SWISS TRIP '98


These are the new pictures of Switzerland from this years hiking trip.




Two years ago I ended my vacation by walking down the trail into Lauterbrunnen at twilight.
Two years later I came back to continue on.
I brought along a fellow bike rider, Charlie Witsman, from Pana, Illinois.
This is his first hiking trip so I figured we might as well start off right.
We flew in to Zurich and took the train to Luzern where we camped the first night.
The next morning we caught the train to Interlaken and then up the valley to Lauterbrunnen.
The first days hike was actually an easy walk up the valley from Lauterbrunnen to the campground at Stechelberg.
Even though the valley is just below the Jungfrau and Eiger the valley walls are so steep and high that the mountains are not visible.
Along the way we passed under a cable car being used as a bungee jumping platform.
It was cloudy with the occasional light sprinkle of rain. However it started to clear up in the late evening and the suns last rays were reflecting down onto the cliffs around the campground.
The next morning we started up the trail. And up. And up. Climbing up towards the clouds that obscured even the first step of the mountains above.


The clouds moved in and out of the valley we were ascending all day. For a few minutes a towering mountain would be visible behind us, moments later it would fade back into the gray and the glacier hanging over the end of the valley ahead would shine through. The valley went up in a series of three long steps. We would have a steep trail for about 1/2 mile, a mile or two of gentle uphill, then back onto the stairmaster. Eiger, Monch Jungfrau from Sefinenfurke.

We were headed up to the Sefinenfurke Pass. From there I was planning to head in the direction of Kandersteg. We arrived at the Rotstock Hut about 3 PM with visibility of about 100 yards in any direction. Rather than go further up into unknown terrain in bad visibility we decided to stay put for the night. I was hoping that the clouds would clear that evening so I could take some pictures but it was not to be. After a few hours reading and an excellent supper we crashed.
The next morning dawned clear and beautiful. The hut has an exquisite view of the Wetterhorn, Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau. Another good meal and we were off for the Sefinenfurke. C.W. was having some trouble reading the map. He was wondering why all the little thin lines seemed to form one big thick line right at the pass. ( CW is farsighted, CL is near-sighted) I kept telling him that the trail up wouldn't be that bad. ( I want to be a tour guide when I grow up and the manual says "It is always preferable to postpone the troop mutinies as long as possible. Or at least until the check clears.")


After a considerable amount of griping and whining we finally made it to the Sefinenfurke. Charlie said if I didn't cut it out he was going to have to find a different hiking partner.

Last 200 meters up Sefinenfurke with Eiger in background.

On the far side of the Sefinenfurke the trail drooped into a sea of clouds. We decided to take the trail around the head of the valley. This would lead us over to the Gspalternhorn Hut. The next three hours were some of the best hiking I have had in the Alps but occasionally the trail borders steep drops.
I would think twice about taking it in bad weather or if you are tired. Even the marked Swiss trails can be very unforgiving of error. Use common sense and there shouldn't be a problem but don't leave the common sense at home.


This led us through some small snowfields. If you look carefully you can see Charlie sitting on the rock out there.

Above us small glaciers hung in there. Hopefully at least until we could get past.


As we rounded the corner into the next finger of the valley the trail got a bit vague. To his right is about a 400 foot drop. The trail is fairly wide but there is a lot of loose rock.



This is on the trail down looking back at the Gspalternhorn Hut.


Charlie headed down the trail and still happy.


One of the high tech bridges.


We came down the trail into town as the sun was passing beyond the valley walls. The sunlight was streaming down through the trees in a series of golden veils.



Kandersteg was a recuperation stop. Yours truly had some lovely blisters that needed a couple of days to heal up. Major DA attack regarding a pair of socks that was rubbing my heel. Tape had slipped and I didn't retape when I first felt it.



The upper end of the campground and the paragliders.



Trail above the Ochinensee.



Watermill just outside of town.



The campground was at the base of the main chairlift up to the Ochinensee. Charlie wanted some pictures of Kandersteg but he was too busy holding on for dear life.



Tourists and the most photographed herd of spoiled cows in Switzerland.



Peak above camp.



Road down from the Ochinensee.



Church on the valley floor.



Rottweiler in Lenk.



Puppy in Lenk


Panoramic shot of the mountains above Lenk. We are well out of the really high peaks of the Bernese Oberland.


Pictures of the Tuna. Charlie & I on the way down from the Gspalternhorn Hut.


Resting atop the Sefinenfurke.


Sorting clothes in our deluxe accommadations. Charlie's Kelty-"Vortex" tent. (And no I'm not getting paid.) Simple,dry, and plenty of room. Pretty good ventilation. A tad bit heavy but not bad.


Dead Tuna on the train.

Took the train over to Montreux for a day. The music festival was on so there were some interesting crowds around.



The weather was beautiful. Walked over to Castle Chillon. The castle was begun in the 1100's and was "Under Construction" off and on for the next 400 years.


There are lovely views from the balconies overlooking the lake. I guess it's always paid to be rich. There is an selfguided tour thru the castle that is well worth taking.

This is the main entrance courtyard of the castle.

Ready for more scenery?
Then swim on back to the reef.

TUNA'S REEF

Full to the gills?
This will get you back to the trail head
Thanks for dropping in, come back soon.

Yosemite Trails
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