Alpiglen - Eigergletscher - Kleine ScheideggWalk 8011
Canton - Bern / Berne - Jungfrau Region
Author - Lou Johnson
Length - 8.0 km / 5 miles
Ascent - 710 metres / 2343 feet
Descent - 260 metres / 858 feet
Time - 3.50 hours
Grade - moderate
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This is a straightforward route that takes you beneath the famous north wall of the Eiger. The route is well marked with "Eiger Trail" signs and providing you have good footwear you should not experience any difficulties.
Click thumbnails for larger images.
Start - Alpiglen station which can be reached by regular train service from Grindelwald and Wengen. See Transport Map for the Jungfrau Region.
End - Kleine Scheidegg station from where there is a regular train service to Grindelwald and Wengen.
From Alpiglen station take the clearly signed path east. After a short way the "Eiger Trail" is signed to the right. Take this path and start to climb. Above you rises the sheer face of the North Wall. You progress past some delightful waterfalls as the path twists and turns through rocks and grass.
Nowhere is the ascent too steep, although on a hot day you will certainly feel warm by the time the path traverses across scree. Despite the dominating presence of the Eiger on your left, there are beautiful views to the right as well with the Männlichen ridge dominating the scene.
The path gets very close to the Eiger's sheer cliffs before reaching Eigergletscher station. Close by is the Eiger Glacier which can be viewed from the moraine behind the station. You may not see the marmots but you will almost certainly hear their whistles.
If you are tired or short of time then you can take the train from Eigergletscher but the descent to Kleine Scheidegg is worth completing with fine views ahead. The recommended path is the one that follows the railway. The alternative, descending down a moraine, is not so easy and best avoided unless you are very sure-footed.
Suggested Maps
Landeskarte der Schweiz - 1:50000 - Sheet SW 5004 - Berner Oberland
Landeskarte der Schweiz - 1:25000 - Sheet SW 2520 - Jungfrau Region
Wanderkarte - Wengen, Mürren & Lauterbrunnental - 1:40000
Recommended Books
Tour of the Matterhorn
A guide to the 145km Tour of the Matterhorn, described anti-clockwise from Zermatt and visits 6 valleys via Zinal, Arolla and Breuil, offering spectacular views of 25 peaks of over 4000m. The route also links up with the Chamonix to Zermatt walkers' Haute Route and the Tour of Monte Rosa. Includes two glacier crossings and takes 8 to 10 days.
The Tour of the Bernina
Guidebook describing a 9-stage (119km) route around the Piz Bernina massif in the Alps on the Swiss-Italian border near St Moritz, and the 8-stage (94km) Alta Via Valmalenco exploring the Valmalenco valley, in the shadow of Monte Disgrazia. The Tour of the Bernina is suitable for first-time trekkers but the Alta Via needs some experience.