In Guttannen, there is plenty to explore during a stay, from the approximately two-kilometre winter cross-country ski trail to stories about life in the mountains. There is also a stage of the ViaSbrinz, local history and cheese-making traditions. Choose your focus based on whether you are looking for a winter activity, a historic route, or insights into nature and culture.
Winter in Guttannen: Cross-country ski trail and ice stupa
The Guttannen cross-country ski trail starts at the Lengacherli car park. It is well suited to beginners and is illuminated in the evening, making it possible to exercise after dark. The trail is approximately two kilometres long. As a seasonal winter facility, the trail and its use depend on snow and operating conditions; these conditions may also vary. The Guttannen ski lift is free to use. Check locally before travelling to see whether the lift is operating.
Another seasonal, weather-dependent winter installation is set up on the sunny side near Giessen from around the end of November. The aim is to create an ice stupa approximately five metres high. Its timing and purpose offer another reference point for the winter season, but do not indicate a fixed date.
On the ViaSbrinz: a stage starting in Guttannen
Stage 4/5 of the ViaSbrinz leads from Guttannen to Obergesteln. The ViaSbrinz crosses the Grimsel Pass along a historic mule track. Some of the impressive structures dating from the muleteering era recall the route’s former use. The route thus combines a specific stretch of trail with a chapter of regional transport history. Before setting off, check the route conditions and seasonal access; no guaranteed walking time or particular difficulty level is specified for the route.
“The weather and us”: stories at 28 stops
The interactive audio trail “The weather and us” passes through Guttannen and starts right next to the Guttannen Dorf PostBus stop. Audio recordings can be accessed at 28 QR-code stops, including accounts in Hasli German about natural hazards. Personal stories offer insights into the lives and experiences of the mountain community. The trail is aimed at families, schools, companies and other groups. By combining local stories with weather-related themes, it offers a different focus from the cross-country ski trail or mule track.
Mountain landscape and local history
The municipality of Guttannen includes the Finsteraarhorn, the highest mountain in the canton of Bern. The Aare also has its source here: it rises at the Unteraar Glacier in Guttannen. The area is also part of the BLN site “Bernese High Alps and Aletsch-Bietschhorn Area (southern part),” a landscape and natural monument of national importance. These details place Guttannen in its mountain landscape without implying a particular view or access to specific places.
The church also tells the story of the village. In 1722, the chapels were replaced by a proper little church. The church was renovated in 1970 and has been under federal protection ever since. Combining the audio trail with these historical details reveals both personal stories and the history of the village’s buildings.
Crystals, cheese and seasonal products
Crystals from the Hasli Valley are sold in Guttannen by telephone request; crystal exhibitions can also be arranged on request. The kriSTALL exhibition combines sparkling crystals with light installations, video portraits and interactive stations. This offers different ways to explore the subject: buying crystals or visiting an exhibition that brings together visual and interactive elements.
Local cheese-making traditions include production in a traditional copper cauldron over an open fire, although modern facilities are also available. Guests can watch the cheese being made and buy various alpine products directly from the dairy. Historically, cheese from Guttannen was exported across the Grimsel to northern Italy. There is also a self-service shop selling alpine cheese, dried sausages and dried meat; Mutschli cheese and alpine butter are available seasonally. While the Grimsel Pass is open, a small shop sells cheese, sausages and homemade sweets.
Discover more destinations: Unterbäch, Schattenhalb, Innertkirchen, Hasliberg, Meiringen, Gadmen, Hohfluh, Reuti.
See the overview of the wider travel region: Oberhasli.
