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
Tour of Mont Blanc
An essential guidebook for walking the Tour of Mont Blanc. The 170km route typically takes 11 days to trek around the Mont Blanc massif. The TMB is recognised as one of the world's classic treks. The book describes both anti-clockwise and clockwise directions, with variants and information about huts, refuges and facilities en route.
The Swiss Alpine Pass Route - Via Alpina Route 1
Guidebook to the Alpine Pass Route following the Swiss Via Alpina 1, a 360km trek east-west across Switzerland, from Sargans, on the border of Liechtenstein, to Montreux, including prologue from Liechtenstein. A demanding 3-week trek described in 18 stages, crossing 16 passes including the 2778m Hohtürli. Requires good fitness and experience.