At the foot of a majestic ridge, a refuge has sprung up. A warm, peaceful place where mountaineers rush to reach their dream summit : the Eiger. The Mittellegi hut, or Mittellegihütte, has shone for over a century in the heart of the bernese alps. When the sun sets behind the ridge, the hut offers the most beautiful of natural spectacles. Let me introduce you to the Mittellegi hut, the jewel of Grindelwald.
The Mittellegi hut: an exceptional Bernese refuge
A name that resonates beyond the bernese alps : the Eiger. A rock pyramid rising 3,967 metres above Grindelwald, it impresses with the verticality of its north face. Many climbers have lost their lives attempting to ascend this face. However, it is possible to reach the summit via another, more accessible face: the Mittellegi ridge. This ridge soars skywards, winding through the elements until it reaches the summit. And at its foot, at an altitude of 3355 metres, lies a den like no other. The Mittellegi hut welcomes you for a magical high-mountain experience. I was lucky enough to climb the Eiger in 2023, and my memories are unforgettable.
The view of the ridge from the refuge terrace is breathtaking. At sunset, the present moment seems to stand still. The ridge is bathed in a soft light, the Alps tinged with red, orange and pink. The atmosphere is divine.
The Mittellegi hut was completely renovated in 2019. The hut now welcomes you in a warm and comfortable atmosphere, with a sleeping capacity of 38 in summer. In winter, the unmanned section remains open. From July to mid-September, the refuge warden and her team serve local dishes, with the majority of produce sourced from regional suppliers.
The hut is usually reached from the Eismeer station. It's a two-hour walk to the Mittellegihütte. Climb up the glacier to the second snow tongue, just below the Grosse Turm. From here, climb two lengths of rope (difficulty 4) before crossing scree. The Mittellegihütte stands at the foot of the ridge.
History of the first ascent of the Eiger via the Mittellegi ridge
The construction of the Mittellegi hut is closely linked to the history of the first ascent of the Eiger via the Mittellegigrat. Prior to 1921, attempts to climb the summit via the Mittellegi ridge were made one after the other, but always ended in failure. Clearly, climbing the large ridge without a fixed rope increases the difficulty considerably! It took 47 years between the first attempt and the successful ascent of the Eiger via the Mittellegigrat! Sixteen years after the opening of the Eigergletscher station, Japanese climber Yujo Maki, accompanied by three mountain guides, Fritz Amatter, Fritz Steuri and Samuel Brawand, decided to tackle the ridge. The climbers remain true to their objective and begin the ascent from the Eismeer. At around 3500 meters, barely higher than the altitude of today's hut, the team set up night camp. And on September 10, 1921, they reached the summit after a seven-hour hike. This day marked a new chapter in the history of the Eiger. It paved the way for the inauguration, three years later, of the first Mittellegi hut.
Building the Mittellegihütte: a story of passion for the Eiger
The success of the Mittellegi ridge ascent of the Eiger spreads so rapidly that the Grindelwald guides come up with an audacious project: the construction of the Mittellegi hut. Thanks to a donation of 10,000 francs from Yuko Maki of Japan, the guides began building their first shelter. But the difficult terrain posed a major challenge. How could so much equipment be transported to such a high altitude? An ingenious solution was found: the materials were transported by sledge from the Eismeer station to the foot of the rocks in line with the construction site. From there, they were hoisted by a wire rope over a 300-meter vertical drop. Thus was born, in 1924, the first Mittellegi hut, the jewel of the bernese alps.
77 years on, the hut is falling into disrepair. From a renowned hut, it became an aging shelter no longer able to accommodate the growing number of climbers. The construction of a new hut became inevitable. In 2002, a new hut was built, capable of accommodating 40 adventurers a day. In keeping with the Mittellegihütte tradition, the hut is still staffed by women. But as the years went by, mountaineers' expectations changed. The Grindelwald Mountain Guides Association embarked on a new project, envisioning the hut as a peaceful, comfortable and welcoming place. In 2019, the Mittellegihütte gets a facelift and is inaugurated with great fanfare. It is now entering a new era. Grindelwald is delighted, and the Eiger is shining even brighter.
Ascent of the Eiger via the Mittellegi hut
The Mittellegigrat is a fabulous journey. I recommend leaving the hut at night, around 4am. The ascent is relatively easy to find. As you climb the ridge, you contemplate a landscape where earth and sky seem to meet in a breath of immensity. Before you, the Eiger's north face rises with a verticality that defies the imagination. And as dawn breaks, the sun casts its colorful rays, illuminating the horizon with Switzerland's most majestic mountains. Climbing the ridge is particularly pleasant thanks to the fixed ropes. The last few meters are covered on a narrower snow ridge. At the summit, a reward awaits you: a unique panorama of Grindelwald and the valley. In the distance, Mont Blanc, king of the French Alps, crowns the spectacle.
The descent is the real challenge of this route. Several variants are possible: either via the south ridge (S) or the west ridge (W). If you too would like to experience this adventure, I recommend that you contact a mountain guide, who will accompany you safely through your challenges. I also invite you to familiarize yourself with a topo to find out more about this itinerary.
Describing the ascent of the Eiger to you reminds me of my time up there. The vivid colors of sunrise and sunset. The aesthetics of the Mittellegigrat and the verticality of the Eiger's north face. The endless discussions and laughter at the Mittellegi hut. But above all, I cherish the human adventure I had with my guide Johann Filliez. The Eiger taught me invaluable lessons. The mountains helped me to get to know and listen to myself better, so that I could reach my goal.
This is the Mittellegi hut. Situated at the foot of the Mittellegigrat, it shines like a diamond nestled in a jewel box. At dusk, the janitor and her team look after adventure-hungry mountaineers. They listen to the most intrepid and extraordinary stories. They discern in each guest's eyes the rising adrenalin and eagerness to take on the Eiger.
