Bristen
For anyone after something demanding, the Bristen is the one: airy scrambling and views that could hardly be finer.
The iconic Uri summit
The Bristen is one of those mountains you can’t really ignore — it towers over the Reuss valley and the Maderanertal like it’s auditioning for the role of “iconic Uri summit,” and frankly it nails the part. The catch is that getting to the top is a proper undertaking, which is why most people split it over two days. The postbus drops you at Bristen Kohlplatz, and from there a wonderful trail climbs past little gorges up to the Chli Bristen. There isn’t much room to camp right at the Chli Bristen itself, so most people bivouac down by the Bristensee — and that’s already around 1400 m of climbing in the bag.
Day two is the serious one. You head for the summit up the north-west ridge: exposed, with short grade II climbing passages and stretches where the path simply gives up and you’re picking your own line through rocky terrain. It’s a genuine T5+, with no room for anyone unsure on their feet or unhappy with a big drop beneath them. Get to the top, though, and the payoff is hard to beat — a full 360 from the Tödi across the Glarus Alps and deep into Uri.
Tip: pick a settled-weather day. And on the way down there’s cake waiting at the Bristenseehütte and a swim in the gloriously cold Bristensee, before the long, leg-sapping descent to Bristen village.
How it went for me
For me, the Bristen is one of my absolute favourite tours in the Swiss Alps. Two big days, a serious ridge, that full-circle view up top — and, as a reward, cake at the hut and a plunge into the ice-cold Bristensee before tired legs carry you back down. Give it settled weather and it’ll stay with you for a long time too.