2024 Tuesday Aug 27

Jungfrajoch and Eiger walk

As promised, the weather was perfectly clear and sunny. It was going to be a big day so we started early. We had a short train ride to Grindelwald terminal, then a cable car ride to Eigergletcer, then the Jungfraubahn cog railway that takes visitors to the highest train station in Europe at Jungfraujoch. Except for the very beginning at Eigergletcher and a halfway point at Eimeer, the train travels in a tunnel drilled through the mountain for 7 km (4.3 miles).

Richard gives his impressions in his Relive video here:  https://www.relive.cc/view/vPOp1D1MZE6

The morning view from Grindelwald.
The Eiger Express cablecar is a tricable gondola with capacity for 26 people. In 15 minutes we were whisked up to the Glacier Station.
Change point from the Eiger Express to the Junfraubahn train.
Arrived! This setup allows a photo op even when the weather is not the best.
The Aletsch glacier, the largest in the Alps at 23 km.
The ice palace was part of the glitz of Jungfraujoch (along with shopping and restaurants) but it was worth a visit and a photo op.
This plateau allowed an outside view across the snow to the planted Swiss flag.
There was quite a line of folks waiting to have pictures with the flags.
The Sphinx Observatory, an astronomical observatory at 3571 meters, is one of the highest observatories in the world. Although visitors can ride an elevator to visit an observation deck, we just observed from below at the plateau.
Back at Eigergletscher after the train ride down, we opted for lunch before our hike. This was the view from our restaurant.
We plan to do hike #1: Eigergletscher to Alpiglen. Walking times were listed as 2-3 hours.
Our hike began in the area where the Eiger Express gondolas arrive (background in this photo).
Another photo op. The three mountains here are the Jungfrau (maiden), Monch (monk), and Eiger (ogre). There is also some description of Eiger as sharp or pointed, as it certainly appears here.
More trail views with a bench ahead.
Here we passed over a gravel field.
At this point we were feeling pretty positive.

Click to see and hear the video of the cow in our path. It becomes jumbled as I moved to let her pass.

Now we’re getting into some of the slick rock areas. We have to climb up and then over and down. Not my favorite part!
Looking back, this person was behind us on the trail through the slick rock area.
Now we have much steeper downhill sections. Rocky footholds, but we had a chain handhold to steady us.
More spectacular views.

Click to hear the waterfall behind Richard. We had traveled over several streams on the hike, but this was the first big waterfall that we could even see from Alpiglen.

We made it down! However, our time was 3 hours 40 minutes.
The beer to celebrate. The look on Richard’s face says it all!
We had hoped to get a bit more hiking in the day, but the late hour did not allow (as well as sore muscles). The train took us back to Grindelwald where the hang gliders were enjoying the evening.
Almost sunset. The view out our apartment window.

9 Responses

    1. We were so excited that the weather cleared for our trip to Jungfraujoch. Pictures can’t really do it justice, but we enjoyed trying. Thanks for following us.

  2. Wow! What an adventure you two are on! I remember seeing those people hike down that trail and I was in aw and now two of my friends are hiking down that trail and I am even more in awe! The scenery is breathtaking and it looks like you’re enjoying yourselves. Thanks for sending that travel log.
    Wendy.
    We took the train up in 2004 and I remember watching from our “comfortable” train car” the people hiking on the trail and admired how brave and adventurous they were especially with all the “dangerous wildlife” along the trail! Aren’t the cows so cute! The views from the summit are truly spectacular and we are so happy you had clear weather to enjoy them. How did you find the elevation? No problems?
    Dan

    1. We had no problems with elevation but the trail was not what I expected. I knew it would be a lot of downhill, but there was actually some undulation and it was pretty narrow. Not as scary as I feared for sheer drop-offs, but there was some very dangerous slick rock and some climbing. I don’t like actual where I must hold onto a chain in the cliff!!!!! Richard was ecstatic that we did the hike, and I won’t share our conversation when we finally reached civilization. I will say that time and rest are healing.

  3. Agreeing with Rob – your photos are fantastic! And you were very brave to be walking/climbing over those “slick rocks” Gives me shivers…so glad you made it! But is it my imagination or is Richard’s hair getting very gray on this adventure?!
    I noticed on the previous post or two the “ricota?” sign on the back of the tram. I have those cough drops in my purse at all times! I didn’t know they were made in Switzerland.

    1. I’ll pay more attention to see if Richard is looking grayer. I know neither of us are looking tip top because we just want to get out and about quickly. The humidity and wind does wonderful tricks on my hair. I’m glad we’re not out to impress anyone, just to have a good time. We are doing that very well.

  4. Oh I didn’t mean to imply Richard looks “ratty” in any way – it was the setting, i.e. you had just been climbing/walking over a bunch of very steep looking and slippery rocks, so in one of those pictures Richard’s hair looks white (I should have said white in my previous post) soooooo putting two and two together and coming up a harrowing walk which whitens hair!

    1. You’re funny to worry about your comment—we both got a good laugh because we know we’re aged but just are having fun. You should see some of the looks we get on the trails,,

  5. Wow, the ice palace! It truly looks like another world there! I hope you’re having so much fun – it certainly looks like it 🙂