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!