Kleine Scheidegg-Wengen, CH, Jan. 22, 2024

Tony Crocker

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Liz and I spent three nights at the half board Alpenrose Hotel in Wengen. Since our first day Saturday was the only one with a clear weather forecast we prioritized the Jungfraujoch viewpoint at 11,300 feet. The train rides and activities consumed 3 hours so we only skied 12,200 vertical. The weather and being Saturday made it very busy. We were the only people wearing ski boots, as there were tons of Asian tourists who were spending 200CHF to go up there. It was 63CHF extra for us with a 3 or more day lift ticket.

Sunday we were at Murren-Schilthorn, much quieter than Saturday. We had soup and strudel at the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant, so about 1.5 hours there with view deck and the James Bond On Her Majesties Secret Service exhibit. We took hundreds of pics on Saturday and Sunday, so it will be a daunting task to go through them.

On our departure day Monday the weather was overcast, and chances of rain to 6,000+ feet were 20% by noon and 50% by 2PM. We packed and got to the Mannlichen tram about 9:45 so we could ski most of the runs we missed Saturday.
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James:
I'm trying to recall if I've ever seen one of those signs in a German-speaking area.
Does this count?
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Liz noted this sign near the top of Mannlichen.
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On Sunday at Murren I inadvertently skied into one of these parapente takeoff areas and had to traverse out through some ugly refrozen snow.

We skied pistes to the Mannlichen and Lager chairs before moving on to the Honegg, Arven and Eigernordwand chairs we had not skied Saturday. View of Kleine Scheidegg at center and the Jungfraujoch buildings are in the saddle of the top ridge between the Monch and the Jungfrau.
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The chair and gondola towers from left lead to the Eigergletscher station where we caught the train to the top on Saturday.

After one run on Honegg we rode Eigernordwand, which closed for wind (a localized breeze by Mammoth standards). We still skied its 26 piste because the Arven chair still gets up to the pass at Kleine Scheidegg.

We skied into Kleine Scheidegg just as the train was departing on the Grindelwald side.
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Another Kleine Scheidegg view:
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We took a couple laps on the Lauberhorn chair, which had these only in Switzerland lift tower ads.
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We had to wait for a Swiss meat wagon near the bottom of the Lauberhorn lift.
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It took off and was soon tiny with the Eiger background.
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We declined skiing the Lauberhorn downhill World Cup run at 4:00pm Saturday due to likely flying bodies and scraped snow. We skied it Monday 12:30, smooth, deserted and during the only sunny break of the day with nice spring snow on the lower half.
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Some of the protective netting is still up from the prior weekend World Cup race.

From this area we have a good view across the valley to Murren at lower left and the Brig and Schilthorn front and back peaks with tram stations at center.
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Coming into Wengen there is short uphill with this rope top for assistance.
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On Saturday there were too many people so the rope tow stopped as it couldn’t handle the weight. We skied 16,200 vertical and the hotel van met us at the train station with our luggage to catch the 1:42 train down to Lauterbrunnen.

We got on the road at 2:20 and the predicted rain hit hard from 3-5pm while driving toward Dijon, where we spent the next two days avoiding some marginal ski weather.
 
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Shame you didn't have clear blue skies - the grandeur of the famous trio is overwhelming.
Since our first day Saturday was the only one with a clear weather forecast we prioritized the Jungfraujoch viewpoint at 11,300 feet. The train rides and activities consumed 3 hours so we only skied 12,200 vertical.
If you get a clear weather day in the Jungfrau, prioritize the mind blowing Jungfraujoch scenery over the skiing.
 
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I've only visited this part of Switzerland in the summer (1983). I recognize the famous hotel featured in Clint Eastwood's film:
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Since our first day Saturday was the only one with a clear weather forecast we prioritized the Jungfraujoch viewpoint at 11,300 feet. The train rides and activities consumed 3 hours so we only skied 12,200 vertical. The weather and being Saturday made it very busy. We were the only people wearing ski boots, as there were tons of Asian tourists who were spending 200CHF to go up there. It was 63CHF extra for us with a 3 or more day lift ticket.

That is a good deal! I am somewhat baffled that the lift companies will gauge day visitors but not skiers. I have avoided the Jungfaujoch due to price/value issues.

I want to return to the Jungfrau area on one trip - primarily to ski Muren and its off-piste under 'fresher' conditions. But likely would add another day to ski and do the Jungfraujoch train and complex.

I am not a train aficionado, but I did enjoy starting my days in Zermatt in April 2019 by taking the Zermatt-to-Gornergrat railway to access the Hohtalli cable car sector. I would get the first train, secure the more scenic right side (facing uphill) window seat, and sip a coffee, watching the Matterhorn go by at a leisurely pace.
 
Sunday we were at Murren-Schilthorn, much quieter than Saturday.

What was the process to get to Murren from Wengen? Looked interesting.

I was based in Grindelwald, so I walked to First, took the bus to Kleine Scheidegg, and drove to the Stechelberg cable car to access Murren.

It's interesting how the Jungfrau incorporates cable cars, gondolas, railways and funiculars in its lift network/ski domain.
 
What was the process to get to Murren from Wengen? Looked interesting.
Sorry that will be my final Euro TR, and not soon as we leave for Canada this afternoon.
1) Train from Wengen down to Lauterbrunnen (runs every half hour)
2) Tram up to Grutschalp (seems coordinated about 10 minutes after Wengen train arrives)
3) Train from Grutschalp to Winteregg, which has a chairlift so you can start skiing. This train continues on to Murren for those staying there.
I think this process took about 55 minutes in the morning and 45 returning to Wengen after skiing. Skiers based in Grindelwald can take a train to Lauterbrunnen though it's much longer and might involve a change in Zweilutschinen.\

Trains go to Kleine Scheidegg (which also has overnight hotels) from both Grindelwald and Wengen.
 
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