Biel/Bienne to Moutier

We started with the idea of hiking through the Taubenloch from Biel/Bienne (a gorge we hadn't hiked before) and then figuring out what comes next.

From the train station there's a bit of walk through town before getting to the beginning of the gorge. Then up through the gorge, which is really nice. After the gorge it's up to the ridge and then along that for a while. While stopping for a food break we realize that it's not incredibly far to just hike to Moutier. So we set that as a possible goal (we can always stop at Court or another town along the way) and continue.

Down to Vauffelin, over the next ridge and down and through Court (saying hi to the slabs there!), then through the gorge (symmetry for the day: starting in a gorge and finishing with a gorge) to Moutier.

This was a good long hike without a ton of vertical. Great weather and good wildflowers throughout.

For future reference: this could "easily" be extended to be a ~60km trail run from Biel/Bienne to Basel: Biel/Bienne->Moutier->Delemont->Soyhieres->Kleinlutzel->Basel. There are towns to stop along the way for resupply and it wouldn't be massive vert.

Hiking near (not to) the Gross Walenstock

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Long weekend in Unterwasser

The plan was to spend the long weekend doing some multi-pitch climbing in the Alpstein. It didn't quite work out that way, but it was a great weekend anyway.

Thursday 

We took the train to Unterwasser on Thursday morning, dropped our bags at the hotel (which happened to have our room ready... such a bonus!), and then split up and did some trail running/hiking in the Churfirsten for the rest of the day. It had rained like hell the previous day and overnight and remained overcast, so climbing wasn't a great idea. Still, we both had good days in the mountains and met back at the hotel for a rest and then dinner.

Friday

Friday was a beautiful, blue sky day. In the morning we hiked up to the Schattenwand and got set up to start with the three-pitch route Schlüsselblümli. Unfortunately it became clear pretty quickly as G was leading the first pitch that there was a ton of grass in the route. This wasn't any kind of problem for the climbing, but G didn't want to end up with ook on his hands again. So he came back down. A then led the pitch so we didn't have to leave anything behind and we packed everything up and did the very nice hike over to the Klettergarten Stoss. The rock here looked super nice, but is fully exposed to the sun and it was pretty crowded in the section of the wall where the easier routes were. A tried Heinz (5b+), but that was a bit too much for the first climbing here. G was already mentally done, so we packed the stuff up again and hiked back to town. Not much of a climbing day, but we had beautiful weather, great views, and some good hiking.

Saturday

Saturday was another perfect weather day. We left the climbing stuff at the hotel (rather than risk another day with no real climbing) and did an alpine hike instead. We took the bus to Wildhaus and headed from there along easy paths to Gamplüt. Then it was red-white steeply uphill along a nice grassy ridge to the back of the Wildhuser Schofberg. Here we took a food break, enjoyed the views, and scoped out the route ahead of us while we discussed what to do next. There was a considerable amount of steep snow in the next stage of the blue-white trail in front of us. There were clear tracks in the snow and other people underway, but G was still really nervous about the snow. In the end, G gathered himself, we changed into the approach shoes (we'd been wearing trail-running shoes to that point and carrying the approach shoes in a backpack), and we started off. G didn't enjoy the traverse across the snow or the descent into the bowl, but the snow was soft enough that it was no problem. The hike/scramble back up the other side to the saddle next to the Jöchli was fun (a bit of snow at the top, but ascending is always easier than traversing or descending). From the saddle we went up the Jöchli  itself to enjoy the crazy views and then continued along the trail under the Nädlingergrat. This would have been even more fun if there were no snow in it, but it was still pretty good. At the end of the ridge we hit the red-white hiking path crossing from the Rotsteinpass to the Zwinglipass and followed this (a couple before us had take the very quick way down by descending a steep snow field... this was too much for us). After sliding down the last bit of snow of the initial descent, we follow this very well trampled path to the Zwinglipasshütte. A cool beverage and snack while enjoying the views, then on with the trail running shoes and a mostly very nice hike/run back to Unterwasser. This was a great day hiking, despite the snow. :-)

Seewen to Aarth-Goldau via the Zuenggelenflue

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Oensingen->Olten via Ravellen and Roggenflue SW-Kamin

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Full moon, sunrise, and a very long walk

It was the night before the full moon and the weather was perfect, so we set out for a full-moon hike and to have breakfast while watching to sunrise. The rest of the plan for the day was just to do a long hike.

