About: Engelberg is a small area with about 170 lines on 15 blocs.
Altitude is around 1300m above sealevel.
The area is surrounded by glacier and mountain rivers scenery.
Difficulties: Lines range from 4a to 8b and some projects.
Most lines are between 5c and 7a.
Season: Best from October till December
Spring can be great, but check out the avalanche situation.
Summer can be extremely hot, as there are no trees in the alpine valley.
Access
Engelberg is about 35km south of Lucerne.
Car:
From the village head east to the cablecar Fuerenbahn
At the Fuerenbahn you'll have to pay 5.- CHF. (Get Coins ready) to go up to the parking 'Bruendler' 2 km further and
up the hill.
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 Bruendler.
Walking:
At the parking Bruendler you can find the first blocs. Prepare for walks of about 20-40 minutes for the other areas.
Bike:
You can bike or e-bike up to Staefeli.
Overview all area
Parking Bruendler
News
Autumn 2023
Celebrating 20 years of bouldering in Engelberg by trying to find better technical beta to the following lines
Montagsmaler 7b+
Nilpferd 7c
Kiana standstart 7c
Autumn 2016
Hary Roeker did some amazing First Ascends and repetitions.
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 (Engelberg is at 1:04:55)
Discover the area with the beautiful footage from Kurt Hoetzel
Over the river 1+ 2 (7a+/7b)
Loserline 7c
Slayer 6a
Lieblings Laster Eitelkeit 7c+
Summer 2011
Rene Schweizer and Raphi Bachmann developed 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
Sector Bruendler
Bruendler
Access: This bloc is right above the parking Brundler.
On the north side of the rope climbing area Leitistein.
Style:
Limestone, small crimps
Play:
6 Lines
Sun:
Never Sun
Best:
Kiana 8a+
Get Down 7c+
Walk:
3 min from the car parking
Pics:
Domi Seitz in Looser Line
Chris Davies on Kiana
Dave Gisler on Kiana
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
Morpho! Sit Start on Kiana and then go left into
Loosers line
FA Dave Gisler
6
Killer Kante
7a
Sooo friction dependent. There is a long traverse
from way down, too.
Agent Orange Sector
Access: 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'
And if you walk a bit further down the river, you'll find two excellent lines
mitake and mifune!
Info: In 2005 Dave Gisler developed this area.
3 blocs with over 10 lines all close together ready for a great warm up and
burn out.
Style:
Gneiss
Play:
10+ Lines
Sun:
in the forest
Best:
Agent Orange 7b+
Walk:
10 min from the car parking
Pics:
Agent Orange
Hoher Zwerg front
Mitake and Mifune
a
Orange Mantle
6c
Mantle straight up
b
Agent Orange
7b+
short intensive traverse with a hard crux move
FA Dave Gisler
c
DDT
7a
low start on big hold and straight up
d
Mooslos
7a+
same start and go to the right
Mitake
7a+
technical on small river washed crimps
Mifune
6c+
the arete, excellent climb, too
Hoher Zwerg
?
Have fun like a first ascender and create your own lines :)
Corner bloc
Access: From the parking you can walk up 500m the path until you see
on your right side a bridge. The bloc is on the left side of the street.
Info: It's in the bush and offers shade on hot summer days.
Style:
Gneiss, Funky Vertical
Play:
10 Lines
Sun:
No sun in the bush
Best:
all
Pics:
Block and bridge
Just 4 the colour
When u look south
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
Sector Fuchsstein
Fuchsstein
Access:
Fuchsstein is the biggest bloc of the area. It is opposite of restaurant Staefeli.
Info:
Goats and cows love to scratch their backs on the big bloc.
During summer it's all greased up
and the ground full of fresh shit.
Bring a steel brush to get the grease off the holds. Use some sticks to clean the ground. If you're lucky it's all dried up ;)
The area is free from goats and cows from around October until May ;)
Style:
Gneiss, slopey and crimpy
Play:
15 climbed Lines, 3 projects
Sun:
all expositions
Best:
E. Elephant 7b+
Eitelkeit 7c+
Gschiid Lump 7a+
Ride the tide 7c
Fox chase 6b+
Pics:
Domi Seitz in Lump
Fred Nicole in Eitelkeit
Chris Davies in Eitelkeit
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.
0
Effervescent Elephant
7b+
Start big hold, crimp left and big move to slopers
FA by David Noden from Wales
It was an 8a before we cleaned the lycon on the slopers ;)
1
Project
8b?
