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Mountain Lodge Lodging - Loop with Train Station

I am in the preliminary stages of planning a trip to Switzerland, where I haven't even figured out the time of year we're going.

I was watching Rick's episodes on the Alps, and like the idea of spending 1-2 nights at alpine huts. But I don't want to do the full on, carry my 22x18x9 bag on the hike. So I was wondering if there's a possible loop that doesn't involve doubling back on foot, where I could check my bag at maybe a train station, do the hike with a day pack, sleep in the hut, walk to another hut, spend a night, and then wind up back where I checked the bags. As I write it out, I'm sure there's a way to do it, with a short train ride back to a train station, but does anyone have a good recommendation for how such a thing may best work. Location, method, any advice. We are not athletic people, but could get our hike on for a day or two, I think.

Posted by
17436 posts

My first choice for a two-night hike, with luggage left in a train station locker, would be this:

Start at Kandersteg, a small town in the Berner Oberland between Spiez and Brig. We have left our luggage in lockers there---that was ten years ago but the lockers should still be there ( check to be sure). They had a 48-hour limit at that time, but that should be OK.

Walk through town tomthe gondola and ride the lift up to Oeschinensee. From there, you can hike left or right to reach two SAC huts. I would go left to Blumlialphütte first, overnight there, then loop back to the lake and head up to Freuendenhütte. This is a gorgeous and fun hike on natural ledges, wide and safe, and secured with cables to hold when you want them. The hut sits below the toe of a glacier with incredible views down to the lake below.

These are designated as hikes 9 and 8 on the little map at the bottom of this page.

http://www.oeschinensee.ch/hiking/

The next morning, descend to the lake and ride the gondola back to town to retrieve you luggage.

Other possibilities---although I have no personal experience with luggage storage at these station:

Grindelwald: leave your luggage there and ride the train back to Wilderswil to catch the cogwheel,train up to Schynige Platte. Walk the Panoramaweg along the ridge, with occasional views down tomthe Brienzersee or the other way down to Grindelwald. The hut you are heading to is on the FUlhorn, practically at the summit. The next day you continue on to First ( top station of the gondola down to Grindelwald). You could overnight there or continue around to Grosse Scheidegg. These two are mountain inns rather than alpine huts. From either one it is an easy descent to Grindelwald for your luggage pickup.

Zermatt: there are a number of 2-night walk possibilities from town. Pick from this list of huts, hecking locations on a map:

https://www.zermatt.ch/en/climbing/Mountain-huts

Posted by
21160 posts

Another possibility is the Swiss National Park in far eastern Switzerland. Left Luggage office in Zernez train station. Mountain hut needs to be reserved for a sleeping spot, but looks nice.
http://www.nationalpark.ch/en/visit/accommodation/
Click on the "hiking" tab on the left for lists of hikes.