| Gemmi Pass | |
|---|---|
 Gemmi Pass | |
| Elevation | 2,269 m (7,444 ft)[1] |
| Traversed by | Trail |
| Location | Valais,Switzerland |
| Range | Bernese Alps |
| Coordinates | 46°24′00″N7°36′50″E / 46.40000°N 7.61389°E /46.40000; 7.61389 |
  Location in Switzerland | |
Gemmi Pass is a highmountain pass across theBernese Alps connectingLeukerbad (on the south) in the canton ofValais withKandersteg (on the north) in the canton ofBern. The pass itself lies within the canton of Valais, at a height of 2,269 metres (7,444 ft) above sea level.[2] The main trail reaches 2,322 metres (7,618 ft).
The pass lies between theDaubenhorn (2,942 metres (9,652 ft)) in the west and the Plattenhörner in the east.
The pass is at the west end of the Aar Massif and at the east end of theWildstrubel Massif. Near the pass is theDaubensee, which has no outlet above ground. TheGemmi Fault passes close to the pass.
The pass is mentioned in theSherlock Holmes storyThe Final Problem. Sherlock Holmes andDr. Watson cross the pass on their way toMeiringen, where Sherlock Holmes has his famous meeting withProfessor Moriarty at theReichenbach Falls.
The pass is described byGuy de Maupassant in his short-storyL'Auberge.[3] The American writerMark Twain also visited the pass in August 1878, and described it in a letter to his wife.[4]
Although the pass cannot be traversed by road, it is still directly accessible by cablecar from Leukerbad. Alternatively, the pass can be reached by a two-hourdramatic hike on foot.
From Kandersteg a cable car gives access to theSunnbüel area (1,934 m), 10 km north of the pass, allowing hikers to cross the pass on a wide and easy trail.
The trail over the Gemmi Pass is very popular with hikers both in summer and in winter.
The pass itself is also used as a vantage point, because of the view of some major peaks in thePennine Alps, such as theDom,Matterhorn,Weisshorn andDent Blanche.
