Hahnenmoospass – under the spell of the Wildstrubel

(Description in reverse direction) The name Adelboden is said to indicate that a noble once owned land here. However, the legend says a shepherd boy only found his runaway goats far back in the valley on a patch of land full of noble grass, which supposedly led to the place name. Due to the dense forestation of the valley floor, the local inhabitants were called “forest people.” Tourism started here in 1873. Between 1875 and 1884, the current valley road was built. The first winter guests arrived in 1901. Today, Adelboden is a regular stage venue in the international ski circuit. But its reputation as a hiking paradise is also undisputed.
From the bus station Adelboden past the swimming pool, descend to the Allebach. The old stone bridge leads to the opposite bank. Near the large road bridge, a path branches off to the Gilsbach. Hiking in the loose mountain forest away from the road is wonderful, with the gurgling and rushing mountain stream as a constant companion. Passing the hamlet Gilbach and the intermediate station Bergläger of the Sillerenbahn, the hiking trail steadily climbs into the alpine basin of Geilsbüel. On the pass road and some shortcuts over mountain meadows, you ascend to the mountain hotel at the Hahnenmoospass. This crossing was called Reyfstrasse in a 17th-century document (Reyf = French rive, shore) because the Upper Valley dignitaries, emulating the gracious lords in Bern, liked to drink a glass of Reyf wine from the then largely Bernese shores of Lake Geneva.
The view over the pronounced raised moor basin to the Wildstrubel-Wildhorn massif and the green Obersimmental valley is incomparable. From the pass height, take the old pack trail over pastures to the nicely located excursion restaurant on Büelberg. In the valley floor lies the hiking destination, Lenk. Above it are the series of mountain passes to Lauenen and the impressive Wildhorn-Rawil-Wildstrubel massif. Then down the steep grassy slope to the holiday settlement at Brandegg. Finally, a steep path along the edge of the Sitewald through flower-rich mountain meadows leads down into the holiday and spa resort Lenk.