Bernese Oberland Traverse

To add to my inquiry of our hike and training. Would it be wise to go a week early and hang out in chamonix or zerrmat for a bit before a couple lower altitude relaxing days or would that cause more fatigue

Six months gives you a lot of time to train. Is it enough? I can’t say having no idea what shape you are in and also not sure of the distances and elevation changes you will have. You should talk to a doctor or trainer unless you are talking about a minor improvement in your fitness level. Be sure to build up gradually so you don’t have any injuries from your training. I’m your age and I always have to fight the temptation to do too much too soon.

As for going early, that’s a great idea. You already have a couple of days to take it easy before you begin hiking. But more would not hurt. Some people need more time than others to adjust to a new time zone. I’m assuming you are coming from North America.

How specifically fit is this group?

It’s a bit hard to say when I don’t know your exact routes. Do you have these planned? We’ve probably hiked all your routes but I’d need to know more specifics of which way you’re going, as that can affect the answer.

Off the top I can tell you that Wengen to Obersteinberg 100% on foot is going to be a long day. If you can get rooms at Rotstockhutte above Mürren a much more enjoyable route that day would be taking public transportation from Wengen to Mürren and then hiking to Rotstockhutte via Bryndlii. Obersteinberg is like a relentless stair climber in the woods with very little view until the top.

Anyway, I can help you if you have more specific routes laid out.

Just a side FYI - it’s a bus from Meiringen to Schwarzwardalp, not a cable car.

In regards to coming early, hiking at altitude is physically more demanding, but it’s not high enough altitude to really need to acclimate in terms of general existence. You just have to be fit enough to handle hiking at the altitudes you’re talking about, regardless of acclimation. I personally don’t notice a massive difference unless hiking up around 10,000 ft, but you will notice some.

What I love is that it sounds like you are all of similar age. This is positive because there are a few things that change for us as we age (I am 61, so talking both from fact and personal experience).

Even if your strength and endurance are still very good - and this is what you will work getting to an even better level between now and your hike - recovery as well as balance/stability (especially under fatigue) are not what they used to be….for everyone! It is just a fact of life as we age.

So I would do things like start slow. Take public transportation to shorten your hiking hours, especially on long downhill sections to help make shorter stages and save energy for the long haul.

Day 3 looks to be the most difficult. If you have found your first two days to be more than you wanted to tackle, then definitely change plans for day 3. It is so not worth getting injured! Prioritise enjoyment over some arbitrary goal! 

Most likely you follow along the #1 Via Alpina, at least for your first two days. Here is the breakdown, if that is the case, starting at Schwarzwaldalp.

Via #1 = 12.5 km, 593 m ascent, 1,013 m descent 4h 09min.

Alternate options: Grindelwald bus

Grindelwald - Wengen along #1 = 1,164 m ascent, 851 m descent, 15.8 km, 5h 34 min.

Alternate options: you can take the train if the ascent becomes too much (Brandegg stop, Alpiglen stop). Also, train down from Kleine Scheidegg.

If you look at schweizmobil.ch where you can see this hiking route (and all others). On the map you can set it to show all public transportation stops and plan accordingly. Click on the exact stop and you will be connected to SBB and the schedule for that stop.

Which huts are you staying at in Grindelwald, Wengen & Mürren? That makes a difference on whether the are accessible by public transport or not. Obersteinberg is definitely not, so it would be difficult to bail on your plan if your luggage is there….