The Gemmi Pass leads from Kandersteg in the Bernese Oberland to Leukerbad in the Valais.
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The Gemmipass is a connection between Kandersteg in the Bernese Oberland and Leukerbad in the Valais. The pass is a north-south connection that crosses the mountain range between the Daubenhorn and the Plattenhörner.
In the Middle Ages, the 600 m steep Gemmiwand between Daube and Platten was insurmountable. The route led over the 1 Old GemmiFrom the end of the 2 Daubensee The path turned in an easterly direction to the Furggentälti and then led on the old Gemmi through a cut between two prongs of the eastern plate horns. On the south side the path runs very steeply on a grass ledge, which however was not insurmountable, and after the descent it reached the 1 Clabinualp and from there 1 Leukerbad.
Around 800 Alemanni migrated over the Gemmi into Valais a; based on contracts from the 12th / 13th Century it is known that the pastures near the pass were reached via the crossing and that a hospice existed. From the 14th century A footpath was laid through the Gemmiwand, which was subsequently improved. The year 1549 was found in a rock face in Chlöfu.
With the increasing importance of Leukerbad for spa tourism and the desire for a faster connection between Bern, the Valais and the Simplon Pass in 1739 led to the decision to expand the transition. In the years 1739/41, under the guidance of the Tyrolean Anton Lung, a new path was blasted through the Gemmiwand and the connection to Tuna secured. Around 1900 tourists in Gemmi-Wägeli were carted up to the Gemmipasshöhe with the mountain hotel. The route over the old Gemmi sank into insignificance.
Since the transport over the Gemmipass was still arduous and the time saved compared to other crossings was only small, there was no significant movement of goods over the Gemmipass. With the advent of the railroad and especially the construction of the Lötschberg line the Gemmi Pass lost its economic importance. 1957 was a cable car from Leukerbad erected on the Gemmipass. With that and especially with the construction of the 2 Sunnbüel railway the pass became attractive to tourists; Thanks to the mountain railways, the pass crossing is also passable as a mountain hike for less experienced alpinists.
Ideas from the 1950s to run a privately financed toll road across the Gemmi were buried twenty years later for financial reasons.
Route
From the center of Leukerbad the hiking trail leads up to the valley station of the Gemmi Railway. The route now leads uphill on Gemmistrasse, an old alpine road. At the foot of the mighty rocks of the 3 Gemmiwand begins the Gemmi-Weg carved into the wall in 1739/41. In a zigzag, exposed but always secured, the path leads up through the Gemmiwand. To the east of the stave the path reaches the 3 Jägerboden.
The 4 Pass height is located at the wayside cross at 2322 m above sea level. Here you get to the high-altitude hiking trail to the Sunnebüel, the path is now shared with the hikers who took the Leukerbad-Gemmi cable car up to the top.
- 4 Gemmi Railway. Tel.: 41 (0)27 470 18 39. Price: one way 24.00 Fr., return 36.00 Fr.
- 5 Daubensee aerial tramway. Cable car for max. 8 people.Open: 9.15am - 4.30pm.Price: one way 6.00 / 3.00 Fr., return 9.00 / 4.50 Fr.
On the Gemmi, climbing enthusiasts can complete the Gemmi adventure via ferrata and the very demanding Via Ferrata Daubenhorn.
The well-developed high-altitude hiking trail in the direction of Kandersteg leads above Lake Dauben and leads to the after just under an hour Berghotel Schwarenbach over. The mountain station of the can be reached via the Spittelmatte Sunnbüel-Bahn, with which you can comfortably go down to Kandersteg can drive.
Alternatively, you can walk via the 6 Wet Bode Hike down into the Kandertal, a mountain bike trail has also been set up at the same time. An alternative is to descend over 7 Gurnigel down into the Gasteretal; can be reached on the little road through the chluse Kandersteg Likewise.
accommodation
- 1 Berghotel Wildstrubel. Mountain hotel with rooms for two, families and groups, the Gemmi cable car price included in the price of the overnight stay.
- 2 Berghotel Schwarenbach, Berghotel Schwarenbach, 3718 Kandersteg. Tel.: 41 (0)33 675 12 72, Email: [email protected].
- 3 Mountain hotel Waldhaus, Gasteretal, 3718 Kandersteg. Tel.: 41 (0)33 675 12 73.
