A winter day on the Simmeflue

We've done multiple trips to the Simmeflue, but this one was a bit different. The weather is cold (probably -10) and we are anticipating snow along the way, so we bring along ice axes and crampons, just in case.

The approach gives us time to get nicely warmed up. The first bits of the scramble are snow free and we're up to the Adlerhorst (full of icicles!) in what seems like no time at all. After a bit of tea we continue on our way. About here we start to see snow, which gets progressively deeper as we climb. After a bit we break out the ice axes (not really needed, but nice to use like a hiking pole in the snow). We're by ourselves except for the guy who passes us in trail-running gear (!) not too long before the fork in the path; he apparently just goes to the fork, because he comes back down a few minutes later. At the fork we turn towards the saddle and the Sunnighorn. We kick steps in the snow for parts of this, but make easy progress to the saddle and then along the ridge to the peak without problems. We're completely alone on the peak (that's a first!), which is wonderfully wind free (we were expecting/dreading heavy winds).

After a nice, relaxed lunch break (we've got soup! and hot tea!), we head back down to the saddle, then down to the fork, and then continue along the ridge the other way. There are a couple of hairy bits here due to the snow, but it's generally easy to follow the trail to the path leading down Chienberg to the road. We time it well and get to the Burgholz train stop with only 10 minutes to wait for the train back home.

This was a short, but really enjoyable tour. We haven't really done anything combining scrambling and snow before, and this was a good start into that fun. :-)