Stechelberg->Eigergletscher

The forecast for the weekend was great, so we headed up to the Lauterbrunnental for a couple of days in the mountains. Unfortunately the hotel in Stechelberg was booked out, but lucky for us there's a campground right next to the bus stop. So: off on Friday afternoon with tent in hand.

Saturday morning we get a reasonably early start and walked along the river, down the valley to Sandbach and then to the trail just across the Trümmelbach from the touristic madness at the Trümmelbachfälle. From there we head steeply up the side of the valley on a nicely rugged trail to a step at about 1100m, then through the gorge cut by the Trümmelbach, across the stream itself on a very cool bridge, further up past Preech to the crossing at Stalden. Very nice views all along of the valley and steadily expanding views of the mountains at the end (Breithorn, Tschingelhorn, Gspaltenhorn, etc.). Really nice. Around the corner on the mostly level dirt road to our first excellent views of the Jungfrau, Monch, and Eiger. Further along the road, with more people around now (they're mostly coming from the other direction; doing this part the other way must be one of those highly recommended hikes) to Biglenalp with a lunch stop along the way. From there up a bit more to the crossing above Wixi then up along the ridge to the glacier moraine which we follow to the set of buildings at the Eigergletscher station. After a break for cold refreshment, we head back down the station at Wegnernalp and take the (full!) train down to Lauterbrunnen where we catch the bus back to Stechelberg.

Man oh man is it nice to be back in the mountains.