Eiger Trail - Starting from Eigergletscher Station to Alpiglen
Aug 1st, 2009, 04:01 AM
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Eiger Trail - Starting from Eigergletscher Station to Alpiglen
We depart for Switzerland in 4 days, and I am putting the finishing touches on our itinerary. Just a couple of last-minute details that I want to work out. We are planning to take an early train up to the Jungfrau, spend a couple of hours up there and then take the train to the Eigergletscher station, detrain and have lunch there. After lunch we plan to begin our hike along the Eiger Trail to Alpiglen, were we are staying. Is there anything I should know about getting off the train in Eigergletscher (which car should we be in when we get on the train at the Jungfraujoch?). Is the restaurant easy to find in Eigergletscher? Is the trail easy to find from the restaurant? Any really tricky parts to the trail? There are 6 of us going -- 4 adults and 2 children (15 and 12). We all have good hiking boots and even bought some trekking poles (only 1 per person, though). And I am taking lots of bandaids just in case of falls on the scree and boo-boos. I've done lots of reading on the internet but still want to be reassured that I won't lose one of my kids along the trail. Thanks!!!
Aug 2nd, 2009, 06:13 PM
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The Eigergletscher station is not large. Is consists of a ticket window and a restaurant and not much more. The start of the trail is directly across the tracks from the station.
One hiking pole per person? Why not two?
Unless you are fat and woefully out of shape, I suggest that you consider hiking up the trail rather than down. I tried it going down and I skidded dangerously more than once on the grit. My hiking poles (two of them) were not much help going down that steep, hard incline. Neither the rubber coverings over the tips nor the semi sharp tips themselves seemed to do much good. I had let the poles all the way out, but the angle of decline made reaching the ground in front of me rather difficult.
The surface is hard enough that it is just about impossible to make the poles penetrate and give you the necessary traction. Youngsters seems to have little trouble either way; it is the adults who seem to loose footing skidding downhill.
Were I in your position I would be more concerned about losing me than a hearty youngster.
Why not hike up to the Eigergletscher station and then to on to the Jungfraujoch? That way you will have time to see if the day is clear and the expense of going to the top is worth it.
One suggestion, if you have a set of really good binoculars, take them. And at that range you will need a wide angle lens to get good pictures of the north face of the Eiger.
That wall is so ominous and so overpowering that when you are up close and personal like that the reward is great.
Viewed at a distance, the wall looks smooth. Get up close with binoculars and you realize how treacherous it is to try and climb.
If you ride to the station to walk up or down, just be ready to get off the train. You will not have time to repack a lot of gear. After you emerge from the tunnel coming down, it is the first stop as I recall.
One hiking pole per person? Why not two?
Unless you are fat and woefully out of shape, I suggest that you consider hiking up the trail rather than down. I tried it going down and I skidded dangerously more than once on the grit. My hiking poles (two of them) were not much help going down that steep, hard incline. Neither the rubber coverings over the tips nor the semi sharp tips themselves seemed to do much good. I had let the poles all the way out, but the angle of decline made reaching the ground in front of me rather difficult.
The surface is hard enough that it is just about impossible to make the poles penetrate and give you the necessary traction. Youngsters seems to have little trouble either way; it is the adults who seem to loose footing skidding downhill.
Were I in your position I would be more concerned about losing me than a hearty youngster.
Why not hike up to the Eigergletscher station and then to on to the Jungfraujoch? That way you will have time to see if the day is clear and the expense of going to the top is worth it.
One suggestion, if you have a set of really good binoculars, take them. And at that range you will need a wide angle lens to get good pictures of the north face of the Eiger.
That wall is so ominous and so overpowering that when you are up close and personal like that the reward is great.
Viewed at a distance, the wall looks smooth. Get up close with binoculars and you realize how treacherous it is to try and climb.
If you ride to the station to walk up or down, just be ready to get off the train. You will not have time to repack a lot of gear. After you emerge from the tunnel coming down, it is the first stop as I recall.
Aug 3rd, 2009, 03:38 AM
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Thankfully we are neither fat nor out of shape, but I've read that the uphill hike is a lot more strenuous than the downhill. Since we aren't experienced hikers, we thought the downhill might be easier, except for those steep parts. I supposed I can get on my rear and slide down? I've done that before. And you are absolutely right about kids. They seem to be sure-footed on almost any type of trail. But that's why I carry lots of band-aids for those kinds of emergencies.
