Satisfying climb with rewarding views
Strenuous loop hike (T4) | Skip the summit for a lovely T3 loop | Rock climbing & skiing nearby
“That mountain is taunting us. We have to conquer it!” This was James’ assessment of the Gummfluh as seen from further west. And it’s true, its pointy peak and pointy neighbour do look a bit like two fingers rudely sticking up. So a few weekends later, off we set.
You can climb the Gummfluh from the north or south east side, but neither route is an official trail. We took the easier southeast route, and made the hike a loop by returning via a small lake on the northeast-ish side. You could skip the summit for a lovely T3 hike.
►Strenuous Gummfluh loop hike | 10.4 km | 1120 m ↑↓ | T3–T4
►Medium loop hike, skipping the summit| 6.8 km | 535 m ↑↓ | T3
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Practical info
Getting there & away
The Gummfluh is located between Château d’Oex and Gstaad, on the border of the Swiss cantons of Vaud and Bern. The hike described here starts and ends near Chalberhöni, a little hamlet near Gstaad. You can park on the side of the road. There is no public transport.
►Directions to the trailhead on Google maps
What to bring
You don’t need any special equipment to do the hike in summer or early autumn. You may need snowshoes, skis or mountaineering gear in winter and spring when there’s a lot of snow. Whatever the season, be prepared for sudden changes in weather, take enough to eat and drink, and don’t forget sun protection.
Facilities
There’s a restaurant at Chalberhöni but no facilities along the trail.
►Restaurant Waldmatte Chalberhöni (English, German & French)
Dangers & annoyances
The trail to the summit is exposed in places, with steep drop offs. You do not want to fall! We climbed the Gummfluh in May, and there was still a lot of snow in several places — enough that we felt safer roped up. There may also be snow in spring on the T3 section between Trittlisattel and the Gour de Comborsin.
The rest of the trail is not dangerous; nevertheless guard against:
- Sunburn
- Heat stroke/dehydration
- Stomach bugs & parasites in lake and stream water
Trail description and map – Gummfluh
Most of the Gummfluh hike described here — and all of the medium loop hike — is T3 and well marked and signed. The route includes a section of the long distance “1 Via Alpina” route, which crosses 14 passes in the Swiss Alps.
The side trip to the summit is T4. This section is steep and exposed in places, with chains in one stretch.
Strenuous loop hike
Chalberhöni – Wilde Bode – Trittlisattel – Gummfluh – Trittlisattel – Gour de Comborsin – Plan de Comborsin – Chalberhöni
Highest point: 2,457 m (Gummfluh)
Height gain: approx 1,120 m
Trail level: T3–T4 | Steepish and exposed in parts, with some chains
Distance: 10.4 km
From the trailhead, follow the signs to Wildebode. After a steep climb through forest you’ll arrive on a grassy ridge with a cabin. Follow the signs from here to Trittlisattel. Note that the trail does not follow the road behind the cabin but veers to the right.
From Trittlisattel continue in the direction of the Col de Jable for around 500 m — including a section through a small gorge — then veer to the right for the trail to the Gummfluh summit. This unmarked path follows the ridge then climbs very steeply and is not always obvious. The route then traverses along the base of the summit’s cliffs until a ledge with chains running up to nearly the summit. From the ridge it’s a straightforward scramble to the top – though with a steep drop off on one side.
Return back to Trittlisattel then follow the signs to Gour de Comborsin, a small lake at the base of the Gummfluh massive. From here it’s an easy walk down the beautiful, wide Plan de Comborsin valley to the starting point.
Medium loop hike, skipping the summit
Chalberhöni – Wilde Bode – Trittlisattel – Gour de Comborsin – Plan de Comborsin – Chalberhöni
Highest point: 1,850 m (Trittlisattel)
Height gain: approx 535 m
Trail level: T3
Distance: 6.8 km
Follow the same route as described above, but skip the summit by following the signs to Gour de Comborsin once you reach Trittlisattel. From the lake walk back down the valley to the starting point, as above.
Nearby mountain fun
Eating & sleeping
You’ll find many eating and sleeping options in the nearby towns of Château d’Oex, Rougemont, Gstaad and Saanen — all of which are part of the same Swiss ski resort.
Other hiking options
For other trails in the area, see the Gstaad website and SwissMobility.
Two trails of note are:
- The regional “46 Tour des Alpes Vaudoises” , which passes nearly under the Gummfluh on its northern side
- The national long-distance “1 Via Alpina“ which runs along the southern side of the Gummfluh
Rock climbing
A number of rock climbing routes scale the northern face of Gummfluh. You can find more info on the website below:
►Gummfluh rock climbing | camptocamp.org (French)
Skiing & sledding
The wider Gstaad “super ski region” boasts 61 cable cars and 250 km of ski slopes, sledge runs and snowparks, divided among seven areas.