Ascent of the Eggerhorn, descent into the Binntal
Binn
-1/5°
ClosedClimb from the young Rhône valley up a panoramic peak, and descent into the pristine Binntal valley. Thrilling experience of the scenery and villages of the Binntal Landscape Park.
Difficulty
DifficultLength
14.8 kmDuration
6:45 hDescription
This exhilarating ascent of the Eggerhorn (2,503 m) starts in the main Rhône valley and concludes with a descent beyond into the wild Binntal valley. The contrasts along the way and the spectacular summit views of the two valley systems make for an unforgettable hike.
In fact the entire route lies within the confines of the Binntal Landscape Park, known for its pristine scenery, geological variety and wealth of plant and animal life. The historical villages seem to live in a state of suspended animation, having been bypassed by modern traffic routes; several have won awards for their superb state of preservation.
The hike begins in Ernen, one of the first Swiss villages to win the Wakker Prize for the conservation of its architectural heritage. Over recent years, Ernen has made a name for itself as a music village, thanks to its classical concerts in summer featuring international musicians.
A steady climb through the forests above Ernen leads to a gentler ascent across the flower-covered pastures at Alpe Frid. The trail then becomes much steeper, but the reward is well worth the effort: spectacular panoramic views from the summit of the Eggerhorn.
The route then leads into a different realm: the pristine Binntal valley, which was entirely cut off from the outside world for months every winter until construction of an access tunnel just half a century ago. The historical settlements of traditional wooden houses and barns, bronzed by the sun, are full of charm. Our route down from the Eggerhorn cuts across the pastures to the village of Imfeld (also known as Fäld); an alternative route features a steeper zig-zag descent to Binn. Both ancient villages are among the best-preserved in Valais.
Highlights
- Ernen – historical “music village” with a renowned international summer festival
- Eggerhorn – exhilarating climb, panoramic views
- Binntal valley: pristine landscapes, charming villages of ancient wooden houses
Turn-by-turn directions
From the centre of Ernen, the trail climbs steadily through the forest that covers the slopes overlooking the village. Once the path reaches the high pastures above, it follows the shoulder of the mountain, leading eastwards across open meadows before climbing through a final stretch of forest to reach the treeline. From here, the path leads more steeply up to the summit of the Eggerhorn.
Beyond, the route heads down into the Binntal valley. The most direct path zig-zags all the way down to the village of Binn: a popular alternative conclusion to the hike. Our route, however, branches off to the left at an altitude of about 2,000 m, traversing the slopes for about 1 km before dropping steeply down to the open pasture at Nacke. Here, at an altitude of about 1,800 m, our trail once again turns off to the left and heads eastwards across the slopes down to Imfeld.
Start
Ernen (1198m)
Destination
Imfeld (1517m)
Author's recommendation
Technical information
Altitude
2502m
1199m
Ascent
+1419m
Descent
-1101m
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Public transport
Approach
Parking
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion