From Simmental 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

Hike from Iffigenalp to the Simmen Falls near Lenk

(Day 1 Photos are HERE)

Saturday and Sunday Aug.24th and 25th: Day Two of our sojourn in the Simmental Valley in Canton Bern, and at first we considered heading out into other side valleys, but those trips all took over two hours, and then we realized, just an 18-minute train ride to Lenk and another 25 minutes by bus, and we can be up in the mountains just South of here. And isn't that the idea of actually vacationing in one place?

So our destination was Iffigenalp, and there were surprisingly many people on the bus, but it was a beautiful Sunday and the first bus of the morning. Good thing most of the hikers headed in the other direction, toward the Iffigen Lake, whereas we headed East toward the the Simmen Falls, fantastic panoramas along the way, loads of waterfalls, dessert at a mountain restaurant, and a bus ride back to Lenk. Since it was also still early in the day, we returned to the Iffigen Falls which we had passed with the bus earlier on our way up to Iffigen Alp. The glimpse we had from the bus on the way up didn't do them justice, so our day of waterfalls had to end with a better look at them...  

It ended up being another perfect hiking day, a hike that I really enjoyed.

Side Note: I still can't get over how those regular city buses just barrel up the winding mountain roads, sometimes unpaved, and usually wide enough for only one vehicle. In this case, as with many others we have been on, the road can only be traveled in each direction for 15 minutes every hour to prevent cars having to pass each other, as it is really not even possible...

Heading up by bus to Iffigenalp, which is in the valley to the right of the hill in the center, the Oberlaubhore, which we climbed up from the back. On the left side is where we came down

A glimpse of the Iffigen Falls on the way up to Iffigenalp. We decided that we would come back here after finishing our hike, so we could see the falls in sunlight.

Heading up to the Iffigen Alp, this is a look BACK toward Lenk where we started the bus ride

At the back of the valley is the Iffigen Alp. The cows have just been let out of the barn to go to pasture. It is 9 a.m. and the sun is just appearing over the steep mountains

We decided to have a coffee at the Iffigen Alp Restaurant, to wait for a bit more sunshine

From Iffigen Alp it was a steep 45-minute climb to the first farm called Ritz-Alp, then another 30 minutes to where we took a detour up to the top of Mount Oberlaubhorn for a view down to Lenk. After that, the rest of the hike was all downhill, along rivers and past many wonderful waterfalls

This first steep hike along the cleared area straight ahead took 45 minutes, but it was a great climb in the shade

From the top of the climb we got some breathtaking views down to Iffigen Alp where we started off. We were almost alone as most other hikers went in the other direction. (As a side note, 6 years ago we hiked over the Rawil Pass, top left, from the Wallis to the South and down the steep cliff to Iffigen Alp)

Up ahead is the Oberlaubhore, a little detour we are planning to take.

Another look back down at Ritz Alp (after the 45-minute climb) and Rawil Pass at the back Left-Center

This upper pasture is called Langermatte, and we are taking a detour up the Oberlaubhore from here (coming back to the same place afterwards)

Heading up the Oberlaubhore. Took us 20 minutes to get to the highest point at the top

From here a nice view down the Simmental Valley to Lenk. The trail here continued another 5-10 minutes to the second lower lookout point, but we decided to skip that.

Heading back down to the vast pasture called Langermatte. Urs was pretty sure that the little mountain restaurant would serve meringues with whipped cream... a break to look forward to before descending to the river on the left.

Sure enough, meringues with whipped cream were on the menu, but a group of at least 20 chattering women (some of them smoking) had shown up, so we decided to try for the next mountain restaurant, which we knew we would pass later along the way. 

High up on the mountain the waterfalls begin 

This bench was kind of cute. Lieblingsplatz means "favourite spot". But we had no time to sit here, had to go get those meringues....

Another descent behind us, and a long boring stretch along a wide road ahead...

But then we got to the next mountain restaurant, Restaurant Siebenbrunnen, where Urs immediately ordered his meringues with whipped cream (we had only 30 minutes extra time in our schedule).

Just can't do without dessert...

While Urs enjoyed dessert, I walked toward the Siebenbrunnen waterfalls, which intrigued me more. This here is the source of the Simme River, which flows North past Lenk and eventually into Lake Thun.

Some more beautiful waterfalls. These are called Siebenbrunnen, namesake of the restaurant and farm here. 

From the Restaurant at Sibenbrunnen, the rest of our hike was along a wide forest road for 45 minutes along the Simme River which has its source above the Siebenbrunnen. There was lots of water, but most notably the powerful upper and lower Simmen Falls.

The upper Simmen Falls

VIDEO: Upper Simmen Falls

And down at the bottom, the lower Simmen Falls. From here we caught the bus back to Lenk (as usual, we got here with about 10 minutes to spare).

VIDEO:  Lower Simmen Falls

At the lower Simmen Falls is a large parking lot where you can take a bus back to Lenk. We immediately took a connecting bus back up to the Iffigen Falls to get a close-up look at them, having only got a glimpse out of the bus earlier in the morning. From there we walked 30 minutes along the Iffigbach to catch the bus as it made its way back down to Lenk.

Heading up by bus the second time in one day toward the Iffigen Falls. In the back of this valley are the Simmen Falls

Below the Iffigen Falls

The magnificent Iffigen Falls

VIDEO: Iffigen Falls

After getting off the bus and walking to the falls, we continued down valley along the Iffigbach (the river at the base of the falls which continues to Lenk) for another half hour to catch the bus again on its way back down to Lenk