Our first really hiccup of the trip happened when our airlines changed the time of our flight leaving Seville, Spain making it impossible for us to catch our connection to Geneva, Switzerland. After being on hold for 20 minutes, the airlines got things fixed by sending us to Munich and then back to Zurich.
This changed our 7 hour travel day to 9 hours, gave us some really tight connections, and got us to Murren, Switzerland after 10pm… but it worked.
Derek and I were most worried about us and our bags making the connection in Munich. While we were awaiting boarding our Munich plane, our bags arrived on a delivery truck all by themselves. So after 2 planes, 3 trains, 2 buses, and a gondola ride, we arrived our hotel in Murren. Yeah! We did get to enjoy the sunset from our train on the way to Interlaken.
For Switzerland, we were planning to explore the Berber Oberland region. Home of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau which the tourist call “The Big Three”.
Having arrived after dark, we had no idea what this region really looked like. We awoke the first morning to find vertical rock wall and snow all around us. I was quick to surmise that there was nothing here we could climb. Not even a bump. Every ridge ended in a vertical point.
But after three days of just “hiking”, Derek and I can barely walk. Every time I see stairs, I cringe. We are sunburned though our forecast was for rain (didn’t even get to wear my rain jacket). My feet are killing me. And I have a huge smile on my face.
We ended up doing three hikes: Schilthorn Peak, Oberhornsee Lake Traverse, and the Eiger North Face Base Trail. We also took the train to Jungfraujoch, the roof of Europe. Very touristy but how do you skip a train ride to 11,782 feet.
Schilthorn Peak
This was the one peak that Derek and I could climb and just barely. We could have taken the gondola with all the other tourists but where’s the adventure in that.
We headed out of Murren on a road that went pretty much straight up hill. We wondered what type of vehicle traveled these roads. Eventually we hit a trail which was equally steep, we climbed for a while longer.
Soon we were above the town and the “Big Three” accompanied by 12 of their buddies made up the ridge line behind us.
“WOW!” was all we could say. Derek and I decided we really needed to improve our vocabulary. The sun was rising right behind the mountain range so pictures would have to wait for later in the day.
We were completely taken back by how steep the rock faces were. And how they went all the way down to the valley floor.
The trail just kept climbing. Straight up. Does anyone outside the United States use switchbacks?
We kept waiting for it to level off but it never did. They after 3000 feet of gain, we got a break where we started a rising traverse headed between the two gondola stations.
Once past the intersection of the stations, the trail turned into the rock face of Schilthorn and our trail became a class 2 rock scramble. We were now facing the Big Three as we hiked / climbed. My pace dropped to a crawl as I gawked at the beautiful view.
The final 100 feet to the station involved rock stairs. Derek and I decided this would be our tower climb for Switzerland.
Schilthorn was used in the James Bond film, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” in 1968. They had decked out the viewing platform with James Bond paraphernalia. This included the bathroom doors.
The views from up top were worth every painful step of the 4500 foot climb.
I did want to capture the massiveness of this mountain range which covered two sides of the station. I was going to have to learn to take a panorama. (I had to condense it to load it but I am sure you get the picture 🙂
After spending an hour on top, Derek and I decided to go down the trail off the backside. There were signs that said we could go that way and my topo confirmed it.
This trail actually started out on a ridge …
Until the ridge stopped and dropped several thousand feet. Then we started a very interesting drop off the ridge which included hand lines and stairs.
Only problem was the stairs did touch the ground any more. This made for an interesting slither off the last step. The drop behind was not forgiving.
After an hour, we were finally off the ridge. One look back told the complete story of why this was so difficult, Schilthorn sits on a rock rib.
We started a decent of scree followed by fields of sheep and cows. The cow bells filled the air. We were reminded of the Christopher Walken Saturday Night Live skit with Kiss “What the song needs is more cow bells”.
The trail kept climbing up and over ridge lines forcing us to descend more cliff bands. These made for lovely break spots to enjoy the views which now were all around us.
Up at Schilthorn
Down towards Murren, on the high bench in the distance, and Gimmelwald, the scatter of buildings on the lower plateau.
And across at the mountains …
This was a perfect time to enjoy our last B-Ready. Because it is always good to B-Ready. (This is a light cookie filled with Nutella. Pure magic.)
As we moved from one farmers field to another, we encountered different types of fencing. We had to be careful because some were electric. Adds to the excitement.
We did encounter this gate which definitely deserved a picture.
After 9 hours of hiking, 5000 feet of gain and loss, we arrived our hotel. Picked up our backpacks. And headed to our hostel. We could hike to the hostel in Gimmelwald but opted to take the gondola.
See, we aren’t completely crazy.
Oberhornsee Lake Traverse
The next day we weren’t sure what to do. We had climbed the only thing we could. We had hoped to find a different view for the day but the massive ridge lining the valley didn’t offer much.
Derek talked to a few people and found a map. Before long, we were headed off on the Oberhornsee Lake Traverse. There was a valley that ran under the massive mountain range. It ended at a lake under the head of the range. Sounded beautiful.
