A to B
19th September, travelling
On this morning we took the train down, and at the same time, probably not related, the weather changed from glorious blue to somewhat more rainy. The train took us down to Brig, where we did some shopping and tried to get some information about our next goal : Leukebad. It was just a short train ride to Leuk, where we waited for the bus up to Leukebad.
Waiting for the bus in the railway station of Leuk
Leukebad (1402 msl.) is a funny place. Very different from Zermatt. The bulk of the visitors is limited to a small age group of 60+. Apparently, the town is a ancient health resort with healing warm water bath in abundance. We found the one fountain pool without a ticked office.
The camping site was mainly occupied by campers and large caravans for less prosperous health seekers. We pitched our tent on one of the levels. Our mild Taiwanese curry, bought in Brig turned out to be extremely hot, which gave something to look forward to.
20th September, gemmi gemmi gemmi more mountains
The plan was to climb up the Rimmelpass and on to the Lämmeren hütte (2507 msl.). Many clouds hit the top of the pass. The route up was spectacular. The path is an old drovers way to the north of the country and although steep, very easy to go up. It is zig zagging up in a deep gorge, where clouds were waving in and out.
The Gemmi pass
At the top we disappeared in the mist, but after a cold short lunch, the clouds cleared up a bit to show a surprisingly level area and the hut at the end about 250 meters higher. The only time we put on our rain coat was on this last climb where a bit of rain fell.
The top of the Gemmi pass
The last climb out of the Lammeren alp brought us up to the Lammeren hütte, with a beautiful view back on a break in the weather.
It has to be said that the reception in the hut was warm for a change. The land lady allowed us to cook in the winter raum, a room that is open all year as a refuge for lost walkers, and even eat in the main room upstairs among the guests. But before that, there was some more walking, without rucksacks of course.
The Lammerns alp and the Rinder horn
We followed a moon like landscape to the foot of the Wildstrübel glacier. It was then time to return since the weather closed in again. Just when we reached the hut, the rain started.
Cooking in the winter raum
The evening meal was excellent, as we had now totally mastered the art of using Swiss sausages to enhance our meals. The Lämmeren hütte was fairly empty and we had the whole bedroom to ourselves. We slept all right for once, despite the cold and lack of oxygen, as by now, we were wintered mountaineers!
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