Switzerland: A four-day trek in the Alps
A cable car takes tired hikers back down to the Lauterbrunnen valley from here; Sulwald (1530 m)
Fog-hung wildflowers on the way down the mountain; Chueboom (1600 m)
Lauterbrunnen valley unveiled after the storm; Lobhornhutte (1955 m)
Alpine shepherd's hut, bedecked with cowbells
Watering trough familiar to thirsty hikers. Make sure you understand some Swiss-German though: "Kein Trinkwasser" means "NOT drinking water" . Leave it to the cows when you see this label!
A summer thunderstorm rolls over the mountaintops; Lobhorner (2566 m)
Nervous sentinels guard the pass between Schwalmere (2777 m) and Lobhorner (2566 m)
A mountain farm teeters precariously on the edge of the mountain face; Schwalmere
Alpine hut residents: the human variety are as welcoming as their animal charges are curious. Hikers be warned!
The morning's wakeup call... You'll never think of cowbells the same way again.
Schwalmere's massif from Kander valley on the other side. As usual, cows graze in the foreground.
Kander Valley
A view into Kander valley, descending from Sefinenfugge (2612 m)
Alpine hut beneath Sefinenfugge
A Swiss dog keeps a watchful eye on intruders from its post beneath the hut bench
Eye candy along the way
Kander valley fron the Hundshorn (2929 m) face
A mountain stream carves its way through a melting June glacier
Stealth-camping on the mountain face; Hundshorn (2929 m)
Roaming sheep mingle with wild mountain goats in the darkening night, eyes gleaming back at the camera
Sunset on the descent from Sefinenfugge (2612 m)
Mountain ranges pile upon each other in the distance, dwindling into the evening light; Sefinenfugge pass (2612 m)
A view from the top; Sefinenfugge pass (2612 m)
Wildflowers brave the icy spring water, even hardier than grasses at this height
Sefinental valley from the top; Poganggen (2039 m)
Looking up toward Sefinenfugge pass (2612 m)
Sefinental valley
A clear mountain stream provides a welcome drink and refreshing shower to hot backpackers; Sefinental valley
A glacier-fed river tumbles toward Lauterbrunnen valley, churning itself into icy froth along the rocks; Sefinental valley
The evening sun glances off the tops of the mountains while the rest of the valley sits in shadow; Sefinental valley; Im Tal (1259 m)
A feline guide escorts us on the first leg of our hike, out of Gimmelwald (1363 m)
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