Grosser Mythen
The Grosser Mythen rises like a pyramid above the Schwyz basin and defines the look of the whole canton. At 1,898 metres it is not the highest mountain in the region, but it is surely the best known, and its summit is among the most rewarding hiking destinations in central Switzerland.
Two peaks, one landmark
The massif has two peaks: the Grosser Mythen at 1,898 metres and the Kleiner Mythen at 1,811 metres, separated by the Zwüschet Mythen saddle. From a distance it is the striking pyramid shape you notice, dominating the Schwyz basin and appearing in countless photographs of the region.
Geologically the Mythen are a curiosity. Their rock is not from the surrounding area but was pushed here over a great distance during the folding of the Alps, and today it sits like a foreign body on younger strata. Such displaced blocks of rock are known as klippen, and the Mythen are among the best-known examples in Switzerland.
The climb
The starting point is the Holzegg at 1,437 metres, reached by chairlift from Brunni in the Alptal or on foot from Rickenbach. From there a narrow, well-secured mountain path climbs to the summit in 47 hairpin bends. Allow an hour and a half to two hours for the roughly 500 metres of ascent. Sure-footedness and good footwear are essential, and a head for heights helps. A small fee is charged towards the upkeep of the path.
For long stretches the path is built into the rock, with ropes at the exposed points. It is narrow, so it gets tight where walkers going up and down pass each other. Start early and you will have the mountain to yourself, and you climb the steep bends in the shade.
The climb is normally possible from June to October. Outside that period old snow often lingers in the bends and makes the path treacherous. Even in summer, keep a close eye on the weather: the summit is completely exposed, and thunderstorms build quickly in the Alpine foothills.
On the summit
The Mythenhütte just below the summit serves food and drink from May to November. The view sweeps across Lake Lucerne, Lake Lauerz and the Rigi to the Glarus and Uri Alps.
Because the Grosser Mythen stands alone with no higher neighbours, the view spreads around the whole horizon. To the north lie the lakes and the Central Plateau, to the south the ranges of the central Swiss Alps. Take time to walk around the summit plateau, because the panorama changes with every step.
The Kleiner Mythen
Despite its name, the Kleiner Mythen is by far the more demanding of the two. The way to its summit ranges from pathless to alpine and calls for experience, sure-footedness and a head for heights on an altogether different scale from the Grosser Mythen. For most visitors it is not a hiking objective but a striking sight from the Holzegg.
If you would like to see both peaks close up without climbing, walk the loop around the massif instead, or cross over Zwüschet Mythen towards the Rotenflue.
Tip: In autumn the summit often rises above a sea of fog. Looking down on the clouds from above is an unforgettable experience.
Getting there
By bus from Einsiedeln or Schwyz to Brunni, then by chairlift to the Holzegg. On the Brunni side there are also gentler walks and play areas for families.
Alternatively, start in Rickenbach near Schwyz and go up on foot or by cable car towards the Rotenflue, from where a high-level path leads to the Holzegg. This makes for a longer day but turns the summit into a traverse rather than an out-and-back walk.
Public transport: Train to Einsiedeln or Schwyz, bus to Brunni, chairlift to the Holzegg.
