ViaBerna - stage 13 Saxeten - Isenfluh

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13.45 km long
Difficulty: difficult
condition: difficult
Hiking Trail
  • 05:30 h
  • 1,080 m
  • 1,100 m
  • 1,082 m
  • 2,046 m
  • 964 m
  • 13.45 km
  • Start: Saxeten, school house (1,111 m)
  • Destination: Isenfluh, village
Après une ascension dans les Alpes fleuries, le chemin de randonnée vous fait traverser des paysages de montagne vers de superbes points de vue de la région de la Jungfrau.

 

Starting in the small mountain village of Saxeten, the hiking trail follows the rushing Saxetbach into the valley towards Unterberg. Around 300 metres after the power station, the mountain path gently climbs to the left to Alp Schlipfwengen. Here the hiking trail takes a right first through steep pasture and then through Fluhbänder up to Alphütte Usserbällen. Enjoy a well-earned cup of coffee at the solid table in front of the hut. Wild flower meadows line the ascent to Bällefurgge (point 1998). A detour to the nearby lookout post Bällehöchst is highly recommended.

The crossing into the Jungfrau region is then almost flat through the scree of the Tschingel. Please be careful here in bad weather. At the foot of the Schärihubel you enter the karst landscape of Suls. Sulsseewli comes into view and the route goes left to Lobhorn cabin, where there is an impressive view of the triumvirate of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Through Suls and above Chüebodmi, the hike takes you to Sulwald and from there into the mountain village of Isenfluh.

Suls Alp and Sulsseewli, which lies in a hollow, are so beautiful that legend has it that they are inhabited by a countryside god and natural spirits. The fact is that the mountain lake shimmers in different colours depending on the weather and doesn’t have any overground drainage. If you can tear your gaze away from the lake, you will see the five rocky crags of Lobhörner.

On the descent to Sulwald, it is worth making a brief detour to Chüebodmi, where there is a giant boulder. Legend has it that the native inhabitants met here for their spring festival.

If you are looking for a strenuous hike, you won’t be disappointed in Sulwald. But you can also get to Isenfluh with a small, almost nostalgic cableway. According to the owners, this special “Bähnchen” has enough space for eight people or one cow.

The little mountain village of Isenfluh is just under 1,100 metres above sea level, above the valley of the Lütschine river. Isenfluh gives an outstanding view of the famous Oberland triumvirate Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The village is part of the local authority of Lauterbrunnen. Despite being in a location with so many good views, Isenfluh has not become a tourist destination, probably because it did not have any road links for a long time.

Good to know

Best to visit

suitable
Depends on weather

Directions

Saxeten – Schlipfwengen – Bällefurgge – Lobhornhütte – Sulwald – Isenfluh

Equipment

We recommend the following equipment:

Sturdy mountaineering boots, medium-sized rucksack with hip belt, sun protection, waterproof clothing, walking poles, pocket first-aid kit, picnic, sufficient fluids, mobile phone.


It is also possible to book baggage transport from stage accommodation to stage accommodation at short notice via Eurotrek. Info and conditions at Eurotrek.ch

Directions & Parking facilities

By private car to Wilderswil. From there by bus to Saxeten.

Return from Isenfluh by bus to Lauterbrunnen and then by train to Wilderswil.

Kostenpflichtige Parkplätze im Bereich des Bahnhofs Wildesrwil
Getting there: by train to Interlaken Ost and then to Wilderswil. From there by bus to Saxeten school house.

Coming back: by bus from Isenfluh village to Lauterbrunnen. From there by train to Interlaken Ost.

Additional information

ViaBerna is a multi-day hike made up of 20 stages that takes you from Bellelay straight through the canton of Bern to Susten Pass. Hikers on the trail get to experience the diversity of the canton of Bern in Jura, Mittelland and in the Bernese Alps. The entire distance is signposted with route number 38.

You can find information about the ViaBerna multi-day hike at viaberna.ch

Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author

Accommodation tip - Saxeten:  Hotel Alpenrose, Mooszun 93, 3813 Saxeten, Tel. + 41 (0) 33 822 18 34, [email protected], www.alpenrose-saxeten.ch

Accommodation tip - Isenfluh:  Hotel Restaurant Waldrand, Hofstettli 4185A, 3822 Isenfluh, Tel. + 41 (0) 33 855 12 27, [email protected], www.hotel-waldrand.ch


Shopping: No shops en route. In Wilderswil or Lauterbrunnen start or finish.

Safety guidelines

All or part of this route is on marked trails in the mountain trail category.

The Tschingel passage between Bällefurgge and Schärihubel requires surefootedness. In bad weather, additional caution is advised here. In early summer there may still be residual snow fields here.

Map

swisstopo Wanderkarte 254T Interlaken 1:50'000

Nearby

Getting there
ViaBerna - stage 13 Saxeten - Isenfluh
Saxeten