--- type: "Article" title: "Climbing the Grosser Mythen, 47 hairpin turns and all" description: "I had always wanted to scale the Grosser Mythen. However, the serpentine trail to the summit with a total of 47 sharp U-turns is fairly steep and demanding." resource: "https://travelmemo.com/switzerland/climbing-grosser-mythen-hiking" author: "Katja Birrer" publisher: "Travelmemo" photo_count: 20 tags: ["Alps", "Hiking", "Landscape", "Switzerland"] entities: - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/switzerland" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/alps" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/schwyz" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/glarus" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/vierwaldstaettersee" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/hiking" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/landscape" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/restaurant" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/culinary-tourism" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/experience-travel" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/lake" - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/organizations/swiss-international-air-lines" - "https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer" generated: { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer", at: 2026-07-04T13:43:43+00:00 } verified: - { by: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer", at: 2017-10-28T15:14:51+00:00 } - { by: "process:gsc-organic-traffic", at: 2026-07-23T00:00:00+00:00 } sources: - id: photos resource: climbing-grosser-mythen-hiking.md#photos title: "Original photography by Katja Birrer" author: "human:https://travelmemo.com/author/katja-birrer" timestamp: 2026-07-04T13:43:43+00:00 --- # Climbing the Grosser Mythen, 47 hairpin turns and all > The Grosser Mythen (1,898 m) is the taller of the two Mythen peaks in Schwyz Canton, Switzerland, reached via a steep serpentine trail of 47 hairpin turns offering a glorious 360-degree panorama of the Glarus and Urner Alps, Lake Lucerne, and the Schwyz basin. ## Destination Grosser Mythen, Schwyz Canton, Switzerland. The trail begins at Holzegg, reached from the Brunni car park near Alpthal via Einsiedeln. ## Getting there Drive to the Brunni car park via Einsiedeln and Alpthal. A small aerial gondola (max 15 people) connects Brunni to the Holzegg mountain station in about 5 minutes. A hiking trail from Brunni to Holzegg also exists but is nearly as steep as the Mythen climb itself. Public postbus serves the area but can be very crowded on sunny weekends. ## When to go Autumn is pleasant; the article was written on a Sunday in autumn. Start early on weekends — the car park fills up and crowds are heavy by early afternoon when the weather is fine. ## Why visit A classic Swiss summit hike with a dramatic rock-pyramid profile, a 360-degree Alpine panorama taking in the Glarus and Urner Alps, Lake Lucerne, and Lake Lauerz, and more than 40,000 visitors per year making it one of the region's most popular peaks. ## What to see - **360-degree summit panorama** — Views of the Glarus and Urner Alps, Schwyz basin, Lake Lucerne, and Lake Lauerz from 1,898 m. - **Grosser Mythen from Holzegg** — The peak's full rock-pyramid profile is visible from the Holzegg station before the climb begins. - **Idyllic chapel on the Holzegg** — A small chapel at the Holzegg saddle near the mountain station. ## What to do - **Hike the 47-hairpin summit trail** — A T3-rated trail, 2,400 m long with ~500 m vertical gain from Holzegg; some exposed sections secured by chains. Allow about 1¼ hours. - **Take the Brunni–Holzegg gondola** — A 5-minute aerial tram ride carrying up to 15 people; recommended for average-fitness hikers to save legs for the main climb. - **Lunch at Skihaus Holzegg** — Mountain inn at the Holzegg saddle with a sundeck; also offers overnight accommodation for those wanting to catch the sunrise. - **Eat at Restaurant Grosser Mythen** — Well-frequented mountain restaurant on the summit run by Annagreth Schuler and Werner Ruhstaller; opening hours are weather-dependent — call +41 79 768 71 90 or check their website. ## Good to know Technical difficulty T3 (more difficult); good hiking boots are essential and hikers must be sure-footed and free of vertigo — chains secure the most exposed sections and some hikers turn back halfway. Children must be roped up according to trail signage. Over 40,000 hikers climb annually. On sunny weekends crowds are heavy; an early start is strongly advised. No overnight accommodation on the summit itself. ## Photos ```yaml photos: - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland.jpg" caption: "View from the Holzegg back toward Brunni and Einsiedeln" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-30.jpg" caption: "Grosser Mythen" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-9.jpg" caption: "Serpentine trail up the Grosser Mythen" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-7.jpg" caption: "Serpentine trail up the Grosser Mythen" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-6.jpg" caption: "Serpentine trail up the Grosser Mythen" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-14.jpg" caption: "As it turned out, we were not the only ones..." - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-8.jpg" caption: "Climbing grosser Mythen Switzerland" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-27.jpg" caption: "Climbing grosser Mythen Switzerland" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-34.jpg" caption: "Walter just before the last ascent" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-21.jpg" caption: "Almost made it!" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-23.jpg" caption: "The view from Grosser Mythen takes in Schwyz, Lake Lucerne and Lake Lauerz" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-33.jpg" caption: "Yeah! Made it! Color Walter and me tired but happy." - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-32.jpg" caption: "Swiss flag flying over the Grosser Mythen" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-25.jpg" caption: "Jackdaw (that's no crow!) doing aerial stunts" - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Grosser-Mythen-Switzerland-29.jpg" caption: "Grosser Mythen - I'll be back!" ```