Darl58
Active member
3/10/2011-3/27/2011
Switzerland Adventure
3/10/11- 3/16/2011 Zurich-St Moritz-Zernez to Meet up with Nepal trekking friends and watch Urs compete in Engadin Ski Marathon Race
3/16/11-3/19/11 Zernez- Schaffhausen Meet up with Nepal Guide and explore area
3/19/11-3/26/11 Schaffhausen – Zermatt to hike and ski
I was invited to Switzerland by my friends that I met on my Nepal Trek. It was an invitation I couldn’t turn down….A little history of the areas I was visiting.
In 1928 St. Moritz hosted the 1928 Winter Olympic Games and the stadium still stands today. It later hosted the 1948 Winter Olympic Games and over 30 Engadin Ski Marathons since 1978. It has also hosted many other events since, including some unlikely ones on the frozen lake in the 1970s and 1980s such as a golf tournament, (1979), a polo tournament (every year in February starting in 1985) and cricket (1989). St. Moritz has also been the venue for many Sailing and Windsurfing World Championships. Since the registration of a new trademark by the tourist office in 1987, St. Moritz is also known as Top of the World.
The Morteratsch Glacier was a well worth the hike from the train station with the cold blue ice cave. Posts marked to show each year’s receding amount.
Then the evening of fine dining at El Paradiso at 2181m (7155 ft) Alpine hut and authentic regional gourmet cuisine was amazing and the sunset views…. They also had an Iglu Village.
Then off to Schaffhausen, in the very North of Switzerland the old portion of the city has many fine Renaissance era buildings decorated with exterior frescos and sculpture, as well as the impressive old canton fortress, the Munot. A train runs out of town to the nearby Rhine Falls in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Europe's Largest waterfall, a tourist attraction.
Schaffhausen is located in a finger of Swiss territory surrounded on three sides by Germany. On April 1, 1944, Schaffhausen suffered a bombing raid by United States Army Air Forces aircraft which strayed from German airspace into neutral Switzerland. About a hundred civilians were killed;[6] the United States immediately offered a million dollars in reparations. (wasn’t so sure how I would be greeted after being told the History of US here)? So much history and beautiful buildings and castles, even enjoyed lunch in a castle and a rainbow over the Rhine Falls.
Then packed and off by train to Zermatt, one of my favorite places ever!! A no car Village!
Arrived in Zermatt Sat and it was snowing, yeah!! Sunday we rented skis and took gondola up to do a hike at high elevation.
Full sun and warm temps, hardly any wind, it was a perfect week of skiing!
One advanced area run was just below the Matterhorn and had bumps and fast sharp corners, much fun dodging fallen skiers..
The ski run from the Klein Matterhorn to Zermatt is 8 ml and 7250 ft of varied terrain. As the week went by, it because quite fun with soft bumps and hard crust at different points and many laughs as tired skiers took some interesting dumps! It was a blast at the end of everyday to ski all the way back down to Zermatt Village where buses waited to take you to the bars and hotels..this became a ritual where we would meet our friends at a bar around the corner form our Hotel..It was on our way…..
We had to be careful as avalanche danger was high, we heard many break…5 people died while we were there, close by to where we were skiing and one is still buried not found yet.
We also skied over to the Italian slopes of Cervina where we stopped at the hut and had Pasta bolognaise and drinks on the sunny porch looking down at Italy. We could see Mont Blanc and many high peaks.. The Italian area was less steep and well groomed but we made a bunch of fast runs and enjoyed the area.
So after a complete circle of Switzerland and much fine wine, Swiss Chocolate, Breads, fondue, Grappa, Kirsch, and wonderful friends I return to US for a beautiful April 1st snowstorm!!
I know many pics as always form me....so I put them in 3 links for your viewing pleasure.. I hope you enjoy!
