An easy, must-do multipitch climb with stellar views near Lucerne
This is a detailed trip report of climbing the Galtigenturme (Galtigen Towers) route on Mt. Pilatus so I can document it for myself and friends as it was one of my favorite climbing days ever. If you want detailed beta, read on. If you want adventure, discovery, and surprises on route, maybe don’t read this!
Trip Summary
- Date: Sept 13, 2025
- Approach time: 10 min train + 45 min hike
- Total climbing time on route: 3.5 hours (including .5 hour picnic stop)
- Final hike to summit: 45 min
- Descent (train): 30 min
- Style: Simul-climbed towers 1 & 2, pitched out 3 & 4
- Pitches: 7 (linked/simul'ed pitches), 70m rope
- Total time spent, with obligatory stop for ice cream at the top: 8:10 - 16:15
Approach (45 min - 1 hr)
We took the 8:10AM train from Alpanschtad to the Amisgen stop (for 28 CHF) marveling at the ability to access amazing climbing spots via public transportation.
In the train car, we met a couple of Swiss climbers who lived 10 minutes away.
“Do you climb here often?” we asked.
“No,” they said, “this is our House Mountain. But if we have appointments in the afternoon, sometimes we’ll come here and do something quickly in the morning.”
The jealousy hit when we got off the train and were treated with one of the most beautiful views and days we had experienced on our trip. This was just their “House Mountain”?! They also shared some climbing beta with us. There are two ways to reach Mattalpplate (the sport climbing area) and the start of Galtigentürme.
From the Amsigen stop, you can either go up the hill to the right or left of the tracks. They went right into the forested area, but we wanted to enjoy the views so we went uphill to climber’s left, following the very obvious trail. We also marveled at how well marked everything was. The hike up gains 1100 feet in less than a mile so is quite steep but gorgeous.
If you take this route, once you hit the cheese fridge, look up to the right across the tracks and that is where the main sport climbing area is. Stopping for lots of pictures, and to look at the cheese fridge, we reached the base of the sport climbing Mattalpplatte area after 45 minutes.
From there, we went up the scree slope and proceeded up the obvious ramp to the top of the hill. There was a guided party on the optional 4a pitch so we instead went right and hiked up to start a section that was 3-something.
Climb (3 hr)
The climbing is a bit chossy but straightforward and well bolted. We simul-climbed the first tower, switching leads and gear halfway through. The walk off the first tower is very civilized to the next tower, which begins with a traverse around a corner to gain a ramp and slightly steeper ridge. From there, the short 2nd turn (not really a tower) dumps you out right next to the 3rd turn or tower.
The first bit of the 3rd tower is on of the few French 4th class sections (4a) and steeper, so we decided to pitch it out. I loved this pitch and led it—jugs the whole way. We did this tower in 2 pitches as well but passed several intermediary anchors.
The 4th tower proved to be both of our favorites. We had been snacking and eating lunch at the base when we heard the jingle of the party behind us (another guided party) and decided to quickly get going so we wouldn’t have to wait if they started climbing. The 4th tower is 4c, 4b, 3b according to the Plasir guidebook and has some of the most enjoyable climbing of the whole adventure.
I led the 4c & 4b parts and had a blast. Good holds, feet right when you want them, and fun variation of moves. Some stemming towards the start, a cool off width-y style section, but nothing too sustained. Lots of good stances and enough good holds you could really climb this tower a bunch of different ways. There’s even a section I treated as sort of off-width-y and squeezed myself partway into a crack because I’m small, but it could’ve been bypassed and climbed differently. I passed an intermediary anchors and went up to the top, where the rest of the climb becomes a scramble. I tried to continue but the rope drag was bad, I couldn’t see any more bolts (though at this point it is scrambling) and I couldn’t hear my belay partner, so I stopped at the anchor 35m up from the ground.
My climbing partner went questing for the final bit. Note there are zero bolts, but just keep going to the obvious summit block and there’s an anchor up there. Easy walk off the tower.
Galtigentürme to Pilatus Kulm & Descent (45 min walk to summit, 30 min train down)
After finishing the Galtigentürme route on the 4th tower, we hiked off a very obvious trail leading towards the Pilatus summit. We paused to admire the view, and a mountain goat dramatically watched over us. The fog started to roll in from the east.
There seemed to be two clear ways to finish the climb as the trail diverges after the 4th tower. Hike up to the Pilatus Kulm and take the train (trail to the climber’s right) or hike all the way down (trail to climber’s left after the 4th tower). We choose to go up to the true summit. Every trail is clearly marked in the SAC app.
As the trail winds towards the summit, it gets progressively steeper. I read another trip report that described it as “a mountaineer’s dream and a true climber’s nightmare, where a fall would be most unfortunate.” I found that to be an accurate description.
The hike up to the summit gets very exposed about halfway through, with a few scramble moves over slightly chossy rock. The scramble sections are very short and American 3rd class difficulty, but the majority of the hike is a “no fall zone” through muddy/grassy steps and some limestone “steps.”
We spotted, but did not use, a few random bolts where presumably you could clip one person and be a bit more protected. However as you get to the top of the summit, you’ll see what look like chopped bolts and no protection. It’s not really a problem as there are distinct steps sort of cut into the slick grass, but it still a hyper-exposed no fall zone.
One mistake we made was to remain tied together as if we were simul climbing. This was ok in a few spots where the rope allowed us to protect each other around “ridges” and in the short section protected by a via Ferrata style cable. However, close to the summit, in view of the tourists watching us, we consolidated the rope to 1 person. We should’ve done this sooner as a fall with one of us would’ve had double the consequences. This was definitely a “no fall hike.”
We topped out with an audience, hopping over the fence as tourists videoed us and took pictures. I laugh at the idea that one woman has a video of me emerging over the wall like a beached whale. She ran towards me, close up on my face and said “You made it!” She turned the camera to herself, “We all made it!”
I kick myself for not asking to get that video from her.
Misc. notes and musings:
- If taking the train down after 3pm, consider getting reservations. It seems to be a popular departure time. We went to stand in line 15 minutes before the train departure and ended up just before the cutoff of people without reservations so we just barely got on. It’s is 5CHF extra per person to get reservations online.
- Nuii ice cream bar at the summit. You won’t regret it.