Bouldering in Engelberg
(c) by friedbikins@gmail.com (2003 - 2023) Welcome to the boulder guide to the blocs in the valley of Engelberg in Central Switzerland. See bottom of the page on how to get there. It is a small area with about 170 lines on more than 15 blocs. The first Bloc is right above the parking. It has some of the best lines of the area. For the other blocs you have to walk 20 - 40 min on easy trails surrounded by glacier and mountain rivers scenery. The difficulties of the lines are between 4a and 8b and some projects of course. But most of the lines are between 5c and 7a Best season is from october till december. Then it gets sticky as hell. Spring is sometimes not too bad but maybe you have to dodge some avalanches. Summer is good on overcast days. Most problems face the sun. At the end you'll find a map with an overview of all the blocs, some thoughts about the grading and some links contact info.News
Autumn 2016 - Hary Roeker rocks in EngelbergAutmn 2016: Hary Roeker did some amazing First Ascends and repetitions. Check out Hary's Video Betas Engelberg - Mc Twist (FA Hary) 8b/b+ - Cows in the Bikinis (2nd ascent after Adam Ondra) 8a+ - Vivai (FA Hary) 8a+/b - Kiana 8a+ (FA Dave Gisler) - Frauenfeind 8a (FA Dave Gisler) - Cling and Paste 8a (FA Joe Moehle) Summer 2015 - Docu about small Swiss bouldering areas Discover the area with the beautiful footage from Kurt H�tzel including: - Over the river 1+ 2 (7A+7B) - Loserline 7C - Slayer 6A - Lieblingslaster Eitelkeit 7C+ Engelberg is at 1:04:55 Rewind the youtube clip for more bouldering in Central Switzerland Summer 2011 - Rene Schweizer and Raphi Bachmann develop Halfpipe
Summer 2011: Rene Schweizer and Raphi Bachmann developped 50 new lines in the forgotten sector 'Halfpipe'. It's about 15 min up the hill from sector Fuchsstein and includes 5 blocs. Topo Sector Halfpipe
BLOCS
BRUENDLER
This bloc is right above the parking. You can spend easy the whole afternoon there. The Bloc at Bruendler has the first ever developped boulder in Engelberg. It was in spring 2003 when I called Simon Wandeler to check out this bloc. We spent 5 hours until we figured out the moves to the most obvious line on this bloc. We thought it was going to be a 6a and felt like loosers ... Looser Line was born.



BRUENDLER BLOC Character: Limestone, small crimps Number: 6 Lines Exposion: Never Sun Best: Kiana 8a+ Get Down 7c+ Walk: 3 min from the car parking Pics: U L: Domi action in looser line U R: Chris on the swing of kiana D L: Dave ready to fly on kiana
************* Bruendler ***************************************************** (1) Alpaeroesli 6a+ The obvious arete from left to right. Slopers on limestone to big holds (2) Maenteli 6a Excellent mantle if you don't use the crimps only the slopers (3) Montags Maler 7b+ Sit start like Maenteli, then 5 middle hard moves going slightly to the right and up before the jump to pocket, a bit contrived since the logical line is Maenteli and then Alpaeroesli. check out video below. (4) Looser Line 7c Find out where to place your butt. this is a classic rhythm boulder, once you find it, its not too hard. Start left hand in pocket, right hand low on big hold. (See video below) FA Simon Wandeler (4) Get Down 7c+ Deeper start to Looser Line. 3 more moves, but you get better into rhythm. (4) Vivai 8a+/b Sitstart on Get Down then to the right and topout into crux of Kiana. FA Hary Roeker (5) Kiana 8a+ Smaller crimps and longer moves than looser line. First it seems impossible, then it seems close, then so impossible again :) FA Dave Gisler (5) Kiana (Stand) 7b-8a Kind of ungradable. Very technical and powerful 1 mover. Tiny holds, to a not really ok hold (for me) ... sometimes it feels impossible and then it feels easy again. FA Dave Gisler (5+4) Sisters Line 8a Morpho! Sit Start on Kiana and then go left into Loosers line FA Dave Gisler (6) Killer Kante 6b+/c Sooo friction dependent. There is a long traverse from way down, too. (6) Low Traverse Proj I have no clue how

Beta for the contrived line Montags Maler: But hey, do it just the way that is most fun!
Beta for Looser Line
AGENT ORANGE SECTOR
We always knew there were blocs in the woods on the other side of the river, but no-one
had the courage to go and conquer them. Dave Gisler finally did what had to be done.
3 fresh blocs with over 10 lines all close together are ready for a great warm up and
burn out.
