Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge Tour
Discover on your own or join a guided tour
On a well-secured path you hike past massive waterfalls, romantic grottos and bizarre rock formations. The irrepressible energy of the glacier water is constantly palpable: sometimes it swirls around a glacier pot, sometimes it falls over a rock step, squeezes through a bottleneck, foams, bubbles, gurgles. Enormous, breathtaking, refreshing.
The gorge is visited on the way up, through a primeval mountain forest the path leads back to the ticket office and to Café Schluchthüttli.
The gorge can be explored very well on your own. However, upon reservation we will be happy to guide you through the gorge and tell you interesting facts, surprises and stories.
The gorge is visited on the way up, through a primeval mountain forest the path leads back to the ticket office and to Café Schluchthüttli.
The gorge can be explored very well on your own. However, upon reservation we will be happy to guide you through the gorge and tell you interesting facts, surprises and stories.
History
Development of the gorge
The Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge is already mentioned in travel handbooks of the 19th century. At that time, however, only a wooden staircase led down into the depths and gave daring travelers a small glimpse into the interior of the gorge.
In the summer of 1901, the hotelier Kaspar Brog from Meiringen buys the Rosenlaui property and immediately decides to open up the upper part of the wild gorge. On October 28, 1901, construction work begins. The contractor is the Tyrolean Johann Berti. The development turns out to be more difficult than expected and the construction work drags on well into the summer of 1902. The path has to be blasted continuously into the solid limestone rock. 9000 shots or 180 packages of dynamite are needed for this. The costs amount to 22,000 francs.
In the summer of 1901, the hotelier Kaspar Brog from Meiringen buys the Rosenlaui property and immediately decides to open up the upper part of the wild gorge. On October 28, 1901, construction work begins. The contractor is the Tyrolean Johann Berti. The development turns out to be more difficult than expected and the construction work drags on well into the summer of 1902. The path has to be blasted continuously into the solid limestone rock. 9000 shots or 180 packages of dynamite are needed for this. The costs amount to 22,000 francs.
Opening and expansion
On June 6, 1903, the Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge is opened. 38 people visit the gorge on this day, the entrance fee at that time is one franc.
In the winter of 1930/31, Kaspar Brog's descendants have the gorge path extended to its current length. Since then, the tour through the gorge has only been gently renovated and adapted to today's safety standards. In recent years, the two longest tunnels have been equipped with a solar lighting system.
The Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge is inspected every spring before opening by a local construction company in cooperation with mountain guides and made ready for summer operation.
The Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge is now run by the 5th generation of Kaspar Brog's descendants.
In the winter of 1930/31, Kaspar Brog's descendants have the gorge path extended to its current length. Since then, the tour through the gorge has only been gently renovated and adapted to today's safety standards. In recent years, the two longest tunnels have been equipped with a solar lighting system.
The Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge is inspected every spring before opening by a local construction company in cooperation with mountain guides and made ready for summer operation.
The Rosenlaui Glacier Gorge is now run by the 5th generation of Kaspar Brog's descendants.
Healing spring and hotel
In 1771, the local Andreas von Bergen discovers a healing spring while logging in Rosenlaui. He then bought the Rosenlaui alp and built a bathhouse and a simple dwelling. In the first half of the 19th century, the Rosenlaui spa experienced a heyday. It enjoys a good reputation and is diligently visited. Nevertheless, the economic business becomes increasingly more important than the bathing business. In 1912, nature puts an end to the bathing business: earth movements almost completely bury the sulfur spring.
Today, the romantic Hotel Rosenlaui is run by the 2nd generation of the family Andreas and Christine Kehrli-Moser.
Today, the romantic Hotel Rosenlaui is run by the 2nd generation of the family Andreas and Christine Kehrli-Moser.