High Altitude Cappuccino

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Parking area near the road to Iffigenalp Highest point: Iffighore, 2378 m Total elevation gain: 1100 m Total distance: 12 km Total time: 5h30 Technical difficulty: Moderate Download GPS file As I was preparing for the Breithorn, I did this hike in an extended version. Otherwise, in its normal form, it is also ideal for families. Above Lenk, on the left side of the valley, there is a little road that leads you to a panel indicating that the continuation to Iffigenalp is a timed road that you can take uphill between 30 and 45 minutes past every hour, and downhill between 00 and 15. So you have to time your arrival. But we did not have to, as for the extended version we just left the car in the small parking area next to the panel and continued on foot. You start along the road and, after a few minutes, reach the Iffigfall, which is worth a detour. Then a path acts as a shortcut across the switchbacks the road makes. After crossing the road 2 or 3 times,...

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Horneggli (reached by chairlift from Schönried) Highest point: Horneggli – 1,760 m Total elevation gain: +300 m Total distance: 6 km Total time: 2–2.5 hours (we took around 4 hours with lots of stops) Technical difficulty: Easy – suitable for families and children Download GPS file The Horneggli to Rinderberg hike, near Gstaad, is a beautiful family hike that is perfect for kids but still enjoyable for adults. I did it with my 5-year-old daughter. We started in Schönried, where a chairlift takes you up to Horneggli at 1,760 m. From there, the path is always wide, easy to follow, and well marked. The sign indicates 2 hours 10 minutes to Rinderberg. We actually took almost 4 hours with many, many stops, but I think adults could comfortably complete it in about 1½ hours. The first section passes through a sort of wild flower garden, with small panels identifying the different flowers. Shortly after the start, the trail splits. The main path continues to ...

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Arnensee dam parking Highest point: Approx. 1,550 m Total elevation gain: 30 m Total distance: 3.2 km Total time: 1 hour (without stops) Technical difficulty: Easy – suitable for families and strollers Download GPS file The tour of Lake Arnensee near Gstaad, in the canton of Bern, is a perfect family hike. It goes around the artificial lake on a path that is accessible with strollers, even though you'll struggle a little in a few places. I went with my 5-year-old, Gaia. To get there, turn onto the small road in Feutersoey. Just beyond the village you'll find a toll booth where you have to pay CHF 7 to reach the lake. You can pay either by card or with coins. Once you arrive at the dam, there is plenty of parking, but the area is popular, so it's better not to arrive too late. We got there at 10 a.m. and had no problem finding a space. You can walk around the lake in either direction. We started to the right, going clockwise. There is a bea...

🗺️ Overview Starting point: Simmenfälle parking (approx. 1,100 m) Highest point: Siebenbrunnen (approx. 1,400 m) Total elevation gain: ~300 m Total distance: ~8 km round trip Total time: 2–3 hours walking time (5h30 including breaks) Technical difficulty: Easy (some steeper and uneven sections on the path to Simmenfälle) Download GPS file The hike to Simmefalle and then to Siebenbrunnen starts at the end of the valley after Lenk, at about 1,100 m altitude. There is a parking area next to the restaurant, and you can even get there by bus. At the end of the parking lot, a path starts along the river, which already roars at this point. After a short stretch, you can choose whether to climb via the road on the left or the path on the right. I took the path and, to ease the flow of hikers, keep in mind that it is marked as a one-way trail and can only be used uphill. The first part of the path is the most beautiful. It runs right along the river, which has several rapids and small wa...

🗺️ Overview Starting point:  Brienz (600m) Arrival:  Brienzer Rothhorn (2,348m) Altitude gain:  1,748m Duration:  ~5 hours ascent, 40 min descent (by train) Difficulty:  Hard Technical difficulty:  Moderate (due to snowfields) Download GPS file The Brienzer Rothhorn had been on my hiking list for a while. As the  highest point in Canton Luzern,  it’s a long and demanding route, and I never found the right moment to tackle it. But in 2024, while training for Capanna Margherita, I needed longer hikes to prepare. When the weekend forecast showed perfect weather, I knew it was time. Like always, I decided the night before—one of the perks of living close to the Alps! I left home at 6:30 AM and, by 8:00 AM, I was parked in  Brienz (600m) , a charming village on the shores of Lake Brienz, opposite Interlaken , in canton Bern . The hike starts  near the steam train station —yes, there’s an actual steam train that goes to the summit, but more o...