Wilderness Travel 2018 Catalog of Adventures

Switzerland: The Via Alpina ONE OF THE GREAT HIKES OF THE WORLD

DAN PATITUCCI

Our journey crosses Switzerland’s Alps on the most spectacular section of Europe’s Via Alpina. PHOTO: DAN PATITUCCI

HIGHLIGHTS • Challenging hikes and stunning views of the North Face of the Alps, including the mighty Eiger • Hike the sheer-sided Lauterbrunnen (“Many Fountains”) Valley, with its 72 cascades • Explore mountain-ringed Swiss villages, from Engelberg and Murren to Kandersteg • Enjoy ancient Swiss mountain culture and beautiful chalet architecture • Overnights in lovely hotels, including a historic inn set right on the pass in Kleine Scheidegg DETAILS • 11-day trip begins in Lucerne and ends in Kandersteg • 10 nights hotels and mountain inns • All meals included except 2 lunches and 2 dinners

We’ve chosen the most spectacular section of the Via Alpina for this journey. Europe’s first trans-alpine trail, the Via Alpina links a network of age-old footpaths along the backbone of Europe’s greatest mountain range. Our “hiker’s hike” brings us from lakeside Lucerne to the alpine village of Kandersteg. Along the way, we follow airy balcony trails below ice-crowned peaks, stay in welcoming inns in historic hamlets, savor hearty meals (raclette, anyone?), and enjoy up-close views of the big massifs of the Swiss Alps, including the Eiger (13,025'), the Monch (13,401'), and the Jungfrau (11,401')— the celebrated North Face of the Alps. Days 1-6 Lucerne / Meiringen / Grindelwald / Kleine Scheidegg We get our first immersion into classic Swiss Alps landscapes as we hike winding trails to Engelberg (3,248'), a picturesque village set beneath ice-crowned Mt. Titlis. Following a balcony trail along the Gental Valley, we descend to beautiful Meiringen, site of Reichenbach Falls, where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s beloved detective Sherlock Holmes plunged to his death in The Final Problem . From the village of Grindelwald, set beneath the Eiger,

JOSÉ FUSTE RAGA

we head up to the dramatic Eiger Nordwand trail for amazing views of the Eiger’s sheer North Face.

Days 7-8 Lauterbrunnen / Murren Our riverside hike in the otherworldly Lauterbrunnen Valley, inspiration for Tolkien’s Middle Earth outpost of Rivendell, takes us past dozens of lacy waterfalls. From peaceful Murren (5,413'), the highest village in the Bernese Oberland, we enjoy a range of hiking options and our evenings include incredible sunset views of the world-famous trio of the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau. Days 9-11 Sefinenfurke Pass / Kandersteg Views are stunning from the very start as we head through alpine pastures to the dramatic Sefinenfurke Pass (8,600'), and our spectacular descent brings us into the hamlet of Griesalp. From Hohturli Pass (9,120'), we hike past icefalls to mountain-ringed Oeschinensee (5,250'), a vast, turquoise-hued glacial lake set in an amphitheater of sheer cliffs and snow-clad peaks. Depart on Day 11.

DATES Jul 23-Aug 2, 2018 Aug 20-30

TRIP COST $6795 (11-14 members) $7295 (4-10 members) Single supplement: $780

TRIP LEVEL 1 2 3 4 5 + 6 7

10 hiking days on moderate to steep trails, 5-8 hours a day, altitudes up to 9,120 feet, van support, team of up to three Trip Leaders

COMBINE ANY TWO EUROPE TRIPS FOR A $400 PER PERSON DISCOUNT! 44