Take a Hike.

On Saturday, Feb. 4th, I was scheduled to go on a snow shoeing trek, while everyone else in my group decided to go skiing. So, after everyone else had left, I headed down to the meeting point. When no one had showed up ten minutes after the scheduled meeting time, I walked over to the tour company office. Unfortunately no one else had scheduled the tour, so I was out of luck. Therefore, I decided to have my own adventure. So I got a refund, rented a pair of ski pants, got a map, asked where the best hiking trails where, bought a train ticket up the mountain, and began my Alp adventure!

The train took me to the mountain town of Grindelwald, which is where most of the skiiers begin. I however was perhaps the only person who decided to climb the mountain rather than go down it. After talking to the less than helpful visitor's information personel, I decided to take a trail up the mountain to a town called Bort. There is a cable car that visitors can pay 16 Swiss Franks to ride up to Bort, but what is the fun in that?

The day was a cold 10 degrees fahrenheit, but as I hiked I found myself peeling off layers. As I reached the edge of the Grindelwald community, I had difficulty locating the trail. I came across some locals and asked them which direction I needed to head to in order to get to Bort. The lady looked at me like I was crazy. "Bort!! You're going to hike to Bort!! Are you sure you want to hike to Bort!?"
"Yes. I want to hike to Bort."
"Ok, well, if you just follow this road, it will lead you to the path, and from there you just go strait up the mountain. Good Luck!"
I wish I would have seen them on my way back down, and let them know that I actually made it to Bort.

The hike up the mountain was more than words can discribe. I found myself stopping every few minutes to take pictures (although taking pictures was also a good excuse to catch my breathe!) It took me almost 3 hours to hike to Bort, but every part of the journey was worth it!

Sunrise reflecting off mountains in Interlaken

Walking through Interlaken

View of mountain pass through train window

Welcome to Grindelwald!

 

Hiking through Grindelwald

Snow Bike?

"Go out and shovel the driveway"

The pictures just don't begin to express
how small you feel while standing on these mountains!

Me about an hour and a half into my climb

I realized everyone else seemed to be going down the mountain

A few locals were the only other people crazy enough to walk up the mountain,
but their method of getting back down was faster than mine!

When I finally reached Bort, I couldn't even see where I started. Grindelwald has an elevation of about 3,390 feet. Bort has an elevation of 5131 feet. So when it was all said and done, I hike 1,741 feet just in elevation!! So, by the time I made it back to the train station, I had hiked a total of 3,482 feet just in elevation! Needless to say, I didn't do much walking in the days that followed, but the hike was perhaps one of the best experiences of my life!

Proof I made it!

They really know how to deal with snow.
Even the buses have chains!
 

Back down into Grindelwald

Enjoying some of the snow sculptures while waiting for the train.

Sun setting after a great day!

Smooth Sailing

Now that my deadline for studio has passed, I finally have a few minutes to catch everyone up on the rest of my Switzerland adventures.

The first full day of our Switzerland adventures was Friday, February 3. While most of our group headed out early to "hit the slopes", three of us stayed behind because we had booked a paragliding adventure in the afternoon. We ventured through Interlaken and enjoyed the quite and quaint streets. The temperature was a cold 16 degrees fahrenheit, but we were well prepared. After a few hours of trekking through the streets, we stopped at a grocery store for lunch, where I finally found a jar of Peanut Butter!!!

Classic Swiss Architecture!

Trekking through Interlaken

I want to live here on the edge of an ALP!!

The Aare River that connects the two lakes of Interlaken

Historic Interlaken

Swan!

The river was steaming it was so cold!

Historic town square and Church

Inside of the church.
It was nice to be in a church that wasn't excessively decorated!

The Aare River

The sun started to peak through the clouds!

Birds. Everywhere!

I FINALLY found Peanut Butter!!

Swiss Franks 

After making lunch back at the hostel, we ventured out again for our Paragliding adventure. Despite the sun that had peaked out earlier in the day, it began to snow again. Our tour guides drove us up into the mountains, and the higher we climbed the heavier the snow fell. When we made it to our drop-off point, we had to trek through knee high snow to make it to our "runway". As the guides set up the equipment, we enjoyed the view, which basically consisted of snow! 

We got all strapped into the harnesses and paragliding equipment and were then explained what we needed to do to take off. Basically they said all we needed to do was run. Easier said than done! Try to drag a paragliding shoot through knee high snow at a run! It was difficult, but by some miricle we managed to move fast enough to become airborn!

The view was absolutely spectacular, and once we got around the mountains and into the valley over Interlaken, the snow thinned out. Despite being afraid of heights, I was perfectly calm up in the air! Although the pain from the snow and wind beatting agains my face probably helped. Either way, it was definately a great experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat! 

The "runway"

Preparing for takeoff!

Shannon and I waiting for takeoff 

Ready. Get set. RUN!

Up, up, and away!

My feet!

Interlaken coming into view!

Our landing field!