Gemmi Through the Ages

The Gemmi Pass was already in use as early as the Middle Ages. Around the year 800, Alemanni crossed the Gemmi into the Central Valais. Their settlement marked the beginning of the linguistic Alemannization of the Upper Valais; previously, Franco-Provençal dialects had predominated. The pass was thus not only a transportation route but also a cultural gateway. The origin of the name “Gemmi” is not entirely clear. One possible interpretation traces it back to Latin or Medieval Latin terms for “path” or “passage.” Regardless of its linguistic roots, the name today stands for one of the most striking Alpine passes in Switzerland.

The pass may have been used as early as Roman times. However, its use during the High Middle Ages is well documented: records from the 12th and 13th centuries attest to the cultivation of pastures on the pass plateau as well as the existence of a hospice (also known as a “Spittel”), which provided lodging, food, and care for the sick and injured. In the early 13th century, the Gemmi was first explicitly mentioned as a mountain pass. The route connected the Bernese Oberland with the Valais and was part of an early Alpine transportation network.

The original route led eastward from Lake Dauben through the Furggentäli valley to a pass at an elevation of about 2,730 meters near the Plattenhörner, known as the Alte Gemmi. The subsequent descent to Clabineralp was steep but did not require crossing the prominent rock face above Leukerbad. This higher-altitude and challenging pass remained in use for centuries and was utilized by merchants, shepherds, and travelers.

Around the middle of the 16th century, the path was rerouted closer to its current course, thus laying the foundation for the Gemmi Trail through the rock face, which later became famous. The path now ran alongside the steep rock face above Leukerbad, laying the groundwork for the Gemmi Trail that was later expanded and making the pass more accessible.

As the spa town of Leukerbad grew in importance during the 18th century, calls for an easier route across the Gemmi grew louder. Stephan Matter and Bailiff Balet took the initiative to build a new route through the steep rock face above Leukerbad. In 1739, under the direction of the Tyrolean master builder Anton Lung, the current Gemmi Trail was blasted into the rock using gunpowder. With support from Bern, a permanently secured connection was established between the Bernese Oberland and the Valais. The development was part of Bern’s efforts to create a more direct connection via the Gemmi and Simplon toward Italy and the trading region as far as Thun. The mule trail that was built still defines the character of the Gemmiweg today and is considered an outstanding example of Alpine trail engineering.

With the construction of the Wildstrubel Mountain Hotel in 1878, the Gemmi gained a permanent tourist infrastructure at the summit of the pass. At a time when Alpine tourism was still in its infancy, a hotel at an altitude of 2,350 meters was a testament to entrepreneurial courage and a pioneering spirit. The mountain hotel is one of the earliest Alpine lodging establishments at this altitude and marks the beginning of a tradition of hospitality on the Gemmi that continues to this day.

The idea of a highway from Kandersteg to Leukerbad emerged with the founding of the Pro Gemmi association. The ambitious project, which included several tunnels, was ultimately never carried out, thus preserving the pass’s original character.

When the cable car began operating in 1957, the plateau became directly accessible from Leukerbad for the first time. This new access fundamentally changed how the Gemmi was used and made the pass accessible to a wider audience. The new connection marked the transition from a historic Alpine pass to a modern Alpine resort.

In 1971, the Loretan family from Leukerbad took over the mountain hotel and the Gemmi cable cars. For more than five decades, they shaped the development and operation of the mountain pass.

The infrastructure on the Gemmi has been extensively renovated, and the cable cars have been upgraded to the latest technical standards. The hotel was completely renovated in 2016. The new panoramic restaurant, with 280 indoor seats and 100 seats on the terrace, opened in 2019. Construction of the Panorama Spa area followed in 2020, and the new mountain station is scheduled for completion in 2023.

After 54 years under the ownership of the Loretan family, Gemmi changed hands in 2025, passing to Gemmi Holding AG. This marks the beginning of a new chapter in Gemmi’s history under the leadership and majority ownership of Swiss entrepreneur Roger Büchel.