An easy day

We were pretty tired after our long hike so we decided on an easy day today. We grabbed our gear and hopped the train the Wengen and took the cable car up to Mannlichen. We decided to try another way to Grindewald today, the little two seater cable car was an awesome ride. It took about half an hour and we spotted many cows, goats, and even a number of Swiss marmots running around on the slopes. We also had a great view of the Eiger, and the Rotstock, which we had climbed a few days before.

Jo's new friend in Wengen

After arriving in Gridewald we hiked for an hour or so along one of the many rivers in the area. It was nice and relaxing after our previous days adventure. Eventually we arrived at the Gletscherschlucht, which means Glacier Gorge. It lies beneath the Grindewald Glacier, and the lake that it's run off forms. Years of glacier run off have carved an amazing gorge. For $7 admission you can walk for well over a km into the gorge. In places you are on platforms which are bolted to the sides of the gorge, in other places you walk through man made tunnels. Along the way you can see pink and green marble in the rock walls. There is a quarry nearby. There is also some great information about a huge tunnel which was made several years ago leading up inside the mountain to the glacial lake...it's a sort of pressure relief valve to prevent the lake from overflowing into the valley below, an affect of global warming.

Here are a few shots from within the gorge

After the gorge we hiked back to Grindewald and picked up some picnic supplies at the Co-op (local store). We got some grapes, local cheese, sausage, wine, gummy bears and paprika chips (like our BBQ). We decided to take the cable car back up to the ridge and have a picnic. Part way up we could see that the weather was turning so we had part of our picnic in the cable car. When we reached the top the weather had totally come in and it was pouring rain like I've never seen before. We only had about 300 meters to go from one cable car station to the other in order to get back down off the mountain and into our valley, but we got soaked!

At least it had stopped raining by the time we made it down to Wengen and then back to Lauterbrunnen. We made our way back to the hotel for a hot cup of tea, and then ended up staying in and having the rest of the picnic for supper. Another great day, even with the short downpour.

Swiss National Day - the long hike

August 1st is Swiss National Day and we weren't really sure what to do. The weather forecast wasn't great, so we decided to go for a train ride and a short hike, but brought our gear with us in case we decided to go further. A short train ride and we were in Wilderswil. There we transferred to a very old cog train (1893) that took us up to Schynige Platte. It was amazingly steep on the way up, but the views were incredible. It took almost an hour to get up to the top where there is an amazing alpine flower garden.

From here we had several options, go for a short hike and take the train back down again, or commit to a much longer hike. We looked at the skies, check the barometric pressure, and decided to go for it. To say it was spectacular would be the understatement of the century. We hiked along a knife edged ridge overlooking the Thunersee and Brienzersee on one side, and the Alps on the other. It was probably the most perfect alpine trail you could ever imagine.

Climbing to the ridge

After some time we left the ride and began to hike through some amazing rock formations. There was a lot of up and down, but the scenery made you forget how hard you were working.

About three hours in we rounded the edge of a peak and spotted a mountain hut in the distance. We climbed up towards it knowing we would be able to get a cold drink, and sit for a few minutes.

We enjoyed a nice cold Coke...good for the blood sugar, and then carried on. We still had a long ways to go. We climbed even higher, stopping for a quick snowball fight along the way

We continued to climb another high mountain ridge where we eventually passed the Faulhorn, the highest mountain hotel in all of Europe.

From here it was a few hours of steep descent until we reached the Bachalpsee, an amazingly beautiful alpine lake with the Swiss Alps as the backdrop.

From this beautiful spot we descended to First. Total elapsed time was 5 and a half hours from when we started, and we were hiking for 5 of them. Boy were we glad to get onto the little two seat cable car for the 30 minute ride back down to Grindewald. A short train ride and we were back at our hotel where we showered and napped for a bit.

After another wonderful Swiss meal we headed back to the hotel and discovered that the parade was about to start. I've never known a parade to start at 9:00 at night, but what the heck. We sat on our balcony and watched the parade go right by. As soon as they reached the end of their route on the other side of the river, the skies opened up. A huge thunder and lightning storm was passing over the valley. I have never heard thunder like that before, each crash echoed up and down the valley and you could feel every one....it was amazing!

At 10:00 the fireworks started. It was an amazing show, puts most of the ones I have seen to shame, and this town only has about 900 residents. They take Swiss National Day very seriously. The best part was the flashes of lightning which lit up the sky behind the fireworks......a perfect end to am amazing (and very tiring) day!

Time to catch up

It's been an amazing few days, it's raining out now so we're relaxing and it's a good time to catch up. Saturday we geared up after breakfast and headed up to Wengen on the train and then took the cable lift up to Mannlichen. From the cable car station it was a short hike up to an amazing view point. We could see forever in every direction. One way was the Alps, the other beautiful lakes and in the distance the Black Forest of Germany.

Looking towards the Alps

From the lookout we hiked a great trail towards Kleine Scheidegg, it takes you directly towards the Eiger. Along the way we spotted/heard many cows grazing in the alpine meadows, their bells ringing.

Trail towards the Eiger

After arriving in Kleine Scheidegg we hopped on the train up to Eigergletscher station. This is the last stop for the train before it enters the mountain and makes it's way up to the Jungfraujoch. We hiked the first part of the Eiger Trail, which passes directly below the north face of the Eiger. At a high point we watched for rock cairns to show us where to leave the trail so we could climb the Rotstock. We found the spot and made our way up to the base of the face where we donned our helmets and harnesses in preparation for the climb. The trip up the Rotstock is a Via Ferrata. Here is a borrowed picture which shows the location of the Rotstock in relation to the Eiger.

On a Via Ferrata you are clipped in to protection the whole time. Although it can be very steep and exposed, you are always safe. It was quite challenging, we started in a section of vertical ladders, climbed up a chute past flowing waterfalls, and even had to traverse some sections which were covered in snow. Reaching the summit was a great experience, and the view was breathtaking.

About to go past a waterfall

Going up...final destination in the background

Jo moving her pro (protection)

Going up

Final push to the summit

Summit of the Rotstock

After summiting the Rotstock we descended the West Flank, which is the normal route that people who have climbed the north face of the Eiger use to descend. A short hike back down the Kleine Scheidegg and then we took the train all the way back down to Lauterbrunnen for a well earned supper.....grilled chicken with fresh herb butter melted on top, rosti, big salad, and some very tasty Swiss beer.....ah, life is good!