Brienzer Grat
Two days of unbroken panorama above Lake Brienz. The long, grassy ridge from Brünig to the Harder Kulm is one of the great pre-Alps traverses, exposed and high above the lake.
The whole Brienzer Grat
The Brienzer Grat is one of the great ridge traverses of the pre-Alps: from Brünig-Hasliberg over two long days across the Wilerhorn, Brienzer Rothorn, Tannhorn and Augstmatthorn, down to the Harder Kulm above Interlaken. It stays in T3–T4 terrain for a long time but is exposed throughout; just before the Tannhorn comes a very airy crux (T5-), which some call sketchy but which is doable in practice. On the Rothorn a tunnel and gallery lead coolly through the rock. The whole way you’re kept company by the panorama from the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau to the Finsteraarhorn, Schreckhorn and Wetterhorn.
Tip: Water is the issue. There is none on the ridge; the only reliable refill is the Berghaus at the Brienzer Rothorn. Three litres per person is not enough on hot days, four is more realistic — and if you plan to cook up there, budget more. Tent spots are scarce; you make do with small dips along the crest.
How it went for me
An extremely hot June weekend — cold nights were not the problem; water was: four litres each, and that was on the edge. We took an afternoon train to Brünig-Hasliberg and climbed up to the Wilerhorn, where we pitched the tent. Early the next morning on to the Brienzer Rothorn — ten minutes of civilisation, face washed, bottles filled. The second night we spent in a hollow before the Tannhorn, hot and exhausted. But the coffee the next morning as the sun came up — that made it all worth it.