Brief Description

Situated among the Bernese Alps, overlooking the Swiss Plateau and Bernese Oberland, Jungfrau is one of the most iconic and most visited peaks in the Alps.

Part of the reason for this is the Jungfraubahn cog railway, which takes riders to the mountain pass between Jungfrau and Mönch at 3,454 metres (11,332 feet). The station, which is the highest in Europe, is a common starting point for mountaineers planning to climb either one of the two iconic Swiss peaks. However, it is also a great spot for photography and some hiking too.

Along with Eiger and Mönch, Jungfrau rises up to form an imposing wall that overlooks the Bernese Oberland. Jungfrau is the westernmost and tallest of this trio of peaks. Many mountaineers will opt to climb all three over the course of four days, but climbing just Jungfrau can be done in two as can climbing both Jungfrau and Mönch.

Quick Facts about Jungfrau

The Aletsch Glacier, which is the largest in the Alps, envelopes the southern half of Jungfrau. The peak, along with the glacier, were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001.
Jungfrau is a German word, meaning maiden, virgin or young woman in English.
The Jungfraujoch railway station, which sits on the mountain pass between Jungfrau and Mönch is the highest one in all of Europe.

History of Jungfrau

The first ascent of Jungfrau came on August 3, 1811 when a pair of Swiss brothers accompanied by two hunters summited the peak via the glaciated southern slopes of the mountain.

However, some doubt was cast on whether or not they actually made it to the summit, so the following year the two brothers climbed the peak again, reaching the summit via an eastern route, which is the one most commonly used today.

Until the construction of the Jungfrau railway in the early 1900s, the southern slopes would remain the most commonly used route to climb Jungfrau.

Experience Required for Climbing Jungfrau

Jungfrau is not a very technically difficult peak to climb, requiring some basic snow and ice climbing skills. However, the peak is rated at an intermediate level of difficulty.

The last stretch of the climb is particularly tricky and involves a steep ascent of a snowy and icy ridge that is also quite exposed. Several deadly accidents have taken place at this part of the climb over the years.

As with many other 4,000-metre peaks in the Alps, Jungfrau requires a high level of physical fitness. The climbing is steep and requires a high level of endurance. Those who opt to take the train to the start of the climb also may have trouble acclimatizing properly.

Main Routes up Jungfrau

Four main routes lead up to the summit of the Jungfrau, each of which heads to the summit of the peak from a different side of the mountain.

The easiest and most commonly used in the normal route, which starts from Monchsjoch Hut, near the Jungfraujoch station. From here, climbers the Aletschfirn glacier before making the steep ascent up the Rottalsattel and on to the summit.

Starting from the Rottal Hut, to the southwest of the mountain, the Inner Rottal Ridge route is a slightly longer and tougher one for climbers looking for a bit more of a challenge. The route involves a steep ascent of a couloir and some more challenging climbing than is required for the normal route.

By far the toughest of the routes up Jungfrau is the Northeast Ridge route, which also starts from the Monchsjoch Hut and heads around the imposing north face of the mountain. The route requires several consecutive hours of grade III and IV climbing to reach the top of the ridge, before continuing on to the summit.

The Guggi Route begins from a hut of the same name and takes climbers directly up the mountain’s southern glaciated side and to the summit. Due to the steady decline of the glacier in recent years, this route has largely fallen out of favour.

Jungfrau

Climb one of Switzerland's most iconic and visited peaks.