On the Eigertrail: Eiger North Face up close

8.41 km long
Round trip
Difficulty: medium
Condition: easy
Hiking Trail
  • 3:30 h
  • 8.41 km
  • 780 m
  • 334 m
  • 1,615 m
  • 2,346 m
  • 731 m
  • Start: Grindelwald/Alpiglen
  • Destination: Grindelwald/Kleine Scheidegg
The Eigertrail is the most impressive mountain hiking trail at the foot of the famously notorious Eiger North Face to the pass crossing at Kleine Scheidegg. The consistently 50 cm to 1 m wide natural path is excellently adapted to the terrain and allows unique views of probably the most famous climbing wall in the Alps. In exceptional weather conditions (e.g., snowfall), the Eigertrail is closed. Marked alternative available.

From the small Alpiglen station, head briefly downstream. At the mountain restaurant, the excellently laid out mountain hiking trail branches off in the direction of the Mittellegi ridge and winds very steeply in a zigzag over alpine pastures and through larch forest upwards. A stream deeply incised into the limestone rock is crossed on firmly anchored bridges. A first rest stop is worthwhile at a hairpin bend on the path, as the ice water from the Eiger shoots out powerfully from a rock channel here. As a long, constantly steeply rising traverse along the slope, the path leads over the Langenegggraben along the foot of the Eiger North Face into the valley landscape Im glatten Wang. Impressive are the upward and downward views of the imposing climbing wall, Kleine Scheidegg, and the green Grindelwald valley. Over colorful alpine flower carpets and bare limestone slopes, through snow grooves and scree fields, you reach the Wart viewpoint. Occasionally, climbers in the wall can be observed with binoculars: 150 to 200 climb it each year. During the same period, 3 to 9 people have to be airlifted from the wall. The view into the glacier world from the Eigergletscher station is indescribable. The husky breeding stationed here also supplies the sled dogs at Jungfraujoch.
The descent to Kleine Scheidegg closely follows the route of the Jungfrau Railway.

Berner Wanderwege
Berner Wanderwege

Good to know

Pavements

Asphalt
Path
Trail

Best to visit

suitable
Depends on weather

Directions

Grindelwald/Alpiglen - Im glatten Wang - Wart - Eigergletscher - Grindelwald/Kleine Scheidegg

Equipment

We recommend the following equipment: sturdy mountain boots, medium-sized backpack with hip belt, sun protection, rainwear, hiking poles, first aid kit, picnic, sufficient fluids, mobile phone.

Additional information

Bernese Hiking Trails Association, Bern, Tel.: 031 340 01 01, E-mail: info@beww.ch, Homepage: www.bernerwanderwege.ch

Literature

Hiking suggestion from the hiking book Jungfrau Region Brienzersee - Oberhasli, hiking book series of the Bernese Hiking Trails

License (master data)

Safety guidelines

This route runs entirely or partly on marked trails of the mountain hiking trail category

 

Map

Swisstopo hiking map 1:50,000 254T Interlaken

Nearby

Contact

On the Eigertrail: Eiger North Face up close
3818 Grindelwald