Top Alpine Vistas?
 

The Swiss Alps are the high point of Europe! Both literally and perhaps figuratively, at least from an awe-inspiring point of view. I've ferreted out dozens of Alpine perches that provide mesmerizing views of the Antarctic-like scape that unfolds up there. Here's one of my favorites, what's yours?
I've traveled Switzerland for years and visited many of the classic vistas (Jungfrau, Schilthorn, Murren, Rigi, Titlis, Gornergrat, etc.) but never though of going to BETTMERALP. I'd seen it on a map as being at the foot of the Great Aletsch Glacier, the same glacier that stretches up to Jungfraujoch by Grindelwald. Called Europe's longest glacier, this mass of ice some 20 miles or so long, is simply awesome no matter where you see it. From the Jungfrau you down on its sinuous course, but see it mainly in the distance. But from Bettmeralp you're right eyeball to eyeball to it and see it stretch up towards the Jungfrau. Plus at Bettmeralp i was nearly by myself while at Jungfrau the day before it was a mass of camera-clicking tourists - a mob scene.
From Betten, a stop on the narrow-gauge railway from Oberwald to Brig, a large gondola sweeps up from the station to Bettmeralp, the typical Alpine resort village you walk through to get to the thrilling 4-person cabins that sweep up to the glacier viewpoint - these are amongst the most thrilling cable cars i've ever taken as they impossibly sweep up to the mountain top high above the village. Once there you're right at a vista stretching over the immense glacier right below you in a deep rocky canyon. A 'glacier walk,' a rather precarious-looking trail takes you right down to the glacier. Even on a nice September day there only a handful of folks here. A simply surrealistic scene that ranks amongst my top Alpine experiences.

THE GRIMSEL PASS BUS RIDE
If you want to see Bettermalp on a day trip from the Grindelwald/Interlaken area a great way is to take the Swiss Postal Bus from Meiringen (30 min by train from Interlaken) and then hop one of Switzerland's most scenic Alpine bus rides - the Grimsel Pass bus that goes to Oberwald, from where you can take the Glcaier Express rail route to Betten, do the Bettermalp cable then train from Betten to nearby Brig and train from there to Interlaken. total travel time is about six hours, but it's a constantly awesome six hours and you can break it up in any of several towns. The Brig-Spiez-Interlaken train is also awesomely scenic - probably the most scenic mainline rail route in Europe as first it hovers high above the Rhone Valley when leaving Brig, then goes thru the Lotschberg Tunnel to emerge in an Alpine wonderland hemmed in by glacier-clad peaks at Kandersteg, before following the shores of idyllic Lake Thun to Interlaken. Buses don't run Nov-Apr or mid-May due to passes being closed by snow.

Whereas I agree that the view from the Gornergrat or from Kleine Matterhorn over the Monte Rosa massif is spectacular the Swiss Alps are not the "high point" of Europe. OK, I admit to being picky but since Mont Blanc in France is the highest "alp" of all you'd be looking UP at it from anywhere in Switzerland. But, hey who cares about such arcane differences, right????<G>

I' m glad you mention Mt Blanc; i should have said the Alps are the high point of Europe! And Chamonix is maybe my favorite Alpine resort. The train up to the Mer de Glace, another huge glacier, is a top Alpine experience. I think the most stupendous Alpine ride though goes from Chamonix (3,402 ft) via teleferiques that are prodigiously steep up to the Aiguille de Midi (alt 12,605 ft) where you change to four-person gondolas that float across the huge glacier at hundreds of feet above - the cabins stop periodically for what seems an interminable amount of time and you dangle in the still air over the sea of ice below! An unwordly feeling; i was always glad to see the cable start moving again! Anyway these gondolas goes to Pt Helbronner on the Italian border, where you can change to another cableway down into Italy (Entreves), where you can tie into the Italian bus-train system. Most people get off at Pt Helbronner, perched over the ice and return to Chamonix. Quite a trip - unparalled in Europe in its derring-do.

MARTIGNY-CHAMONIX SCENIC TRAIN
Getting to Chamonix from Switzerland you can take the gorgeous Martigny-Chamonix narrow-gauge mountain train. One of Europe's top scenic railways, the train begins its steep ascent from the Rhone Valley in Switzerland at Martigny by climbing right along the edge of the cliff and proceeds climbing to the French border, from where it descends via a lovely valley to Chamonix, where you'll see glaciers near the tracks. Rugged alpine scenery the whole way on this about two-hour trip.

The Alps are indeed spectacular and awe inspiring. I also love the Dolomitis from the Val Gardena. They are simply different. The Alps, while beautiful, are mountains similar to may others. The Dolomiti are like boulders that God placed carefully in the Italian North. Absolutely gorgeous esp when the sun sets and they glow red.
Cheers,
Jan

Dolomites! Yes great. i just visited Cortina d'Ampezzo and was greatly impressed with the gorgeous vistas!

I really like the view from the Bachalpsee, high above Grindelwald. I took this shot on a sunny summer day...

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...36128472XPWrXu

Bachalpsee - one of the few jungfrau vistas i havn't been to but looking on the map and your pix probably show a great frontal view of the Jungfrau Massif, which in my 'view' is the tops of anyplace in the Alps/Dolomites - no other one i've seen has such a wide panorama of ice-bound peaks and so close to them really. Thanks for Bachalpsee- i'll hike up there next time i'm in the area!

For breathtaking views as the sun is setting the Dolomites take some beating. Try the one from the Pordoi pass across to the Marmolada group.

Harzer

PalQ - Like you, I've visited the "classic vista" for years and never thought of going to Bettmeralp. Thanks for the info.

And Mr.Go - that's a great shot.

Schilthorn
I recently went up to the Schilthorn for the first time. Schilthorn is a very famous look-out point accessible by a series of gondolas from Murren, perched high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Though the views are of course magnificent, how could they not be in this area, there was little to do there except take in the views. Schilthorn is basically a viewing tower in the middle of nowhere - unlike Jungfrau there's very little turf here to walk around on, just a little patch of snow. The ubiquitous restaurant cafe that all Alpine viewpoints sprout treads on its association with James Bond, one film being partially filmed in this dramatic venue. I think the restaurant revolves and claims to be the highest such twirling dervish in the world. $40 with a Swiss Pass, 25% more without. Some folks were hiking down from the summit and though the beginning of the path looked rather dicey, the rest of the trail seemed, from the gondola, easy enough. Schilthorn? Anyone been there? What'd you think?

We enjoyed the Schilthorn vistas as well. Afterward, we took the gondola down to Murren and had lunch, then walked to Grutschalp station where we took the cogwheel train down to Lauterbrunen.

The walk between Murren and Grutschalp is spectacularly beautiful. Here is one of the many shots I took from that trail:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...36129249YHcHHY

Mr Go: Yes the walk or train ride between Murren and the Grutschalp funicular to Lauterbrunnen has fantastic scenery - no finer Alpine vista as the Jungfrau Massif looms just across the narrow Lauterbrunnen Valley and you scope out Wengen on its verdant knoll across the way; on this trek you're at about 5,000 ft elevation. The Grutschalp funciular is also great, plunging 2.060 feet nearly vertically down to Lauterbrunnen. There's a famous 'mountain' restaurant at Winteregg, about half way between Murren and Grutschalp with outdoor tables with some of the most appetizing views in Europe! (Famous for its hearty 'mountain' or farmers breakfast!)
Yes-Murren-Grutschalp one of the highlights of the Alps! An easy flat enough (descends 500 ft from Murren to the funicular) hike or easier train ride on one of Europe's top scenic trains that goes right near the cliff's edge the whole way.