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| Kleine Scheidegg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Elevation | 2,061 m (6,762 ft) |
| Traversed by | Rail |
| Location | Canton of Bern, Switzerland |
| Range | Bernese Alps |
| Coordinates | 46°35′06″N 7°57′40″E / 46.58500°N 7.96111°E |
  Location in Switzerland | |
The Kleine Scheidegg (English: Little Scheidegg)[1][2] is a mountain pass at an elevation of 2,061 m (6,762 ft), situated below and between the Eiger and Lauberhorn peaks in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. The name means "minor watershed", as it only divides the two arms of the Lütschine river, both converging at Zweilütschinen, while the nearby Grosse Scheidegg divides the Lütschine from the Rychenbach stream.[3]
The pass is traversed by a walking trail and the Wengernalp Railway, which both connect the villages of Grindelwald with Lauterbrunnen, passing through Wengen between the pass summit and Lauterbrunnen. In winter, Kleine Scheidegg is the centre of the ski area around Grindelwald and Wengen. In summer, it is a popular hiking destination, and is one of the passes crossed by the Alpine Pass Route between Sargans and Montreux. The Jungfrau Marathon, a mountain race that takes place every year in early September, ends at Kleine Scheidegg.[3][4]
The Kleine Scheidegg railway station is sited at the summit of the pass. Besides being an intermediate stop on the Wengernalp Railway, the station is also the lower terminus of the Jungfrau Railway, which climbs steeply through tunnels inside the Eiger and Mönch mountains up to its terminal at the Jungfraujoch, the highest point reachable by rail in Europe. Both railways operate year-round, and any passengers travelling to the Jungfraujoch must change trains at Kleine Scheidegg. The pass is linked to the summit of the Lauberhorn and to Arvengarten, on the approach to the pass from Grindelwald, by chairlifts.[3][5][6]
There are also several restaurants and hotels at the summit of the pass, including the historic Hotel Bellevue des Alpes that dates back to 1840.[7]
- ^ Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary. 2001. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, p. 658.
- ^ Colley, Ann C. 2016. Victorians in the Mountains: Sinking the Sublime. London: Routledge, p. ix.
- ^ a b c map.geo.admin.ch (Map). Swiss Confederation. Retrieved 2015-05-19.
- ^ Reynolds, Kev (2011). "Trek 10 - Alpine Pass Route". Trekking in the Alps. Cicerone. pp. 124–135. ISBN 978 1 85284 600 8.
- ^ Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz. Verlag Schweers + Wall GmbH. 2012. p. 82. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
- ^ Allen, Cecil J. (1958). Switzerland's Amazing Railways. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons. p. 141.
- ^ "Hotel Bellevue des Alpes". mySwitzerland.com. Switzerland Tourism. Retrieved 2015-05-19.