On historic paths to the Susten pass summit

21.03 km long
Difficulty: difficult
Condition: very difficult
Hiking Trail
  • 7:30 h
  • 21.03 km
  • 1,800 m
  • 77 m
  • 626 m
  • 2,223 m
  • 1,597 m
  • Start: Sustenpass
  • Destination: Innertkirchen

Mountain hiking trail from Gadmen. Pass roads hold a special position among the historic paths: They were the routes for goods traffic and places where disputes were settled. But they were also regarded as guarantors of mutual understanding across valleys. Thanks to the great commitment of the Gadmen community and broad support from various institutions, a witness of old pass road construction skill was restored at the Susten in primitive nature, away from motorized traffic. The Sustenweg is considered one of the most beautiful pass routes in Switzerland. Hard surface in the settlement area.

From the station or the post office in Innertkirchen, walk past the church and turn onto the winding little road. Shortly before Wiler, cut across a road loop and turn onto the old pass road running on the shady side of the Gadmer valley. Impressive is the view back to the peaks of the Engelhörner and to the mountains of the Gauligebiet. In the meadow area of Schwendi, the road becomes a path. On the opposite valley side, at the mouth of the Gental into the Gadmerwasser, lies Milital, which in ancient times had a smelting furnace. After the group of houses of Hopflouenen, the path follows the reservoir through charming meadowland to the bridge over the Gadmerwasser at Schwendi. For a short time, you now switch to the other valley side and pass Nessental to reach Milistalden. The little road again goes down into the valley floor. To the south, the firn fields of the Trift gleam. For a longer time, you now follow the Triftwasser. Between Kappeli and Schaftelen, the road overcomes a valley step with tight switchbacks, where white marble was once quarried, and leads past Furen to the junction towards Gadmen (10 min to Gadmen/village).
A detour to the beautiful mountain village at the foot of the Gadmerflue is highly recommended. Mighty over the Wendental soar Reissend Nollen, Titlis, Grassen, and Fünffingerstöcke. In Sageli begins the most beautiful but also steepest part of the pass route: In unique mountain landscape with wild mountain waters, you can follow the traces of the old pass road away from all traffic and also gain insight into the techniques of the old road builders. Past the huts of Wyssenmad you go to the scenic height of Steinweng. A slab path leads through a marshy raised bog landscape to the mountaineering center Steingletscher with its own alpine cheese dairy and the excellently laid-out Steinalp glacier trail (to Tierberglihütte SAC 2h45). The ascent to the Susten pass summit means increasingly deeper immersion into the mountain world at the Susten pass: From the firn peaks of the Susten- and Gwächtenhors, the Tierberg, and the Giglistock, the ice streams fall to the high hollow of the Steinalp, where the main arm of the Steingletscher ends just behind the Steinsee.

Berner Wanderwege
Berner Wanderwege

Good to know

Pavements

Street
Path
Asphalt
Trail

Best to visit

suitable
Depends on weather

Directions

Sustenpass - Steingletscher - Gadmen - Nessental - Innertkirchen

Equipment

We recommend the following equipment: sturdy mountain boots, medium-sized backpack with hip belt, sun protection, rainwear, hiking poles, pocket first aid kit, picnic, enough fluids, mobile phone.

Directions & Parking facilities

Outbound: by train via Meiringen to Innertkirchen. Then by PostBus to the Susten pass

Return: by train from Innertkirchen

Additional information

Association Bernese Hiking Trails, Bern, Tel.: 031 340 01 01, E-mail: info@beww.ch, homepage: www.bernerwanderwege.ch

Literature

Hiking proposal from the hiking book Jungfrau Region Brienzersee - Oberhasli, hiking book series of the Bernese hiking trails

License (master data)

Safety guidelines

This route runs entirely or partially on mountain hiking trails.

Map

Swisstopo hiking map 1:50,000 255T Sustenpass

Nearby

Contact

On historic paths to the Susten pass summit
3862 Innertkirchen