The Lötschenpass leads from Kandersteg in the Bernese Oberland over the Lötschberg Goppenstein in the canton Valais.
background
The Lötschenpass is a cross-alpine pass crossing in north-south direction between the Bernese Oberland and the Valais. The pass crossing can only be crossed on foot; thanks to its railway tunnels, the crossing is an important north-south level crossing through the Alps. In 2007 the Lötschberg base tunnel with a low peak of only 825 m above sea level. an important second north-south connection for long-distance trains was created within the framework of the NEAT (NEue AlpenTransversale).
The Lötschberg can only be conquered by train or on foot, there is no road suitable for car traffic leading over the pass. The Lötschberg mountain route, which was opened in 1913, is used by regional trains, the trains of the Kandersteg - Goppenstein car transport and occasionally by freight trains.
Most of the long-distance trains and freight trains will be opened by the 2007 Lötschberg base tunnel guided. The two-lane base tunnel planned as part of the NEAT in two separate tubes has not yet been fully expanded. Only the east tube between Frutigen and Raron is completely expanded and equipped with railway technology. A 6 km long section of the west tube has not yet broken through, other parts have only been completed in the shell and only one part has been expanded to double-track, so that crossing is possible and the half-hourly connection to Valais can still be maintained.
Route
The northern foot point is reached via Spiez and the Frutertal, at Frutigen you turn into Kandertal one and arrives after Kandersteg.
The thoroughfare ends here. A gravel road passes the bottleneck through the 1 Chluse and reaches the sparsely populated along the river Kander 1 Gastern Valley. Of 2 Selden From here you have to continue on foot, here the hiking trail crosses the Kander and then the ascent begins.
The ascent initially follows the Leitibach steeply and after an ascent of three hundred meters it reaches the Gfelalp. It continues on one back and then in rocky prayer. From 3 Balme follow the edge of the Lötschegletscher and then climbs to the saddle with the 4 Pass height of the Lötschenpass.
Then the path descends rapidly through rocky terrain, especially in the area of the Stierstutzes, into the valley. You can go straight to the Kummenalp Fields get off, which is accessible by postbus. In the next place Goppenstein, at the south portal of the old Lötschberg line built in 1913, there is a connection to the BLS network (Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon-Bahn).
As an alternative, follow the path of the Lötschberg Panoramaweg in an easterly direction over 5 Sattlegi one reaches the 6 Lauchernalp. With the mountain railway Wiler - Lauchernalp you can ascent / descent into the Lötschental can be done more conveniently.
Tourist Attractions
- Gastern Valley: the protected Gastertal can only be reached on a gravel road, for which a maintenance fee of CHF 12.- per day has to be paid at a machine at the entrance to the valley. The road is only one-lane and there is a one-way regulation in the area of the tunnels and galleries at Chlusen, from the minutes x.45 - x.05 the ascent is allowed, in the minutes x.15 - x.35 the descent is allowed. Alternatively, you can take the bus to Kandertal, adults one-way / return 13.00 / 21.00 Fr., children 8.00 / 14.00 Fr.
- 2 Sunnbüelbahn, Kandersteg-Sunnbüel cable car, 3718 Kandersteg. Tel.: 41 (0)33 675 81 41, Email: [email protected]. The mountain railway leads to the ski area in winter, the mountains are also ideal for ski tours and snowshoeing, and in summer the alpine region is ideal for hiking, climbing and biking.
- in 7 Selden the ascent to the Lötschenpass begins.
- 1 Berghotel Steinbock, Selden / Gasterntal, 3718 Kandersteg. Tel.: 41 (0)33 675 11 62, Email: [email protected].
- 2 Hotel Gasterntal, Selden, 3718 Kandersteg. Tel.: 41 (0)33 675 11 63, Email: [email protected].
There is a guarded refuge on the Lötschenpass, which was expanded in 2010 according to the Minergie standard:
- 3 Lötschenpasshütte. Mountain and ski tours to various destinations in the area are possible from the Lötschentalhütte.
The mountain railway systems on the Lauchernalp are used for winter sports in the winter months, and in summer mountain hikers can comfortably get to the top to save part of the ascent or descent.
- 3 Lauchernalp mountain railways, Wiler valley station, Dorfstrasse, 3918 Wiler (Lötschen) VS. Tel.: 41 (0)27 938 89 99, Email: [email protected].
activities
- In the summer months, the region around Gastern and Lötschental is ideal for climbing and mountain hiking.
- In the winter months ski and snowshoe tours are possible, in the Lauchern - Lötschental ski area you can go alpine skiing.
| Surname | phone | Altitude |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Σ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ski area Lauchernalp - Lötschental | 41 (0)27 938 89 99 | 1,400 - 3,111 m | 2 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 25 | 80 km |
security
trips
- to Down with the 8 Suspension bridge over the Joli gorge
literature
- Lötschberg - Panorama Trail, Route No.56, Wanderland Schweiz
