Hiking the Historic Lötschen Pass from Lauchneralp to Waldhaus
Stepping onto the Lötschen Pass (2,690m) feels less like hiking and more like using a time machine. Long before modern rail tunnels cut through the Swiss Alps, this rugged, high-altitude saddle was the primary trade artery connecting the sun-baked meadows of Valais with the dramatic, canyon-carved valleys of the Bernese Oberland.
This spectacular trail transitions from larch forests and iconic valley viewpoints to stark, moon-like glacial fields, before dropping into one of Switzerland's best-kept secrets: the wild, waterfall-rich Gasterntal. Here is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to hiking this bucket-list Swiss pass, packed with the myths, legends, history, and unique geology that make this route legendary…
Route Overview & Key Logistics
Start: Lauchernalp Mountain Station (Accessible via cable car from Wiler)
End: Selden (Steinbeck Hotel) or Berghotel Waldhaus, Gasterntal
Distance: c.20 kilometers (12.4 miles)
Elevation Gain: +875 meters
Elevation Loss: -1,495 meters
Difficulty Level: Challenging (T3 SAC Alpine Hiking Scale)
Best Season: Early July to late Sept. (July brings great alpine flower blooms and longer daylight hours)
Getting to the Start (a Scenic Journey from Kandersteg)
If you are using Kandersteg as your base, getting to the trailhead is half the fun and immensely scenic.
A Train Adventure: Head to Kandersteg Station and hop on the regional train to Brig. You will rumble through the historic Lötschberg tunnel (opened in 1913, an engineering marvel that claimed the lives of 25 miners in a tragic 1908 mud-infiltrated tunnel collapse deep beneath the Gasterntal floor). You'll emerge into the stark, sunny valley of Valais. Disembark at Goppenstein Station.
PostBus to the Cable Car: Right outside the station, catch the Route 591 PostBus, which climbs up into the beautiful Lötschental Valley. Get off at Wiler (Lötschen). Wiler itself is deep-rooted in ancient, mystical traditions. The valley's historic isolation birthed the legend of the Tschäggätta - fearsome winter spirits represented by locals wearing terrifying, hand-carved wooden masks and heavy animal furs. The very name Lötschental stems from the ancient Celtic word "loudio," meaning lead, nodding to prehistoric mining activity uncovered near Goppenstein.
Final Ascent: Ride the Wiler-Lauchernalp cable car up to the mountain station where the trail begins…
Peak Spotting Guide: Skyline Giants
As you cross from Valais to Bern, you will be surrounded by some of the most celebrated rock/ice formations in Europe. Keep this guide handy to name the peaks dominating the view:
Bietschhorn (3,934m): Visible during Phases 1 & 2. Known as the "King of the Lötschental," this dark, symmetrical pyramid of pure granite is a UNESCO World Heritage icon. Its sharp ridges cut dramatically into the sky directly across the valley from Lauchernalp. Sir Leslie Stephen, the prominent Victorian mountaineer and father of author Virginia Woolf, made the legendary first ascent of this peak in 1859.
Mischabel Group (incl the Dom, 4,545m): Visible from the heights of the Lötschen Pass. Looking south past the Rhone Valley, you can spot the distant, glaciated crowns of Switzerland’s highest entirely domestic mountain massif.
Hockenhorn (3,293m): Towering directly above the pass. This jagged crest guards the eastern flank of the Lötschen Pass. If you have extra energy at the hut, a demanding, blue-and-white alpine trail scrambles straight to its summit…
Balmhorn (3,698m) & Altels (3,629m): Visible during Phases 3 & 4. These sister peaks form a colossal wall of limestone and sheer ice sheets on your left as you plunge toward Bern. The Alpetli Glacier hangs directly off the Balmhorn’s crumbling northern flank.
Blümlisalphorn (3,661m) & Doldenhorn (3,638m): Visible looking northeast down into the Gasterntal. These massive, heavily glaciated fortresses of the Bernese Oberland frame the deep headwaters of the Kander River basin.
Phase 1: The Valais Meadows (Lauchernalp to Kummenalp)
Ascending to Lauchernalp (1,969m), you stand on a sunny alpine shelf that was traditionally used for seasonal high-pasture cattle farming before the first cable car arrived. The trail hooks westward along the famous Lötschentaler Höhenweg. You’ll wind through traditional, dark-timber chalets weathered black by centuries of high-altitude sun. Keep your eyes open for the Hockenalp Chapel, a tiny, postcard-perfect sanctuary perched above the deep gorge of the Lötschental Valley. Layout changes across the valley provide a stark look at the changing alpine landscape…
As you traverse the Höhenweg, look directly across the canyon to the lower valley floor. From this vantage point, you can clearly see the striking, sobering remnants of the historic Blatten Landslide. In May 2025, a massive collapse of the Kleines Nesthorn mountain sent 9M tonnes of rock crashing into the Birch Glacier, forcing a total glacial collapse that buried the village of Blatten under a colossal field of ice and debris. It is a powerful, visual testament to the raw, changing nature of the high Alps - see my other article for details…
After this section, the path drops slightly into Kummenalp (2,086m). This quiet cluster of alpine huts is a centuries-old Alp (summer pasture) where herders spent their summers making mountain cheese. Alpine Pitstop - Kummenalp Restaurant: Before you begin the heavy climbing, stop at the mountain inn here to refuel.