From the Bruendler parking walk to the Corner block and cross the bridge
to the right. Then turn right again and go over the next bridge and go down the
trail to the point where the barbed wire ends (on the right side of the trail) and
go there into the forest (about 30-40m) and you'll find the Agent Orange block.
If you go a bit further towards the river, you'll find the 'Hoher Zwerg' a big
block with no real line but tousands of combinations ... excellent to get
start the day.
And if you walk a bit further down the river, you'll find two excellent lines
mitake and mifune!
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AGENT ORANGE SECTOR Character: Gneiss Number: 10+ Lines Exposion: in the forest Best: Agent Orange 7b+ Walk: 10 min from the car parking Pics: U L: Tabea checking 'Mooslos' U R: Hoher Zwerg front D L: Mitake and Mifune |
************* Agent Orange ***************************************************** Orange Mantle (a) 6c Mantle straight up Agent Orange (b) 7b+ short intensive traverse with a hard crux move FA Dave Gisler DDT (c) 7a low start on big hold and straight up Mooslos (d) 7a+ same start and go to the right ************* Hoher Zwerg **************************************************** a lot of lines around 7a and some hard projects, too. Have fun like a first ascender and create your own lines :) ************* Mitake & Mifune **************************************************** Mitake 7a+ technical on small river washed crimps Mifune 6c+ the arete, excellent climb, too
CORNER BLOC
This was a late discovery. In summer it's a bit dense to get there. It is not far from the Bruendler Bloc. From the parking you can walk up 500m the path until you see on your right side a bridge. On the first pic you see the bridge and path in the background of the corner block. During all summer it's in the bush and too hot. November / March it's the best to boulder on it.
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CORNER BLOC Character: Gneiss, Funky Vertical Number: 10 Lines Exposion: No sun in the bush Best: all Pics: U L: block and bridge U R: just 4 the colour D L: when u look south |
****** Corner Block ************************************************************* Alles ist erlaubt 5c start on the bloc With 6b If you use the bloc of 'alles ist erlaubt' or without you 6c without the block Tango 5c dance left, right, left, right :) Umarm mich 5c hug is the trick Schnabel Kraft 6b pinch it hard Surprise 6a surprisingly easy with the beta the mess we're in 6b watch the rock, the tree and the lykon. sandflies 7a find your way with both corners proj ?
FUCHSSTEIN
The Fuchsstein is on the other end of the area. It is just the biggest block
you can see from the restaurant Staefeli. 'Ehrlich Lump' was the first line
done on this block. It is a looong line, starting on almost roof climbing and
ending on slopey crimps. Rene and Tabea found an easy end to it (cause they
are smarter), so it got named 'der gschiid lump'. I still prefer my more difficult
and now obviously contrived way :)
On 'Lieblingslaster Eitelkeit' i needed 4 months to find a beta to it.
I was several times told that there is no line there, but it
turned out to be one of the most beautiful lines with the funkiest beta.
In 2006 David Noden put up Effervescent Elephant which was 8a when he did it. But
when i tried it i cleand the lycon and moss away cause i just could not hold
this stuff. It is somehow easier now ... probably 7b+ or so ... It makes
a huge difference when you brush very very slopey mossy slopers :)
In 2010 Rene Schweizer brought back the endurance to bouldering and put up a couple
of pumpy lines to fuchsstein.
