21 Mar Magical Swiss hiking experiences

It is often through the eyes of others that you are reminded of the magic around you. This week some overseas friends came for a magical Swiss hiking experience and stayed in a small, tucked-away mountain village which I love. It was beautifully refreshing to see my mountain area through their eyes, and made me see that, like in any job, we all get a bit blasé.

My friends were here to relax and initially thought they didn’t want to engage with the higher mountain environment. However, once I described the magical Swiss hiking experiences just off the beaten track, their interest perked up. The glistening glaciers and mountain summits that soar above the Rhone valley really can’t be missed.  On this side of the Alps we see the highest peaks including the Dufourspitze, which is the highest mountain in Switzerland at 4634 m, the Matterhorn at 4478m and the Dent Blanche at 4357m.

Hiking through the Swiss wardrobe door

Down in a mountain village it is almost impossible to imagine the thrilling ambiance of the mountains above. Similar to the magical wardrobe in C.S. Lewis’ children’s book, once you step inside you are transported to another world. Pick the right door and you will discover truly magical hiking surroundings.

You feel the energy of the magnificent summits here as soon as you start to approach them. We do this on ski touring skis in winter and in the summer we need to wait until at least June, when the high altitude snow finally melts.

Lunar landscapes in another world

Proximity to the glaciers makes these hikes so spectacular. Nobody expects the myriad of green hues that you encounter on a Swiss hiking experience. These contrast with the dazzling white of the glacier that rises up to meet you. Cascading milky blue waters also carve out rivers through the glacier. These landscapes are like nothing else.

Even on a warm day the wind can have a bite that will take your breath away, so wrap up warm. Walking next to a massive ice monster that seems to have a life of it’s own, you’ll hear groans and creaks as you travel. We like to hike right up to the glacier to get a feel for it and sometimes we put on our crampons to investigate its crevasses and interior water falls.  The icy blue glacial ponds invite you to dip your toe in, but when you do touch them you realise that this water is much colder than you would feel elsewhere. It is invigorating to be completely surrounded by ice.

Waking from the dream

Descending from the glacier feels like coming back from the moon. The difference in temperature, colours and smells hits you. Even sounds become louder as the birds welcome you back, reminding you that civilization is close by. It’s not surprising that the locals in these mountain areas were often intimidated by this majestic, other-worldly terrain.

We are lucky that today, with our technical knowledge and equipment, we can go through that doorway and be instantly transported into a magical Swiss hiking world.

Change your perspective in nature for a moment and join us on a magical Swiss hiking experience.

Warm regards from the mountains,

Danielle