Posts primarily about a hike – usually in New England. Hikes in far-away locations are often under the ‘Travel’ category.
Another fine day on Flumserberg.
Tuesday’s weather was promising to be gorgeous, and I could not let such a day pass me by – despite an afternoon full of meetings. Waking early, and browsing the weather maps, train schedules, and hiking routes, I decided to return to Flumserberg – because it is close and offers many options. The catch?: the best train would leave in 13 minutes. Good thing I keep my backpack ready to go! Jump on the train with me, read on, and check out the gallery.
A beautiful hike past a massive UNESCO heritage site.
The Aletsch glacier is one of those must-see destinations in Switzerland. A UNESCO heritage site, it is the largest glacier in the Alps and is actually the combination of several glaciers draining the backside of major peaks I’d seen just two days earlier: Mönch, Jungfrau, Eiger, and their neighbors. I really wanted to hike this glacier valley before I leave Switzerland – yet I have very few hiking days left. So, I spontaneously decided to head for the Aletsch Arena instead of returning to Zürich as planned.
This is one of those hikes that is worthy of an extensive gallery – because the scenery is so dramatic I simply could not resist that shutter button. Check out that gallery and read on.
A morning’s visit to Lauterbrunnen valley, including a walk to Staubbach Falls and Trümmelbach falls.
After a beautiful view of the Lauterbrunnen valley at sunrise on Friday morning, and a hearty breakfast at the Hotel Edelweiss in Wengen, we boarded the cog train down from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen. It was a short walk to the edge of town and the famous Staubbach Falls. Impressive from above, these falls are truly inspirational in person. Read on, check out the gallery, and you won’t miss Trümmelbach Falls.
A surprisingly challenging climb.
Seeking to maximize our final weeks in Switzerland, Pam and Andy and I headed off for another overnight trip. On Thursday we took a sequence of trains to reach Grindelwald, a delightful tourist town in the heart of the Jungfrau region, surrounded by stunning alpine peaks. Pam and I were last here in December – a quick trip on a stunningly beautiful winter day – and I hiked into Grindelwald after the incredible Faulhorn trek last fall. Check out the gallery and read on.
A spectacular hike from Mettmen to Leglerhütte and Unter Chärf.
Sometimes when you go for a long hike into the mountains, you never want to leave and come back. Today was one of those days – no clouds, no wind, no bugs, and spectacular views in every direction. In fact, I would rank this as one of the most outstanding hikes I’ve had in Switzerland – second only to that amazing night on Faulhorn last fall. Today I was inspired by a post from another blogger to return to Mettmen in the Glarus region, a place I visited for my first hike in Switzerland last fall. What an outstanding day! read on, and be sure to check out the gallery – today was a photographer’s dream.
A steep descent made for an exciting hike on Rigi.
Today was a beautiful day so Andy and I decided to do another hike. My preferred location became temporally inconvenient, late in the morning, because the necessary bus apparently does not run during lunch time. So we picked something closer – Mount Rigi. Read on and check out the photo gallery for more.
A cloudy climb to the highest point in the Alpstein region.
The day after Andy and I explored the northeast side of the Seealpsee valley, from Ebenalp to Äscher and up to Schäfler, then down to Seealpsee and Wasserauen, I woke early to climb the other side of the valley. We had stayed overnight at the Alpenrose hotel in Wasserauen, and my colleague drove in to join me at 6am as planned. Our goal was to climb to Rotsteinpass and then decide whether to turn left and climb Altmann, or turn right and summit Säntis. The sky was full of clouds, low enough to obscure all the peaks, but we held on to hope that it might clear later in the morning. Our luck held, with wonderful views of landscapes and wildlife, pastures and farmhouses, and some challenging terrain on this 1600m climb to the highest point in the Appenzell region. Read on, and check out the gallery – many photos have details better seen at full-resolution.
A spectacular hike above the Seealpsee valley.
Nearly three years ago, I was in Switzerland for just a few days and was determined to go hiking. As it turns out, early November was not such a great time to visit alpine terrain, and I spent the day wandering through a misty snowstorm, knowing there were grand views – but all were hidden in the low clouds. I enjoyed the hike, though, and it made me more determined to return. This weekend I did – including two spectacular hikes despite some lingering cloud cover. Read on, and check out the gallery; the photos on this page tell the story but don’t capture the beauty of the place or of the day.
A 4-peak tour of Flumserberg.
It has been one month since my last ‘real’ hike – on Pilatus – but it has taken that long for my health to return more or less normal after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms a few days afterward. (Fortunately, I tested negative then, and again 10 days later in an antibody test.) So with today’s beautiful weather enticing me outside, I decided to make a quick trip over to Flumserberg – where Andy and I skied in January – to hike where I could really see some views. Read on, and check out the gallery for photos and video.
A playground on Uetliberg.
I took a walk up to the summit of Uetliberg yesterday, and enjoyed its commanding view of the city of Zürich and its lake, Zürichsee. The Alps peeked out of the clouds in the distance. (See full-scale photo.)
My real goal for the day was to enjoy the network of trails that lead from the edge of the city up through the steep hillside forest to the top. Runners, bikers, and walkers of all ages were out to enjoy this Saturday morning. I enjoyed passing through the Spielplatz (playground) at Höhensteinplatz, along the way, with its wooden-structure playground surrounded by picnic tables and a delightful fountain.
It was too early for picnicking families to arrive, but I’m sure this spot is a favorite for parents with active children.
Zürich has many of these playgrounds, tucked into tiny lots within the older districts of the city, or sprawling across open patches in the surrounding forest. It’s one of the many reasons why Switzerland is recognized as the ‘world’s best destination for expats’.
David Kotz 