I ended up spending a little more than 5 days in Switzerland with Tinu and Elsbeth, and their 1-yr old daughter Lena. (Tinu and Elsbeth used to work in the glaciers lab in Fairbanks). They were very hospitable and really went out of their way to show me around. We did several hikes in the mountains, even spending one night in an alpine hut. Though not nearly as remote as the mountains in the U.S., the Alps are definitely impressive - and very accesible. Its very easy to travel by train to a trail head, and then hike up and over the mountains to a different town where you can catch the next train home. And of course the mountains are incredibly steep and beautiful. Its no wonder that hiking is the Swiss national sport. The huts make hiking a lot more enjoyable. You could easily do a week long hike or ski trip and only need to carry some extra clothes and lunch food. The huts have everything else you need - food, water, and beds. Here are a couple of photos from my time in Switzerland:
Eating fondue in the warm sun with Keith, another glaciologist from Fairbanks who also happened to be visiting Tinu and Elsbeth.
Can you spot the hiking trail in this photo? (Hint: it starts in the lower left corner and zig zags its way up the steep mountain.)
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