In 2012 Adam Ondra payed a visit to the Fuchsstein and showed me that all moves
are possible on some projects. Now we have it all on one bloc :)
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FUCHSSTEIN BOULDER Character: Gneiss, slopey and crimpy Number: 15 climbed Lines, 3 projects Exposion: all expositions Best: E. Elephant 7b+ Eitelkeit 7c+ Gschiid Lump 7a+ Ride the tide 7c Fox chase 6b+ Pics: Up L: Domi on the ehrlich Lump Up R: Fred flashing Eitelkeit D L: Chris kicks ass in Eitelkeit |
****** Fuchsstein **************************************************************************** Effervescent Elephant 7b+ Start big hold, crimp left and big move to slopers FA by David Noden from Wales Project Proj 8b/c Start on Eitelkeit and end on Effervescent Elephant Eitelkeit geht weiter 7a Start where Eitelkeit ends. Big move to slopey arete and bring your feet around that arete (1) Lieblingslaster Eitelkeit 7c/+ Classic! Start lying down underneath the prow. the heels are going to heal your soul (2a) Cows in the Bikinis 8a+ Start ehrlich lump, go left around the prow into the last moves of Eitelkeit. FA by Adam Ondra 2012 2nd by Hary Roeker 2016 (2) Project 8b/c Start ehrlich lump, go left and up (3) Naked in the Rain 7c+ Start ehrlich lump, go straight up to big hold for both hands (High Ball) Naked in the Brain 7c+ FA Joe Mohle. Top out after 'Naked in the Rain' (Solo) (4a) Der nackte Lump 7a+ start like ehrlich Lump and end on naked in the Rain (4) Der ehrlich Lump 7b+ Steep 6c to 7a+ slab. So it is more a short route (~ 14 moves) than a boulder. Since there is now an easier way to the left (Der gschiid Lump), this line has become 'contrived'. But hey, it is still the nicer line :) (4b) Der gschiid Lump 7a+ FA Stefan Lustenberger. Same as ehrlich Lump, but avoid the crux move on the bad slopers and take a (4c) Ride the Tide 7c FA by Rene Schweizer. Start on ehrlich Lump and start to traverse when you reach the sloper. The whole thing ends up on the highball 'easy ticks' 40 moves! It is the only line that has a sit start sharp crimp up left (Rene and Tabeas way) (5) Zwischen Lump und Held Proj Yet another playground ... (6) Der falsch Held 7b+ Crimpy shit, same finish as 'ehrlich lump' (7) Chipp n Tales 7b Another crimpy shit with a nice mantle to finish (8) Easy Ticks 6c FA by Sebi Huber, super nice Highball and the first line that tops out the fuchsstein :) (8a) Easy Ticks for easy chicks 7b FA by Harald Roeker, Sit start to easy ticks (9) Foxy Lady 7a work up you way through the slopey groove. another topout on the fuchsstein (10) Lucky Looser 6a right of the easiest way to the top of the fuchsstein excellent dyno!!! (11) Fox chase 6b+ trav from Soultaker to the left to the beginning of lucky looser (12) Soulmate 7a+ Shouldery first move on right crimp, then campus board fest! (13) Seelenwaermer 7a+ Soultaker but no eliminates, follow the big holds to the end of Soultaker. Last move with the right hand to the upper right hold is the crux. (14) Soultaker Proj 8a/b Hard first move to big hold and then keep low. Before the hold broke it was a 7c by Rene Schweizer Now way harder ... (15) Soultaker Stand 7b+ Start with 2 crimps. Your right deltoid muscle will be very sore the next day :). Finish with right hand on upper right jug that is marked with a little man. left hand on the left little dude on the big sloper. (16) Soulmaker 7a Just the hard first move of Soultaker and then top out as soon as you can. Variation: start both hands on the right hold (7a+) (17) Project 8c/9a on the steep roof right of Soultaker ... a line for the next generations

Domi after the first move of Ehrlich Lump, supervised by my cousin Vanessa

The beloved Fuchstein

The awesome traverse fox chase, from 10 am it's in the shade
Sector Soultaker, in the shade till 5 pm. Sometimes with a fresh cold wind on hot summer days.
KOTLET
The Kotlet has its name cause it looks like a piece of meat. it is just above the Fuchsstein and has two excellent lines. Kotlet itself is a deluxe slab 6a and Big Steak is a wonderful Arete.
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KOTLET BOULDER Character: Gneiss, Arete n Slab Number: 5 Lines Exposion: mostly afternoon sun Best: Kotlet 6a Big Steak 6c Pics: Up L: Domi styling Steak Up R: Barti desperate on Kotlet Down L: Jude jugging on big Steak |
****** Kotlet ****************************************************************** Chicken Curry 6c Go as low as your table manners ;) Big Steak 6c Climb the whole arete and mantle when you get the perfect hold Steak 6c mantle in the middle of the arete Kotlet 6a classic slab, easier top over crimps to the left Kotlet sitstart 6b if you like meat Bratwurst 6b-c Somehow weird, but in the end you get the sausage Zwoei a 5 Not as easy as you think
MOLOTOV
Molotov is just right in front of the Fuchststein. As you can see
you can spend all day between this three blocs.
This Block is like the Band Molotov. Full of fun, it has some funky
lines. Then some serious social critics and a lot of punk rock
as well. Read between the lines, read between the holds. The truth
lies there ... in between i mean ... oh well, just enjoy yourself.
