Grimselzyt - Gerstenegg, Grimsel

Gerstenegg sits on the west side of the Grimsel pass road, between Handegg and the Räterichsbodensee, in the Bernese Alps above Guttannen. The walls there are the same polished Aare granite as the rest of the Grimsel, and Grimselzyt is one of the longer lines on them: seventeen pitches rising out of the Handegg basin. I climbed it on 30 July 2023.

Gerstenegg, 1600 m / Grimselzyt

5c / 17 pitches / ~400 m of climbing / Aare granite

The Grimsel is usually shorthand for friction climbing on bare, glacier-scoured slabs. Grimselzyt is a little different in character. Descriptions of the route agree that it follows natural weaknesses as far as possible - cracks, corners and chimney lines - so there is noticeably less pure smearing than the area’s reputation suggests. The rock is consistently good, and reports single out the upper pitches for the quality of the structures.

Logistics

Approach

About one hour from Chüenzentennlen. The path runs out fairly quickly and the rest is a wade through alpine scrub, dwarf larch and boulder fields, marked by cairns rather than a trail. One report suggests aiming for a large boulder and then trending left to reach the first climbable rock; another notes a relatively fresh rockfall field with loose debris below the start.