GPS Track for climb.

Nate and I were down to our last couple of days of our Europe trip. The weather had been excellent for most of the journey, but the final few days had turned unsettled. Fortunately, we had already completed our main objectives—the Eiger, Matterhorn, and Mont Blanc (links above)—so we weren't disappointed. Still, after a day of sitting around the Airbnb, we were getting a little restless. When we spotted what looked like a brief morning weather window in the forecast, we decided to go for another classic alpine summit: the Mönch.

Along with the Eiger and Jungfrau, the Mönch forms one of the Alps' most recognizable mountain trios, towering above Grindelwald and visible from miles away.

At 4,110 meters (13,484 feet), the Mönch is an outstanding 4,000-meter alpine climb that offers enjoyable rock scrambling, exposed snow ridges, and spectacular views of the surrounding Bernese Alps. Although it has a reputation as one of the "easier" 4,000-meter peaks, it should not be underestimated. The normal route gains about 640 meters (2,100 feet) from the Aletsch Glacier and requires confidence on exposed rock and snow terrain.

Several routes lead to the summit, but by far the most popular is the South Arm of the East Ridge (Südarm des Ostgrates), commonly referred to as the Southeast Ridge or simply the Normal Route.

From Grindelwald, Nate and I took the Eiger Express cable car to Eigergletscher station, and from there took a train to the Jungfraujoch station. We exited the station and followed the marked ski route across the Aletsch Glacier toward the base of the southeast ridge. Metal rungs provided access to the ridge and bypassed what is arguably the most technically difficult step of the climb.

Above the metal ladder, we scrambled up approximately 400 meters of mixed rock terrain toward the snow-covered upper mountain. Recent storms had deposited a layer of fresh snow,  making conditions trickier than the typical dry summer ascent. We put on our spikes low on the route.

The final snow ridge to the summit was the highlight of the climb. Just before the summit it became narrow and almost knife-edged—a spectacular but serious no-fall section. Recent wind and snowfall had erased the existing tracks, and the party ahead of us had turned around before reaching the summit, so we broke trail ourselves. Visibility had deteriorated to a true whiteout, with views extending only about 50 feet. Since the ridge is often corniced, we stayed slightly on the south side of the crest for safety. Normally, the summit offers exceptional panoramic views, including a dramatic view across to the Eiger, but we were completely surrounded by clouds.

The climb to the summit took us 1.5 hours.

After a few moments on top, we turned around and began our descent. Descending the knife-edge snow ridge was the only part of the route where I wished I had full crampons rather than spikes, which would have provided additional security. The remainder of the descent was somewhat tedious due to the snowy conditions, but we continued to make good time. Along the way, we passed a guided party making their way upward.

Despite the less-than-perfect weather, we did get some views during the ascent and descent. The Mönch was a fantastic way to finish out our time in Grindelwald—a classic alpine climb, a personal connection to my family's history, and one more memorable summit before heading home.

After the climb, we switched from mountaineers to tourists for a while at Jungfraujoch. We first took a high-speed elevatory up to the Sphinx Observatory, an outdoor observation terrace at 3,571 meters (11,716 feet). The terrace provides sweeping views across the Aletsch Glacier and, on clear days, peaks extending into France, Germany, and Italy. We then visited the Ice Palace, a network of tunnels carved directly into the glacier featuring ice sculptures, frozen passageways, and polished ice floors. After this, we had enough of being tourists and headed back toward Grindelwald, choosing to take the train via Kleine Scheidegg rather than the Eiger Express cable car we had used earlier. (Sidenote: Kleine Scheidegg is also home to the historic Hotel Bellevue des Alpes, which was featured as the mountain hotel in the 1975 film The Eiger Sanction.)

This page includes a route overlay, map, GPS track, and a selection of photos from our climb of the Mönch.

The Mönch also had a personal connection for me. In 1985, my dad soloed the mountain while my mom, my 7-month-old sister Jenny, and two-year-old me spent time enjoying the picturesque alpine meadows above Grindelwald. 

His handwritten note in his Bernese Alps East guidebook on the Southeast Ridge page reads: "8/14/85. 2 hr up, 1½ down. Saw 10 other parties. All roped!"

He also recalls that his right crampon—possibly a rented one—kept coming loose throughout the climb, and that the summit was engulfed in a complete whiteout.

Spikes, light ice axe. No rope. Might have preferred actual steel crampons given the conditions but spikes worked.