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MOLOTOV Character: Gneiss, Slabs, funks Number: 12 Lines Exposion: mostly in the sun all day Best: Puto 6c El Salto 7a-c Pics: U L: Domi, mista style in Puto U R: Barti on molotov traverse D L: Dave on getting the kick of el salto |
****** Molotov ************************************************************ 0-T 7a+ same start as puto, try to mantle over the left side of the arete. Puto 6c complicated foot hook at start, then swing :) El Salto 7b 2 moves to jump. funky .. if there was a sitstart Molotov 6c That is the traverse. Many many many variations end wherever El Poder 5c Dame 6a Latino 6b Piolin 5a Secreto 4c Sin Calzetin 4 Boca de Vaca 5b+ Frijolero 7a+ one mover ... try it when you are bored
AMEISI
A Ameisi is an ant. This is kind of the the highball bloc. It has a superb slab on one side and some crazy crazy highballs on the other. Matthias Trottman and Dave Gisler had the balls to do the first ascent of this cool arete. They were to humble to give it a grade and a name. But this line is a majesty, so it is called Queen of the Ants. And there are 3 new High balls on it of the same quality. There are still the hardest high balls to do ... grab a box of balls next time you come here. You will need them
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****** Ameisi ************************************************************** Queen of Ants 7b HIGH BALL FA by Dave Gisler, Matthias Trottman, So high so high Bine Maya 7a HIGH BALL FA by Sebi Huber and Tabea Schwab fucking scary Sch 6-7? FA by Dave, Matti n Stuart Partridge (stuey 8some) 8some 7a/b dyno from small crimp to thumb undercling Nosesome 7a+ Start on 8some and left up the antz nose. Big moves on big holds and 3 heelhooks Antz Nose 7a sit start under the prow. patch your way up Pipicacahuets 6b+/7a Start like Antz. do it static or the 2 hand dyno, which looks better :) Antz 6a First line on this bloc Fugazi 6b+ weird sitstart, stand is better Hormigaz 6b+ even more weird Fourmiz 5b formica bombastica 6c Morpho HIGH BALL FA by Sebi Huber formica atomica 6a HIGH BALL antz trail 6c FA by Rene, trav from formica atomica and join topout of Antz nose PIXIESWalk a bit down from the Ameisi block and you will bump into the Pixies. The Pixies are one of my favorite Bands, so they deserve a whole Block. This Block looks tiny when you get to it. But once you are on it, you see the deepness of the lines. Just like the band, the beauty lies in the secret of knowing how to see the beauty. Once you know how to look at it a whole new world is ready to be climbed.
****** Pixies ***************************************************** Hey 6c Planet of Sounds 7b Low start underneath the bloc (arrow at the height of your face) better on cold days Where is my mind 7c/+ FA and only ascent by Dave Gisler haaard man, just hard Low start underneath the bloc (arrow at the height of your face) (2016 - Sit start not possible, full of gravel) Los Angelis 6b+ (2016 - Sit start not possible, full of gravel) Is she weird 7a so weird (2016 - Sit start not possible, full of gravel) Bossa Nova 6b Rock Music 6b+ Canonball 7a+ FA Dominik Seitz, so long, endurance test piece Havalina 5c Hang Wire 6a NILPFERDThe Nilpferd bloc lies close to the river underneath the staefeli restaurant. The whole summer of 2003 i did not go to explore that boulder until Dave Gisler and Matthias Trottmann came to find out a way up this magic line. It is pretty much slapping up your way on the back of a hypopotamous. Don't ask me why i know this
****** Nilpferd ********************** Nilpferd 7c/+ What a wonderful climb! FA by Dave Gisler (he thinks it's 7b+, try it out) Nil rechts proj Nil quer rechts proj FRAUENBLOCK
This one is just opposite of Nilpferd on the same side of the river
as the restaurant Staefeli.
****** Frauenblock ************************************************************ Girlfight 5c/6a Frauenfight 6b Standstart to the arete. Frauenfluesterer Proj Sitstart like Frauenfeind but go to the right towards that big hold on the arete Standstart: (dyno to the big hold) 7b Frauenfeind 8a The floodings provided a real sitstart FA by Dave Gisler Frauenfreund Proj Frauenversteher MegaProj Frauenschwarm 6b Der mutige Charmeur 5c Elektra ? Wonder Women ****** Rutschbahn ********************** degres glissants 5? FA by Brice (On the limestone slap further up) HAARNADELClose to the river and on a sharp turn on the steep part just underneath the restaurant Staefeli you will find an arete with a funny mantle and a high ball. Dave Gisler and Sebi Huber have been working on the highball
****** Haarnadel ********************************************** Kante Proj Mantel of Arete 7a+ Standstart to the Arete Highball Proj Lots of Pads should do BANDS BLOC
When you come from the restaurant Alpenroesli there will be a very
steep bit. Just before that 40m to the right you will find the
biig black massive bloc.
