The Mürren-Gimmelwald via ferrata route is a climb that takes you high above the Lauterbrunnen valley, between the car-free villages Mürren and Gimmelwald. The climb is rated B/C and has a total vertical distance (mostly descent) of 250 meters. The ferrata itself takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete, while the approach takes 10 minutes and the descent 5 minutes.
The steel cable runs along the Mürrenflue, a steep rock face dotted with waterfalls, which also features a base jumping platform that you pass by in the first part. It offers breathtaking views of the Eiger and the famous North Face.
Summary
Grade: B/C – view topo
Vertical: 250m ferrata, 270m total
Time: 10min approach, 1h45min ferrata, 5min descent, 2h total
Access / Parking: 46.5553,7.9012 – Google Maps or any Android maps app
Start via ferrata: 46.5564,7.8962 – Mapy.cz or any Android maps app
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Access
The main access is from Stechelberg village. Park at the Schilthornbahn paid parking and take the cable car up to Gimmelwald and then Mürren.
Another way to get to Mürren is via Lauterbrunnen, where you can arrive by train. From Lauterbrunnen, take the cable car up to Grütschalp and then the scenic train to Mürren. From the Mürren train station you walk 10 more minutes to the ferrata entrance or the Sportchalet.
Approach to start
From the Mürren station, walk for about 10 minutes along the lower village road to the Sportchalet (in the center of the village), past the hotel, and to the tennis court. The entrance to the via ferrata route is through a tunnel with a wooden door, which you’ll find by following the ferrata signs from the centre of town.
The route
Once you exit the tunnel, you’ll find the start of the cable on your left, alongside an info panel. Follow the cable until, at one point, it drops down and switches direction. Pay attention to this junction, because here you’ll also find a trail towards a base jumping platform, not secured with cables. Don’t follow the trail if it is not equipped with a cable.
Most of the time you will be down-climbing. In the first part, you’ll see the valley below from an impressive point of view, just after you pass a base jump platform which is along the route. Then you continue mostly through the forest until two short bridges with 3 cables each break the monotony. After about 1h 30min from the start of the cable, you’ll arrive at the last bridge. This one is long and a bit wobbly, but quite fun. It has a maximum of 10-person at the time on it limit, although crossing alone will introduce less shakes.
Descent
After the final bridge, climb up to the cable car station in Gimmelwald in a few minutes. From here take the cable car back down to Stechelberg parking. If you want to skip the cable car, you can follow a hiking trail down to Stechelberg and then to Schilthornbahn parking – this 4 km long option descends about 670 meters in altitude.
Alternatively, you go back to Mürren if you plan to return to Lauterbrunnen retracing back the second access option we covered in the Access paragraphs.
Good to know
Ferrata is generally open from June 1st to the end of October, from 9am to 6pm.
This route is famous for its 500-meter vertical exposure, which you can experience in the first part, an aerial traverse. Afterwards, the route goes mostly through the woods. Other interesting points are the bridges, the last one being the longest.
You are down-climbing most of the route and it’s mostly A/B, with many sections through the woods.
The mandatory direction is from Mürren to Gimmelwald and not the other way around. You can’t return to Mürren on the ferrata as it is one way only.
You can rent via ferrata gear at Intersport Mürren. A few reviews online mention the fact that if you don’t wear shoes with good grip, Intersport will only rent you the via ferrata gear if you also rent proper shoes from them.
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Video
Weather
Main sources
- klettersteig-muerren.ch
- bergsteigen.com (German)
- we climbed the route on August 9, 2023