ViaBerna - stage 13 Saxeten - Isenfluh

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.