Chrummfadeflue (from Gurnigel to Stockhorn) [hikr.org] (original) (raw)

The Chrummfadeflue ridge is already well-documented here on Hikr (see e.g. Ka's report). Nevertheless, it's a very quiet route (the last entry in the Gustispitz log book is already 11 days old), especially when you compare it with the tourist magnets of Gantisch to the west and Stockhorn to the east. Since it had rained the day before, I follow bergpfad73's advice of taking an ice axe for the steep grass paths (and "pour impressioner les filles au sommet", of course...).

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It's quiet on the Gurnigel. Last time I arrived here with the same Postauto, there were at least ten times as many people here... From the Wasserscheide, I walk up to the Leiterepass. After a short traverse south of the Nüneneflue, I reach the Schwalmere pass. Here I leave the marked hiking paths and join the unmarked trail along the Chrummfadeflue ridge.

Soon, the ridge narrows and the way towards the Gustispitz summit cross looks spectacular and somewhat daunting. However, most of it is slightly easier than it looks, since there is mostly a useful trail through the grass and Schrofen terrain. After some initial undulations (avoiding one rock outcrop on the northern side) a steep descent constitutes the first crux. A short down-scramble (careful, very brittle rock!) followed by a steep descent through grass (but with good steps on the ground) brings me down to a small saddle.

After the saddle, the route climbs again until the ridgeline is blocked by some rock walls. Starting at a remarkable pinnacle, the trail sidesteps the rock walls with a very exposed but surprisingly passable ascending traverse in the south face. Stick directly to the wall to avoid the nettles. The ridge is reached again with a short scramble up a weakness in the rocks. Some minor up-and-down along the ridge is now all that separates me from the Gustispitz summit cross.

The east ridge of the Gustispitz starts with a short fixed chain, probably more intended for ski mountaineers in winter. After going relatively flat along the ridge for some 100m, a gap in the ridgeline is the final crux of the Chrummfadeflue traverse. Different lines are possible for the down-scramble into the gap, all of them rather steep (grade I to II). This descent apparently was scary enough for someone to fix (in an improvised way) and abandon their rope here. After a steep, grassy climb on the other side of the gap, the remainder of the ridge over P. 2079 is just a pleasant ridge hike. Don't forget to turn right (heading south) some 60m east of P. 2079; this might not be obvious in bad visibility.

Most people seem to grade the Chrummfadeflue ridge as T5-. Indeed, the majority of the route is no harder than T4. However, given the sustained steepness of the terrain and the short but demanding scrambles, the ridge traverse fully deserves a grade of T5 (also without a minus) for me.

My ridge hike now continues over the Stubeflue and (now on a marked hiking path) over the Homad. Another highlight is the Möntschelespitz west ridge (T4). Stay directly on the ridge here, instead of following the hiking path, if you don't want to miss out on another great ridge scramble.

The next point of interest is marked on the map as "Chatz u Mus". I'm not sure which of the many rocks here is the cat and which one the mouse. On P. 1901, there is a ragged Swiss flag (visible from the path below) and a log book (unfortunately completely soaked). I'm rewarded for my small detour as the clouds open up enough to reveal Eiger and co. for the first time.

Unfortunately, the fog closes in again as I walk over the Walalpgrat and down to the Baachegg saddle. Countless wooden steps bring me up to P. 2043. The Stockhorn is reached soon after. The clouds open up again a little, at least in the direction of the Berner Oberland, a nice way to finish the hike.

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The sun did not manage to break away the clouds as much as I had hoped for, but that hardly mattered. For most of the day, the ridge that I was walking on, defined the edge between fog to the north and mixed sunshine to the south. The result of this was a wonderful atmosphere in its own right, maybe even more special than when the skies are completely clear.

PS: sorry for the gap in the GPS track.