photos – Page 28 – besthike.com

September 7, 2009September 1, 2009

Mt Everest of Scotland – Ben Nevis

Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

Ben Nevis (1344m) is the highest mountain in Britain, the trailhead near sea level.

Over 100,000 attempt it every year making it perhaps the most climbed “famous” summit in the world.

Needless to say, many of those have hardly any walking experience.

I was there on one of the finest days of the year. Thousands of people made the top. Some in Crocs. Tiny children in thin coats. Extended families. Elderly couples. They were very, very lucky.

The top of the big Ben is cloud shrouded 6 days out of every 7. But not today.

At the summit it was cold and windy. I felt I was the only one on top with warm enough clothing. (3 under layers, full hooded down jacket, Gortex shell)

The temperature is normally 9C (48F) colder at the top than the base. Not counting wind chill.

Via the standard tourist route, the Pony Track:

9mi (14.5km)

I went for speed making it up in just over 2hrs, walking. Nobody passed me on the climb, not even the trail runners who walked up, ran down.

Each year a race up-and-down is held in September.

1hr 25min 34sec (mens record)

1hr 43min 25sec (ladies record)

See my 30 photos of this most excellent climb.

September 3, 2009September 3, 2018

hiking Jungfrau, Switzerland – day 3

Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

day 1 | 2 | 3

Jungfrau hike – day 3

Descending into Lauterbrunnen valley was amazing. It’s (obviously) a valley of waterfalls, the most famous of which is Trummelbach.

My goal for the day … and for the past 20yrs or so … was carless, careless Gimmelwald. (Not to be confused with Grindelwald.)

“… Once a secret bolthole for hikers and adventurers looking to escape the region’s worst tourist excesses, tiny Gimmelwald is seeing a lot more foot traffic these days. But even even increasing crowds can’t diminish the scintillating … Swiss scenery and charm. …”

The views from there and nearby Mürren are AMAZING.

Sadly, I was too energetic and excited to stay a night or two at Mountain hostel in Gimmelwald. Or at Esther’s Guesthouse next door. I wish I had.

The weather was perfect yet again so I decided to push on, perhaps climb up to Schilthorn 2970m.

Guidebooks say the view from this is even better than that from the TOP OF EUROPE … though it’s a much less expensive ride up. Free if you walk up to Schilthorn.

You’ve seen Schilthorn. It was used in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.

I climbed without my pack up only to the second last station, Brig. What a view!

Then descended quickly so I’d have a chance to make it over the next high pass before nightfall.

It was a beautiful walk in the late day alpine light.

I did manage to clear the next pass, Sefinenfurgge, just at dusk. Not having a proper guidebook, it was a big surprise to find these stairs on the other side.

This valley most visitors to the Jungfrau region never see. It’s more precious for being less travelled.

Click through to see all my photos from day 3

This is the highlight section of what some call the Alpine Pass Route (20 days):

Over the Grosse Scheidegg to Grindelwald

Over the Kleine Scheidegg to Lauterbrunnen

Over the Sefinenfurgge to Griesalp

Over the Hohtürli to Kandersteg

Guidebook – Cicerone Alpine Pass Route, Switzerland, Europe – A Trekker’s Guide. Once again, by Kev Reynolds.

This was my last major hike in the Alps. I headed next to Scotland.

day 1 | 2 | 3

September 2, 2009September 3, 2018

hiking Jungfrau, Switzerland – day 2

Trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

day 1 | 2 | 3

Jungfrau hike – day 2

By coincidence, I was in Grindelwald the same time as the annual Eiger Bike Challenge. In fact, I hung out at the main tent two days running.

Hikers, the train and the cycle race all climbed from from the valley to Klein Scheidegg.

Most cyclists had to walk some sections. Fitness and ability level was mixed at this race. Certainly I would have been tempted to rent a bike and join in had I had arrived one day earlier.

My goal. The hotel at Kleine Scheidegg. I remembered the description well from reading The Eiger Sanction 20yrs before. I bought it as an audio download and enjoyed it again on my iPod during this hike.

The train from here to Jungfraujoch 3454m “TOP OF EUROPE” is super expensive. I asked several times if there was somehow I could hike up there instead. … Not without ice climbing equipment, unfortunately.

The short climb up to the glacial moraine was as high as I got, sadly.

There’s a feature there I’d never seen before. Benches in water where you can rinse your feet. It even has a bubbler.

By nightfall I found a fantastic place to put up my tent, on a cliff edge overlooking the lovely, tranquil Lauterbrunnen valley.

That evening when I was cooking supper an Italian hiker stopped by. He and his fiance were doing a long through hike through the Alps. Had been on the trail for a couple of months.

see all my photos from day 2

day 1 | 2 | 3

August 31, 2009September 2, 2009

great U.K. outdoor photos

Alan (tall-guy) is a photographer from York, England.

