Rote Chumme 2628 m

From the mountain station of the Kandersteg-Sunnbüel cable car, gently downhill into the wide Spittelmatte. Here you meet the broad Gemmiweg and follow it slightly uphill into the valley. To the right, the bright cliff line of the Üschene ridge, on the left the glacier valley, which rises between Altels and Rinderhorn to the Schwarz Glacier and the Zackengrat, over which the normal route to the Balmhorn leads. You should not miss the small detour at the alpine hut to the pretty Arveseelein lakes in the larch-mixed stone pine forest. Soon you cross the Bern-Valais canton border and begin to climb more steeply to reach the Schwarenbach hotel, which dates back to a mountain house built in 1742. From Schwarenbach continue on the Gemmiweg to the Daubensee. Here turn right onto the mountain path. Above the northern end of the Daubensee, the path turns uphill into the narrow rocky valley of the Rote Chumme. Rising steeply, you quickly gain height. The ringing of the sheep herds seeking their sparse grass here is comforting. Occasionally, a raven or even an eagle chases a dark viper sunbathing on a hot rock slab. The ridge height between Rotem Totz and Felsenhorn is at 2,628 m. Over rocky humps and scree, it mostly goes pathless briefly downhill to the edge of the Tälli glacier. This is heavily covered with debris. Hardly noticeable that you are already on ice. The base is smooth and treacherous, but there is no danger from glacier crevasses. Now you ascend leisurely to the saddle at the Engstligengrat between Tierhörnli and Chindbettihorn to the Chindbetti pass. Behind, deep down lies the small Tälli lake. The glacier is overlooked by Rinderhorn, Altels, Balmhorn, Doldenhörner, Blüemlisalp, and Jungfrau. Over there in Valais shine the Fletschhorn and Weissmies. Also impressive is the view ahead: the wide basin of the Engstligenalp is framed by Wildstrubel, Ammertengrat, Rotstock, and Fitzer. To the right opens the green valley floor of Adelboden. Behind it, the many peaks of the Niesen chain line up. On a good path you now descend steeply to the Tossenseeli, 300 m lower, and from here continue over still steeply sloping alpine pastures to the edge of the impressive high plateau, to the huts of Märbenen. Here grows a delicate fodder plant, the "Märbena" (Plantago alpina L.), also called Adelgrass, which gave the place its name. Over the wide alpine floor of the Engstligenalp, you reach the hospitable mountain houses and the mountain station of the cable car.

Hiking time: 5 hrs. (Sunnbüel - Rote Chumme - Engstligenalp)

Refreshment options: Sunnbüel mountain restaurant, Schwarenbach mountain hotel, Engstligenalp

Cable cars: Sunnbüel cable car Engstligenalp cable car

Return journey: Engstligenalp cable car - Unter dem Birg, bus Adelboden - Kandersteg