Hiking (aka suriving) around the Gelmer Lake

Discussion with the Hotel Dude:

Me and Ellen:  We're planning to do the Crystal Hike tomorrow.  Can we get there by bus?
Hotel Dude:  Yes you can but the bus only runs 4 times a day.
Me and Ellen:  Huh.  Well then.  Is there another hike you can recommend?  That's mega cool but easy?
Hotel Dude:  Totally.  You should should take [the world's scariest ever] furnicular up to the Gelmer Lake and hike around that.  It'll take you about two hours [and possibly cost you your life].
Me and Ellen:  Okay great!

First of all, the Gelmer Furnicular is at a 106% gradient.  Yikes.  It was originally built to haul materials up for the dam.  Now, in true Swiss fashion, you can pay some money and take it up for fun!

here are the tracks up the mountain

and here's the furnicular that takes you up!

The Swiss do not mess around with their hiking.  Here's the description on the website regarding the hike we did [with commentary added]:  Trail is not necessarily fully visible [no kidding]. Some parts maybe secured with ropes or chains [thank goodness]. Maybe [definitely] you need your hands for balance [or you will die]. Some parts with exposed crash hazard, scree plots, trackless [what the heck is a scree plot?].

Here we go!  Follow the white-red-white markers!

we just started and i can barely see the trail

even with the fog, it was still amazing

one wrong step and splash!

seriously?  this is the trail?

white-red-white - and under the rock we go!

thank goodness for the cables!

panorama

coming down the mountain

That was just our morning adventure!  In the afternoon, we headed to the city of Meiringen to see the Reichenbach Falls where Sherlock and Moriarty met their ends.

Sophie enjoying her hike

the falls

looking back toward town from the top

Andre hiding from the spray 

 

 

couldn't resist

  Come visit!