Check out his top 50 as favourited by flickr users. There are many excellent waterfall time release pics. Most are from North Yorkshire.

Alan’s work was recommended to me by Stuart of the excellent trailspotting blog. Stuart adds:

Alan’s stomping grounds include most of Yorkshire, Northumberland and the Lake District in Cumbria. All of which are excellent places if you’re looking for hiking spots in England.

August 30, 2009September 5, 2018

Mt Blanc to Matterhorn – day 7

Hiking trip report by site editor Rick McCharles. Day 7 of 7.

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

Heaven.

The sky was clear at dawn, again. Matterhorn beckoned.

I love these high traverse walks. You have a superb bird’s eye view of the highest peaks on the other side of the valley. But without so much climbing and descending.

Today I planned on nearly 30km walking to finish this trek above Zermatt. The highlight is views of the most sought after mountaineering peak in Switzerland, Weisshorn.

I left a Summit Stone with St. Bernard, the patron of mountain travellers.

He will keep it safe until collected by another High Route walker.

I said farewell to the goats, too. Pretty creatures spending the Summer in this alpine idyll.

The Europaweg has many, many interesting sections.

I heard it was “closed” at one point. Due to rock slide.

This is the most dangerous section. Those tunnels (now crushed) were meant to protect walkers from falling stones.

In the end, I was able to complete the entire route as laid out in Kev Reynold’s guidebook, including the under-the-waterfall section.

FINALLY, Zermatt. It took me at least 10hrs of walking to get here!

To celebrate completing Rick’s High Route, I toasted the Matterhorn.

Wonderful. Wonderful.

It’s a wonderful world.

See the rest of my photos from day 7.

Or start reading from the beginning of this 7-day journey, a valuable resource if you MIGHT want to do the Haute Route yourself.

I highly recommend this adventure. You can do it independently as I did. Or sign on with a guide or group. Or … do as another Canadian did. Hire a company to do all the logistics … (booking accommodation, meals, ground transport, etc.) … then hike it independently. This cost about CAD$1500 in his case.

The best guidebook in English is Chamonix to Zermatt: The Walker’s Haute Route by Kev Reynolds.

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

August 29, 2009September 5, 2018

Mt Blanc to Matterhorn – day 6

Hiking trip report by site editor Rick McCharles. Day 6 of 7.

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

Out of bread, as usual, I wanted to stop in the quaint, quiet town of Gruben for supplies.

There was only one stale loaf of bread left in the small hotel shop. What! This is Europe. The grocery stores are terrible. But you can always get good fresh bread! (subsidized by the National government)

Turned out that these blokes had tented by the river in town. And then bought up all the bread first thing in the morning.

Here are manly men, even the 2 wearing skirts. They were the first to pass me on the trail since I started this hike.

Amongst the 7 friends they were fluent in French, German, Spanish and Italian. Nice.

We hiked the same day towards a challenging goal, Augstbordpass. It was high. Well above the helicopters.

In fact, Augstbordpass is the last high pass before the Zermatt valley. Many are excited to cross it. I was less so having opted to do the high, long and difficult 31km Europa Way traverse to finish.

But it was fun to drop down and down towards the valley far, far below.

A hiker walking the other direction tipped me to the fact that Ibex were posing on the rocks.

We assumed they’d been staked there by the tourist industry. What a photo op!

When we finally got to the valley floor, I dashed around like a madman trying to resupply with food. And still catch the bus up the other side to the trailhead. I wanted to get up high so I could start the long traverse to the finish first thing in the morning.

… the U.K. hikers passed me again! Waving from another bus.

Blast.

Pushing hard, I did manage to climb back up to 2300m to greet St. Bernard at dusk.

Kev Reynolds:

The satue of St Bernard … commemorates the opening of the Europaweg in 1997. This patron Saint of mountain travellers was … Bernard of Menthon, who had spent many years caring for travellers and pilgrims in trouble after crossing the alpine pass named after him…

Bernard died in the 1080s and was beatified shortly after. In 1923 Pope Pius XI conifrmed St Bernard as patron saint of the alps. …

I could just see the top of the Matterhorn in the distance.

The goats were my only companions up there.

My best tent site of the trip.

See the rest of my photos from day 6.

… on to day 7

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

August 28, 2009September 5, 2018

Mt Blanc to Matterhorn – day 5

Hiking trip report by site editor Rick McCharles. Day 5 of 7.

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

From my ideal tent site it was a pleasant wander down into the valley of Lac de Moiry.

At the same time, an American couple hiking the Haute Route were descending from their night at this interesting farm refuge.

We crossed the Lac de Moiry dam at about the same time.

And met up at the bus stop on the other side.

We decided to cheat (again) by skipping the next pass, and bus instead to Zinal. It was an “easy” pass but I was turned off when I saw a car joy riding the switchbacks up that slope. I’ve no desire to hike where there are roads.

