Schynige Platte - Faulhorn - First

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16.19 km long
Difficulty: difficult
Great panorama
Hiking Trail
  • 06:00 h
  • 825 m
  • 639 m
  • 1,910 m
  • 2,680 m
  • 770 m
  • 16.19 km
  • Start: Schynige Platte, summit station
  • Destination: Grindelwald-First, Bergstation Gondelbahn / Firstbahn

This fantastic day trip starts at the Schynige Platte summit station, leads past the mountain huts at Oberberg on its way to the western slope of the Loucherhorn. Continue over the Egg in a gentle ascent along the slope of the Sägissa; below you will see the shimmering Sägistalsee mountain lake. Continue over the Egg in a gentle ascent along the slope of the Sägissa, below you will see the shimmering Lake Sägistalsee. The trail continues to the Männdlenen mountain lodge, ascending continuously to Fulegg and from there along the mountain's southern flank to the Faulhorn summit. It offers a magnificent panoramic view. In the 19th century, the Faulhorn was described as a "ladies' peak" because there are no significant mountaineering skills required to climb it. However, its name ('faul' means 'lazy' in English) has nothing to do with sloth, and reaching the summit does require a good level of physical fitness. 'Faul' or 'ful' is in fact the term used to describe the loose layers of clay and slate from which the mountain is made.
The steep yet well-maintained trail descends via Gassenboden to Lake Bachalpsee, which then leads, on a more or less level path, to the Grindelwald-First aerial cableway summit station.


Good to know

Best to visit

suitable
Depends on weather

Directions

Schynige Platte - Oberberg - Loucherhorn - Egg - Faulhorn - Bachalpsee - First

Equipment

Normal hiking gear, hiking boots with good soles.

Directions & Parking facilities

Via Bern or Lucerne to Interlaken. Or from the south, via the Grimsel Pass (summer only) or the Simplon Pass and the Lötschberg car-transport train to Interlaken. Wilderswil is not far from the exit towards Grindelwald/Lauterbrunnen.
Uncovered parking spaces are available behind the train station Wilderswil.
With the Bernese Oberland Railway or by car to Wilderswil. The historic Schynige Platte Railway runs across the Breitlauenen Alp to the Schynige Platte. Travel time from Wilderswil: 53 minutes.

Additional information

Hike 62

(in the printed summer panoramic map of the Jungfrau Railways)

Safety guidelines

Mountain trail with some slightly-exposed sections. Be sure to start early in the morning and allow enough hiking time to reach the First Aerial Cableway during operation time! The walk down to Grindelwald adds another 1,200 metres of altitude and around two and a half hours of walking time to the hike.

Nearby

Getting there
Schynige Platte - Faulhorn - First
Gündlischwand