Grosse Scheidegg alternative
The steep side from Grindelwald to the foot of the Wetterhorn
Overview
This is the Grosse Scheidegg from the other side — climbed out of Grindelwald rather than up from Meiringen, and the harder of the two approaches. Like its mirror, it's a road almost no one can drive: closed to private cars, shared only with the yellow Postbus and other cyclists. From Grindelwald it gets straight to work, with the Eiger's north face and the Wetterhorn looming overhead as the road climbs to the 1,962 m col. There are a few cow gates on the way up, but they hang loose and swing freely — you can ride straight through without putting a foot down. Just be ready to pull off the road when a Postbus comes the other way; they expect right of way on the narrow sections.
Key info:
- Total distance: 11.1 km
- Area: Grindelwald / Haslital
- Recommended for: Advanced
- Appeal: The steep, harder side of the car-free Grosse Scheidegg — sustained gradients straight out of Grindelwald, the Eiger and Wetterhorn overhead, and a quiet road shared only with the Postbus
- Water & fuel: A fountain on the way up; a mountain restaurant at the top and about halfway down the Meiringen-side descent; stock up in Grindelwald before you start
- Time of year: Late May–October
- Road: Narrow single-lane mountain road, closed to private cars; loose swinging cow gates you can ride straight through, and the Postbus expects you to pull off the road for it
Ascent
From Grindelwald at around 1,020 m the road tips up almost immediately and stays up. There's no easing-in: it settles into a sustained 8–11% grind through pasture and the occasional cow gate, with the Eiger and Wetterhorn filling the view ahead. A fountain on the way up is a welcome place to top up bottles. The gradient holds its sustained pitch — touching 13% on the steepest 100 m sections — almost all the way to the 1,962 m col, with no real flat to recover on. At 923 m of gain over just 11.1 km it averages a stiff 8.3%, which makes this noticeably harder than the longer, more stepped Meiringen approach: a challenging intermediate climb that rewards strong, steady legs.
Stats:
- Level: Intermediate
- Distance: 11.1 km
- Elevation gain: 923 m
- Maximum gradient: 13%
- Average gradient: 8.3%
- Estimated time (at level): 66 min
Descent
From the col the road drops down the Meiringen side — and it's a big, demanding descent: roughly 18 km losing some 1,320 m at an average around 7.2%, with steep pitches touching 14% and around 13 hairpins as it threads down through Rosenlaui and the gorge to the Haslital floor. It earns its advanced billing on the steep, sustained gradient and the switchbacks alike. About halfway down there's a mountain restaurant — a good excuse to rest the hands and the brakes before the lower, steeper section. The road stays narrow and car-free, but the Postbus runs it both ways, so keep something in reserve for the bends and be ready to give way.
Stats:
- Level: Advanced
- Hairpins: 13
- Maximum gradient: 14%
- Average gradient: 7.2%
Climb Profile
A steep start straight out of Grindelwald settling into a sustained 8–11% grind beneath the Eiger and Wetterhorn, ramping to 13% on the hardest pitches — 923 m of gain over 11.1 km to the 1,962 m col.
Summary
If the Meiringen side is the long, stepped way up the Grosse Scheidegg, the Grindelwald side is the short, sharp one — steeper, more sustained, and harder on the legs, but every bit as quiet and car-free. Pair it with the descent to Meiringen for a full traverse of the pass (as this route did), break the long drop down at the halfway restaurant, and enjoy one of the most spectacular car-free climbs in the Alps from its tougher direction. Strong climbing legs on the way up and good brakes on the way down are both non-negotiable.