If you ask hikers what impressions they remember of the Alps, early in the conversation they’ll mention the cows and their loud cowbells.

Everybody loves them. I never got tired of them.

Famed Hotel Weisshorn disappointed.

The area around the hotel was under some serious construction. I’m happy I didn’t stay there. The American couple walked on to Bella Tolla cabin.

I walked from the Hotel to the next high pass. It was easy and interesting, though the typical afternoon rain began again.

Another superb hiking day.

I had supper on the other side sitting out of the rain near a giant teepee. (Europeans love North American Indian culture.) Then chased some deer away from a spot they liked to sleep upon in the trees and set up my tent.

About 4AM one of the deer was barking up a storm. Perhaps barking at my tent.

See the rest of my photos from day 5.

… on to day 6

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

August 27, 2009September 5, 2018

Mt Blanc to Matterhorn – day 4

Hiking trip report by site editor Rick McCharles: Chamonix to Zermatt: The Walker’s Haute Route. Day 4 of 7.

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

After the rain storms of the previous day, the dawn at Cabine Dix was clear.

This hut is famous with climbers as it’s a perfect jumping off point for crossing the glacier early morning while the snow is still cold and stable.

I watched the Yellow-billed Choughs, entertaining mountain birds that are found anywhere hikers might picnic.

I love ladders and had long been looking forward to those at the Pas de Chevre.

I dashed across the glacier below the hut. And rushed up to be first over the ladders.

I finished the 3rd ladder much more frightened than when I started at the bottom. These are long and scarifying.

Thank Gods I didn’t try to cross the previous night in the cold and dark.

There’s my goal. The Matterhorn, still many days away.

I was pretty happy making the descent to pretty Arolla, one of those picture postcard swiss villages.

I relaxed by the river for a couple of hours. Then caught a bus across the valley, climbing quickly to Le Sage.

Near a typical high elevation farm I saw an interesting scene. It looked to me like the Swiss helicopter rescue service was doing some training.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Compared with the previous day, my climb over Col du Tsatse 2868m seemed easy.

What a great hiking day!

See the rest of my photos from day 4.

Or start reading from the beginning of this 7-day journey, a valuable resource if you MIGHT want to do the Haute Route yourself.

… on to day 5

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

August 26, 2009September 5, 2018

Mt Blanc to Matterhorn – day 3

Hiking trip report by site editor Rick McCharles. Day 3 of 7.

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

This turned out to be the most memorable day of many amazing days.

The weather was terrible. All day. Terrible.

The most remote and wild terrain of the entire route.

I was quite happy to finally arrive at Cabane de Prafleuri.

These refuges offer accommodation as well as food. Nice.

I got a chance to dry out. And warm up. Then walked on when the rain slowed.

Very impressive this day was Lac Dix, man made, created by one of the highest dams in the world.

The wildflowers and wildlife this day, were the best of the entire Haute Route. It’s an animal reserve.

In the early evening the weather worsened. Again.

I decided to stay at an alpine hut rather than try to climb out of the valley.

A long, impressive ridge would take me up to Cabine Dix.

That photo I shot the following morning. The night before, in the rain and dark. I thought I’d never get there. It’s very high. Nearly 3000m. Higher than the pass I would cross next day.

Cost for dinner, bunk bed and breakfast was US$65.

The dinner was excellent. The bed very comfortable. The breakfast the worst I had in Europe.

I was the only Anglophone that night. Ordered about like a German soldier.

Overall, I’d rather sleep in my tent and cook my own food.

See the rest of my photos from day 3.

… on to day 4

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

August 25, 2009September 5, 2018

Mt Blanc to Matterhorn – day 2

Hiking trip report by site editor Rick McCharles. Day 2 of 7.

day 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | info

sunrise from Fenetre d'Arpette pass — sunrise from Fenetre d\’Arpette pass

Morning dawned clear yet again.

I quickly descended from snow, rock and ice to lush alpine meadows.

looking back at the Fenetre d'Arpette — looking back at the Fenetre d\’Arpette

When hiking I like to rise early. Put in a full hiking day of 4-6hrs. Relax for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. Then put in another 4-5hrs of hiking. Setting up the tent at around 7-8PM.

Here I am airing out the bunions at Champex-Lac.

Waiting for the bus, I stopped by the finest alpine flower garden in the Alps, Champex-Lac Alpine Garden.

Sadly in early August most of the species were already done. The bees seemed only interested in thistles.

Up high in the mountains wild flowers were still going strong. But Champex is too low, too hot.

Soon I found myself up above one of the most famous ski resorts in the world, Verbier. I skipped over 15km of valley walking by taking bus, train, train and cable car. This cheat was well worth doing.

In Summer the sprawling ski town seemed to be more fixed on mountain biking than hiking, however.

I departed as quickly as possible for the wonderful Sentier des Chamois, a traverse high above the valley. Some exposure. But good opportunities to see Ibex and Chamois.