train in Frutigen at four p.m., the skies were clear. (At least I got to photograph the mountains from the train again on the way back to Bern).

Side Note: The Niesen Funicular is now 114 years old, having been built from 1906 to 1910. The little trains cover 3.5 kilometers of railway in two sections from the base station at Mülenen (693 meters) to the summit station at Niesen Kulm (2336 meters), making it one of the longest funiculars in the world. It has a maximum incline of 68%. Additionally, the series of steps built next to the railway line with its 11674 steps (for technicians and repair persons only!) is the longest stairway in the world. Every year they hold a run up the stairway for the public, it is called the "Niesenlauf", and there is a small YouTube Video worth watching, --> HERE. 

Heading by train from Bern to Spiez, we get a look at Mount Niesen from the north. Right now (9:30 a.m.) it looks like the sky is clearing and we might have sunshine once we get to the top! For obvious reasons, this is nicknamed "the Swiss Pyramid".

The little station of the Niesenbahn at Mülenen

This is a tiny train, a funicular. It holds maybe 30-40 people at a time, and we were packed tightly for the 30-minute ride up the mountain (you have to change trains in the middle station). The maximum incline (below on the left) is 68%

VIDEO:

Funiculars crossing at mid-station

After leaving the summit station, this is the view we had of Lake Thun. The popular tourist city of Interlaken is in between the two lakes. We got up here at 10:30 (Having left home at 7:20)

There is a restaurant here, and we stopped for a coffee, hoping the sky would clear. Which it didn't. On the view terrace, a strong icy wind was blowing. But the view is good. Here you look up the Kander Valley on the left, and to Adelboden behind me on the right. The city of Frutigen, which we are walking to, is at the junction of those two valleys. 

Panorama view to the East, from Lake Thun on the left to Engstligenalp (Adelboden) to the right. Right in the center you look up the Kien Valley. The massif at the back of the valley is called Blüemlisalp, and to the right the Dolderhorn, forming the backdrop for the popular lake called Oeschinensee. These mountains received new snowfall the night before, and we could see snow where there was none a couple of weeks earlier when we walked the Eiger Trail. 

Looking south-east from the restaurant terrace, the skies were clearer in the direction of the Simmental and the French part of Switzerland. 

You can go higher from the restaurant to the very summit of the mountain for a 360-view, but it was too cold for us, so we headed back to the funicular station. It's worth looking at my photos from our 2015 trip up here to the very summit, on a much nicer July day --> Photos HERE.)

It's always amazing to see the flowers that grow in the stony landscape, along cliff walls. 

Watching the Niesen funicular cabin heading for the summit. We took this one down to the middle station. 

This is the mid-station of the Niesen Funicular. Some people stay here to go hiking (as we did); others have to cross the platform to take the other section back down to the valley bottom. 

We started our hike at the mid-station (Schwandegg) at 11.30. We were confused about the suggested time to Frutigen, as there was no more direct path than the one we took, and that was about 3 hours and 30 minutes.

According to this map, the time to get to Frutigen is 3 hours 15 minutes, but it takes longer, as the second section (600 meters descent) was kind of rough (the steep forest road paved with large uneven stones).

Heading south along the flank of Mount Niesen, we still had overcast skies until some time after noon. But it was a whole lot less cold here than at the summit!

Straight across the way is a farmhouse, where we stopped for our picnic lunch. 

Looking up above us we can see the little train heading up the mountain again. 

Finally some sunshine! 

This is called Alp Unterniesen. 

We got to that farmhouse at 12:30, and there was a very convenient bench in front of the barn, so a perfect place for our picnic lunch. 

The view we had from our bench in front of the barn, where we had our picnic lunch. Our trail later passed through that open pastureland straight ahead, after first descending into the ravine and out again. 

A look uphill at the barn/farmhouse where we had our picnic lunch. 

Heading down the hill again after lunch, all happy because we FINALLY have the perfect hiking weather! (not too hot and the skies clearing) 

View to Lakes Thun and Brienz to the North with the city of Interlaken in between. 

First we had to descend 270 meters into this ravine, before heading south through the forest below. 

Crossing the stream in the ravine

Heading toward the farm on the open pasture we had previously seen from across the ravine. Ahead of us at the back of the Kien Valley, the sky is starting to turn blue!

Close-up look at Blüemlisalp Massif at the back of the Kien Valley. 

From the other side of the ravine, a look back at the summit of Mount Niesen. Here on this hillside we watched a mountain farmer spreading manure, then spoke to his wife at the farmhouse, who was waiting with a pitchfork to refill his wagon when he returned. It is a tough life, being a mountain farmer in Switzerland. 

The mountain farmer spreading manure on the steep hillsides, so that the grass will grow well, for later harvest as hay for the winter. 

Further on we turned a corner at a farm called Eggweid. It's now 2:10 p.m., and we still have 1 hour 20 minutes to walk. We want to catch the 16:03 train, so that leaves us 30 minutes extra for the hike.

From Eggweid we get a first look down at the city of Frutigen, at the junction of the Kander Valley, and the "Adelboden Valley".

From here it's another almost 600 meters to descend to valley bottom. Part of the descent was rough. 

Descending from Eggweid. There was a very nice large maple tree here. 

A close-up look at Mount Balmhorn at the back of the Kander Valley. You can tell there was a fresh snowfall. 

A cute mountain house with only one window, but that window has some very well-tended geraniums! This is where the trail was steep and paved with large rocks, and yet the farmers manage to get up here with motorbikes!

A pretty butterfly

This is the trail we had to follow for over a kilometer. It was tough going down, probably harder going up! We actually lost about 20 minutes on this section. 

Finally out of the forest and some lovely meadow trails for the final 45 minutes (ca. 3 km) to the train station. 

The rolling hills of the Kander Valley, as we head down the mountainside. 

So many different styles of chalets around this area. 

We took a break on this perfectly-located bench. But not for too long, as it's now 15:30, and the train leaves in 30 minutes or so, and we still have to walk 20 minutes!

Another cute old building along the way. The date carved below the roof is 1775. 

This narrow trail through the meadows on the way to Frutigen train station was paved! It made walking quite easy. 

A look behind us to the north, we get a good view of Mount Niederhorn -- which is on the north side of Lake Thun -- and the "cleft" in the mountain which is the Justis Valley. 

A close-up look of the Justis Valley, which we want to descend some time from the north side (we were on the other side just recently, those photos are HERE). The mountain on the right is Niederhorn, and on the left is the Sigriswiler Rothorn. 

Crossing the Kander River near the Frutigen train station. The view is to the south. 

A final look at the mountainside where we walked, with Mount Niesen at the far back. 

A close-up shot of the summit of Mount Niesen shows the little red car traveling up one of the longest funicular railways in the world!

As is so often the case, we made it to the train station with just a couple of minutes to spare. The train leaves at 16:03, so we just kept right on walking onto the train, which left shortly afterwards. 

What our hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps

The various hikes we have done around the area of the Kander Valley

Heading back with the train to Spiez on Lake Thun. Now the weather has improved greatly for our trip home! That mountain is Mt. Niederhorn, seen more from the west. 

On the stretch between Thun and Bern, you always get a very good view of the Eiger/Mönch/Jungfrau trio!

Heading in and out of the train station in Bern, you get this fantastic view of the Bernese Alps on a clear day, and in this case there is probably a bit of influence from Föhn winds, that the mountains look so large in the background. 

Where Mount Niesen is located in Switzerland