First we had to drop down to the river, then climb over the near by ridge. Jungfrau would be on our right for most of the morning. Wow, that is a steep cliff.
After two hours of descending and ascending, we were finally rounding the corner into the valley which ran under the massive peaks. There was a side trail that went up the ridge. We decided it would make a good lunch spot. Good Decision!!!
The top was a big flat spot. The German lady next to us, called it a dance floor. This was not the top just a bench on the steep ridge. But as far as we could go.
What a view!
And the waterfalls…
Just like everywhere else in the valley, the walls just went straight down to the valley floor. The rib we came up was the only way up here.
After an hour, we headed down excited to see the valley. The Oberhornsee area has been declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. There is actually a hotel (I use the term loosely) in the valley with unbelievable views.
Our route was to hike up one side of the valley to the high lake and then return on the other side of the valley under the glaciers.
We had to drop into the head of the valley and then started the climb up to the lake. The views were incredible… you had mountains, and glaciers, and waterfalls everywhere you looked.
We finally reached the lake. It was more of a tarn. We decided it was time for a break so I could soak my quads.
No camping… too bad.
We still had a lot of miles to go so we didn’t stay long. Besides, we were both really curious how the trail architects were going to get us off this rocky cliff.
First, we went up. Then we went up more. Then we went up more. “How close to the glaciers were we going to get?”
Then we got our answer.
The decent was gradual at first, working us through the high benches. Then we came to the edge, “Were they really going to take us down this.” We pulled out my gps and verified that we were still on the trail. And said goodbye to the glaciers.
Who ever found this trail was insane or had a lot of time on their hands. We wove around cliff bands and crossed waterfalls in safe locations. The trail was masterfully built.
Finally, we were off the cliff bands and ready to start the steep decent to the valley floor. We would be descending all the way to the gondola at the bottom of the valley, 1000 feet lower than our hostel.
We dropped through cow fields and sheep. How did they live on these steep slopes?
Finally, we came to some dirt roads. They were so steep I was sure I would slip and break an angle. Some how we survived and came to the town of Stechlberg where we enjoyed pizza and took the gondola home for the night.
After another 9 hour day which included 5000 feet of gain and 6000 feet of drop, I was happy to get on the gondola.
Eiger North Face Base Trail
Upon arriving in Gimmelwald, I read about “The Eiger Trail”. A hike along the base of the north face of the Eiger. In order to do the hike, it made the most sense for us to move to the town of Grindlewald.
We found a cheap hotel just outside of town. Imagine my delight when I found this view of the dining room deck. I couldn’t wait for breakfast.
The Eiger to the right and it’s lesser known cousin to the left, Walcherhorn, a meager 12,116 feet high.
We had a quick lunch and then headed out for “The Eiger Trail”. You are suppose to take the train to the top of the trail and walk down but our legs were much happier climbing up hill.
The trail goes across the entire base of the north wall.
We started by climbing to the base of the wall …
and then traversing the face passing water falls, …
And cows…
We had to stop from time to time in order to look straight up a grasp the greatness of the wall.
This is truly the closest I will ever get to a wall of this extreme. At least I can say I walked up and touched it before saying I couldn’t do it.
We kept looking for climbers. You knew they were there but they had to be the size of gnats. That night over dinner, we could see the lights of two parties camped on the wall.
After two and a half hours, we reached the end of the wall. It was sad to have it over. We wanted to turn around and head back down but we had train tickets to go to Jungfraujoch. The train station happened to be where “The Eiger Trail” ended.
This was a hike I would definitely do again.
Jungfraujoch
Over lunch, Derek and I had decided to partake in the very touristy thing of visiting Jungfraujoch, The Roof Of Europe”.
Jungfraujoch is a large research station studying climate change. At the base of the research station is the largest glacier in Switzerland.
The research station resides at 11,782 feet. In order to reach the station, there was a tunnel built through the Eiger. The tunnel was built in the early 1900’s.
The Swiss have done an excellent job of making Jungfraujoch a fun destination for tourists.
Not only does it have the views, it sits between the two highest peaks in the area: Jungfrau and Monch, and looks down the glacier into Italy. But they have add a 360 degree theater that plays a 10 minute video. Created an outdoor fun zone with a 45 minute hike across the glacier to a hut.
We didn’t have time for hike but that didn’t stop us from playing on the snow. Boy was it cold.
From the glacier, we had a excellent view of the research center.
And Monch (the summit is in the picture but it is the same color as the clouds).
The remaining exhibits including paintings on the rock walls, black and white pictures of the building of the tunnel, and a tunnel through a man-made glacier.
We were glad to board the train to head back down to the base of the Eiger. Both of us had a bit of altitude problems. Mostly in our stomachs and legs.
We had talked about taking the trail back to Grindlewald but neither of us wanted to hike down 4500 feet in about 3 miles. We opted for the train. Good thing to, it was so steep I could hardly stand in the train.
Man, Switzerland is steep.
