Last year I wrote: I am leaving on Monday for this year's trip, about 6½ weeks total. The initial plan had been to explore several areas that I have not visited in half a century or more, but over time it changed to spending most of my time in regions that I know and love. I leave the Ticino and the more northeastern parts of the Alps for next year.

The first ten days will be spent in the Valais, mostly using Sion as a base for trips on the northern side of the valley. This will be interrupted by a two night trip to the Cabane de Moiry, where I will meet a group of friends doing the Haute Route; I will join them for the easy stage over the Col de Sorebois to Zinal. There we will part; they will go to the Cabane Bela Tolla, I will do an easy day trip from Zinal and return to Sion.

On Saturday (23/7) one of my Haute Route friends will meet me in Visp, and we will go to Mürren, probably spending a couple of hours walking around Interlaken (the view of the Jungfrau from opposite the Victoria-Jungfrau is a postcard cliché, but is nonetheless not to be missed). After that I will again be on my own, spending two weeks in my beloved Val d'Hérens, one each in Evolène and Arolla.

Then something new, a week in Bienne, where I last stayed in 1947. In addition to local hikes I plan to visit Bern during that week, and also probably Gruyère. After that I have a final week that is still unplanned, I will be asking for suggestions for hiking in the Alpes Vaudoises.

About a month ago I broke my wrist, and the first question i asked the surgeon who put the hardware to fix it in, was "Will that affect my trip to Switzerland?". This picture, taken ten days ago, probably answers the question:


As I never stop saying:

Trust you will have a great time in your trip back to Switzerland.

ps... you look great in the picture

Awesome!.................

Rock On!!!!!!!

nice pic.
say hello to the White Mtns for me before you leave.

You are an absolute Legend !!!

Pic is on the summit of Mount Moosilauke, which we reached by the rather easy Carriage Road (8.4 km each way with 950 m elevation gain, with excellent footing). I hope to return this weekend by the more demanding (steeper and rougher) Glencliff Trail, 6.1 km each way with just over 1,000 m elevation gain.

Will definitely tell the mountains "Hi from Grynch" on my hike, do you have a more specific message for them

tell them I miss them. . but I've moved on and have different mountains now AND if you happen to run into a black bear around mt. jefferson ( he'd be verrry old now ) tell him I said, again, PISS oFF.

I love the White Mountains, but if I lived in Switzerland I would not shed a single tear over leaving them ... the tears I shed are on the plane back to Boston.

But, as promised, I will deliver your message.

Switzerland bids thee welcome, thou wanderer of mountains!

Have a great time, RetiredInNH!

Obviously we did not spend a couple of hours walking around Interlaken and looking at the Jungfrau, clouds, clouds and more clouds.

Last Wednesday I met a French couple hiking around Zinal (no views that day; views are spectacular with good weather) and the husband commented briefly and to the point: sale temps. I do not really agree; I would definitely describe the weather for the ten or so days I have been in Switzerland as suboptimal, but not really foul. I was able to hike as often as my body allowed, and a little rain never hurt anyone. Sure, there were no views, but IMHO views are only one of the many things I get out of a hike, and you can't win 'em all.

Forecast seems for more of the same, I wish it were better but am not complaining.

After four days in Mürren we finally get to see the "big guys" (assuming the Jungfrau can be called a "guy" ) out of our apartment windows:


Will soon go higher to get better views.

By the time we were ready for our hike the clouds had moved in

So today, when I saw almost cloudless sky, I hurried up about 160 (vertical) meters before breakfast to get some pictures. Will do lots of editing and culling and post to my Picassa album, but for now here is a view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau:


Too much sun for a good picture, but I am certainly not complaining