Snowshoeing in Melchsee-Frutt

**Some catch-up posts are in order, dear readers.  We're taking you back to March for this one.**

Switzerland is the land of skiing.  Ritzy ski resorts, perilous slopes, bragging rights, and perhaps a little more time spent on the après than on the piste.  Swiss children learn how to ski soon after they learn to walk.  The Swiss Ms was not so fortunate.  Her first ski adventure took place well after the higher order functions of her brain were able to connect "going fast" to "breaking bones".  Higher order functions can really take the fun out of skiing.

After nearly an entire winter of avoiding the slopes (and exploring Italian cities instead), we bought an SBB RailAway deal for a day of snowshoeing.  

Perhaps more than any other trip, this day exemplified the beauty of Swiss transport.  Each part of our journey connected to the next nearly seamlessly.  

After taking a train to Luzern, we boarded Die Zentralbahn to the heart of Switzerland, Interlaken.  We exited the train at Sarnen and there waiting for the train, were 3 buses anticipating the influx of weekend visitors to the mountains.

Each bus was equipped with a trailer to hold skis, poles, helmets, sleds, etc, thus saving room on the bus itself for passengers.  

The bus delivered us right to the base of the Stockalp where the gondola whisked you into the mountains.

Our RailAway deal included discounted snowshoe rentals available steps away at Stockalp, round trip train fare, and lift tickets.

Armed with a map we set out to explore the snowshoeing trails.

http://www.melchsee-frutt.ch

The pink lines on the map above indicate snowshoeing trails.  We started our hike by heading towards Erzegg.  It was a sizable climb for first-time showshoers like ourselves and the trail was not well broken due to the recent snowfall.  However, we were rewarded with excellent views.   

Unbroken snow = hard to follow trail

Landmarks like these houses and stream were helpful.

At last, we arrived at Erzegg.

Next stop: Tannalp for lunch.

The snow on this trail was deep.  Compare this photo to the picture above where the sign post is far above our heads.  I think its safe to assume that both polls are about the same height.  

The trail to Tannalp was blissfully downhill, albeit very steep in parts.  It was more heavily traveled than the path to Erzegg.

What hits the spot after hours of climbing in the Swiss prealps?

Bratwurst with onion sauce and alplermagronen with fried onions and applesauce.  That bottle of water was 8 CHF.  We drank all of our water en route and there were no water fountains at this little restaurant.  It had to be done.

Irish Coffee for dessert.

Outdoor seating was popular, but the tables were full when we arrived.

The trip back to Melchsee-Frutt took us on a very well-groomed trail.  It would have been possible to complete this leg of the journey without snowshoes.  

Although it's hard to tell from this picture, the snowshoe/ hiking trail paralleled separate groomed trails for classic cross country skiing and skate skiing.  Maybe next time?

We learned a few lessons from our first snowshoeing experience:

1) We overdressed.  Snowshoeing is a workout.  A heavy coat is not necessary.

2) High altitude sun is no joke.  High altitude sun + reflective snow is worse.  Apply sunscreen everywhere and often.  (Reapply after you blow your nose.  Trust me.)

3) Stay on the trail.  With snow this deep, its impossible to know what snow is supported by ground underneath, and what snow isn't.  Watching fellow snowshoers stray from the path made us nervous, especially considering the steep trough between Erzegg and Tannalp.  As a Swiss once told me: "Respect the mountain".

Thanks for reading!

-The Merry Swiss Ms