MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Adjusted Eiger Trail route due to V-Cableway?
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hiking in end july/start august
1) is the difficulty of the route still the same? can a couch potato with average fitness complete this trail without difficulty?
2) what about the views? is it the same from alpigen to eigergletscher vs the original route of eigergletscher to alpigen?
3) I saw a post previously on the signs being confusing for hikers hiking the alpigen – eigergletscher route. has there been improvements?
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/get-from-eiger-trail-to-eigergletscher-station
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Hi cc123! Whether this trail is advisable depends a bit on how much of a couch potato you would consider yourself ;-). It’s certainly not an easy hike, with an ascent of over 700 metres (or descent, if you hike from Eigergletscher to Alpiglen). That can be pretty tough if you’re not used to mountain hiking. If you feel like you’re up for this, your preference for ascending or descending should be leading, rather than the views. You’ll be looking a bit more directly at the mountain rock walls when climbing to Eigergletscher, and more towards the valley when descending towards Alpiglen.
Yes, the route still involves a detour due to construction works, adding an extra 20 minutes. You’ll find a map with the adapted route at https://www.jungfrau.c h/en-gb/kleine-scheidegg/eiger-trail/.
Please read our tips about safety and preparation at https://www.myswissalp s.com/hiking.
hi Annika, let’s define couch potato as not exercising (anything that raises the heartbeat) at all but able to walk for long distances at an average pace. I have no experience in mountain hiking as well.
Advisable?
Hi cc123,
Well, it’s not a hike for your first day in Switzerland I’d say. Other than that it should be doable if you take your time, and take along enough water. See Annika’s links for preparation help. It’s really your call in the end. I bet it will be very rewarding 🙂
are maps necessary? From what i’ve researched, the hiking trails are well marked out.
And being in the middle of nowhere, it can be somewhat hard to exactly pinpoint one’s location on the map. Correct me if i’m wrong
Hi again CC123,
I would suggest that if you’re used to walking but not raising your heartbeat, to walk downwards, otherwise as Arno said you would need to take your time….
This trail might be more suitable, you’ll see an ascent of only 65m which is much more suitable and the rest going down http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/summer-sport/hiking/hiking-trail/36-eiger-trail-eigerletscher-alpiglen-b05996
The challenge when going down on such terrain is to preserve your knee joints intact whilst stepping on rocky terrain. In this case poles are essential so I would advise to check Annika’s list.
I do not believe maps are necessary for this trail with clear weather. You can read more about maps for hiking here: http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/maps
What I find always useful is to pick up a map (not a topographic one but a local hiking map) from the local tourist office before starting a hike. They may not be as sophisticated but will offer you a good view of all the local hikes, starting points etc. and many times landmarks. It’s also a good souvenir of your trip.
Hope this helps and have a great trip!
Maria.
is it ever possible to lose one’s way during hiking in all easy & moderate trails for beginners (e.g. taking the wrong turn in locations where there are no signs)?
Do your self a favour and do a practice run on the so called “Grannies Walk” – http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/maennlichen-kleinescheidegg. It might give you a feeling for the lie of the land and measure the degree of your couch-potatoed-ness. 😉
Hi CC123-
<<“is it ever possible to lose one’s way during hiking in all easy & moderate trails for beginners (e.g. taking the wrong turn in locations where there are no signs)?”>>
Check the hiking link that Maria gave you for comments and maps.
It is quite hard to lose your way, because trails are well-marked. But, a map can be very useful when you are deciding between two trails signed to the same destination at a junction, and don’t know which trail is steeper or easier. Signage gives times, but not distances….the Swiss don’t seem to slow down much on hills. 😉
In dangerous territory, where a misstep could be a bad ide, a map gives an extra measure of safety.
The Eiger trail is very clear, although the new detour that you noted may not be. (I have not seen it, and read that it was confusing.). Also as noted,
If you are not used to down hill hiking, the total descent of 706 meters, as Maria noted, will not be easuy on your knees. Long level walks help , but the muscles used going down are heavily stressed on that hike. It may be more tiring generally to go up…especially at the mile-high and higher altitude, but the views going down are grand. Going up, as noted, you look at the mountain wall unless you stop and look back.
