Swiss Bliss: Swiss Cows, Gondolas and Wildflowers: Day Seven

Today we joined up with another group touring the Jungfrau from the same company (Alpenwild), which made our numbers grow to over 20 people. We took a gondola ride up through Swiss meadows from Grindelwald to First. Saw real Swiss cows...could hear their bells from far away. If I were a cow, the sound would drive me a bit crazy...poor things.

Swiss farmhouses...

European bathrooms are so much more discrete...notice how the door goes just about to the floor?

As we got off the gondola to start our hike, we met the other new people in our group.

Chris and Tracy Thomas from Eugene Oregon.

Alpenwild tour guide, Kate Harline, from Provo, served a mission to France and because of her language fluency and hiking experience, became a guide. Found out that she went to Orem High School with my daughter and her husband and knows them. She's a runner and has a 5-minute mile under her belt...peppered her with running questions while we hiked...guess I am ready for some interval training...:)

K.C. and Peg Nau from West Virginia

I would venture to say that it's impossible to get lost while hiking in the Alps! Anyone can navigate up here with their map and the signs...hiking has never been easier and more enjoyable.

They even put maps at the beginnings of major trailheads...not just your little diddly map...but these huge billboards! Of course, everything is not only in German and French, but English too! Love it!

Our group spread out a bit with more advanced hikers up ahead, and those who like to "saunter" at the back. We would gather at key points to make sure everyone was still on the trail. The buttercups stopped everyone...photo shoot time.

Everyone stopped at each lookout point for a photo...the Jungfrau behind us.

Climbing up to the top of this mountain...love such wide trails so people can talk side by side.

Steve and Barbara Kronick from Sacramento

Swiss beauty...

A small alpine lake that we passed on the way.

The trail to the lake.

Another view of the same lake.

In the Alps you are never far from a hut!

Lake Bachalpsee.

A view of the Jungfrau behind us.

As we approached the lake we saw people swimming in it---a glacially fed lake! I wondered who would be crazy enough to jump in and swim...found out they were several people from our group...Jen Todd, Kate Harline, Nicki Preece, Geir Jakobsen and a few others! That's why we wear wicking material when we hike, so IF we get wet, we dry quickly!

Kate Harline...happy and wet...soon dried off within the hour!

Annie Calhoun in Lake Bachalpsee

Love this shot...

Karen Lindfors and Pat Moore live in Sacramento and are here with the Kronicks, their close friends.

Danny, one of our tour guides, is an expert on the Alps and has lived in Europe for many years.

Plodding up the hill in gorgeous scenery...makes it easier!

There was another hut at the top of this hill...better than a tent, I must say.

I find that I enjoy climbing hills more if I keep a constant pace, relax my legs, lockstep, and NOT stop! A year ago I used to stop a lot along the way, but now I know better.

Switchbacks up the steep part...

Looking down on the trail....

Farmers who bring their cows to graze up in these higher elevations use these huts for refuge and rest.

See, I told you that you were never far away from a hut while hiking...:)

When we get to the top, we see this fantastic view!

Rob...the comedian of our hiking group...had everyone laughing every time he opened his mouth.

Great photographer and helped me with a lot of difficult shots.

Axalp Grosse Scheidigg

We hiked below it along a ridgeline that looked down into a Swiss valley.

This guy is going to mountain bike down this steep trail...fun!

Maghnhild Jakobsen(on the right) and her husband Geir (below) are from Norway...

amazing people and both are veterinarians!

Geir Jakobsen

Rob and D.J.

Kate and Nicki

Looking out over Switzerland's Alps

Blue wildflowers everywhere...I want to take this meadow home with me.

A field of Forget-Me-Nots....the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau in the background just right of center.

We came down this trail after our hill climb.

Now that's a rock cairn...or an altar?

Maghnhild and Geir Jakobsen

Pink snow...in the Alps? This is actually called "watermelon snow" or "snow algae, red now, or blood snow" and I see it quite often at this time of year in the mountains. Surprised to come across it in the Alps. It's caused by a species of green algae that has a red carotenoid pigment in it in addition to chlorophyll, so it is activtated by the sunlight. If you step on it you may notice bright red soles on the bottoms of your shoes, or even pink on the cuffs of your pants.

See the watermelon snow?

Looking down into the valley from where we were...

I ate so many tomatoes on this trip...like home-grown. The haussbrot (bread) was fantastic.

See the water just dripping out this cucumber?

Our lunch break was on a beautiful hilltop amidst the wildflowers...

Beautiful Switzerland...

Waves in the snow...

Geir...the Ironman!

The group comin

A nice respite after a long stretch of hiking...

Everyone carefully made their way down...

Mark and Kate

They won't allow you to sit at their tables unless you buy some drinks. So....Nicki and Kate bought some drinks for the group and we were allowed to rest our weary bodies.

Heard bells and looked up to see these mountain sheep above the restaurant.

The view from our table..

We are here and are heading to Schynige Platte, a railway station at the end of our route.

This sign was tacked to the inside of the outhouse door...aw shucks...I knew I forgot my dustpan!

The trip down was through beautiful meadows...

There are cows down there...

Closer view...

Our goal, even though it looked close, was far away.

Rob looking down on the valley...

Nicki Preece, our guide...

Jen Todd...a great hiker!

Geir entertained us with his physical stamina when he jumped in a glacially-fed lake (with Speedo and bathing cap) and swam across it and back! That's the way they enjoy the lakes in Norway!

Four layers of mountains...with the Jungfrau furthest back.

Had a great view of the north face of the Eiger as we got close to our destination...

Included this second shot because there was a cool insect caught in mid-flight just below center, above the flowers.

Geir, me and Kate...

We hiked along this ridgeline for spectacular views...

Had the "Fish-Eye Effect" on in my camera...weird.

Interlaken...literally means a "city between the lakes."

How nice for the Swiss to provide ladders so we don't have to scramble up this simple little rock cliff...:) They are much too considerate of their hikers...I would have preferred the scramble, though.

Had to hike through a farmer's private land...we locked his gates after leaving the property...a common thing here. They are so nice to allow us the privilege...and he had a beautiful farm.

The origin of the grocery store turnstile...keeps the large animals from leaving their property.

Have no idea what these are...anyone want to guess?

We arrive at Schynige Platte...a train station.

We wound down a steep mountain cliff for an hour before getting on another train to Grindelwald.

Beautiful Grindelwald sits at the base of the Eiger in the Jungfrau....the cost of this real estate must be out of this world...the best views on the planet.