Greg's Parents Visit

A nice week-long visit by Greg's parents.

Highlights:

1. Through the Chaltbrunnental to gather Bärlauch (done this before).
2. Basler Fasnacht
3. A Saturday visit to Thun.

Snowshoeing in the Diemtigtal, day 2

We start the day in beautiful weather once again and head out along the Senggibach again. From the number of cars in the parking lot and masses of people getting started, it's clear that we won't need to worry about being lonely today. :-)

The path takes us up the edge of the valley, steeply through the woods until things open up in the big bowl of the Alpetli. The cliffs of the Fromattgrat loom above... it's fantastic. At the hut at 1794m we start to deviate from the ski touring route: they are all heading up the ridge to the Mariannehubel, but we stay more to the right to head towards the Scheidegg. We quickly end up breaking our own path through the snow, which is massively fun (though tiring). Along through the valley, climbing gently, plotting our route as we go, until the pass comes into view just head. Down a bit, then up through the pass (how is it that no one has done this yet?) where do a quick photo break (it's windy!) before heading down the steep other side into the Fromatt Tal. Still in fresh snow around the edge of the valley (don't want to get down too far, also definitely don't want to get too close to the other side, which is basically screaming "avalanche!") towards the huts at Fromatt.
After a nice lunch break in the sun, we pass above the Fromatthütte (big group staying there) and reach the huts. Here we pick up the path of ski touring folks who've headed up to, and down from, the Fromattgrat. This leads us past the Rüti, past Möser, and then into the woods and through the Betelriedgrabe to Blankenburg. There the train takes us to Zweisimmen and the trip back to Basel Busy trains? heading out from the Simmental? on a sunny sunday in ski season? No way! ;-)

Snowshoeing in the Diemtigtal, day 1

After a bit of tram->train->train->bus we arrive in Grimmialp at around 10. From there we head along the Seggibach and up into the fantastic bowl of the Grimmital. As you'd expect on a beautiful weather day: there are tons of people out on skis. We climb through the valley and up to the Grimmifurggi where, after a quick lunch break, we decide it makes more sense to head back down than to complete the last 300m to the Rauflihore (Andrea is just recovered from a bout of the flu and isn't at full strength).

Back more or less the way we came to the hotel where we enjoy a cool beverage in the sun before having a quiet evening. Not a huge amount of walking today, and lots and lots of other people about, but it was great to be out walking in the sun.