Going down, you cn finish at Alpiglen( note spelling) and have the famous “Käseschnitte” as a reward.
If your knees are at all troublesome,. Rockoyster’s suggestion is an excellent one. That hike has amazing views, and altitude change of only about 160 meters.
And, you can also walk from Kleine Scheidegg down to Alpiglen on the road. Similar good views. “Only” a 447 meter descent.
This topo map has altitudes:
This explains the color codes:
and, less precisely:
http://www.alpenwild.com/stat icpage/trail-signs-in-the-swiss-alps/
Slowpoke
rockoyster – yes I will be doing that after the royal walk
slowpoke – on the eiger trail link that Maria provided, will there be paths as shown in the second picture where no route is clearly marked out (or is that just a photo of the mountain?)? If I encounter such a “route” on other trails, does that mean i have walked the wrong direction?
you can also walk from Kleine Scheidegg down to Alpiglen on the road -> theres a hiking route marked out for this as well?
Käseschnitte is at the Alpiglen train station? I couldnt find anything on tripadvisor with regards to a restaurant at alpiglen station. Käseschnitte was mentioned in grindelwald though
Hi cc123-
<<“slowpoke – on the eiger trail link that Maria provided, will there be paths as shown in the second picture where no route is clearly marked out (or is that just a photo of the mountain?)? If I encounter such a “route” on other trails, does that mean i have walked the wrong direction?”>>
Sorry – I don’t understand the question. The green picture with a “snake” is a view of the trail. There are no deviations. Is that the one you mean?
Scrolling through the 5 “dots” below the picture I see pictures of the mountain close up and of the trail.
Lots of scree, but the narrow trail is not particularly bad.
<<“you can also walk from Kleine Scheidegg down to Alpiglen on the road -> theres a hiking route marked out for this as well?”>>
Since it shows as a yellow-marked trail on the map, it will have signs. Turn the hiking maps layer on and off… look at the aerial view. Zoom in.
<<“Käseschnitte is at the Alpiglen train station? I couldnt find anything on tripadvisor with regards to a restaurant at alpiglen station. Käseschnitte was mentioned in grindelwald though”>>
I can’t comment about what information is or is not on Trip Advisor. Alpiglen is in Gemeinde Grindelwald
Read down this link:
http://www.theglobeandmail.co m/life/following-wagner-through-the-alps/article18272761/?page=all
The first part is about Faulhorn, but Gasthaus Berghaus Alpiglen is described well down in the article.
Slowpoke
i was referring to the second dot. So all easy and moderate trails will definitely be marked like the one in the first dot?
HI cc123 –
On that SwissTopo map, the official hiking trails – die Wanderwege – are shown in yellow, red, and blue. All are well marked.
The markersalong the trails are color-coded. Please look at the two links I gave above for color coding. In the Alpenwild link, the tourist is staring at signs for mountain hiking trails…note the red/white markers on the signs.
Second dot in Maria’s link is just a picture of the mountain to show you how close you get to the mountain wall.
The trails are not defined by “easy” or “moderate” in the official descriptions. Please read those in the link that I gave. The distinction is that you don’t need special gear for the yellow ones (in theory, anyway, but you should have good boots (or sturdy hiking shoes with grippy soles) and a hiking staff for the red ones.
The My Swiss Alps trail descriptions offer those judgement terms – easy, moderate….. Otherwise, you have to look at a topo map and make your own judgement
To clarify, if a path were well paved, smooth, possibly with steps, and it went straight up the side of a mountain that was fairly steep, it would be yellow. And, it would be difficult because of the effort to climb a lot up a slope at high altitude. It would be “yellow” because of the good surface conditions and steps. A “red” trail could be straight and level, and easy to walk, but could be “red” because of the potential for dangerous falls or a lot of scree on he surface, making for slippery footing. Normally, the “red” surfaces are rough, uneven, perhaps rocky.
Blue trails are technical climbing.
Slowpoke
Hi CC123,
A lot of great information here. For the hiking guide that Slowpoke is referring to you can visit this link: http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king
Trails are marked on our site as easy, moderate or difficult and you can see the elevation, time, distance etc. A good suggestion from Rockoyster to do a very easy trail and see how you get on!
Maria.
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