Phase 2: Ascent into the Moonscape (Kummenalp to Lötschenpass)
Leaving Kummenalp, the easy-going balcony trail disappears. The path twists sharply upward, breaking past the tree line and entering a harsh, glaciated kingdom of raw granite blocks and loose moraine gravel. You will navigate through fields of towering stone cairns built by centuries of travelers. These cairns weren't built for decoration; they were vital lifelines for Bronze Age traders, Roman soldiers, and medieval merchants trying to find their way through blinding alpine fogs.
The route guides you past tiny, shimmering glacial tarns like the Lötschbergsee, which reflect the harsh peaks above like polished mirrors. As you top out on the ridge, you reach the legendary Lötschenpass Hut (2,690m). This pass was a strategic hotspot: in 1384 and 1419, fierce, bloody battles were fought right on this rocky spine between the warring Bernese and Valaisan tribes. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the powerful de la Tour barons even forced their subjects to pack up & hike across this pass to colonize the Lauterbrunnen Valley.
The current shelter stands as the oldest guarded mountain lodge in the Alps, but it had a unique post-WWII beginning. Following the war, the Swiss military abandoned a sturdy timber barracks on the lower glacier. Enterprising locals dragged the structure up the ice to the ridge, opening it in 1947 as the first official hut.
Chronicle - Secret History of the Lötschenpass Hut:
While today’s hikers know the hut as a modern alpine haven, it sits on a foundation of deep history. In the 1940s and again during recent periods of accelerated ice melt, archeologists uncovered yew-wood bows, prehistoric hunting gear, Roman coins, and medieval clothing dating all the way back to 2000–1700 BC. The pass was a major transalpine trade route thousands of years before the first mountain shelters were ever imagined.
Unlike most alpine huts managed by the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC)), the Lötschenpass Hut is uniquely operated as a privately owned, independent mountain lodge. In 2007-8, it was completely rebuilt to strict Minergie eco-standards, making it one of the very first fully energy-self-sufficient, carbon-neutral huts in the high Alps, using advanced solar systems and smart water recycling.
Geology Corner - the Story Behind the Neon Orange Rocks:
As you approach the crest of the pass, you will notice the gray landscape is wildly broken up by striking orange and rusty-yellow rocks. This eye-catching phenomenon is a beautiful mix of geology and biology. The pass sits squarely on a major tectonic boundary at the western edge of the Aar Massif. The ancient bedrock here is packed with iron-rich minerals. When thrust into the open air and hammered by water and melting glacial ice, the iron oxidizes - essentially rusting over thousands of years and staining the granite blocks deep ochre.
To supercharge this effect, a specialized high-alpine organism called Xanthoria elegans (the Elegant Sunburst Lichen) blankets the upper surfaces of the boulders. This lichen creates brilliant, neon-orange protective pigments to shield itself from intense high-altitude ultraviolet rays, creating the fiery scree fields that characterize the pass.
Bivouac & Hut Experience
For an unforgettable night, reserve a bed in the Sleeping Under the Stars clear external accommodation. Alternatively, stay overnight inside the hut's modern dormitories. The hut wardens are locally famous for serving up gourmet regional Valaisan dishes, fresh homemade cakes, and wines - all at c.2,700 MASL. The hut also serves as a crucial winter basecamp for ski tourers and high-altitude mountain schools.
Phase 3: Glaciers & Gorges (Lötschenpass to Selden)
From the rocky spine of the pass, you will drop down onto the surface of the Lötschen Glacier (Lötschengletscher). Don't worry, this section is typically safe and straightforward during summer. The route across the ice is clearly indicated by tall poles. The ice itself is heavily blanketed by colorful moraine gravel, though bright blue glacial ice and small trickling meltwater streams gleam through the rock cover. (I’m always nervous crossing glaciers.)
Glacial Secret - A Walk Across an Environmental Archive:
Crossing the Lötschen Glacier isn’t just an adventure - it’s a walk across a melting historical archive. During the Medieval Warm Period (roughly 900 to 1300 AD), the glacier was significantly smaller than it is today, so easily traversed that Valaisan families regularly walked cattle right over the dry ice to colonize parts of the Bernese Oberland.
As the climate cooled into the Little Ice Age, the glacier surged forward dynamically. In a desperate bid to keep trade alive, regional authorities attempted to build a massive, paved stone mule highway down the Bernese moraine slope in 1698.
