Wengen, Switzerland

July 26: The Eiger walk

Eigergletscher to Grindelwald

Supposed to be a challenging trail.  No bikes.  No dogs.

Jim fools around with his poles to entertain us this morning.  He snaps them into place and we're ready to climb.

We're walking along the flank of the Eiger's north face.  Glacial debris, rock slides, and a trail that's in amazingly good shape.

Looking back at Kleine Scheidegg bahnhoff and hotel, etc.

Climbing routes up the North Face.

Wow!  Jim spots a wing-suit jumper on a jut-out way up, and after we watch two of them fly out from the North Face into valley, a steady stream of jumpers with parachutes take off.  We can hear them shout.

Jim and I head out onto a rougher trail, and will come out at Grindelwald in about 3 hours.  It says here.

Kevin and Lynn head back to Wengen via Alpiglen and the train.

Glacier water.

Lunch along streamside.  I do one of those stretchy-arm photo shoots and it kinda works.

Cold.  Very.

A thirsty butterfly sucks Jim's foot.  He made several flying friends. 

Trail marker.

Ice cave.

Jim's using a fixed rope to climb up from the ice-cave stream.

Ant hill!  I"m outta here.

It is not easy to drink from a hose while on a steep slope.  Where'd this hose come from anyway?  And what's it for?

Steep stairs on the trail.  Precipice below.  A lot of this walk is along a precipice.

See the hikers on the trail below?  We'll be there in a little while.  Precipice with cable in the foreground where I'm standing.

The Wetterhorn is in the background.  Across this meadow and we're into civilization.  We walk to the Grindelwald gondola that goes to Mannlichen after JUST missing the train to Kleine Scheidegg.  Get home by 5 p.m. anyway.  

We eat outside on the covered patio tonight.  First, parsnip soup.  Very mild.

Outside dining has the forks and knives neatly packed to pull out what you need for each course.

Fennel salad with tomato sorbet.  The sorbet was not universally liked, but I thought it was good.  It also relieved my sore throat, which has been bothering me all day.

Rumpsteak with paprika orange Hollandaise sauce; celery (hearts?), and herbed gnocchi.  Mixed reviews among us four on what was delicious.  Beef, good reviews.  Celery, mixed--I loved it.  Gnocchi, yummy but heavy.

Baked apple in a crust with vanilla sauce.  And of course, mit rahm (with whipped cream).