Treasures in the Reichenbach Valley: Chaltenbrunnen - Engelhornhütte - Rosenlaui

Above Rüötsperri, view of Wellhorn and Wetterhorn

Haslital Tourismus
CH - 3860 Meiringen
+41 33 972 50 50
haslital.swiss
info@haslital.swiss

The Rosenlaui area is considered one of the most beautiful alpine landscapes in Switzerland. Instead of taking the classic pass route, this tour takes you there on charming byways.

From the starting point at Chaltenbrunnen, you first walk a few dozen steps uphill on the pass road, then branch off in the direction of Rüötsperri. The curious name of the field goes back to the fact that in the past, bulls on heat were kept in a separate enclosure.

A gravel road leads gently uphill out of the valley to Hohbalm. It is worth pausing now and then on this section to look back. The view of the Reichenbach valley is extraordinarily picturesque. Flowery meadows, mighty sycamores and numerous dry stone walls characterise the landscape; in the background rise the Wellhorn and Wetterhorn with their almost vertical north faces. The unusually beautiful area was awarded the cultural landscape prize of the Oberland-Ost region in 2006.

A narrow, sometimes very steep path leads to Alp Chly Rychenbächli at the foot of the Tennhorn. An easy descent continues to Alp Gross Rychenbach, then another steep ascent to the Engelhornhütte. In the last part of the ascent, the terrain is very sloping in places. Some particularly exposed passages are secured with ropes.

Crossing the secluded Ochsental, you come very close to the craggy rock pinnacles of the Engelhörner - one of the most charming sections of the whole hike. The descent into the Reichenbach valley is on rocky paths and gravel paths, which are sometimes very slippery due to the loose material. On the way, you repeatedly enjoy the view of the Rosenlaui glacier, which is still impressive despite the loss of ice. The goal of the hike is the art nouveau hotel Rosenlaui, from where the post bus takes you back to Meiringen.

Details

Difficulty

Moderate

Condition

Experience

Landscape

Altitude

1914m1207m

Recommended season

Author Tips

On the way down to the Rosenlaui Hotel is the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge. A well-secured path leads through the gorge past mighty waterfalls, bizarrely polished rocks and impressive bottlenecks.

Equipment

The sun's rays are particularly intense in the mountains. Sun cream with a high protection factor, a sun hat and sunglasses with UV protection should therefore be part of your luggage.
Even in summer and in good "starting weather", warm clothing and rain protection are part of the equipment. The onion principle with several layers of clothing is recommended.
Day hiking backpack with rain cover
Sturdy and comfortable shoes
Clothing adapted to the weather and hard-wearing (onion principle)
Charged mobile phone
Pocket pharmacy
Drinks and catering
Pocket knife

Bergwandern.ch equipment

Safety Guidelines

Regularly check the location and compare it with the schedule. In this way, alternatives, shortcuts, demolition, etc. can be considered in good time.
In the event of bad weather, turn back in good time or seek shelter. If thunderclouds are gathering, it is advisable to abort the tour as soon as possible.
Do not leave the marked paths. Stay on the official hiking trails even if trails look like shortcuts. Some of these paths are not maintained and can end in a dead end.
Lost? Stay together as a group and return to the last known point. Wait for better visibility or call for help.Plan enough time and energy reserves for the descent.
Slow down and take breaks.
Steep grass, scree and snow slopes are safer to tackle on the ascent than on the descent.
For the descent, choose the easier option or take the train down to the valley.
Avoid herds of cattle calmly and at a sufficient distance. Keep dogs on a leash.
In encounters with guard dogs, the following applies: Remain calm so that the dog realises that you are not a danger to the herd. Keep a generous distance from the herd.
Allow mountain bikers to pass without obstructing their ride unnecessarily.

Mountain Hiking Check

Directions

Starting Point

Postcar station Kaltenbrunnen

Koordinates :

Geographic	46.699384 N 8.173497 E

Ending Point

Postcar station Rosenlaui

Getting There

Public transport

Thanks to its central location in Europe, Switzerland is served by international trains from over 12 countries. Within Switzerland, Intercity trains run from Basel and Lucerne directly to the Jungfrau Region. Travellers from Zurich change trains in Bern. The trains run every half hour.

From Interlaken and Lucerne we travel comfortably on the Zentralbahn panorama trains directly to Meiringen. From Brünig-Hasliberg we have several post bus connections at our disposal.

Timetable & Ticket Shop SBB

Getting there

From Basel and Geneva, the fastest route to the Jungfrau Region is via Bern. From Zurich, the route via Lucerne and the Brünig Pass is recommended. The pass is open all year round.

From the south, travel to the Jungfrau Region via the Grimsel or Susten Pass. Both passes are only open in summer. An alternative is the Simplon Pass with subsequent car transport through the Lötschberg tunnel.

We recommend parking your car in Meiringen. Rosenlaui is well served by public transport.

Arrival Meiringen

Parking

The municipality of Meiringen has 835 public parking spaces in the village centre and at the valley station of the Meiringen-Hasliberg cable cars. A large multi-storey car park is located in Hasliberg-Wasserwendi directly by the gondola lift to Käserstatt.