Link to Zermatt pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/hikerd...authkey=Gv1sRgCLur6pW2vNr-5wE&feat=directlink
Link to St Moritz/Engadin Ski Marathon pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/hikerd...authkey=Gv1sRgCKiEy-eUpMerswE&feat=directlink
Link to Schaffhausen pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/hikerd...authkey=Gv1sRgCPTwqODLluKfuAE&feat=directlink
Switzerland Adventure
3/10/11- 3/16/2011 Zurich-St Moritz-Zernez to Meet up with Nepal trekking friends and watch Urs compete in Engadin Ski Marathon Race
3/16/11-3/19/11 Zernez- Schaffhausen Meet up with Nepal Guide and explore area
3/19/11-3/26/11 Schaffhausen – Zermatt to hike and ski
I was invited to Switzerland by my friends that I met on my Nepal Trek. It was an invitation I couldn’t turn down….A little history of the areas I was visiting.
In 1928 St. Moritz hosted the 1928 Winter Olympic Games and the stadium still stands today. It later hosted the 1948 Winter Olympic Games and over 30 Engadin Ski Marathons since 1978. It has also hosted many other events since, including some unlikely ones on the frozen lake in the 1970s and 1980s such as a golf tournament, (1979), a polo tournament (every year in February starting in 1985) and cricket (1989). St. Moritz has also been the venue for many Sailing and Windsurfing World Championships. Since the registration of a new trademark by the tourist office in 1987, St. Moritz is also known as Top of the World.
The Morteratsch Glacier was a well worth the hike from the train station with the cold blue ice cave. Posts marked to show each year’s receding amount.
Then the evening of fine dining at El Paradiso at 2181m (7155 ft) Alpine hut and authentic regional gourmet cuisine was amazing and the sunset views…. They also had an Iglu Village.
Then off to Schaffhausen, in the very North of Switzerland the old portion of the city has many fine Renaissance era buildings decorated with exterior frescos and sculpture, as well as the impressive old canton fortress, the Munot. A train runs out of town to the nearby Rhine Falls in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Europe's Largest waterfall, a tourist attraction.
Schaffhausen is located in a finger of Swiss territory surrounded on three sides by Germany. On April 1, 1944, Schaffhausen suffered a bombing raid by United States Army Air Forces aircraft which strayed from German airspace into neutral Switzerland. About a hundred civilians were killed;[6] the United States immediately offered a million dollars in reparations. (wasn’t so sure how I would be greeted after being told the History of US here)? So much history and beautiful buildings and castles, even enjoyed lunch in a castle and a rainbow over the Rhine Falls.
Then packed and off by train to Zermatt, one of my favorite places ever!! A no car Village!
Arrived in Zermatt Sat and it was snowing, yeah!! Sunday we rented skis and took gondola up to do a hike at high elevation.
Full sun and warm temps, hardly any wind, it was a perfect week of skiing!
One advanced area run was just below the Matterhorn and had bumps and fast sharp corners, much fun dodging fallen skiers..
The ski run from the Klein Matterhorn to Zermatt is 8 ml and 7250 ft of varied terrain. As the week went by, it because quite fun with soft bumps and hard crust at different points and many laughs as tired skiers took some interesting dumps! It was a blast at the end of everyday to ski all the way back down to Zermatt Village where buses waited to take you to the bars and hotels..this became a ritual where we would meet our friends at a bar around the corner form our Hotel..It was on our way…..
We had to be careful as avalanche danger was high, we heard many break…5 people died while we were there, close by to where we were skiing and one is still buried not found yet.
We also skied over to the Italian slopes of Cervina where we stopped at the hut and had Pasta bolognaise and drinks on the sunny porch looking down at Italy. We could see Mont Blanc and many high peaks.. The Italian area was less steep and well groomed but we made a bunch of fast runs and enjoyed the area.
So after a complete circle of Switzerland and much fine wine, Swiss Chocolate, Breads, fondue, Grappa, Kirsch, and wonderful friends I return to US for a beautiful April 1st snowstorm!!
I know many pics as always form me....so I put them in 3 links for your viewing pleasure..
I hope you enjoy! Link to Zermatt pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/hikerd...authkey=Gv1sRgCLur6pW2vNr-5wE&feat=directlink
Link to St Moritz/Engadin Ski Marathon pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/hikerd...authkey=Gv1sRgCKiEy-eUpMerswE&feat=directlink
Link to Schaffhausen pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/hikerd...authkey=Gv1sRgCPTwqODLluKfuAE&feat=directlink
