Lötschental High Trail from Laucheneralp to Fafleralp

Monday August 23, 2021 -- A week of vacation worked out for us this time, with a stretch of relatively nice weather. We chose to spend a few days in the French part of Canton Valais, mostly because it was supposed to be warm, and because it's an area difficult for us to reach for day trips. Our plan was to explore some side valleys South of the Rhone Valley, in particular near the border with France near Mont Blanc, but that didn't work out, because it was actually very cold at higher elevations, and the clouds mostly didn't leave the mountain tops.

In any case, on the way down there, we had planned to hike from Canton Bern to Canton Valais via the Gemmi Pass, but studying the webcam photos in the train showed us thick fog along the trail (which ended up lasting all day) so a quick change of plans and we headed into the nearby Lötschental Valley, where the weather is often better than elsewhere. In fact, checking the webcams, it looked to be cloud-free (until we got there of course). After taking the large cable car to Laucheneralp and hiking uphill in air so cold my ears nearly froze, we whiled away some time at a mountain restaurant with coffee and fancy desserts until, fortunately for us, we caught a sunny break. 

The Lötschental High Trail (Lötschentaler Höhenweg) is a very popular trail and there is usually a procession of people walking here, but this time we were lucky, as there were really fewer people than expected. Also, we try to find slight alternatives to the more well-trodden paths, i.e. higher parallel trails, so that we feel like we are all alone in the mountains. As nice as the hike ended up being (even with the low clouds on the mountain tops), this was a consolation prize for us, as we did the exact same hike almost to the day six years ago... (no wonder all the landmarks seemed familiar!)

(As for the rest of the trip, we had rented a small studio apartment near the train station in Saxon, a place we had never been before, and this turned out to be quite a nice starting point for the following three hikes we ended up doing).

We came into the Lötschental Valley by bus from Goppenstein (South exit of the Lötschberg Tunnel), and took the large cable car from Wiler to Laucheneralp. On the way up the hill we could see the clouds gathering. (The village below is called Kippel)

Normally from here you can see the snow-covered peaks of the 4000-m high mountains in Canton Valais, but today they are hidden in the clouds

This large cable car from Wiler to Laucheneralp brings passengers in 3.5 minutes 550m above the valley villages, and can transport about 100 people at a time. But today we were barely 20 people.

Heading straight up the hill from the cable car station, we climbed about 150m uphill to the Berghaus Restaurant. It was very cold as the clouds had covered the sun and so a good time to do the uphill stretch

These homes are mostly used in winter for ski-in, ski-out!

We went into the restaurant to warm up with coffee and ended up having dessert as well. Urs said they gave us the "Stammtisch", which is where the important people or the regulars usually sit!

I had Apfel Strudel with warm vanilla sauce, very expensive, but oh so good!

After 45 minutes, the sky cleared, and we had pleasant enough weather for the rest of the day. No longer cold. The Berghaus had a very nice terrace, but it was too cold to sit outside earlier.

Starting on our hike up the Lötschental Valley. The clouds on the peaks stayed all day. The others came and went

Below is the official "Lötschentaler Höhenweg". We walked higher up on the trail at the left

A look down at the vacation village that is Laucheneralp

We were the only ones hiking in this beautiful alpine landscape

Another look down at Laucheneralp. 

The cable car is heading down the mountain again

To the South on the other side of the valley is the landmark mountain of this valley: Mt. Bietschhorn (3934m)  whose peak we saw for just a few minutes. 

A glimpse of Mt. Bietschhon and the Nest Glacier

Passing through the next hamlet called Weritzstafel

The wild blueberries are almost ripe

Getting further up the valley. The remnants of glaciers on the hillside are pretty interesting

A closer look at the Lang and Anun glaciers at the back of the valley. Back in 2019, we hiked up to the green plateau in the lower part of the photo

To our left as we head up valley is another piece of a glacier to the North, the Tellin Glacier

Here at the Telli Alp, our higher trail met up with the regular and more popular Lötschental High Trail. There is a restaurant here, but we didn't have time to stop for a drink. 

I rather liked the look of this house. 

And from here a good look down the Lötschental Valley to the West. In the back, behind the mountains on the right is the original trail we wanted to hike this day, but the clouds never left that region

Only another 35 minutes to the bus at Fafleralp. (We were worried that there would be a lot of people taking the bus, but that wasn't the case, either.)

Passing Lake Schwarzsee. There were some young people swimming here!

Way down below next to the Lonza River is a group of pretty barns!

The final hamlet before the large parking lot at the end of the valley: Fafleralp

This is an interesting piece of information!!!! A century ago, the people of this valley, who subsisted mainly on milk products and rye grain were particularly healthy! Oh, and I am glad for shoes.

This is the little Fafler Lake. 

From the parking lot (where the bus leaves from, back down-valley), a final look up to the Anun Glacier. 

This side of the Anun Glacier is a very fancy mountain "hostel", which we hiked to a couple of years ago. https://anenhuette.ch/site/en/

Photos from our hike in 2019, from Fafleralp to the Anen Hostel can be found HERE

This was not a particularly long or difficult hike: About 3.5 hours from Laucheneralp to Fafleralp. 

The following photos are from the bus ride back out of the valley:

Riding the bus back down the valley along the Lonza River. These are the barns we saw from further up the hill!

Lots of interesting buildings in the Lötschental Valley

This little village in the furthermost western part of the valley is called Kippel, and has a museum dedicated to the history of the valley. A must-see for another day. 

The village of Kippel in the Lötschental Valley

A final look up the Lötschental Valley before we head down into the Rhone Valley and our accommodations for the night. 

This is what the beautiful Lötschental Valley looks like on a cloudless fall day.

This is the area of the Lötschental Valley. Our studio apartment for three nights was between Sion and Martigny

Our little rented studio apartment in Saxon, for three days (the addition on the left of the house)

View from our little terrace at the rented studio apartment in Saxon. That peak is called Pierre Avoi, and the popular ski resort of Verbier is right on the other side. We did not have a chance to go there. 

Long Hike on the Lötschental Valley High Trail

Thursday Sept.12 -- The reason we stayed at the Bietschhorn Hotel in the Lötschental Valley (previous day photos HERE) 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: 

De3r 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 then the 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. (Those photos HERE)

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.