We left at 4:30 with the idea of having a couple of hours under the moon before the sun came up at ~6:40. Good theory, but we mis-calculated how long the hike to our planned breakfast spot would take. Fortunately we realized this while hiking, changed plans, and did a bit of light running to reach a bench above Oberwil with a good view in the right direction.

The moon was super bright (I love moon shadows!), we had a beautiful sunrise and a good breakfast and then started walking again. Eventually we decided that Delemont would be the goal, so that's what we did.

This ended up being our longest hike so far. Super fun, great day!

Track:

Stats: 

Total time: 10 hours (7:24 moving according to my watch), 42.8km, 1300m up, 1200m down.

Breakfast hike to the Belchenflue

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Winter hike: Beinwil - Hohe Winde - Mervelier

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Winter hike: Sigriswil - Habkern

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Arete des Sommetres

 The forecast was for sun, but maybe too cold for climbing shoes, so we decided to do the Arete des Sommetres again.

We weren't alone (unlike last time) since another pair started just before us, but we didn't have to wait for them too much and there was no one pushing from behind.

It's a really nice scramble and it was great to be out and moving with perfect weather conditions. 

After finishing (in just under three hours, with a short snack break to let the other pair get a bit further ahead of us), we did a nice lunch break at the top and then enjoyed the walk down to Saignelegier.

Climbing above Engelberg

We decide to take advantage of the good weather by spending the weekend in Engelberg and doing some climbing.

Saturday morning we take the train to Engelberg, drop an extra bag at the hotel, then take the bus, gondola, and chair lift up to the Brunnihütte. From here we hike up to the klettergarten at the Bettlerstock, where our plan is to spend the day doing sport climbing in the sun.

We start in the sector Bettlerstock West, which is unfortunately shady in the morning:

• Adler 5a
• Murmel 5b (g only, at this point we decide that it's too cold and windy for this sector)

After moving to Sector South, which was in the sun, though still a bit windy:

• Südwand 5c (we consider doing the second pitch, but it seems to sketchy for g)
• Die da 5c+
• Janosch 6a+ (A halfway, g with one hang)
• Macbeth 7a (g was playing in toprope here and only made it part of the way up before getting completely blocked on a move)

We called it a day at that point and headed back down to Engelberg.

Sunday morning g got up early and did a trail run before breakfast. After breakfast we headed up to the Brunnihütte again and did some of the short routes on the crag next to the hut. We climbed all of these in approach shoes:

• Barba Lala 4a
• Barba Letta 4b
• Barba Kud 5a
• Barba Bo 4b
• Mama Moll 5a
• Globi 5a

At this point we decided that the weather and views were just too good to be climbing, so we followed the panorama trail to the Rugghubelhütte (their last day open of the season), where we enjoyed cake and cool beverages in the sun while enjoying the fantastic views before heading back down to Engelberg and the train back home.

Memo to ourselves: we really need to go up some weekend, stay at the Rugghubelhütte, and do the Lauchernstock east ridge.

Track from the hike:

Stats: 13.8km, 540m up, 1400m down, 4:10

Muelenen to Oey-Diemtigen via the Niesen

 Text to come

Ridges between Olten and Waldenburg

 text and track to come

Glamaig and the northern Red Hills circuit

 based on Glamaig and the northern Red Hills circuit (Walkhighlands)

Ascent to The Storr

 based on The Storr - ascent (Walkhighlands)

Dun Ardtreck and Ardtreck Point from Portnalong

 based on Dun Ardtreck and Ardtreck Point, Fiskavaig (Walkhighlands)

Into Glen Sligachan

 short part of the Skye-Trail, stage 5: Sligachan to Elgol (Skye Trail 5: Sligachan to Elgol (Walkhighlands))

Talisker Bay to Biod Ruadh & Preshal Beg

 based on Preshal Beg & More with Biod Ruadh, Talisker (Walkhighlands)

Aesch to Arlesheim via Gempen

Hiking in the Zingaro nature reserve