We already have a pair of binoculars packed. Now we have to pray for good weather. I keep checking Accuweather, and of course the weather for the area changes every time I look. There isn't much I can do about that.
Thanks for the advice.
We already have a pair of binoculars packed. Now we have to pray for good weather. I keep checking Accuweather, and of course the weather for the area changes every time I look. There isn't much I can do about that.
Thanks for the advice.
Aug 3rd, 2009, 10:19 AM
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The trail is steep enough in places to be hard on the knees as you are constantly braking and fighting for balance.
You will find that experienced hikers will hike up and ride down.
I know when we were in Saas Fee we rode up and tried hiking down a trail that traversed the face of the Dom. It was steep in places. Were it not for the luck of the Irish I would have been hurt when I slipped going down. Luckily I had put my jacket in my backpack and I landed squarely on it.
It cushioned the impact. The other hikers we met were hiking up.
Mountains make their own weather. The forecast might be clear for Grindelwald, but that has little impact on what the weather gods will proclaim for the Jungfraujoch.
Your chances of a good day are of course better if a crystal clear day is predicted for Grindelwald and Interlaken. What I have done is to check the weather the day before on Yahoo from a coin operated computer.
Last summer we went as far as Kleine Scheidegg, took one look at the top, and were glad we had not bought tickets to the top. The leg from Eigergletscher to the Jungfraujoch is the most expensive part of the journey. The best discount you can get on that section is 50% regardless of which pass you hold.
I usually get the Swiss Half Fare card when we arrive by automobile from Germany. The years we came from France by train, the Swiss Card was the best deal because the trips from the Swiss border inward and the trip to the airport in Zürich-Kloten were built into the cost of the card. In between, it yielded half off everything.
As for the hiking poles, if I need to cross deep snow fields, I want two poles with snow baskets.
One year coming down from Cabane de Moiry, a steep decline, we got off the main route (not really marked at all) and had to descend a snow gully. The snow had a hard granular surface. Even after I took the rubber tips off, the tungsten tips would not penetrate. I finally gave up slipping and sliding and went down feet first. I used the poles as fenders to ward off the rocks and to steer.
A couple of kids saw me doing it and they came sliding down at a speed faster than I would have liked! Great fun for them. Whoopie. Then they went back up and slid down again!!
Kids, dogs and snow. Quite a fun combination.
You will find that experienced hikers will hike up and ride down.
I know when we were in Saas Fee we rode up and tried hiking down a trail that traversed the face of the Dom. It was steep in places. Were it not for the luck of the Irish I would have been hurt when I slipped going down. Luckily I had put my jacket in my backpack and I landed squarely on it.
It cushioned the impact. The other hikers we met were hiking up.
Mountains make their own weather. The forecast might be clear for Grindelwald, but that has little impact on what the weather gods will proclaim for the Jungfraujoch.
Your chances of a good day are of course better if a crystal clear day is predicted for Grindelwald and Interlaken. What I have done is to check the weather the day before on Yahoo from a coin operated computer.
Last summer we went as far as Kleine Scheidegg, took one look at the top, and were glad we had not bought tickets to the top. The leg from Eigergletscher to the Jungfraujoch is the most expensive part of the journey. The best discount you can get on that section is 50% regardless of which pass you hold.
I usually get the Swiss Half Fare card when we arrive by automobile from Germany. The years we came from France by train, the Swiss Card was the best deal because the trips from the Swiss border inward and the trip to the airport in Zürich-Kloten were built into the cost of the card. In between, it yielded half off everything.
As for the hiking poles, if I need to cross deep snow fields, I want two poles with snow baskets.
One year coming down from Cabane de Moiry, a steep decline, we got off the main route (not really marked at all) and had to descend a snow gully. The snow had a hard granular surface. Even after I took the rubber tips off, the tungsten tips would not penetrate. I finally gave up slipping and sliding and went down feet first. I used the poles as fenders to ward off the rocks and to steer.
A couple of kids saw me doing it and they came sliding down at a speed faster than I would have liked! Great fun for them. Whoopie. Then they went back up and slid down again!!
Kids, dogs and snow. Quite a fun combination.
