Tällihütte – Gadmen: casual circular hike in the Gadmental

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Along the imposing Gadmer Dolomites from the Tällihütte to the mountain village of Gadmen; This panoramic circular hike offers an entertaining introduction to the versatile Gadmental and will undoubtedly inspire you too!

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In cooperation with PostBus, I present you in this section selected excursion destinations in the Bern/Central Switzerland region, which are located along the various PostBus lines. After our first detour to the Schallenberg, this time we explored the beautiful Gadmental from Innertkirchen with the PostBus line 172.

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The Gadmental – a hidden gem

No, it’s just a coincidence that hardly anyone gets past the Gadmental. And that’s exactly what makes the alpine valley landscape in the furthest corner of the Bernese Oberland so special! The Gadmental connects Innertkirchen with the Susten Pass and scores not only with an impressive mountain backdrop, but also with a wide range of hiking trails and cosy refreshment stops. Well-known hiking destinations are the Trift area with the legendary suspension bridge (still on my bucket list). In addition, the striking Gadmerflue enjoys a certain popularity among climbers.

So it’s not surprising that on this Saturday morning at the beginning of July, we’re not the only ones waiting for PostBus line no. 172 at the Innertkirchen, Grimseltor stop. Here at the hinge point between Grimsel and Susten there is already a lot of activity in the early morning. For the 20-minute post bus ride to the starting point of our hike, I secure a window seat on the left in the direction of travel. On this side you can already get a first look at the massive rock faces of the so-called Gadmer Dolomites.

With the Tällibahn up to the foot of the Gadmer Dolomites

The majority of passengers leave the Postbus at the valley station of the Triftbahn. A small queue has already formed here and we are accordingly curious to see how the situation will present itself at the Tällibahn, which is a five-minute drive away.

The bright red cabin of the small 8-seater gondola catches our eye from afar. However, the feared rush does not materialize here. The Tällibahn was once opened as a works railway and is now one of four cable cars of the Oberhasli power plant that are open to the public. The Tällibahn runs daily from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. in self-propelled operation. The tickets can be purchased either online in advance or directly on site at the ticket machine (attention – does not take cash!).

It all works perfectly – and once in the cabin, you press the “Ascent” button and the Tällibahn starts moving. During the almost seven-minute ascent that follows, I almost flatten my nose against the gondola window while admiring the view. Even though the clouds persist in the sky this morning, we can hardly get enough of the panoramic view over the lush green valley floor in the direction of the snow- and ice-covered three-thousand-metre peaks (including the Titlis). What an enchanting landscape!

Once at the top of the mountain station, a zigzag path leads us directly to the sun terrace of the Tällihütte. We can’t resist the temptation of a short snack break. In wise foresight, we held back at breakfast. The two of us share a hay plate and enjoy the peace and quiet far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

To my astonishment, the sun terrace is only about a third full, despite the start of the holidays and the weekend. By the way: The detour here is also worthwhile to indulge in a few hours of idleness and to clear your head.

Panoramic high-altitude hike to Alp Raflue

But now the bumblebees in our butts are making themselves felt – it’s time to start hiking. The high-altitude hike Tälli – Alpliegen – Raflue follows the course of the Via Berna. The narrow mountain hiking trail follows the contour lines below the Gadmerflue in a slight up and down. In front of us is the impressive panorama from the sharply jagged limestone wall of the Gadmerflue over the Titlis to the glaciated five-finger stocks.

But it’s also worth pausing from time to time and looking back on the path you’ve already taken. Particularly striking: the lushly wooded trough slopes punctuated by avalanche tracks.

Zigzagging downhill to Gadmen

After about thirty minutes of walking, the hiking trail descends about 100 metres in altitude to Alp Raflue. Here you have the opportunity to hike further west across the alpine pastures and make an arc over the Wendenboden. However, we decided to continue following the Via Berna. And so, after a last look at the Gadmenflue, we continue on the Direttissima downhill to Gadmen.

Secretly, I had feared that the following route would be rather tedious to walk. We had even considered doing the tour in the opposite direction (which is of course an option!). But I am quickly pleasantly surprised. Thanks to the numerous hairpin bends, the trail is less steep than expected. And the ground (mostly forest floor) is also very pleasant to walk.

Almost 1.5 hours after our hiking start at the Tällihütte, the first houses of Gadmen appear in front of us. We follow the signs through the centre of the village to the Susten Pass road. In doing so, we cross the new Goldvreneli trail. On the three-kilometre-long adventure trail that runs along the valley floor, you can learn more about Rosa Tännler and life in the valley around the year 1900 at nine stations. That alone would also be worth a trip!

And follow the valley path back to the starting point

The hiking trail leads us past the Gadmer Lodge in the direction of Gadmerwasser. Since autumn 2019, Gadmer Lodge, which was founded as a cooperative, has been offering a friendly base for all those who want to stay a little longer in the valley. On my list of ideas for future short trips, the Gadmer Lodge has been on it for at least half an eternity – I would like to check in here for a few days in winter and hone my cross-country skiing skills.

Today we will only make a short flying visit before we tackle the remaining part of the trail along the Gadmerwasser back to the starting point. Less than twenty minutes later, we are back at the PostBus stop Gadmen, Tällibahn. Just in time to see the bright “yellow” approaching from the Susten Pass.

Key data of the hike Tällihütte – Gadmen – Tällibahn

On the following map you can see the route of the circular hike from the Tällihütte via Gadmen to the valley station of the Tällibahn. It is a white-red-white marked mountain hiking trail with a difficulty level of T2/T3. Note that the descent from Alp Raflue to the mountain village of Gadmen is a bit steeper in sections. If you feel unsafe on such passages, you are well served to pack hiking poles. Alternatively, the hike can be completed in the opposite direction (uphill with destination Tällihütte, mountain station). In terms of views, however, the described direction from the Tällihütte downhill to Gadmen is clearly recommended.

Starting point	Gadmen bus stop, Tällibahn (1,170 m above sea level); The starting point of the hike is at the mountain station at 1,772 m above sea level.
Reachability	Accessible by public transport
Length	6.0 kilometers
Elevation gain	130 m 675 m
Duration	2:00 p.m.
Destination	Gadmen bus stop, Tällibahn (1,170 m above sea level)
Catering	Tällihütte, Gadmer Lodge, Restaurant Alte Post

Practical tips for your trip to the Gadmental

• The Gadmental can be reached from Innertkirchen Grimseltor with line 172 with 12 daily routes (note the timetable: frequency varies depending on the time of day). In addition, there are three daily courses from Meiringen in the summer months, which cover the connection over the Susten Pass.
• The Tällibahn is in operation daily from 07:00 to 21:30 from 13 May to 29 October 2023 (self-drive operation).
• A one-way ticket on the Tällibahn costs 8 CHF, children from 6 to 15 years pay 4 CHF. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the ticket machines at the valley and mountain stations (note: payment with cash is not possible). You can find more information about the Tällibahn on the Grimselwelt website.
• In the Tällihütte you can not only eat fine food, but also stay overnight in double and multi-bed rooms. The accommodation prices start at 80 CHF and include a hut dinner and a mountain breakfast.
• Not only does the Via Berna and the Tälli High Trail lead past the Tälli Hut – it is also the starting point for an ascent of the Tälli via ferrata. This was opened in 1993 as the first Via Ferrata in Switzerland and offers people with a head for heights a very special perspective on the Gadm Dolomites.
• You can find more information about the timetable and the other excursion destinations in the Gadmental on the PostBus website.