Via Alpina Étape 11 : Grindelwald - Lauterbrunnen

The place

#### Ascent towards Kleine Scheidegg: From Rolling Meadows to the Eiger's Face The route towards Kleine Scheidegg offers a gentle climb through rolling meadows, with the north face of the Eiger providing a striking display of rock and ice. The sunny path then leads to Wengen before plunging into the Lauterbrunnen valley, famous for its vertical cliffs and spectacular waterfalls. #### The Imposing Beauty of Grindelwald Surrounded by breathtaking landscapes such as the Eiger and Wetterhorn mountains, the village of Grindelwald is a meeting point where trails wind from Grindelwald Grund towards Brandegg, with some sections very steep, running alongside the Eiger's North Face. It took nearly 80 years after the first ascent of the Eiger in 1858 to conquer the North Face, offering a sumptuous panorama over Grindelwald, the Grosse Scheidegg and the Faulhorn. #### The Spectacle of Kleine Scheidegg Kleine Scheidegg stands in an impressive setting, with the Eiger Glacier and the peaks of the Mönch, Jungfraujoch and Jungfrau as a backdrop. Accessible by train from Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen, this pass is the starting point for the Jungfraujoch, nicknamed the 'Top of Europe' at 3,466 metres. The rack railway, crossing the Eiger and Mönch mountains, arrives at the highest railway station in Europe at 3,454 metres, attracting many tourists. #### Via Alpina Crossing and the Lauberhorn Trail The Via Alpina then descends towards Wengernalp to join the Lauberhorn trail. You can spot the Hundschopf, a famous jump on the Lauberhorn ski race, as well as the start of the Haneggschuss, the fastest section of the race. The trails part ways again shortly after, and the path continues past carefully tended gardens and chalets to Wengen. #### Descent to Lauterbrunnen: End of a Memorable Day The final descent to Wengen station takes a little over an hour to reach Lauterbrunnen. The trail, like a sunny terrace, winds through many switchbacks and follows a well-built gravel road, known as Hohstäg. The steep descent leads to Lauterbrunnen, capping off a magnificent and unforgettable day.