Grimsel Pass
Encountering the Furka mountain steam railway at Gretsch station
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[1] Gretsch Station [2] Looking out at the Furka Pass from the platform at Gretsch Station [3] Looking out at the winding Grimsel Pass from Gretsch Station [4] Furka Pass
As if the heavy rain from the previous day had been a lie, I set off in my open-top cabriolet over the Furka Pass, where the clear blue sky and white clouds seemed close by. When driving over a mountain pass, I always make a point of turning off the audio. The only background music I could muster was the gentle sound of cowbells carried on the wind from the mountainside and the exhaust note of the straight-six engine.
When you descend from the Furka Pass, you’re actually already at the entrance to the Grimsel Pass. I always stop the car here for a bit and look up at the Furka Pass that I just came down from. It’s strange because even though I was there just a moment ago, I get the feeling that I was there a long time ago.
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[1] Furka Pass in front [2] Furka Mountain Steam Railway
As I was taking a short walk around the area, admiring the winding path I had just descended from below, and the winding path of Grimsel Pass that I was about to climb, a man walking his dog told me, “The train will be arriving soon.” So I decided to wait a little while for the train to depart for Grimsel Pass.
Soon the Furka Mountain Steam Railway arrived. I have been to this place many times, but this was the first time I had come across the Furka Mountain Steam Railway at Gletsch Station, right in front of the entrance to the Grimsel Pass, and I was thrilled. The Furka Mountain Steam Railway, spewing out huge plumes of smoke, was very impressive! I would love to take a leisurely train ride up the Furka Pass someday.
This route
Small Marmot Garden
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[1] When you come down from Furka Pass, you turn right immediately at the entrance to Grimsel Pass. [2] Looking at Furka Pass from the winding path of Grimsel Pass. [3] Restaurants and souvenir shops near the top of Grimsel Pass. Marmot Garden is on the left. [4] Free toilets are available at the tourist information center on the right. [5] Marmots
Well, once you’ve come down from the Furka Pass, you’re already at the entrance to the next pass. It’s incredibly convenient. At first, there are a lot of zigzag turns, but once you get past that, the road becomes smooth and very easy to drive on. Perhaps because of this, I was surprised when a large vehicle carrying several cars came down the road in the opposite direction, but as expected, it was driving very slowly around the zigzag turns. Tourist buses and local buses also pass by, so be careful not to tailgate them. As it is close to the source of the Rhone Glacier at the Furka Pass, it is very cool even in summer and the wind can be quite strong, so it’s a good idea to bring a jacket.
A gentle slope leads to a sign indicating the summit of Grimsel Pass at 2,164 meters. There are restaurants and souvenir shops on both sides of the road, but my main destination is the small marmot park. Admission is free, and if you’re lucky, you might even encounter some adorable marmots. An Italian couple, likely there to see the marmots like me, brought some carrots with them. They were so engrossed in taking photos of the food, I joined them and took a photo. Apparently, there are many wild marmots living in the Swiss mountains, but they are quite wary and not easy to encounter. Just being able to see them being kept here is a joy. The marmots’ homes (huts) are also designed in the style of Swiss mountain huts, and are incredibly intricate and charming. However, they often hide here and are difficult to come out of, so I’m grateful to the Italian couple for bringing the carrots!
The strangely colored Lake Grimsel
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[1] Looking back at the road we took to Grimsel Pass [2] Lake Totensee
The beautiful and quiet lake at the top of Grimsel Pass is called “Totensee (See)”. Literally translated, it means “Lake of the Dead”, a name that doesn’t really suit this beautiful scenery. The name comes from the fact that about 800 years ago, the soldiers of Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen were chased into the lake by the Valaisians, and it seems that the lake also has a sad history, as about 200 years ago, Napoleon’s troops lost their lives here.
As you begin to descend Grimsel Pass, Lake Grimsel spreads out below you, and you feel as if you’re being sucked into the strangely colored water. There are several spacious parking spaces on the side of the road where you can take your time and enjoy the scenery while taking photos. On a clear day, the views are spectacular, so we highly recommend stopping and taking a break.
Needless to say, I took many photos in this beautiful weather. Many people also parked their cars in this parking space and enjoyed picnics and hiking. Apparently, the local electricity is generated by hydroelectric power at Lake Grimsel via the river that flows out of Lake Totensee. You can park at the foot of the dam bridge and walk across, but unfortunately I accidentally passed it by this time.
Finally heading towards Sustenpass
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[1] Behind the souvenir shop near the top of Grimsel Pass [2] Lake Grimsel
Coming down from Grimsel Pass, we passed through the cute little village of Guttanen, admiring the idyllic scenery of cows, and headed towards Sustenpass. The view from the car window was so beautiful that we decided to stop the car and take a walk. Lined with traditional Swiss rural wooden houses, time passed peacefully.
One of the joys of driving through the Alps is that the scenery is completely different at each pass. Next time, we’ll be heading to Sustenpass. This is my favorite route out of the three passes that follow from Furka to Grimsel.
