Grimentz to Gruben

I am finding it a little hard to blog about this hiking trip. . . Not much happens during the day. We wake up each morning, pack, eat breakfast, and leave to go hiking. When we are hiking it is about putting one foot in front of the other and taking in the breathtaking views a round you. Honestly, there are times when I am only thinking about the one foot in front of another that I need to stop and remember to look around.

Today we are leaving the French speaking area of Switzerland and heading to the German speaking area. We are heading to a tiny hamlet named Gruben tucked into a remote area of the alps. Our hike today is only 2,050 ft up but a grueling 3,200 ft down. I am an uphill hiker. . . even though up hill can be strenuous I love the uphill. I HATE downhill. . .my legs tense up. . . I am glacial slow going down!

The beginning of the hike was through green meadows with our now best friends the cows!

Okay. . . Perhaps I haven't hit my stride yet. . .it was early in the morning!

This a photo of the tail end hikers of today. When hiking in groups, there tends to be fast, moderate, and slower hikers. In this group, we have 3 very fast hikers and the rest of us can move between the moderate and slow groups depending on the day and the terrain. We call our fastest group, the Tribex (3 ibex). I do not have a picture of them because we are never in the same place at the same time! I am usually a last moderate or a first slow hiker on the uphills. Downhill I am usually the last of the slow!

You can always tell when you are getting closer to the actual pass when the terrain turns to stones!

Jeanna and I at the pass! I am trying to enjoy the moment because I know it is all downhill from here!

We are hitting the tree line and the path gets very steep heading into Gruben.

Okay for a moment we thought we were seeing a mirage. . . a large teepee in the middle of the alps! I guess there is a Swiss fascination with American cowboys and Indians!

The drinking water in Switzerland is very fresh and you often see these faucets and troughs that you can fill your water bottles from! The water is ice cold!

We can see our goal but there is MUCH hiking before getting to the bottom!

We finally made it to the the inn, it was great to sit and have a drink outside with our friends!