Not just the Staubbach Falls

​Visitors to the Lauterbunnen Valley, most often to see the world famous Staubbach and Trummelbach Falls, will also take many photos of the Weisse Lütchine river that races almost down the middle of the valley getting wider and fatter as it is fed by the many contributing tributaries.
 
While the Weisse Lütchine river flows down from the Sefinen-Gimmelwald-Mürren side, there is another very magnificent but overlooked waterfall at the junction in Stechelberg. These two mighty rivers meet, just like the Stechelberg Hotel is a great place to meet up and enjoy a meal in the garden or terrace and be amazed at the waterfalls all around.
 
This ‘Other River’, was made famous in art by artist Joseph Anton Koch (1821/1822) who captured the sensationalism of its waterfall. .Classifed in the Worldwaterfalldatabase.com as number 642, the stunning Schmadribachfall is a 270 metre waterfall with several steps in the Schmadribach behind Stechberg. The Schmadribach rises from the Breithorn glacier and the Schmadrig glacier at the foot of Grosshorn and Breithorn and plunges over limestone benches into the rearmost Lauterbrunnen valley.
 
It is possible to safely walk up along the side this beauty of nature via mountain pathway from Stechelberg 12.9 kilometres out and back. Or as a longer day walk climb from Stechelberg to the Berggasthaus Obersteinberg.
It’s possible to stay the night in this candle lit retreat if you book in advance, or you can walk back down to Stechelberg. A long but rewarding day.
​Photo: Sylvia Furrer
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