The expanding glacier completely blocked their progress, forcing them to abandon the project. If you look carefully along the edge of the ice today, you can still see the weathered stone retaining walls left by those 17th-century workmen. Today, the glacier serves as a field laboratory for glaciologists tracking climate change.
As you exit the ice onto the northern lateral moraine, look to your right. Hanging precariously from the massive flanks of the Balmhorn is the stunning Alpetli Glacier (Alpetligletscher), throwing down massive blocks of fractured ice - see my other article… The descent from the moraine toward Gfelalp (1,847m) is steep and demanding. You will navigate tight, rocky switchbacks where certain exposed steps are secured with fixed wires to help with balance.
Phase 4: Entering the ‘Secret’ Valley (Selden to Waldhaus)
The trail flattens out dramatically as you arrive on the floor of the Gasterntal, a deep, vertical-walled canyon carved by the savage forces of the Kander River. The name Gastern stems from an old Celtic or Old High German root implying a guest house or a place of shelter for travelers waiting out storms before attacking the pass.
With its wide, braided blue river channels weaving through dense pine forests under vertical gray walls, the Gasterntal has a distinct "Canadian Wilderness" aesthetic. The valley is also celebrated as a floral paradise, home to rare blooms including the highly protected Lady's Slipper Orchid. Before reaching civilization, the trail throws one last thrill your way: a narrow, swaying waterfall suspension bridge that bounces directly over the roaring, glacial torrent.
Once across, you enter Selden (1,537m). Today, this valley is only inhabited during the summer months. However, up until the mid-1700s, hardy families lived in Selden all year round, completely cut off from the outside world during heavy winters. Alpine Pitstop - Berghotel Steinbock: Historic mountain sanctuaries like this hotel have stood for generations. Sit down and reward yourself with a massive plate of Rösti or a slice of homemade wild berry tart & a cold beer.
The trail winds along the tranquil Gasternholz forest path. As you make the final trek toward the Waldhaus, look closely at the towering limestone cliffs on your left…
Mystical Left-Flank Wonder: the Geltenbachfall
Keep an eye out for the spectacular Geltenbachfall. At first glance, this waterfall looks like an optical illusion—it violently bursts straight out of the middle of a vertical rock face instead of tumbling over the top. This is a great example of a high-alpine karst spring. The water actually travels through an extensive, hidden cave system extending over a kilometer inside the mountain. During spring and summer, roaring meltwater surges out of the cave mouth. In the winter, the water dries up completely, leaving beautiful frozen ice on the face.
Tracking the crystalline Kander River, you will reach your final destination: the historic, candle-lit Berghotel Waldhaus. Operating entirely without mains electricity, the Waldhaus still relies on gas lamps and candlelight, preserving the raw, romantic alpine atmosphere of the 19th century.
Extension Note: Craving a Longer Adventure?
If this 20km route leaves you wanting more, beyond the extension mentioned above, the Lötschenpass is a central node for epic multi-day trekking networks:
Restipass Extension: Instead of dropping straight to the valley floor, you can link this hike into a multi-day circuit that routes over the nearby Restipass (2,626m), leading you down past pristine alpine lakes to Leukerbad.
Tour du Wildstrubel Link: For true endurance backpackers, the descent through Gasterntal seamlessly connects into the multi-day Tour du Wildstrubel, a legendary loop tracking the massive glaciated borders of Bern & Valais.
Leaving the Valley (Gasterntal Bus back to Kandersteg)
The journey concludes with an unforgettable ride out of the canyon. Because the single-lane road out of Gasterntal is carved directly into cliff faces via road tunnels and operates on strict one-way time windows, public transport is handled by a dedicated private shuttle bus.
Where to Catch It: You can board the bus directly at Selden or down at Waldhaus.
Scenic Highlight: The ride back to Kandersteg station squeezes through the Chluse gorge - a dramatic, cliff-clinging route featuring roaring waterfalls right outside the window. The road itself was painstakingly built in 1924-5 as part of a post-war public unemployment program - see my other articles…
Crucial Tip (Paid Shuttle): This is a private line operated by Kander Reisen, meaning Swiss rail passes (GA, Half-Fare, or regional guest cards) are not valid. Expect to pay in cash directly to the driver (~CHF 10 from Waldhaus or ~CHF 15 from Selden).
Reservations are Necessary: Space is limited on these small mountain buses. You must phone ahead to secure your seats (+41 33 671 11 72) usually a day before!
Pro-Tips for the Trail
Footwear: Sturdy, high-top hiking boots with aggressive tread are essential for the loose moraine and slippery glacial ice.
Weather Tracking: The weather can turn quickly at 2,690m. Check the high-alpine forecast & ensure the pass is clear of unexpected summer snow before setting out.
Hydration: Bring a filtration flask. While there are pristine glacial streams, alpine pastures higher up mean water should be treated or filtered.
This hike was done by the author on the 17th of July 2025. See my other articles for great summer and winter hikes in both areas. Contact me by email for photos or to ask questions.
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