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The Alpine Pass - Switzerland July2011

The Alpine Pass - Switzerland July2011


Postby maryhillmoose » Mon Aug 08, 2011 10:11 pm

Date walked: 08/08/2011

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A brief report on our trip to Switzerland to do stages 9-14 of the Alpine Pass route last month. Who needs words when the pictures can do all the talking! Bit of background, we stayed in guesthouses and arranged for our bags to be transported in between, meaning we only needed a day rucksack on the actual walks. Also, Switzerland is expensive so we stayed everywhere half board, all our meals were excellent though! And the beer is quite cheap! The Alpine Pass crosses Switzerland east to west but we only did the stages that cross the bernese alps. We used Kev Reynolds excellent book (Cicerone) to plan the stages. The route is graded C (challenging) due to the length of some of the stages and the ascent/descent of up to 1300m in any one day. A couple of the walks had a little exposure and scrambling.

We started in Murren, taking an extra day here to enjoy the quite spectacular views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau massif...
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From our balcony

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From the top of the Schilthorn mountain station

We got a nice few shots of the Alpenglow as dusk fell over the Eiger...
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Our first two days involved 8 hour walks ascending to two high passes at around 2750m, the Sefinnenfurgge and then the Hohturli, however we ended up with a slight navigational error and ascended Bundstock, a different pass, on day two instead...here are some walking highlights...
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leaving Murren

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the terrain changes to scree and rock at around 1750m

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part of the descents are too steep to walk on so you take the stairs!

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en route to Bundstock (by mistake!)

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the red and white markers are to guide mountain walkers

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reaching the blumlisalp glacier

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lots of broad scree slopes to cross

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summit of Regensboldhorn

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early morning cloud inversion of sorts!


and lots and lots of these...
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I couldnt recommend this part of Switzerland highly enough...we are definately returning next year but will likely base ourselves in Kandersteg as there are a number of good ascents of the surrounding mountains from there, its a charming place in an ideal location. The most special place we stayed was definately a mountain hostel in Griesalp,a remote little hamlet in the Kiental valley, only really an option if you choose to walk in and out again as we did. but worth the two days of hard walking, I promise!

Its back to the Bens for us for now though!
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Re: The Alpine Pass - Switzerland July2011

Postby mband » Tue Aug 09, 2011 8:40 am

Great report and pictures. I've only been in the alps in winter but your photos just increase my enthusiasm for a summer walking trip.

Lovely :D
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Re: The Alpine Pass - Switzerland July2011

Postby iainwatson » Tue Aug 09, 2011 10:06 am

looks absolutely stunning! would love to walk in that kind of scenery....very jealous :)
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Re: The Alpine Pass - Switzerland July2011

Postby Stretch » Tue Aug 09, 2011 11:00 am

Awesome! I wish I had the funds to do something like this, maybe one day though.
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Re: The Alpine Pass - Switzerland July2011

Postby blueyed » Tue Aug 09, 2011 3:17 pm

yeah, i think the only right comment here is AWESOME!!!!
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Re: The Alpine Pass - Switzerland July2011

Postby maryhillmoose » Tue Aug 09, 2011 5:08 pm

Stretch wrote:Awesome! I wish I had the funds to do something like this, maybe one day though.


For sure it wasnt cheap, but we spent very little once there as there isnt much in the way of shopping opportunities up in the mountains! Summer is considered the low season as these wee villages are ski resorts so hotels etc were a bit cheaper than expected, and it was really quiet too - bonus!
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a cow attempts to run up the Eiger!
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Re: The Alpine Pass - Switzerland July2011

Postby headless spectre » Thu Aug 11, 2011 5:19 pm

The Alps are fantastic, I camped which was inexpensive and had a hire car, which meant i could get to the supermarket. I intended to visit Grisalp (Kev Reynolds in the guide to the Bernese Alps goes on and on about it)but Kiental was so quiet and green after Grindelwald that I could not be bothered. I was the only person in the tiny camp site. There is a bus from Keintal to Grisalp, and a Mc Donalds at the end of the valley! It all seemed to me that they were all ready for hundreds of tourists but no one came. There were route maps for free, walking trails all marked but no people. I am very tempted to return to 'the playground of Europe'. They say that the Vallaise has the best weather. 300 days of sun a year, and lots of hot springs. But I think the French alps may be cheaper.
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Re: The Alpine Pass - Switzerland July2011

Postby icemandan » Thu Aug 11, 2011 7:13 pm

I liked the signs around the Schilthorn cable car station with a picture of a high heeled shoe with a red line through it. Can't imagine many people go walking in stilettoes.
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