Climbing the Balmfluechoepfli take 2

We had been hoping to get in another good multi-pitch climb for the last couple weekends, but the weather just hasn't played along. That finally changed this weekend so we went back to the Balmfluechöpfli. 

Given the popularity of the routes, we once again started early (made easy by the fact that time changed today!) and hiked in pretty quickly from Oberdorf. This time we managed to lose the path at some point, so we did a bit of back-tracking and some "let's just go straight up" to get back on the path just past the first ladder. Onwards, past the beginning of the Sudgrat, to the start of the routes. Here there is one group climbing and two groups waiting. shit. Ah well... we wait a bit and climb when it's our turn. At least there aren't a ton of people waiting behind us (only one group when Andrea starts, two more come while she's climbing the first pitch). With the waiting (the team in front of us isn't fast) it's not efficient climbing, but it's still tons of fun. The sun even comes out at some point. :-)

don't follow the yellow dots...through the fog..

We opt not to do the tower again this time (next time) and enjoy the last 5b pitch. Food break in the sun up top and then along the trail to the two 4a pitches along the top ridge, which we do in our approach shoes. Aside from the very beginning (wet and slippery) these are once again super fun.

finally in the sun

After finishing up we take up the rope and then head to the very top to pack our stuff away (here we run into someone from the old gaming group, which is just totally random). It's cool and windy, so it's not a long break. Then it's off along the ridge and the nice trail that takes us back down, past the trail to the Eulengrat, to rejoin the trail to Oberdorf. We aren't quite sure how long it's going to take to get back to Oberdorf, so we start off pretty quickly and even do a bit of jogging (downhill it's super fun) before seeing the "40 minutes" sign; there's no way we're going to make that in the 9 minutes we have until the next train, so we slow way down.

fall colors

Back at Oberdorf we get the very pleasant surprise that the restaurant in the train station has reopened and is now a Tibetan place, so we get to enjoy some momos while waiting for the train. Yeah!

Track:

Hiking around Wenslingen

According to the forecast it's supposed to be rather cool and cloudy most/all of the day, so we abandon the idea of climbing and opt for a hike in Jura. We don't really have much of a plan for this aside from a start point and visiting a waterfall... the rest we'll make up as we go along.

We start in Sommerau (well, really outside of Sommerau since the bus which is replacing the train doesn't go all the way into town) and then head up the valley along a nice forest road which eventually hits the stream, and then turns into a trail. Nice walking through the Stierengraben takes us to the waterfall at the end of the valley (dramatic amphitheater, not much water though). Then up and out of the gorge and through the fields to Rünenberg. Through town here, past at a farmhouse where they have are selling freshly pressed apple juice (of course we dump out both Nalgenes and fill them with that), then further across the fields before heading down into the next narrow valley. Past the shooting range (active today) and then up and along the other side of the valley. Cool cliffs at the top of this, and a pretty sizable cave (the Bruderloch, possibly worth going back to visit with headlamps and helmets), then a bit more through the forest before finding a nice bench for a food break.

waterfall at the end of the Stierengraben

On through Wenslingen, through the fields with nice views, another food break on a bench in a stand of old oaks, then onwards to the forest. Here the trail takes us down into the next valley, through Rothenfluh, along the valley through Ormalingen,  and then finally into Gelterkinden where we get the train back to Basel.

across the fields near Rünenberg

As always, it's fun to do a nice Jura hike. :-) This would be a good area for sunny days in the spring: lots of nice open rolling terrain to enjoy the sun.

above Bettstigi...so green

Track:

Stats: 19.6km, 470m up, 500m down, 4:30 total time.