Jungfraujoch to Mönchsjochhütte

We needed a break from the unrelenting heat, and decided a trip to the "Top of Europe" might be just the ticket.  This is a very popular and very expensive activity.  We booked our tickets at the tourism office in Lauterbrunnen, where the staff is very patient and helpful, and selected an early morning departure.  There is a lot to see at Jungfraujoch, both inside and out, and just getting there is quite the journey.  The train ride is about an hour and a half in each direction, including a transfer to a different train at Kleine Scheidegg.  I absolutely love trains, so the entire journey was very exciting for me.

We didn't eat breakfast before our departure, because nothing in Lauterbrunnen is open that early.  That meant we had to stop at the snack bar upon disembarking from the highest train station in Europe to purchase some exceptionally pricey and decidedly mediocre food.  There are several full restaurants at the Top of Europe, but we didn't want to dedicate the time to a sit-down meal.  We should have been a little smarter, like another family near us on the train ride up, who had purchased food at the grocery store the day before to eat on the train.  After getting some fuel down, we started through the prescribed route through the building.  It was interesting to read about the scientific research conducted here, and to see the views from the very crowded Sphinx Observation Deck.  But mostly we just wanted to get outside...

the Aletsch Glacier from the Sphinx Observation Deck

Finally we popped out of the tunnel into the snow.  Right outside the portal is a lot of "adventure" activities: a zip line, sledding, golf, etc.  These were all very appealing to Frankie, of course, so we stopped to investigate.  I was relieved to find out they weren't open yet, and after promising the kid we would walk right by here on our way back, we set off on the hike to Mönchsjochhütte.  The trail is a wide groomed pathway through the snow, which travels uphill at gentle grades.  It was initially quite crowded, but apparently many people turn back after a short exploration, for the crowds thinned out considerably the further along we got.  Some folks were visibly struggling with the altitude, but none of us had trouble.  We simply moved very slowly.

looking back - Sphinx Observatory is atop the rocky peak to the right

The website says the hut is a 45 minute walk, but we took well over an hour.  We did stop for a lot of pictures, but that was inevitable.  It is exhilarating to be up so high, and not something we often have the opportunity to do.  We wanted to soak it all in.  There was also the need for snowball throwing, of course. 

Of course we had to get another snack at the hut: it is the highest serviced hut in Switzerland!  We also bought a few postcards, then wrote and mailed them.  Yup... it is also the highest "post office" in Switzerland.  It's a good rule of travel: always send mail from mountain huts when the opportunity presents itself.  We did this in the Dolomites, too.  So much fun knowing these particular postcards likely started their journey by snowmobile. 

After our snacks at the hut, we returned the same way we came, but it was somewhat quicker on the return trip because we were heading downhill, plus it was an out-and-back, so we'd already photographed the exact trail and views. 

Once we got back down, we had to let Frankie enjoy some of the now bustling activities.  Erwin waited in the long, long line with him for the zip line ride.  I lost interest in that after watching a few people go down.  There were no brakes of any kind, and the riders stop only by crashing into the snow.  Erwin confirmed that his pants were full of snow after being dragged a bit when he crash-landed; just as I suspected.  Frankie LOVED it of course.  He was also very excited by the indoor sights, which Erwin and I mostly found to be somewhat kitschy and tedious. 

For us, this experience was absolutely worth it, but ONLY because we enjoyed the hike to the Mönchsjochhütte so much.  If we hadn't been able to get outside and onto the snow, away from the massive crowds, it would have been a very different and much less pleasant experience.  I wouldn't want to book tickets too far in advance, because good weather is a must to get the best outdoor experience up here.  The hike is about 2.4 miles roundtrip with approximately 600 feet elevation gain.  Elevation at the Mönchsjochhütte is 11,975 feet.  Being out on the glacier was really fantastic!