Saturday, November 21, 2009

That photo on your right ...

I've been asked quite a few times where the photo that accompanies this blog was taken. It was at sunset at a Swiss mountain hut called Fründenhütte, at the end of one of the greatest hikes in the world. You spend the entire hike rising about this pristine Alpine lake, with spectacular views at every turn. Eventually you're above the tree line, and it seems as if you'll never reach your destination as the trail gets steeper and steeper.

But then you turn a corner _ and there it is! A welcome mountain hut ready to serve you a great pasta dinner and give you a place to spend the night at 2,562 meters above sea level! The prices are reasonable, the people are friendly, and there's a huge glacier right behind the hut. The place is so isolated that it can only be serviced by helicopter. (In other words, clean your plate! Those leftovers are expensive for the hut's owners _ because the flying garbage service charges by the pound.)

The hike is about 2 1/2 hours from the lake (called Oeschinensee) if you're a Swiss juggernaut. Most Americans, even the ones in good shape, need about 3 1/2 to 4 hours because they are unused to the steep terrain and the altitude. It's best to take your time, anyway. Don't race up the mountain _ take plenty of breaks, break out the camera and soak it all in.

Fründenhütte is the on the list of hikes for our July 2010 trip to Switzerland with http://myhikingvacations.com/. We'd love to have you along ...

1 comment:

  1. Nice blog. I love traveling and hope to go to the Swiss Alps someday. In the meanwhile, I'll enjoy reading of your hikes.

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