Gemmi Pass
Encyclopedia
Gemmi Pass is a high mountain pass
across the Bernese Alps
connecting Leukerbad
(on the south) in the canton
of Valais
in Switzerland
with Kandersteg
(on the north) in the canton of Bern.
The pass lies between the Daubenhorn
(2942 m.) in the west and the Rinderhorn
(3448 m.) in the east.
The pass is at the west end of the Aar Massif and at the east end of the Wildstrubel
Massif. Near the pass is the Daubensee
, which has no outlet above ground.
The pass is mentioned in the Sherlock Holmes
story The Final Problem. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson cross the pass on their way to Meiringen
, where Sherlock Holmes has his famous meeting with Professor Moriarty
at the Reichenbach Falls
.
The pass is described by Guy de Maupassant
in his 1988 short-story Sur l'eau.
Although the pass cannot be traversed by road, it is still directly accessible by cablecar from Leukerbad. From Kandersteg a cable car gives access to the Sunnbüel area (1,934 m), 10 km north of the pass, allowing hikers to cross the pass on a wide and easy trail.
The pass itself is also used as a vantage point, because of the view of some major peaks in the Pennine
Alps
, such as the Dom, Matterhorn
, Weisshorn
and Dent Blanche
.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
across the Bernese Alps
Bernese Alps
The Bernese Alps are a group of mountain ranges in the western part of the Alps, in Switzerland. Although the name suggests that they are located in the Bernese Oberland region of the canton of Bern, portions of the Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Valais, Lucerne, Obwalden, Fribourg and...
connecting Leukerbad
Leukerbad
Leukerbad is a municipality in the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.- History :The story of Leukerbad dates back to the 4th century B.C. Graves and ceramics attest the presence of habitation in Leukerbad...
(on the south) in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
with Kandersteg
Kandersteg
Kandersteg is a municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located along the valley of the River Kander, west of the Jungfrau massif. It is noted for its spectacular mountain scenery and sylvan alpine landscapes. Tourism is a...
(on the north) in the canton of Bern.
The pass lies between the Daubenhorn
Daubenhorn
Located above the town of Leukerbad, the Daubenhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps known for having the longest Via Ferrata in Switzerland built into its Southeast rock face which allows access to the summit....
(2942 m.) in the west and the Rinderhorn
Rinderhorn
The Rinderhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps, overlooking Leukerbad in the canton of Valais. It lies east of Gemmi Pass on the chain culminating at the Balmhorn.-External links:*...
(3448 m.) in the east.
The pass is at the west end of the Aar Massif and at the east end of the Wildstrubel
Wildstrubel
The Wildstrubel is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland on the border between the Canton of Berne and the Canton of Valais.The mountain has three summits, all of similar height:...
Massif. Near the pass is the Daubensee
Daubensee
Daubensee is a lake at Gemmi Pass in Valais, Switzerland. It has a surface area of 0.69 km²....
, which has no outlet above ground.
The pass is mentioned in the Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
story The Final Problem. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson cross the pass on their way to Meiringen
Meiringen
-References:...
, where Sherlock Holmes has his famous meeting with Professor Moriarty
Professor Moriarty
Professor James Moriarty is a fictional character and the archenemy of the detective Sherlock Holmes in the fiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Moriarty is a criminal mastermind, described by Holmes as the "Napoleon of Crime". Doyle lifted the phrase from a real Scotland Yard inspector who was...
at the Reichenbach Falls
Reichenbach Falls
The Reichenbach Falls are a series of waterfalls on the River Aar near Meiringen in Bern canton in central Switzerland. They have a total drop of 250 m . At 90 m , the Upper Reichenbach Falls is one of the highest cataracts in the Alps...
.
The pass is described by Guy de Maupassant
Guy de Maupassant
Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was a popular 19th-century French writer, considered one of the fathers of the modern short story and one of the form's finest exponents....
in his 1988 short-story Sur l'eau.
Although the pass cannot be traversed by road, it is still directly accessible by cablecar from Leukerbad. From Kandersteg a cable car gives access to the Sunnbüel area (1,934 m), 10 km north of the pass, allowing hikers to cross the pass on a wide and easy trail.
The pass itself is also used as a vantage point, because of the view of some major peaks in the Pennine
Pennine Alps
The Pennine Alps are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland and Italy...
Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
, such as the Dom, Matterhorn
Matterhorn
The Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...
, Weisshorn
Weisshorn
The Weisshorn is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, in Switzerland. With its summit, it is one of the major peaks in the Alps and overtops the nearby Matterhorn by some 30 metres. It was first climbed in 1861 from Randa by John Tyndall, accompanied by the guides J.J...
and Dent Blanche
Dent Blanche
The Dent Blanche is a mountain in the Pennine Alps, lying in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. With its high summit, it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps.-Naming:...
.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes