From the Grimsel Pass up to the Sidelhorn
Obergoms
5/8°
Exhilarating hike along the continental divide at the heart of the Alps to a panoramic peak. High-altitude circuit with glorious views of glaciers, lakes, snowy peaks and the whole upper Rhône valley.
Difficulty
IntermediateLength
8.56 kmDuration
3:30 h
Description
The upper stretches of Valais and the Rhône valley reach to the heart of the Alps. The historical passes that have linked northern and southern Europe for centuries bridge the continental divide here. Tunnels under the Alps now carry the bulk of the traffic, but the historical villages of the region bear witness to its former importance for trade.
The journey up to the starting point of this hike – the Grimsel Pass – is an adventure in itself. The road climbs from the village of Oberwald first to Gletsch – gateway to the Furka Pass – before tackling a spectacular sequence of hairpin bends up to the Grimsel Pass, at an altitude of 2,164 m. The pass was long the key trade route between central Switzerland and Lombardy: Swiss cheese and cattle travelled south, while mules carried wine, corn, rice and olive oil to the north.
From the pass, the trail leads up the ridge to the west. The views are sensational. To the north lie the lakes, hydroelectric reservoirs and glaciers of the Bernese Oberland: a raindrop falling on this side joins the Aare – the longest river entirely in Switzerland – ultimately to flow into the North Sea. To the left of the path, walkers look out over the iconic 4,000-metre peaks of Valais, and down into the lush valley of the young Rhône, at the very start of its journey past the vineyards of Valais – the largest in Switzerland – to Lake Geneva and ultimately the Mediterranean Sea.
This ridge hike between two worlds culminates at the highest point of the route, the Sidelhorn (2,764 m). Soon after, the trail leaves the ridge and drops down into the Rhône valley. At first the path leads downhill to the sparkling waters of the Jostsee, before turning north-east to return to the Grimsel Pass.
Highlights
- Thrilling walk along a high ridge on the European continental divide
- Experience of the heart of the Swiss Alps: historical passes, powerhouse of green energy
- Glorious views of glaciers, lakes, snow-capped peaks and the villages of the lush Rhône valley
Turn-by-turn directions
The very first section of the trail from the Grimsel Pass summit actually leads through part of the Bernese Oberland – just to the right of the boundary with Valais. Higher up the slope, however, the path joins the geographical border, which follows the watershed – all the way to the Sidelhorn.
Beyond, the path drops down to a shallow col – the Triebtenseelicke – for a last view of the lakes and glaciers to the north. The trail descends to the Jostsee, reaching the lakeshore at its easternmost point, before turning sharp left to head back up the Rhône valley. The path now descends diagonally across the mountain flank to reach the westernmost point of the Totesee lake and rejoin the Grimsel Pass.
Start
Grimsel Pass, summit (2164m)
Destination
Grimsel Pass, summit (2164m)
Author's recommendation
Look out for the steam trains of the Furka heritage railway. This section of the railway – between Oberwald and Gletsch – was the last to be restored, allowing the reopening of the full historical summit line in 2010.
Technical information
Altitude
2760m
2161m
Ascent
+645m
Descent
-645m
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Public transport
Train to Oberwald (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn), change on to postal bus to the summit of the Grimsel Pass.
Find full timetable information at sbb.ch
Approach
Parking
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion
