Ueschenen · Kandersteg (Ueschenen) · Switzerland
Four long pitches of increasing difficulty on excellent grey limestone: pocketed slab, a smooth friction crux on pitch 3, and a short, steep final wall on flat holds that gives the 6a. Varied and sustained for the grade, with a few short grassy ledges in between.
6aVI+5.10a4 pitches · 140 mEasy to bail
Salü Res climbs the grey limestone at Ueschenen above Kandersteg in four pitches, three long ones of about 40 to 45 m and a short final wall. The difficulty builds steadily: layered slabs, then a superb compact slab with pockets, a smooth friction crux and finally a steep exit wall on flat holds. All belays are chains with maillons and recent parties describe the bolting as very good. The route is named after Res von Känel. A few short grassy ledges break the climbing and are unpleasant when wet.
No topo we can show; see the sources.
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 5cVI5.9 | 45 m | Start up Aurikel and from the second bolt follow the bolts right. Pass just left of a distinctive flat roof and continue up layered slab with a few terraces. Mountain Project gives about 40 m. |
| P2 | 5cVI5.9 | 40 m | More or less straight up a superb compact slab with pockets; the first move is a little hard. Belay on a terrace. |
| P3 | 6aVI+5.10a | 40 m | A short pocketed slab, then a move on smooth compact slab (the crux), then a slightly steeper wall on good holds up to an alcove below the final wall. The guidebook grade quoted on Mountain Project is 5c+. |
| P4 | 6aVI+5.10a | 15 m | The steep exit wall: head up and left off the belay, then the first three clips are on smooth, flat holds on slightly overhanging rock. Physical but short; the belay is just over the lip. Mountain Project gives about 25 m and a guidebook grade of 5c+. |
Kandersteg is on the BLS line from Spiez (Bern–Lötschberg), so you can come by train. By car, drive through Kandersteg to the junction south of the village and turn right onto the Ueschenestrasse, a toll road that zigzags up into the Ueschenental. At point 1595 near the Restaurant Lohner keep right to the end of the road; a 2026 party left the car at the restaurant for 5 CHF paid to the owner, and Mountain Project mentions several small parking spots in the valley. Without a car, take the Allmenalp cable car (about 10 min on foot from Kandersteg station) and follow the path south across the slope to the road end.
About 30 min from the end of the road: the path starts 50 m before the barrier, climbs to an alp hut, continues above it and traverses left to the foot of the wall. A 2026 party parked at the restaurant and cut across the boulders to the hiking path that leads straight to the cliffs. The start is shared with Aurikel, whose name is painted on the rock; it lies in the water-polished corner between the Familienroute wall on the right and the Wassermaa wall on the left, about 6 to 9 m left of Wassermaa.
Loading map
The point marks the crag, not the exact start of the route.
Point from camptocamp waypoint 180631 (Ueschenen); Mountain Project gives 46.48315, 7.64089 for both routes, about 40 m away
Contains the route point.
Points from published sources, not surveyed.
Coordinates: 46.48333, 7.64133 (crag)
Two options. Abseil the route: all belays are chains with maillons; a September 2026 party abseiled from the top to belay 2, then belay 1 and the ground, and Mountain Project gives three abseils of about 45 m with two ropes (or top to belay 3, then 59 m from belay 2 of Aurikel to the left, then 55 m to the ground). Or walk about 100 m north along the top of the cliff to a red stake, follow a short fixed line to the first anchor and make three abseils of about 22 m on a single 60 m rope.
Easy to bail
All belays are chains with maillons and abseiling the route is a normal descent: a 2026 party abseiled it from the top. With two ropes you can retreat from any belay. On a single rope the 40 to 45 m pitches cannot be reversed in one go.
Quickdraws only; pitches are over 40 m, so take plenty (the exact number is not published). Two ropes to abseil the route, or a single 60 m rope if you use the descent line. Helmet.
South-east facing, between about 1800 and 2200 m. Climbed from June to October; reported in June 2014, October 2023, August 2026 and September 2026. It can be cold early (6°C on a September morning) but warms up fast in the sun. The grassy ledges are unpleasant when wet.
Forecast · next 7 days · 2200 m
Loading the forecast.
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| High °C | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Low °C | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Rain mm | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Chance of rain % | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Strongest gusts km/h | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Model forecast for 2200 m. It cannot tell you whether the rock is dry. Data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
Time plan · 4 pitches
Working out sunrise and sunset.
An estimate. Queues and route finding cost time, and shaded walls go dark before sunset. Local time (Central European time), flat horizon.
Sun on the wall · SE-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season
From the aspect alone; terrain is ignored. Local time, 15th of each month.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun (usual season) | Jul (usual season) | Aug (usual season) | Sep (usual season) | Oct (usual season) | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | −6 | −4 | −1 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 6 | −0 | −5 |
| Mean daily low °C | −14 | −13 | −10 | −6 | −3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | −3 | −9 | −13 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 |
● usual season. 1991-2020 averages at about 2145 m; rain is for a 10–25 km grid cell. Weather and climate data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
Straight-line distances, up to 30 km.
No reports yet.
Switzerland · Kandersteg (Ueschenen)
A gentle, very well bolted introduction to multipitch climbing on grey limestone slabs, four long pitches up water runnels and a final steepening wall. It is all about footwork, and the guidebook author Sandro von Känel picks it as one of the five best plaisir multipitches in the Bernese Oberland.
5bVI-5.84 pitches140 m
Around 6a · about 4 pitches
Spain · Montserrat
An exposed, airy line with unusually good holes and jugs for Montserrat, shaded in the afternoon. The 6a pitch is a sustained vertical 20 m. Going straight up instead of following the line is closer to 6b+.
6aVI+5.10a4 pitches140 m
Spain · Vega Baja (Orihuela & Callosa)
A popular modern four-pitch classic on Pared Negra's compact grey limestone, around UIAA 6/6+ (about French 6a). Best on cool, sunny winter days.
6aVI+5.10a4 pitches150 m
France · Baou de Saint-Jeannet
The most accessible bolted multipitch on the Baou: four homogeneous pitches of French 5+ with one move of 6a, up a crack, corners and sculpted stratified walls, with an airy traverse on pitch 3. Short enough for half a day. Local grades are stiff, the first pitch is polished and the easy sections are run-out.
6aVI+5.10a4 pitches120 m
Read the cautions
Italy · Sardinia
A short but superb sea-cliff route on beautifully sculpted limestone in an incredible setting near Pan di Zucchero. Corners and an airy pillar lead to a steep, rounded 6a wall. Camptocamp rates it 'great'.
6aVI+5.10a4 pitches120 m
Compiled from published sources, last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.