Conquering the Grimsel Pass: A Journey Through Time, Water & Rock
Whether you are an avid hiker, a history buff, or a fan of mega-engineering, this alpine route offers an unforgettable day in the heart of Switzerland.
Hike Overview & Fast Facts
Start: Grimsel Pass Summit (2,164 m)
End: Raterichsbodensee Dam (1,767 m)
Distance: Approx. 12 Km (including the Totensee loop and side trails)
Elevation: A continuous descent of roughly 400 m into the lower basin, though side loops keep the total elevation gain to a gentle 50 m.
Duration: 3.5 to 4.5 hours (excluding the 1.5-hour underground tour)
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate (T2/T2+ alpine trails)
Highlights: High-altitude lakes, marmots, glacial views, roaring waterfalls, Europe's first electrically heated hotel, an industrial cable car system, and the engineering marvel of the brand-new Spitallamm Dam.
Getting There: The Legendary Four-Passes Bus Loop
While you can drive to the starting line, the ultimate way to access this hike is by riding the legendary PostBus Central Alps Passes Route. Departing from the railway hub of Meiringen, this famous circular bus tour tackles four of Switzerland's most spectacular alpine passes in a single day: the Grimsel, Nufenen, Gotthard & Susten.
The iconic yellow panoramic bus climbs an astronomical cumulative altitude of 10,366 m and crosses four cantonal borders over its 208-Km run. Hikers can simply board the morning bus in Meiringen, hop off at the very first pass summit - ”the Grimsel Pass - to complete this trek, and seamlessly catch a later passing bus down at the lower lakes to continue the loop or head back to base.
Phase 1: High-Alpine Wildlife & The Haunted Waters of the Totensee
Your adventure begins at the wind-swept Grimsel Pass summit (2,164 m). Before plunging down the valley, warm up your legs with a gentle 2.7-Km loop around the mirror-like waters of Lake Totensee.
Right near the start of this loop trail, next to the Hotel Grimselblick, you will pass the Murmeltierpark Grimselpass (Marmot Park). This rocky, 1,100-m2 enclosure allows you to observe a colony of Alpine marmots up close. If you listen closely, you can often hear the shrill warning whistles of the wild marmots echoing across the surrounding grass slopes.
As you continue walking the loop, look upward to see the route's most dramatic visible mountain peaks:
The Sidelhorn (2,764 m): Looming directly above you, guarding the pass summit.
The Schreckhorn (4,078 m): The northernmost four-thousand-meter peak in Europe, piercing the distant horizon with its jagged, dark granite pyramid.
The Furka Pass: Rising sharply across the eastern valley, revealing its famous snake-like highway hairpins.
History: Do not let the serene turquoise water fool you. Totensee translates to "Lake of the Dead." Local lore tells a bloodier tale from the Raron War of 1419, when a fierce battle broke out on the pass and dozens of fallen Bernese soldiers were thrown into the freezing waters of the lake. Long before the wars, this very plateau was part of the ancient Sbrinz Route, where rugged pack-mule traders braved the elements to carry hard Swiss cheese south to Italy.
Phase 2: Descending into the Granite Moonscape
Leaving Totensee behind, follow the red-and-white alpine trail markings heading north. The terrain quickly shifts into a dramatic moonscape. You will wind through massive waves of glacier-polished granite and low-lying alpine shrubs, descending steadily toward the massive, milky-turquoise expanse of Lake Grimsel. As you drop lower into the basin, look to the west to spot two incredible visible glaciers:
The Oberaar Glacier: Crowning the highest ridges of the upper valley, sending its meltwater rushing downward.
The Unteraar Glacier: You can see this massive river of ice feeding directly into the back end of the Grimselsee reservoir.
The air here carries the roar of rushing water. Glacial streams cascade down the sheer rock faces, creating dramatic, unnamed waterfalls that spray the granite cliffs before feeding into the lake below. Rising defiantly from a rocky outcrop overlooking the reservoir sits the stone-walled Historisches Alpinhotel Grimsel Hospiz.