****** Bands Block *********************************************************************** Fettes Brot 3b how cool ist that one :) The Doors 6a Slayer(highball) 6a FA Martin and Marc. jump to big holds. underneath is the project wall with futuristic lines. Notwist 7a classic, crimps to mantle. FA Dominik Seitz Radiohead (stand) 7a+ Radiohead 7b+ don't do it on the sun, cause it will peel your skin off Tricky 7c+ one move wonder. lot's of coordination. crimpy and painful. Not sexy at all Tricky Sitstart Proj crimpier and more painful 8b? Nomis 7b route grade, cause endurance. FA Simon Wandeler Moloko 6c/7a The first problem on the bands block, now first hard move from sloper undercling L and crimp R Morcheeba 7a/b start on sharp small side crimp L and pinch R Pull up to place a left hook. Grab left crimp and cut loose to place right hook ... and then what? :) Smash Mouth 8a High ball to desperate mantle. Bring lots of pads and even more good friends. Will never be repeated i guess Sitstart Smash 8c? oh man ... i want to see who can climb that ... Riders on the Storm 7a On the complete right. Jumpstart if you are short. Get a ride on the capricorn. Standing up from it is the crux. FA by Matthias Trottman and Lukas Boller FUSSBALL
This bloc is between Bands and Downunder on the right side
of the road when you walk upwards.
****** Fussball ********************** Beckham 6c Ronaldo 6b/c Platini 5 Maradona 5 Pele 5 Ronaldinho 5 Flanke 4 No Hands No Hands! DOWNUNDERWhen you walk 5min from the restaurant Alpenroesli towards Staefeli you will see that bloc 30m on the left side of the road. In autumn 2003 things were set for a trip around the world. The destinations were New Zealand and Australia. So we had a theme for this block. It is a good bloc to get you body into operational conditions before you go to the bands bloc. But it is a great bloc in itself.
****** DownUnder **************************************************** All Blacks 6c Australia 6c Dingo 6a Jimothy 6c Low Traverse from Newzealand to Australia :) (2016 - Not possible because of new bloc in front) New Zealand 6c The obvious arete from right to left (2016 - Not possible because of new bloc in front) Tasmania 5a -4 Grad C 5b Fiji 5c Kiwi 5c Koala 5b Forsters 4 XXXX 3 ****** Treibholz ********************** Treibholz 6b+ FA by Martin and Marc Rundholz 5b FA by Martin and Marc Kielholen 5a FA by Martin and Marc DAECHLIAs of 2017 possible again :) (from 2010 - 2017 the sitstarts were burried under 1m50 of gravel) Just opposite of Downunder on the other side of the river. The Floodings just missed this small roof. The roof gives you the possibility to so funky moves. I feel always so uncoordinated here.
HOW TO GET THEREFind somebody who tells you how to get to Engelberg. (Hint: 36 km south of Lucerne) Once in Engelberg find another one who tells you where the Fuerenbahn is. That is a cablecar in the end of the valley. You ll have to pay 5 SFr. to go up to the parking 2 km further and up the hill. From the parking you are not far from the first block. the first one is the Bruendler. See the minimalistic maps below. Hope they are of use to you. If not, you might get lost in the beauty of this valley full of alpine flowers, glaciers, rivers and gorgeous cows and marmots :) PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Train to Engelberg from Lucerne. Depending on the season there is a free bus to the Fuerenbahn. From there its a 20min walk to the parking. Or use a taxi. Or if you like to get worked out first, take a bike onto the train. That is my favorite way to go bouldering in Engelberg. Overview![]() Parking![]() Staefeli![]() How to use this topoThe topo is more an inspiration what lines we climbed on those blocs. But we are sure, you'll find way better lines in between the lines :) As there are always new blocs falling down, rivers bringing sand and gravel and therefore filling up/ empting landings, everything is changing. So enjoy the landscape and the choice of blocs you get in the moment :) GradesAs everybody knows: Grades don't really exist. They are just a subjective opinion of how hard a line is. I graded all the lines cause i know everyone loves to try lines that are graded :) It is just a game. So keep in mind, this topo is just my personal list of how difficult the lines feel to me when i compare them one to another. And ... surprise, that changes every year. So visit this page from time to time to see how my perception of the lines changed. So don't worry when you climb a line that says 7a and you feel it's 6c or 7b. Some lines or our perception about them have sometimes a bigger sigma in their gaussian distribution than others. Don't you agree? SLEEP & FOODYou can sleep in the middle of the boulder area from 23.- SFr a night. Check www.staefeli.ch for more information. They have their own cheese, too. So be gentle to the goats around the blocs :) RENT A BOULDERING PADmore pics and topo info of engelberg Excellent Climbing Shoe Resoling in Lucerne |