Global Adventure - Trek the Swiss Alps in the Jungfrau Region

Arrive in Interlaken, Switzerland anytime on Sunday August 11^th, 2024.  We’ll part ways in Interlaken the morning of Sunday August 25^th to return home or continue to other adventures.

Getting There: Participants are responsible for their own transportation between home and Interlaken, Switzerland, both before and after the adventure.  British Airways, KLM, and Icelandair offer daily service between Seattle (SEA) and Zürich (ZRH) – approximately $2000 round-trip.  SBB (the Swiss national railway) offers service between ZRH and Interlaken, with trains departing approximately every 30 minutes and offering a travel time of roughly 2.5 hours – approximately $100 round-trip.

Itinerary Highlights: 

This adventure is a total of 15 days: 1 day for arrival, 1 day to rest or day hike, 12 days of trekking, and 1 day for departure.  The highest point of our adventure is 9,700’.  Our daily elevation gain will range from 1,500’ to 4,500’ (with an average of 3,400’ per day), and mileage will vary between 5 and 14 miles per day (with an average of 9 miles per day).  There are options from several places along our route for participants to exit via public or private transport if required.

A map of our full itinerary is available at: https://caltopo.com/m/4660B

Itinerary Details:
(subject to change without notice depending on weather, trail, or participant conditions)

• Arrival (August 11):
  Arrive in Interlaken, Switzerland
  Included: lodging
• Rest or Day Hike (August 12):
  Free day in Interlaken. Optional ride on the Harder Kulm funicular and day hike along the Hardergrat trail, offering stunning views of Interlaken and Lake Brienz.  Group welcome dinner.
  Stats: 12 miles / 3,000’ gain (optional day hike)
  Included: breakfast, dinner, lodging
• Trek Day 1 (August 13):
  Start trek at Schynige Platte. Ascend the summit of Oberberghorn, and then continue past Loucherhorn and Bachalpsee to Berggasthaus First.
  Stats: 10.4 miles / 3,430’ gain
  Included: breakfast, dinner, lodging, transfer from Interlaken to Schynige Platte
• Trek Day 2 (August 14):
  Cross the saddle of Grosse Scheidegg, then leave the main trail to ascend above Upper Grindelwald Glacier to Gleckstein Hütte.
  Stats: 8.3 miles / 3,560’ gain
  Included: breakfast, dinner, lodging
• Trek Day 3 (August 15):
  Return to the main trail, continuing along the base of Mättenberg. Leave the main trail to ascend above Lower Grindelwald Glacier to Berghaus Bäregg.
  Stats: 7.2 miles / 2,510’ gain
  Included: breakfast, dinner, lodging
• Trek Day 4 (August 16):
  Return to the main trail again, continuing along the base of Ostegg. Descend to Berghaus Alpiglen.
  Stats: 6 miles / 2,540’ gain
  Included: breakfast, dinner, lodging
• Trek Day 5 (August 17):
  Trek to Kleine Scheidegg, with an optional mid-day train ride up to the Jungfraujoch viewpoint.
  Stats: 6.1 miles / 3,170’ gain
  Included: breakfast, dinner, lodging
• Trek Day 6 (August 18):
  Optional morning day hike to the summit of Männlichen. Hike to the moraine overlooking the Eiger glacier, then continue west along the crest to reach Trümmelbach Falls by way of Biglenalp and Mettlenalp.  Walk along Weisse Lütschine to Lauterbrunnen.  View Staubbach Falls.  Continue on to Eiger Guesthouse in Mürren via gondola + train.
  Stats: 9.4 miles / 1,290’ gain; 6 miles / 974’ gain (optional day hike)
  Included: breakfast, lodging, transfer from Lauterbrunnen to Mürren
• Trek Day 7 (August 19):
  Free day in Mürren. Optional day hike to the summit of Schiltorn.
  Stats: 5.1 miles / 4,364’ gain (optional day hike)
  Included: breakfast, lodging
• Trek Day 8 (August 20):
  Trek to Gimmelwald, then alongside Weisse Lütschine up a rugged valley above Schmadribach Falls, to Oberhornsee. Overnight at Berghotel Obersteinberg.
  Stats: 9.7 miles / 4,070’ gain
  Included: breakfast, dinner, lodging
• Trek Day 9 (August 21):
  After visiting the Tanzbödeli viewpiont, hike up the steep-walled Sefinental valley to Rotstockhütte.
  Stats: 6.4 miles / 3,960’ gain
  Included: breakfast, dinner, lodging
• Trek Day 10 (August 22):
  Tackle Sefinenfurgge pass, which showcases the high peaks soaring above the Lauterbrunnen and Sefinental Valleys, before descending to Berghaus Bundalp.
  Stats: 6.9 miles / 3,170’ gain
  Included: breakfast, dinner, lodging
• Trek Day 11 (August 23):
  Tackle Hohtürli, the highest pass along the Swiss Alpine route; take a break at Blüemlisalphütte, a short 5 minute walk from the summit. Descend from Hortürli to Berghaus am Oeschinensee.
  Stats: 6.2 miles / 3,360’ gain
  Included: breakfast, lodging
• Trek Day 12 (August 24):
  Start day with optional day hike up to Fründen Hütte. Then continue west along the Swiss Alpine route to the end of our trek in Kandersteg.  Return to Interlaken via train.  Group celebratory dinner.
  Stats: 2.4 miles / 100’ gain; 9 miles / 4,524’ gain (optional day hike)
  Included: breakfast, dinner, lodging, transfer from Kandersteg to Interlaken
• Departure (August 25):
  Depart Interlaken to return home or continue to other adventures.
  Included: breakfast

