Allmenalp - FirstWalk 8044
Canton - Bern / Berne - Kandertal
Author - Lou Johnson
Length - 3.0 km / 1.9 miles
Ascent - 820 metres / 2706 feet
Descent - nominal or unknown
Time - 2.00 hours
Grade - moderate
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A wonderful mountain walk to the dramatic summit of First, which is located on a steep sided ridge high above Kandersteg. The summit offers some excellent views and needs a head for heights.
Start The upper station of the Allmenalp cable car. The valley station is ten minutes walk from Kandersteg railway station. Regular trains from Spiez (with connections from Interlaken) and Brig. Also bus service from Frutigen. See Transport Map for the Kandertal Region.
End the summit of First (2549m)
Exit the upper station of the Allmenalp cable car and consult the extensive array of signs. As you will discover the onward route takes you uphill towards the farm of Obere Allme. Just before reaching this there is a path junction where you turn right to start an interesting ascent. At first the path traverses grassy slopes but as you climb the amount of exposed rock increases.
Reaching a building at Steintal you follow the path round the back of the building and then start a section of steeper ascent. Like most similar paths in Switzerland, well constructed zigzags make the going fairly easy and quite soon you reach the crest of the Allmegrat ridge. The summit of First is a short way along the ridge and offers some superb views.
To continue this route follow Walk 8045.
Suggested Maps
Landeskarte der Schweiz - 1:50000 - Sheet SW 5004 - Berner Oberland
Landeskarte der Schweiz - 1:50000 - Sheet SW5009 - Gstaad - Adelboden
Kandersteg Wanderkarte - 1:25000
Recommended Books
The Tour of the Bernina
Guidebook describing a 9-stage (119km) route around the Piz Bernina massif in the Alps on the Swiss-Italian border near St Moritz, and the 8-stage (94km) Alta Via Valmalenco exploring the Valmalenco valley, in the shadow of Monte Disgrazia. The Tour of the Bernina is suitable for first-time trekkers but the Alta Via needs some experience.
Alpine Flowers
A pocket field guidebook for identifying 230 of the most commonly found alpine flowers of the Alps. Categorised by colour for quick identification, each alpine flower has a photograph and description of its key features. Flower names are given in English, French, German, Italian and Latin, with notes on curious facts and origins of names.