BLS Südrampe
Description
The south ramp starts in Hohtenn. It goes down a few meters along the small access road, but then you turn left onto a hiking trail. From here, the south ramp is signposted. You ride almost exclusively on single trails via Ausserberg to Eggerberg and then climb about 300 meters in altitude on a small road to the entrance of the tunnel into the Baltschiedertal. This can be ridden on a bike, but a lamp is required. In this unusual way, you reach the Baltschiederbach stream and ride back out of the valley on the opposite side. This section is challenging but undoubtedly a highlight. The Groperi-Suonenweg leads through small tunnels and steep terrain. Finally, you reach Eggen and Untereggen, where you return to the original route of the southern ramp. This is followed by a section along the railroad line until you finally descend to the thermal baths on a challenging single trail. From here, take the cycle path to Brig.
Tips:
- Due to the large number of hikers, the south ramp should be avoided on beautiful Sundays and during the vacation weeks in July and August. You should certainly arrive on the first train to Hohtenn so that you can get to the trails before all the hikers.
- Be sure to bring a flashlight for the ride through the tunnel
- The south ramp can be ridden early in the year because there is rarely snow on the southern slopes of the Rhône Valley. The route is also worthwhile in late fall, when there is already fog in the Central Plateau and frosty temperatures prevail.
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Details of the tour
30 km
620 m
1015 m
1 day
Hohtenn
Brig
1146
well suited
More information
Video
More tours nearby
User comments (23)
Note: This content has been automatically translated from German. Please report any incorrect translations.
Did the whole tour today with a detour to Tatz. Very rewarding. Even the short section in the Bietschtal that was closed in the Swisstoopo was not closed out of the valley.
In some places I preferred to push the bike as it was very steep. Highly recommended if the weather forecast is not too good but the conditions are dry (hardly any hikers). like the previous rider, I would go down to Brigerbad a little earlier next time.
I rode the tour today. Everything was fine until I came out of the tunnel. There are still two avalanche cones to cross and lots of wood on the trails. The trail to the left of the stream from KM 15.9 was closed ("no passing") and is explicitly forbidden for mountain bikers anyway - I don't think you should ride through there. The trail to the right of the stream is also nice. As the previous speaker has already mentioned, I wouldn't do the trail down to Brigerbad, but cut down beforehand. You probably just do it so that you can say you've accompanied the BLS as far as possible.
Rode it last week - everything was fine. The 30km take a bit of energy, as it is quite hilly and there are frequent ups and downs. But it's fun! At km 5.1, the trail is said to be closed for safety reasons. But it is well prepared and you can see that it has been repaired. I suspect that the warning sign was simply not collected again after the construction work.
Addendum to my comment from 20.11.2023:
Here is the link to my Youtube video of the complete trail: a good 30km compressed into 30 minutes :)
https://youtu.be/C3et26Qf4j8
Have fun
Super tour - the BLS Südrampen Trail fully lived up to its reputation. I was probably one of the last to ride the trail this year, 18.11.2023, was a bit borderline (everyone else had touring skis and snowboards with them on the train through the Lötschberg on the outward journey): the storms and heavy rainfall of the last few days have taken their toll: I had to overcome 3 fallen trees in the Bietsch and Baltschieder valleys, as well as an avalanche cone also in the Baltschieder valley. I also had to cross a 10m long passage in the ice (under a small waterfall) on the subsequent path along the Suone. The passerelles after the Lalden station are unfortunately narrower than my 80cm MTB handlebars, I had to "circle" around every catenary mast. There are a few passages where a fall is effectively "forbidden", and in the current weather it is also slippery in places - enjoy the fantastic view but please be careful.
Tour is in good condition, no restrictions on the route.
An addendum to my comment from 9.9.: on the very last descent down to Brigerbad, really ride until just before the tunnel and only then turn into the trail. We turned off about 3 meters before and came out at the bottom, after some thickets and bushes, in a horse pasture.
The avalanche cones mentioned in the last entry are gone. But even so: take care up there. There are places where it's better not to fall.
The avalanche cones mentioned in the last entry are gone. But even so: take care up there. There are places where it's better not to fall.
We rode the tour at the beginning of May.
After the tunnel, there are still two avalanche cones to cross.
