This summer, I hiked with a friend across Switzerland via the Alpine Pass Route. A later posting will talk about that. But we added on a day at the end, which I recommend highly: a trip up above the Aletsch Glacier.
We cheat and take the telecabins up towards Bettmerhorn. Then it is several hundred meters of ascent to the first summit. We scramble up there along the blue-flagged Alpine route, one level more exposed than a normal red 'bergweg' but not too daunting and with cables for those of a more nervous disposition!
From there markings lead us on for several hours to the peak of the Eggishorn. This is the Hohenweg, a UNESCO-cited path, with stunning views all around. And en route we reach a unique spot. For on a clear day you can see from this crest a vast collection of Swiss icons: not just the Eiger, Munch, and Jungfrau, but also the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, and longest glacier in the Alps too - all in a single 360˚ sweep.
It's a grand day out, marred only by the decision to reach the glacier "directly" down the north flank of the Eggishorn, which offers little in the way of path between giant cuboids, and little respite for my friend's sore knees.
Keep your eyes on this guy - he's the face of new world walkers
ReplyDeleteThe added bonus is that he comes from a long lineage of writers
He's likely to inspire you to become a new world walker too. Watch out !