History: This site holds a legendary status as Switzerland’s very first documented guesthouse, with roots stretching back to 1142. The original valley-floor hospice was submerged forever in 1930 to create the reservoir, and the current granite fortress-hotel was built higher up on the rock in 1932, making global headlines as Europe’s first electrically heated hotel.
Pro Tip: If you hike here in the early spring when the reservoir water levels are at their lowest, the ghostly stone ruins of the original 19th-century hospice actually resurface from the depths of the lake!
Phase 3: Inside the "Building of the New Day"
From the hotel terrace, the scale of Swiss engineering opens up before you. This is where you step off the trail and into the heart of the mountain by booking the Staumauern Spitallamm Guided Tour. At least it was available in 2024...
The Engineering: The original Spitallamm dam wall was completed in 1932. However, when a structural crack was discovered deep inside the concrete in the early 2000s, Swiss engineers came up with a bold solution. Instead of tearing it down, they built a brand-new, 113-meter double-curvature arch dam directly in front of the old one. Completed in 2025, this masterwork of modern engineering now holds back the reservoir. The old historic dam remains completely intact, sitting submerged just behind the new wall like an underwater monument.
The guided tour lets you walk through the damp, chilly subterranean galleries carved straight into the raw mountain granite, demonstrating how alpine glacial runoff is converted into clean electricity.
Riding the Rails & The Frozen Winter Escape
You cannot visit this area without marveling at the incredible Grimselwelt mountain railway network. Originally constructed to haul heavy machinery, concrete, and workers deep into the mountainside for dam building, these industrial lines are now open to the public. Right from the Grimsel Hospiz, you can spot the Sidelhorn Aerial Cable Car gliding effortlessly over the rugged terrain, carrying hikers back up near the pass summit.
The Winter Oasis Experience:
While the trails and pass highway close entirely under heavy snow, the Winter Oasis at Hotel Grimsel Hospiz offers one of the most exclusive overnight getaways in the Alps. Because the pass road is completely blocked, getting here in the deep winter is a multi-step bond-villain adventure: you take a PostBus to Handegg, board a giant KWO industrial cable car, transfer into a mini-van that drives you directly through the dark, subterranean hydropower tunnels, and take a final mini-cable car right up to the hotel's snow-choked doorstep.
Because it sits in a heavily protected winter wildlife zone, all winter sports and ski gear are strictly banned at the hotel. Guests come solely for deep, silent deceleration, roaring fires, stargazing, soaking in an outdoor wood-fired hot tub surrounded by frozen wastes, and tackling the "shortest winter trail in Switzerland" - a tiny 500-m snowshoe loop around the hospice tower.
Phase 4: The Final Descent to Raterichsbodensee
After emerging back into the alpine sunlight, continue your hike down through the Sommerloch basin. The trail brings you to the shores of Lake Raterichsbodensee (1,767 m). The path hugs the shoreline, cutting beneath vertical granite cliffs that are highly popular with rock climbers.
A note about the climbing here:
- The Technical Grades: The Räterichsboden Seeplatten feature roughly 14-15 primary multi-pitch routes. These are highly celebrated in Swiss "Plaisir" climbing culture because they offer incredibly well-bolted, approachable multi-pitch lines.
- Difficulty Range: The routes span from friendly French 3a to 4c beginner paths up to technical 5a to 6c friction tests.
The hike reaches its dramatic conclusion as you walk right across the top of the Raterichsboden dam wall. Looking down, you get a vertigo-inducing view of the valley; looking up, you see the massive highway curves scaling the mountain back toward the summit.
Where to Refuel: Alpine Food Options
After burning some calories on the trail, you have excellent dining options at either end of the hike:
Grimsel Hospiz Restaurant: Located right in the middle of your hike, this historic hotel boasts a spectacular dining room with panoramic views of the dam.
Grimsel Pass Guesthouses: If you take the PostBus back up to the summit (or want to fill up before you start), the alpine hotels at the pass summit offer cozy, wood-paneled dining rooms.
This tour was done by the Author on the 14th of July 2024. See my other articles about hikes in this area. Contact me by email for photos or to ask questions...
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