[Removed user]

18 January 2017 at 18:48:51 #810611

Hello everyone!

My boyfriend and I are planning our first trip ever to Europe in July. We will be visiting my sister in Germany first, then driving to Switzerland, before heading to Italy. We are avid hikers and looking for a great trail somewhere in the Alps. We’ve been having a hard time finding a hike that includes all our wishes (we know it’s a long list). We would like:

• one day (4-8 hours)
• moderate/medium level difficulty
• panoramic views
• a trail that loops back to where it began
• a place to park a car at the start
• preferably free or low cost
• nothing that requires more equipment then basic hiking shoes

I was looking at Saas Grund-Saas Almagell (Hohenweg Almagelleralp?) but found many reviews saying there are better trails.

The Jungfrau seems promising but I haven’t been able to find a specific trail that meets our desires.

Just wondering if anyone has some other suggestions! Also I’m open to suggestions and advice on renting a car, driving the roads, and really anything else! Thank you all in advance!!

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[Slowpoke]

19 January 2017 at 3:05:22 #858183

Hi Kimberlllymd –

Welcome to My Swiss Alps.

There are many such options throughout all of Switzerland. The hiking trail network ( die Wanderwege) offers endless combinations, and good maps are available. Your list can be matched many places that are not actually in the Alps.

Der Weg der Schweiz (The Swiss Path) meet all the stated requirements except for being in the Alps, using public transport to close the loop, depending on just how much of the full trail you wish to take.

This link mentions it at the beginning and you can take the search from there:

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/the-swiss-path-and-southern-lake-lucerne

It is also in the Switzerland Mobility web sight linked further down this post, foe example, at:

http://www.wanderland.ch/en/r outes/route-099.html

which leads you to all three stages.

However, even if you restrict yourself to alpine regions, as you request, some work with topo maps can show you many such trails. So can the links I have provided below.

Finally, I urge you to forget about parking your car at the trailhead. Noy necessary. Public transport can get you to/from your car if it is anywhere near the trail, in almost all cases.

<<“The Jungfrauseems promising but I haven’t been able to find a specific trail that meets our desires.”>>

Perhaps you could combine some of the shorter hikes. My favorite detailed list of hikes in the area has been stripped of data and made into “panels” for smartphones. Now useless.

Nonetheless, This map: will give you an overview of the region.

http://www.swissholidayco.com /Public/Assets/User/fi les/Map-of-Jungfrauregion1.jpg

Various maps will help understand the trails. Here is the best, most detailed, and complete:

map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=ech&lang=en&bgLa yer=ch.swisstopo.pixel karte-farbe&layers=ch.bav.ha ltestellen-oev,ch.swisstopo.swiss tlm3d-wanderwege&layers_visi bility=false,true&X=16 2096.87&Y=638410.10&zo om=5

Color coding follows the convention:

http://www.alpenwild.com/stat icpage/trail-signs-in-the-swiss-alps/

There are others that can give information about the route of specific hikes, with altitude profiles at

map.wanderland.ch/?lang=de&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=50&X =623750&Y=162250&layer s=Wanderland

Search by place name, if you can’t find a route from the map.

This is a useful document for the region. Kim is an experienced hiker:

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim

One thing concerns me. You say that you are experienced hikers, but that you want what are basically mountain trails and hope to hike without boots or hiking staffs. I think your wishes are incompatible. The red trails demand boots or sturdy shoes with ankle support. Blue are technical hiking/climbing. In theory, yellow only require decent shoes, but my experience has been that many are rugged enough that light shoes are inadequate. Perhaps I misunderstand “basic hiking shoes.”

Also, the Jungfrau region is car free, but that does not rule out your requirement about “place to park” since the transport network is dense and effective.

Hope you can make me wrong about equipment

Also, look here:

http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king

Slowpoke