Grand Muveran – Second Attempt, Summit Reached!

🗺️ Overview

• Starting point: Jorasses (Ovronnaz, 1,940 m)

• Highest point: Grand Muveran, 3,051 m

• Total elevation gain: ~1,200 m

• Total distance: ~13 km (round trip via Cabane Rambert)

• Total time: ~7 hours (including breaks)

• Technical difficulty: T4 Alpine hike, marked white–blue–white; exposed sections, use of hands required, helmet/gloves recommended

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On my second attempt, I made it! Exactly one year ago, I posted about the hike to Cabane Rambert. Back then, I had planned to continue to the summit of Grand Muveran, but I was too tired and stopped at the Cabane. This time, I went all the way up!

You’ll find the description of the first part of the hike in my post about Cabane Rambert (link) – already a beautiful hike by itself. In this post, I’ll describe only the last section. However, keep in mind that this description starts after already 700 m of elevation gain and 2 hours of hiking from Jorasses. I will not describe the first secton again but as a reminder here are a couple of pictures.

From the Cabane, the path to Grand Muveran is clearly marked all the way to the top. However, it is a high-alpine trail (white–blue–white marks). Even though I didn’t have problems, it is at times quite narrow. Be careful, and most importantly, don’t go if it has rained recently or if there’s still snow. When I went, it was a beautifully sunny day after several dry days – perfect conditions.

The path starts just behind the Cabane and quickly becomes rocky. For the first half hour, though, it remains a hike rather than a climb.

The first short section where you need to use your hands comes at about 2,750 m. After that, the path continues, steeper and with loose rock. The real climbing begins around 2,800 m.

Here, you go through a couloir – not extreme, but not basic either. I was glad I brought gloves, since the rock can be sharp and might cause you to slip at the wrong moment. A helmet is also a good idea, as there’s plenty of loose rock above.

Above this, the climbing becomes easier until you reach a series of narrow ledges. This was, in my opinion, the scariest part. While it’s never a sheer vertical drop below, the path is sometimes no wider than a foot. A fall wouldn’t be fatal, but you could hurt yourself and getting back up would be tricky. In a couple of short spots, you have to edge around rocks sticking out into the path. One of these sections has a chain for safety, but you still need a good head for heights and steady hands.

After the ledges, you reach a mix of larger ledges, short climbs, and walking sections. At one point, the trail almost U-turns. After about 50 m, you start the final climb at around 2,950 m – just 15 minutes from the summit. This last section is not especially difficult, but you’ll definitely use your hands again. It lasts about 5 minutes, then the terrain flattens out, and you finally see the summit cross. The last 30 m are once more a bit of a scramble.

At the summit, a beautiful cross awaits you, along with a superb panorama: Grand Combin, the Matterhorn, and even Lake Geneva stretching out behind you. It took me 1h40 to reach the top from the Cabane (the signposted time is 1h30). That’s about 470 m of ascent from the Cabane, or roughly 1,200 m from Jorasses.

The way back was steep but without problems. I rewarded myself with cake and juice at the Cabane before heading down. 

At the fork between the trail back to Jorasses and the direct descent to Ovronnaz, I chose Jorasses this time – a short 70 m uphill but far preferable to the direct route, which adds 500 m of steep downhill and feels endless after such a long day.