June 24, 2016
Nestled away
in the Bernese Highlands, Kandersteg is a small alpine village that’s home to just over a thousand people and sits modestly in the bottom of a multi-tiered valley carved by glaciers. My time there was brief, unplanned, and some of the most fun I’ve had to date.
The train doors smoothly opened and released me onto an immaculately kept platform; everything in Switzerland is spotless. I was on the first leg of a 15-hour journey from Interlakken to Nice when I found myself with a few hours to kill in Kandersteg. Rather than continue my book and bide the time in the station, I immediately checked my bag into a locker and began walking.
Kandersteg is a very small place, so it wasn’t long before I discovered its main attraction; a large gondola that wound its way up the steep walls of the valley, allowing access to one of the massive stone terraces overlooking the valley. The ticket was cheap, and the ride was short and pleasant, but I could have never guessed what awaited me at the top.
After exiting the gondola, a short hike through verdant meadows lead to a twisting expanse of chrome halfpipe embedded into the countryside. Dubbed the Rodelbahn, this winding track accommodates a small seat on wheels with breaks controlled by a single lever. For just eight euros one can rush down the mountainside on a makeshift roller coaster with one of the most spectacular views in the world. I figured I’d go at least twice.
A grey man sat bored behind the counter of a small shack adjacent to the ride; I eagerly paid him and found my place in the rickety seat attached to the wheeled platform. I nervously gripped the break lever situated between my knees as a chain slowly dragged me up a never-ending hill. Finally, I rounded the turn at the top of the hill and was faced with one of the most spectacular alpine landscapes I’ve ever seen, followed by the rapidly plunging metal track that would turn the valley into an amusement park. I passed several signs advising the use of the breaks to control the speed of the cart through the turns. I resolved to resist using the break in order to see how fast I could go.
There was a sharp click as the chain detached from the underside of the platform and gravity was left to take control of the small cart. The rubber wheels under my seat gained speed over the smooth chrome at a surprising rate and before I knew it, I was approaching the first turn. As planned, I fought the urge to ease into the curve using the break. My weight forced the cart onto two wheels as I raced through the turn and as it bucked back in the opposite direction, I instinctively posted out with my arm to avoid falling over. The cart came back down onto the track and the wheels passed directly over my hand with two loud thuds as the ride continued along. I ended up a bit cut and bruised, but my pride took most of the injury; I started using the break. I enjoyed the rest of the ride and decided against going again. I still had a couple hours to kill, so I hiked on.
Hiking the Kander Valley is like walking through a fairytale. Rolling green hills dotted by yellow flowers edge against a 3,000-foot precipice that plummets to the distant hamlets of Kandersteg, a view that’s framed from all sides by resplendent peaks, vibrant glaciers, and plunging waterfalls. Clouds like cotton waft listlessly across a bright sky and crisp mountain air carries the sweet smell of fresh grass and blossoming flowers across the valley. There is no noise, aside from the cathartic sounds of wind rolling over the surrounding crags, carrying the lazy clinking of bells tied about the necks of dairy cows that patrol the meadows. Describing it feels overdone, but even exaggerative descriptions can’t quite give the place justice. Just when I thought things couldn’t be more picturesque, I rounded the crest of a gentle hill and was greeted with one of the most incredible, and most popular, views in the world.
I had unknowingly found Oeschinen Lake (or Oeschinensee). Surrounded by tall pine trees, the water is turned bright turquoise by pristine glaciers that loom over the horizon and fill the lake through a series of creeks and waterfalls. The water then drains underground and reemerges as the river Oschibach, flowing back toward Kandersteg and even partially supplying the town with power!
I hiked down to the lake’s edge. The water was freezing cold, but it was so serene and there was nobody around; I had to get in. I quickly stripped down behind a boulder and waded into the bright water. It bit my skin, but I was completely numb by the time I finished swimming to the middle of the lake. I waded there enjoying the ambiance for a few minutes, but my schedule and body temperature soon demanded I return to shore. As I lay drying in the sun, I thought how nice it would be to spend an entire afternoon there, bringing lunch and enjoying the time with friends and a few beers. Perhaps some other time; I was merely biding time during a layover after all. Sooner than I would have liked, I gathered my things, marched back to the train station, and was on my way.
Wander&Wonder 