The section after the tunnel back out of the valley is very exposed. Technically not particularly difficult, relatively easy to ride, but falls or riding errors are forbidden on this section! If there are a lot of pedestrians, I would avoid this section.
Nice tour to start the season. We rode the tour during the week and had few to no hikers on the route. After the tunnel in Baltschiedertal there is a large avalanche cone which has to be crossed twice.
Work is currently underway on the Suonenweg (officially closed due to rockfall, but the sign is only on the opposite side).
Conclusion: Beautiful tour for safe riders
There are actually 2 bike bans (nature reserve before the metal bridge and the last section, from the bridge after the exit of the water pipe/tunnel). in addition, the last part is closed due to the risk of falling rocks
I rode the tour on 25.08.21. The start was at 14:00 in Hohtenn. There were very few hikers and everyone was friendly. There are no bike bans, only someone has scribbled no bikes on the signposts. If you don't have a head for heights, you shouldn't do the tour. In my opinion, there are more beautiful trails to ride. On the south ramp, you have to stay 110% focused at all times.
Great tour! Be sure to start early in the morning during the fog season and during the week!
In the section after the tunnel (no bikes allowed in the tunnel!) there have been several avalanches in winter and the path is partially buried.
Alternatively, approx. 150m after the tunnel exit, turn right directly down the slope and cross the wooden bridge.
On the following adventurous trail along the Suone, biking is also prohibited!
A pity but understandable.
The trails are not bad, but the panorama and the bisses are awesome
here a little video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxshvRz19NM&feature=youtu.be
Great tour but certainly not with an e-bike. You have to lug it around! That's probably no fun.
The section in the Baltschiedertal towards Eggerberg has a bike ban in both directions! In places it is not possible to cross with hikers as the trail is very narrow and exposed.
Unfortunately, the bike ban is not marked at the tunnel entrance.
Cool tour at the start of the season - especially with a start in Jeizinen. However, there are not many fun flow trails. Also annoying are the track pillars where the handlebars don't fit through. Fortunately, however, they are limited. The connecting trail on the east side of the Bietschbach valley is currently closed due to an acute risk of falling rocks.
Great tour for the start of the season.
The tour is a great experience. You cross beautiful landscapes and ride along the famous Valais bisses. If you are expecting flowing, long single trails, it is better to take the Stockalperweg on the opposite side of the valley (probably still too early at Easter). You should have a basic level of confidence on your bike, especially along the Suonen. Otherwise you end up pushing or, like your colleague Manji (see above), fixing your colleague in front of you.
On the whole, however, it's a great tour, you only notice the 600m ascent in a few places (pushing the bike or climbing to the tunnel entrance). Speaking of tunnels: a very brilliant experience, but without light it would be very tedious!!!
When planning a tour, it is best to do it early in the year or in the fall. During vacations or weekends, the south ramp and the Suonenweg are very popular with hikers and families. Consideration is always required.
Tip: A slightly cloudy or cloudy weather forecast discourages many hikers from taking such a tour.
The tour is recommended by almost everyone. But the BLS south ramp doesn't have much in common with a brilliant mountain bike tour. There are senseless meters of altitude lost. There are short sections where you can get in the mood, otherwise keep your eyes fixed on the colleague in front of you and try not to fall off. The trail is super exposed. One tick on the checklist, but that's all the tour is worth!
Fun in late winter/early spring and free of hiking socks - provided you descend early enough from Hohtenn... The two hikers in Baltschiedertal were just as friendly as I was, the two others after Lalden station a little less so. They supposedly saw a bike ban - unfortunately I didn't. I did what I always do in such situations: I apologized and (also) wished them a nice day (the latter was unfortunately not reciprocated...). Item. I only discovered a bike ban above the trail to Brigerbad. However, the ban only applies to continuing on the hiking trail along the railroad line towards Naters. A little disappointed, I still enjoyed the short trail down to Brigerbad. All in all, however, a nice little door.
should of course be called Briberbad, not Brigerbar (the thirst probably helped write it :-))
are still great, the exit from the Baltschiedertal has a "hiking trail closed" chain but the section is dry and has no ice. Unchanged until the next precipitation.
Super tour - However, you should ride down into the valley just 1km before the actually great Brigerbad trail (see bike trail sign), because the section along the railroad with the narrow path and high gates on both sides, almost narrower than the handlebars, is not really fun.