Wildgärst + Schwarzhorn (via ferrata)

In all of September, I didn't manage a single hike in Switzerland above 2000m. Also for the first day of October, the weather forecast initially looked quite dreary. A last minute improvement in the weather forecast prompted me to spontaneously aim for a fairly high summit after all. I drove to the Schwarzwaldalp with the aim of doing both Wildgärst and Schwarzhorn. I was expecting quite a bit of fresh snow higher up, but in the end there was hardly any. I only encountered snow (mostly from earlier in September) in the Wart / Grosse Chrinne area (starting at ca. 2600m) and on the Wildgärst summit plateau. The normal routes on both Wildgärst and Schwarzhorn are in good condition and don't require any winter gear. Only the alpine route from Wart to Grossi Chrinne currently requires some extra care.

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The start at the Schwarzwaldalp is foggy, but as I start to climb, the sun soon dominates. The ascent via Scheidegg Oberläger towards Wart is fairly steady. The atmosphere is almost like in spring: the temperatures are very pleasant, and it seems like the last patches of snow are melting away. I reach the large cairns on the wide (and currently also white) Wildgärst summit plateau after about 3h20. It's hard to decide where to look first: the snowy 4000m peaks of the Berner Oberland, the sea of clouds above the Mittelland, the Brienzersee and Brienzergrat... Everything is stunning. Light clouds are dancing around, creating a different atmosphere and new views every minute.

I descend back to Wart and now continue on the other side of the saddle, until the signpost at ca. 2600m. It's hard to imagine how to get up to the Grossi Chrinne from here. Thankfully, a few white-blue-white markings are still visible between the snow, pointing to towards a grubby gully. The gully is the most obvious weakness in the escarpment, but still it looks very steep, unstable and uninviting. However, it is indeed the correct route, and a fixed cable helps to get up (T4+, careful: the lower end of the cable is not fixed).

Having reached the Schwarzhorn southwest ridge, I now follow this ridge as this is the route of the Schwarzhorn via ferrata. Apart from the vertical walls with the characteristic ladders, the route is mostly "scrambleable". Though the via ferrata itself is not particularly demanding (K2), the alpine environment is not to be underestimated. I don't know the normal approach (reaching Grossi Chrinne from the south); apparently it is slightly easier than my approach, but still clearly an alpine route requiring absolute surefootedness.

The weather has gotten more foggy as I reach the Schwarzhorn summit. I descend on the normal route (T4-, one short, steep scramble, taken in ascent when coming down from the summit). I'm still treated with some spectacular views of Wetterhorn, Schreckhorn, Eiger and Jungfrau, before the fog takes over for good. There are dozens of chamois in the Hohbiel area. The final 2.5km from Grindel Oberläger to Grosse Scheidegg drags on a little, and this stretch also includes another 50m uphill. At Grosse Scheidegg, I have time for a drink and some apricot pie, before I catch the bus back down to the Schwarzwaldalp parking lot. A fox along the road and the generally fabulous views along the Reichenbachtal are the final highlights of a day that could not have turned out better. All day, I only encountered one other group of hikers (near Wart). I had the via ferrata as well as both summits entirely to myself. This was certainly one of my favourite days out of this year.