Hiking the Brienzer Rothorn – My Highest Elevation Gain Yet!
Overview Starting point: Brienz (600m) Arrival: Brienzer Rothhorn (2,348m) Altitude gain: 1,748m Duration: ~5 hours ascent, 40 min descent (by train) Difficulty: Hard Technical difficulty: Moderate (due to snowfields) Download GPS file The Brienzer Rothhorn had been on my hiking list for a while. As the highest point in Canton Luzern, it’s a long and demanding route, and I never found the right moment to tackle it. But in 2024, while training for Capanna Margherita, I needed longer hikes to prepare. When the weekend forecast showed perfect weather, I knew it was time. Like always, I decided the night before—one of the perks of living close to the Alps! I left home at 6:30 AM and, by 8:00 AM, I was parked in Brienz (600m) , a charming village on the shores of Lake Brienz, opposite Interlaken , in canton Bern . The hike starts near the steam train station —yes, there’s an actual steam train that goes to the summit, but more on that later. The trail begins on paved roads that ...