Oops, Im not going up the Jungfrau, it's the Jungfrajoch. That would have been ambitious.

toni----if the girls have never seen snow before, it would be worth going up to Jungfraujoch even if it is not a fine day. You may not have the views, but you won't have the crowds either. The snow is always there.

My last trip up there, with several adults and kids ranging in age from 14 to 23, was in a late-July snowstorm. The kids had a ball playing in the snow with a multi-national groups of kids (including some Australian first-timers). We didn't take the walk out to the hut because of poor visibility, but the kids joined the queue for the snow-sliding toys (platters) while the adults had a discrete snowball fight. We also spent a long time in the ice palace, enjoying having it practically to ourselves.

Enzian, that is exactly the kind of fun I am after for the girls. Can I ask the inevitable clothes question, what did you wear for that excursion? Every time life gets too busy I imagine myself on some mountain path with the gentle tinkling of cowbells in the background, and I haven't even been there yet!

>in Switzerland IME the conductor waits until everyone is safely on board

It is EXACTLY the same in Germany.
Trouble is, both in Switzerland and in Germany there are no conductors on regional trains. The driver has to observe the platform through a mirror, which buts him/her at a disadvantage. But in this, too, there are no differences between any European country railways

hiwall - i believe that must be true and that my several experiences with German trains pulling out even with folks like me trying board were an anomaly. Has never happened in any other country, to me at least.

Actually i've noticed a new trend on European trains where, like in France, doors automatically close often a minute before departure - thus avoiding trains pulling out with folks trying to board.

hello tini---I'm sorry for not responding sooner; I didn't see your question until just now.

We have had very mixed weather each time we have visited Switzerland, so we are always prepared with Goretex rain jackets.

The day we went up the Jungfrau it was misty and cloudy as we rode the train up, and very cold at kleine Scheidegg. By the time we arrived at the top, it was snowing. The kids all had on jeans, fleece jacket, and rainjacket on top of that. They all wore running shoes (trainers to you?), not hiking boots, this meant they slipped around in the snow a bit, but that was all part of the fun. Their jeans and shoes did get a bit wet from the snow, and their hands eventually got cold, so that is when we went back inside to warm up. I had a hat and gloves (which I always carry in my daypack for hiking) so I was fine throughout the snowball fight.

I don't think it is worth investing in waterproof pants for that excursion, but if you could find inexpensive gloves (polypro or lightweight fleece) it might keep them pahhy and comfortable longer, expecially if it is a fine day and you take the 45-minute walk over the snow out to Mönchsjochhütte:

http://www-graphics.stanford.edu/~lu...d/jfj_glacier/

http://freespace.virgin.net/aw.mj/CH...36_edited.html

I too like to return in my imagination to hiking the green meadows and the sound of cowbells. You will find a path like that leading up from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg, via Wengernalp, where you will see scenes like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thom_bouman/2927964492/

Or this:

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/TRAVEL/D....alps.cows.jpg

You can take this path downhill to return to Wengen if you like. It takes about 1.5 to 2 hours.

During the heat wave of a few summers ago - i was on the Jungfraujoch when the temperature was 30 degrees C or 86 degrees F

Locals could never remember such sweltering temps there where i think 32 d F is about the average high in summer - freezing. Bundle up.

Hey Enzian, thanks for the clothing info, I anticipate that is what we will be wearing also. Those photos, especially Thom's, wow! I hope to do the Mannlichen-Kleine Scheidegg hike and walk back down to perhaps Wengenalp then catch the train to Wengen.

The other walk on the list (depending on enthusiasm of younger generation) isAllmendhubel to Murren or Allmendhubel-Grutschalp and train to Murren. I am trying to keep the walks fairly easy but still incorporate best of ...

Are there any working cheese farms open to the public?

PalenQ, I'm hoping for cold weather while we are up there, it would be a good contrast for us, especially as we would have been in Tuscany prior to this part of our trip.

Well i'm sure it will be 'colder than a witch's txx face down in the snow in January