Time of Year:   We’ll be visiting during Switzerland’s high summer, when the likelihood of clear skies and warm temperatures are highest (though cold, rain, hail, snow, wind, lightning, and other foul weather can arise even in mid summer).

Lodging:   2 nights in a hostel in Interlaken, followed by 11 nights on trail in remote huts, followed by 1 night in a hostel in Interlaken.  All hostels and huts will have restrooms and showers.  We’ll sleep in 6+ person, mixed-gender dormitory-style bunk rooms.

Food:   While staying at the hostel in Interlaken before our trek, breakfasts are included and our welcome dinner on August 12^th is included.  Participants are responsible for other meals (lunches, snacks, August 11^th dinner) while in Interlaken.  During our trek, breakfasts and all but three dinners are included (and will be supplied daily by the huts we’re staying at).  Participants are responsible for other meals (lunches, snacks, August 18^th, 19^th, and 23^rd dinners).  We’ll be able to purchase lunches and light snacks at many of the huts, as well as in towns both before our trek (in Interlaken) and halfway through our trek (in Mürren).  Dinners on August 18^th, 19^th, and 23^rd can be purchased at restaurants near our hotels.  While staying at the hostel in Interlaken after our trek, our celebratory dinner on August 24^th is included and our breakfast on August 25^th is included.  Vegetarian diets can be accommodated, but other special dietary preferences or requirements may be difficult to satisfy without the participant providing at least some of their own food at their own expense.

Provisions: Participants must supply and carry all lunches, snacks and toiletries required for the trek.  Participants will have the ability to purchase lunches and light snacks at many of the huts, and a wide selection of food and toiletries will be available both before our trek (in Interlaken) and halfway through our trek (in Mürren).

Leader’s Experience:    Colin Chapman (colindchapman@gmail.com) is an active backpacking instructor and trip leader with the Mountaineers.  Colin has led many Mountaineers backpacking trips and winter overnight snowshoe trips, including trips into areas – such as the Enchantments, Wyoming’s Wind River Range, and Torres del Paine’s O Circuit – with extensive off-trail travel or challenging terrain.  Colin has completed the Wonderland Trail and John Muir Trail, and has Wilderness First Responder certification.  This will be Colin's third backpacking/trekking Global Adventure.