Start on Eitelkeit and end on Effervescent Elephant
1
Eitelkeit geht weiter
7a
Start where Eitelkeit ends. Big move to slopey arete
and bring your feet around that arete
1
Lieblings Laster 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?
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
incut crimp up left from the slopers
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
8a?
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 n 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
Seelen Waermer
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?
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
9a?
on the steep roof right of Soultaker - a line for
the next generations
Kotlet
Access:It is just above the Fuchsstein.
Info:The line Kotlet is a deluxe slab 6a and Big Steak a wonderful
arete.
Style:
Gneiss, Arete n Slab
Play:
5 Lines
Sun:
mostly afternoon sun
Best:
Kotlet 6a
Big Steak 6c
Pics:
Domi styling Steak
Kotlet crux
Jude on big Steak
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
5a
Not as easy as you think
Molotov
Access: Molotov is right in front of the Fuchststein.
Info:The bloc is named after the Mexican Band Molotov. The lines are the names of songs.
Style:
Gneiss, Slabs, funks
Play:
12 Lines
Sun:
mostly in the sun all day
Best:
Puto 6c
El Salto 7a-c
Pics:
Domi styling in Puto
Molotov traverse
Dave on el salto
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
4a
Boca de Vaca
5b+
Frijolero
7a+
one mover - try it when you are bored
Ameisi
Access: This is the 2nd tallest bloc below Fuchsstein.
Info:
The lines here are a bit higher. So a bit more pads are needed.
Style:
High Balls,
Play:
12 Lines
Sun:
all
Best:
Antz 6a
Bine Maya 7a
Queen 7b
Pics:
The nose
Bine Maya
Antz
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?
Still a bit high. FA by Dave, Matti n
Stuart Partridge
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
Pixies
Access:Walk a bit further down from the Ameisi block.
Info:
The Pixies are one of my favorite Bands, so they deserve a whole Block.
The lines are named after Pixies songs.
Style:
Gneiss, funky
Play:
10 Lines
Sun:
mostly sun
Best:
Rock Music 6b+
Canonball 7a+
Pics:
Canonball traverse
Cleaning the holds
Domi on Canonball
Hey
6c
Planet of Sounds
7b
Low start underneath the bloc
(arrow at the height of your face)
(2016 - Sit start not possible, full of gravel)
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
Nilpferd
Access:
The Nilpferd bloc lies underneath the staefeli restaurant
on the other side of the river. Actually almost opposite of the Frauenbloc.
Info:
One of the finest lines in Engelberg.
Style:
Gneiss, Steep and Prow
Play:
2 Lines
Sun:
late afternoon sun
Best:
Nilpferd 7c
Pics:
Matt on Nilpferd
Matt on full compression
Dave on Nilpferd
Nilpferd
7c
What a wonderful climb! Probably the coolest line in the valley. FA by Dave Gisler
Nil rechts
7?
Proj
Nil quer rechts
7?
Proj
Sector Staefeli
Frauen bloc
Access: From restaurant Staefeli go down to the pig stall. From there go slightly left down.
Sitstart like Frauenfeind but go to the
right towards that big hold on the arete
Frauenfluesterer stand
7b
standstart: dyno to the big hold
Frauenfeind
8a
Tiny slopey crimps. Powerful technical climb that is going to test your ligaments and tendons.
FA by Dave Gisler
Frauenfreund
8?
Project
Frauenversteher
8?
MegaProject
Frauenschwarm
6b
Der mutige Charmeur
5c
Elektra
5?
Wonder Women
5?
Degres glissants
5?
FA by Brice
On the limestone slab opposite to Frauenblock
Haarnadel
Access:
Pretty big bloc on a sharp turn on the steepest part of the gravel road.
Between Bands bloc and restaurant Staefeli.
Style:
Gneiss, High
Play:
3 Lines
Sun:
early morning sun
Best:
Neuland project
Pic:
Sebi and Dave on Neuland
Arete
7?
Proj
Mantel of Arete
7a+
Standstart to the Arete
Neuland
8?
Highball lots of underclings.
Sector Alpenroesli
Bands bloc
Access:
A black massive bloc between Alpenroesli and Staefeli.
On the right side of the gravel road before it becomes really steep. It is next to the river
Info:
It had the largest number on problems, but the
floodings in august 2005 ripped off 2m of soil from the riverside of the
bloc. 11 problems have become High high balls.
So far we climbed only 3 of the old lines.
The problem is that the river and the big rocks make the landing really
hard to protect which result into more static climbing which makes it
harder to climb.