Aug 3rd, 2009, 04:12 PM
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We went up the Jungfrau in 1993 and the weather could not bave been better. Hardly a cloud in the sky. Now when we check the webcam on top of the Jungfrau, most times we can't see a thing. On the 1993 trip, we did no hiking at all. We stayed in Wengen for 2 nights. And five years ago we went to Gimmelwald and spent a couple of nights there. Again, no hiking to speak of, just walking to and from Murren along the road (hardly a hike!). But we are actually in better shape now than we were back then and decided to do some simple hikes before we get too old (we are in our 50s, but we have youngish kids). Personally I would prefer to hike up, but my husband wants to hike down. We will just have to wait and see what the weather is like, because that will determine when we go to the Jungfrau.
Again, thanks for all the advice. We are very excited to go on this very short trip that we planned on a whim when we saw the great airfares Delta was offering back in May. Before that, we were looking at a week at the beach in either DE or NC. Beaches are lovely but not quite the same!
Again, thanks for all the advice. We are very excited to go on this very short trip that we planned on a whim when we saw the great airfares Delta was offering back in May. Before that, we were looking at a week at the beach in either DE or NC. Beaches are lovely but not quite the same!
Aug 3rd, 2009, 06:27 PM
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The trail should be snow free by the time you get there.
Although the north face of the Eiger looms over you to the south, the trail itself has an eastern exposure and very few trees. Therefore the sun should have had time to melt most,if not all, of the snow.
Whether you hike up or down, it is a nice trek. If you start down from the Eigergletscher station, most of the steep part comes first. On the way down there is (was) a nice exhibit on various routes different climbing teams have taken to the summit.
Because of the erosion patterns on the north face, the summit routes all vary. Some start up the west side and then make a complete traverse across the face and then turn upwards to the top.
If you are lucky you can find a post card that has the routes superimposed on a picture of the Eiger.
If you see a sign in front of the restaurant at the Eigergletscher station that says Tageshit, it is the daily special - hit of the day in literal translation. The word "hit" has become a feature of German in some parts of the German speaking area. On a quality price scale the daily "hit" is worth considering.
Here is hoping you have a very nice day. If the day is clear, I strongly suggest walking the groomed snow track out to the Mönchsjochhütte. It is a hikers' shelter bolted to the ridge about a mile from the Sphinx building. Don't let the similarity to the English word "hut" mislead you. This shelter is 3 stories and has sleeping facilities for about 125 hikers plus the staff. Food and drink may be purchased in the dining room.
The views from the gap in the ridge are remarkable. The day I last went the sun was bright and I had remove my pullover and outer shirt. My hiking trousers zipped into shorts, so I was clad for August in Georgia! Even so, I was perspiring. Then I walked out from behind the protection of the ridge into the teeth of a strong wind. I think I set a world's record getting my Polarfleece out of my pack. Talk about a quick chill!! Brrrr.
Although the north face of the Eiger looms over you to the south, the trail itself has an eastern exposure and very few trees. Therefore the sun should have had time to melt most,if not all, of the snow.
Whether you hike up or down, it is a nice trek. If you start down from the Eigergletscher station, most of the steep part comes first. On the way down there is (was) a nice exhibit on various routes different climbing teams have taken to the summit.
Because of the erosion patterns on the north face, the summit routes all vary. Some start up the west side and then make a complete traverse across the face and then turn upwards to the top.
If you are lucky you can find a post card that has the routes superimposed on a picture of the Eiger.
If you see a sign in front of the restaurant at the Eigergletscher station that says Tageshit, it is the daily special - hit of the day in literal translation. The word "hit" has become a feature of German in some parts of the German speaking area. On a quality price scale the daily "hit" is worth considering.
Here is hoping you have a very nice day. If the day is clear, I strongly suggest walking the groomed snow track out to the Mönchsjochhütte. It is a hikers' shelter bolted to the ridge about a mile from the Sphinx building. Don't let the similarity to the English word "hut" mislead you. This shelter is 3 stories and has sleeping facilities for about 125 hikers plus the staff. Food and drink may be purchased in the dining room.
The views from the gap in the ridge are remarkable. The day I last went the sun was bright and I had remove my pullover and outer shirt. My hiking trousers zipped into shorts, so I was clad for August in Georgia! Even so, I was perspiring. Then I walked out from behind the protection of the ridge into the teeth of a strong wind. I think I set a world's record getting my Polarfleece out of my pack. Talk about a quick chill!! Brrrr.