Participant Requirements:    Must be a current Mountaineers member with an up-to-date waiver on file.  This outing includes strenuous hiking on rugged terrain (including steep scree/talus slopes, narrow paths with modest exposure, ladders that must be ascended/descended, and, depending on snowpack levels, low-risk snowfield crossings) for multiple successive days.  Participants must therefore be in excellent aerobic condition with confidence traveling on such terrain with a fully loaded pack.  Participants must also have the endurance, experience, willingness, and flexibility to deal with extended periods of significant mileage, substantial elevation gain/loss, and inclement weather (cold, rain, hail, snow, wind, lightning).  Participants must understand that route adjustments could be required in the event of unanticipated weather or trail conditions.  Recent experience with multi-day strenuous trekking, plus a positive attitude and a demonstrated ability to get along well with groups under demanding conditions, will be very important.

Participants are expected to read, understand and comply with the leader's Goals, Expectations and Style for the trip, described at this link.

NOTE: As a Mountaineers group we will operate as interdependent, capable travelers making our way together and helping one another succeed and be safe.  You are responsible for your own safety and that of your fellow travelers.  At any time, if the route, weather, or other conditions become dangerous, we will exit early or find a safer, alternate route.  See daily trip profile, available at this link.

NOTE:  Participants must be fully vaccinated against COVID to participate in the trip.  Participants will be expected to practice conservative COVID behavior before and during transit to the trip, including masking and avoiding crowded indoor spaces whenever possible.  Participants will be expected to carry COVID self-tests on the trip and use them if they experience any symptoms commonly related to COVID.  Participants testing positive for COVID will need to leave the group and quarantine at their own expense for at least 5 days (or longer if not symptom free) before rejoining the group.

NOTE: International medical insurance and emergency evacuation insurance are required, and must be obtained by each participant at their own expense.  Guidance will be provided by trip leader.

Trip Price Detail:   $4350.  Includes breakfasts, welcome dinner, and lodging before the trek.  Includes breakfasts, all but three dinners, and lodging while on the trek.  Includes celebratory dinner, breakfast, and lodging after the trek.  Includes train and cog railway transfer from Interlaken to Schynige Platte, gondola and train transfer from Lauterbrunnen to Mürren, and train transfer from Kandersteg to Interlaken.  Includes 1-month Swiss Rail Half Fare Travelcard.  Travel between your home and Interlaken, Switzerland is not included (neither airfare nor ground transport).  Optional activities, such as the Harder Kulm funicular, the Jungfraujoch viewpoint, and Trümmelbach Falls, are not included.  On-trail consumables (lunches, snacks, toiletries, etc.) are not included.  If fewer than 10 people register for the trip, there may need to be a modest increase in the second payment from what is listed here.

Registration Instructions:   Leader approval is required, so before registering please review the Trip Agreement below and then submit the application form below, which will automatically be sent to the leader.   After the leader’s approval, go to the trip listing and click the REGISTER button to pay the 50% deposit and hold your space on the roster. Registration will close on April 1, 2024 or whenever the roster fills. The balance of the trip payment will be due in the late spring of 2024.

APPLICATION

TRIP AGREEMENT  (read this before you register but only sign after you are registered)

RELEASE

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION (to complete in the last month before the trip)

Cancellation Policy:    If you cancel more than 60 days before the departure date, you may receive a refund less a $600 cancellation fee and any other non-refundable expenses incurred up to that time. If you cancel between 59 and 30 days before the departure date, the cancellation fee increases to $1000 plus any other non-refundable expenses. If you cancel less than 30 days before the departure date, no refund is available.  NOTE:  the cancellation fees above may be waived other than a minimum $100 admin fee if someone can be found to take your place on the trip.