Swiss Alps Winter Hike

Hiking towards the Berghotel Schwarenbach before the sunset on New Years Day 2024.

On New Year’s Day 2024, we went on one of our biggest adventures ever, a snowy hike across the Gemmi Pass in the Swiss Alps! We started in a mountain village called Leukerbad, with our backpacks on and snow all around us. The air was freezing, and the snow was so deep we could barely see the trail, but that made it even more exciting! We began hiking towards Daubensee, a large frozen lake situated 2,200 meters above sea level. We passed open ridges, deep snow drifts, and made sure to stop and make snowballs, listening to the wind howling through the mountains.

After a few hours, we reached a mountain hut halfway across the pass. It was warm and cosy inside, and we sipped hot chocolate while gazing out at the snow-covered peaks. We played games, told stories, and snuggled into our sleeping bags, ready for the next part of the journey.

The next morning, we set off again, this time heading down the other side of the pass toward Kandersteg. We crossed icy paths, saw more frozen lakes, and even slid down some of the trail on our bums! We felt like snow explorers, and even though it was hard work, we couldn’t stop smiling. When we finally reached the Kandersteg valley, we were tired but super proud. It felt like the best way ever to start a brand-new year.