Style:
Gneiss, crimpy shit and
slopey highballs
Play:
12 Lines and some projects
Sun:
mostly afternoon sun
Best:
Notwist 7b
Smash Mouth 8a
Pics:
Domi on Notwist
Chris on Smashmouth
Dave on smashmouth
Fettes Brot
3b
how cool ist that one :)
The Doors
6a
Slayer
6a
FA Martin and Marc. Highball. jump to big holds.
underneath is the project wall with futuristic
lines.
Notwist
7b
classic, crimps to mantle. FA Dominik Seitz
Radiohead (stand)
7b
Radiohead
7b+
don't do it in 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
8?
Project: crimpier and more painful
Nomis
7b
route grade, cause endurance. FA
Simon Wandeler
Moloko
6c+
The first problem on the bands block, now first
hard move from sloper undercling L and crimp R
Morcheeba
7a+
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
Downunder
Access:
Walk 5min from the restaurant Alpenroesli towards Staefeli. The
bloc is 30m on the left side of the gravel road.
Style:
Gneiss, Arete
Play:
11 Lines
Sun:
West and North
Best:
New Zealand 6c
Pics:
2005 on New Zealand
2017 - a block fell onto NZ
2017 - from the top
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 bloc ***
Treibholz
6b+
FA by Martin and Marc
Rundholz
5b
FA by Martin and Marc
Kielholen
5a
FA by Martin and Marc
Daechli
Access:
From restaurant Alpenroesli cross the bridge. Then up the path for about 5 to 10 min.
After you crossed the 2nd river, head left down along the river.
Style:
Gneiss, Small Roof
Play:
7 Lines
Sun:
AllOrientations
Best:
plantage left 6a
sabotage 7a
cavage 7a+
Pics:
Chilling in 2003
1
Daechli mantle
6a
The descent is a very cool mantle as well
2
Plantage left
6a
Right hand slopey hold on the edge of the roof, left hand
on a crimp. Put left heel or foot on to grab a nice fat crimp
with left. Then turn your right hand to a mantle position and
go leftwards up.
3
Plantage straight
6b+
Same start but go straight upwards without the nice escape to
to the left
4
Full sabotage
7b
Start like plantage and climb into sabotage right
5
Sabotage straight
7a
Left hand on slopey hold (same as for plantage), right hand
on undercling underneath the roof. One big move with right hand
to the right, left heelhook on starthold and move along the big
edges straight up.
6
Sabotage right
7a
Same start, but after the first big move keep going right along
the edge of the roof and mantle on the other face with the big
holds
Sabotage right lowstart 7a+ Start with both hands underneath the roof. Left hand shoulder hold,
right hand pinch. First move right hand into undercling that is the
the starting hold for the righthand of the higher start.
7
Trickage
6c+
Start hands wide apart on two good edges. Feet on the slab. Crouched
or sit start depending on gravel level and pads. Balancy barndoor
moves to the big holds and exit like Sabotage right.
8
Cavage
7a+
FA Martin Meier and Marc from 2strong.ch, same start, but further in the cave.
Very shouldery moves in the cave, then crux is with left hand into undercling
and out of the cave.
9
X-A
6b+
Start on a nice pinch left hand and positive good crimp right hand.
10
XY
6b
Same as X-A but climb more in a diagonal leftwards way
11
XX
6a
Same start as X-A and straight up on nice edges. Mantle is the surprise
12
Round n round
6a+
Looks easy, but all holds are slopey, very cool climb
13
For the record
6a
Another line on this side
14
Heelhook paradise
6b
Standstart is amazing throwing left and right heelhooks.
Sitstart is a bit powerful (6c), depending on gravel level
15
Titlis in your back
6a
Nice standstart. Powerful sitstart (6b+)
16
Climbing on roofies
7b
little crimps testpiece. Powerful sitstart, may vary on gravel level
2
Plantage 360
7b
FA Rene Schweizer. All around the block
starting on Plantage
****** Just 1 *************
Just 1
6b
Just 4
5c
This bloc is just above the daechli. The lines are facing east.
Sleep & Food
You can sleep in the middle of the boulder area for a very affordable price :)
Check www.staefeli.ch for more
information. They have their own cheese, too. So be gentle to the
goats around the blocs :)
Bouldering Pad
Summer 2017: Now you can rent a big triple pad (Peter Bouldering, in good conditions)
at the restaurant Staefeli, next to the Fuchsstein.
The 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 :)
Grades
As 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?
