Berner Alpen Warnings Or Dangers Tips by globetrott Top 5 Page for this destination

NO smoking in Brienz during Foehn !!

This is NO JOKE !!!
In Brienz and many other places with lots of wooden buildings Smoking is absolutely forbidden in the streets - and it is also rather dangerous during the FÖHN - ( foehn in engl.? ) - Foehn is a warm wind that is typical for alpine areas, and it could even happen in wintertime.
The old wooden buildings obviously catch fire very fast and easily and it would be a pity for them ! Some people - including myself - will feel a Foehn by their head aching all day.

Don't count on the shelter-huts !!

There might be plenty of "Shelter Huts" in your mountain-maps but according to my personal experience it really makes sense , NOT to count on any of the various shelter-huts that you may find along your hiking-routes!
Most of them might be good for a short break in nasty weather, BUT as a place to spend the night they will mostly be totally out of question :
1) the interior is made in a way that makes sleeping there almost impossible : narrow, rough and simple benches will make it impossible to spend the night there.
2)Most of these huts will also be used as toilets by sheep and cows and there is a terrible smell inside
3)You never know, how many hikers had the same idea to rest inside the hut you are heading to
I saw various such shelter-huts and only close to bachalpsee there were a few that had a door-system that would no animals enable to walk inside of them.
The hut on my main picture had a perfect view - see my other picture - BUT it was totally open at the other side and used as toilet not only by cows...

Always stay at the marked paths !!!

It is not always easy to understand, why you would not be allowed to leave the marked paths on top of Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn or other alpine areas in Berner Alpen. You may see great crevasses nearby and plenty of foot-prints of other tourists leading there as well...
I made my pics in a large distance !

Please keep in my mind, that any rescue-activities have to be payed by the incautious tourists, and most of the insurances will not pay anything, when you had left the ordinary mountain-paths and got into big danger all by yourself !

Berner Alpen are no place for high heels

For a vacation in Berner Alpen you need a minimum of extra equipment:
1) Leave your Manolo Blahniks at home and take good hiking-shoes instead, when walking in the mountains of Berner Alpen and especially at the Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn , where I saw that funny "trafic-sign" : Many of the paths are quite slippery sometimes, you will have to step through alpine pastures, solid rocks and loose gravel - all of that is not really a good place to show your latest fashion-shoes...

2)Be careful, when hiking at glaciers in wintertime : For some people it is not always easy to understand, why you would not be allowed to leave the marked paths on top of Jungfraujoch. You may see great crevasses there nearby and plenty of foot-prints of other tourists leading there as well...
I made my pics in a large distance !
Please keep in my mind, that any rescue-activities have to be payed by the incautious tourists, and most of the insurances will not pay anything, when you had left the ordinary mountain-paths !!
3)Some chocolate and an extra bottle of water makes always sense, because when hiking you never know how long you will have to wait for help in case of an emergency or when you are forced to get shelter in an empty mountain-hut because it is that foggy or raining outside that you cannot see, where you are going.
Bottles of the light PET-material are the best - you will not feel them, when they are empty, and you may re-fill them at many natural fountains on your way - the quality of the mountain-water is always excellent in Switzerland and the cheapest mineral water you may buy in a vending-machine is 2 sfr., mostly it is even more expensive.