You may not find this terribly rewarding unless you're included here, so this is a good time for casual and random browsers to turn back before they get too caught up in the sweep and majesty of the proceedings and can't let go.
A stop-in at Kleine Scheidegg
Alison and Mark's visit, 3-6 October 2017
Mid-morning at the berghotel Rosenlaui, 5 October -- the terrasse facilities are all set up for the crowds that will surely come if the temperature goes up about 10°C.
We're waiting for the 10:04 postal bus up to the Grosse Scheidegg pass and down the other side to the famous resort-village of Grindelwald.
We're off, up past Schwarzwaldalp, but now paused for some reason . . .
. . . in fact, paused to await the downhill bus to meet us at a passing place.
Down the other side to Grindelwald, and its bahnhof or rail station (1034m altitude)
The cogtrain to Kleine Scheidegg has just pulled out -- we watched it slide off down the hill.
So we've got half an hour to cool our heels.
That's the bus bahnhof just across the street from the rail station, a hub for local routes, including ours. The Wetterhorn is looming in the background.
Kleine Scheidegg (2061m), a 33-minute cogtrain ride up from Grindelwald -- it's a zoo, and has been increasingly a zoo every time we've come over the years. But the vast crowds are capably managed, and despite the faded old Coca-Cola teepee alongside it, we've always loved the old station building.
Just left of the cute station building, this is the cogtrain up through the Eiger to the Jungfraujoch, at 3454m the "Top of Europe"™, for all eager sightseers who are prepared to spring CHF 128 (US$ 127.98) each to go up and have a look, and to come back down.
Not my photo! I did it once, back in the mid-'80s, took Me Mum there in fact, very impressive, but was paying off the cost of it until 1991.
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The lovely Coca-Cola teepee
A helicopter at work, ferrying huge metal posts up onto the ridge, presumably building yet another skilift up the nearby Lauberhorn
Last call for the Jungfraujoch -- most of the passengers appear to be Japanese, who one hopes are getting a generous group rate on the fare.
The Eiger Nordwand hotel, with good views of the Eiger from the terrace
The Eiger North Wall again, always in shadow
Most of our party: Alison, Mark, and Kristin
With the rest of our party (photo by Kristin)
Another Jungfraujoch train coming back down. The train route through the Eiger to the Joch or 'saddle' near the Jungfrau summit was begun in 1896 and completed in 1912.
There are quite few more Kleine Scheidegg photos on this site here.
For the main rail lines, down to Grindelwald in one direction and to Wengen and Lauterbrunnen in the other, we have the marshaling yards, where pre-booked groups are lined up and prepared for boarding successions of designated train cars back down to the hotels.
Still my favorite photo-angle on Kleine Scheidegg
Our road back down to Grindelwald, with the pass at Grosse Scheidegg on the horizon. We're hoping this won't take too long -- we need to catch the last bus over the pass to Rosenlaui.
The Mittellegi mounteering hut on the eastern ridge of the Eiger
A look back up at Kleine Scheidegg, with the Hotel Bellevue des Alps, in business since 1840
The Eiger Nordwand again, from below
The cogtrain line from Grindelwald, passing through a long stretch of galleries to protect it from avalanche and rockfall
A wayside map of the "classic route" up the Eiger Nordwand
Scrutinizing the map -- we're looking for the famous windows out onto the north face from the train line up inside the mountain.
We've spotted the windows (for the first time in many visits), just below the purple dot
The windows on the Nordwand
The cogtrain
A common type of cattleguard here through an electrified fence -- perhaps the answer to Wisconsin problems with the deer.
It's beginning to look more than likely that we won't reach Grindelwald in time for the last bus. Oh Fudge.
We are hurrying, but still . . .
So when we reach the Alpiglen berghaus, where the cogtrain line crosses our path -- our decision is a no-brainer. (photo by Alison)
We'll take the last train down the hill . . .
. . . and stuff in a hearty late-afternoon lunch before it gets here.
Grindelwald centre -- still a long way down
And the Grosse Scheidegg pass awaiting us
We're planted in the bus yard in Grindelwald (determined not to miss the last one)
Occupying our waiting time with the hijinks of the Goats Fair
We have no idea what all the goats were doing there all day, but now they're going home again . . .
. . . and blocking the traffic.
From our bus up to Grosse Scheidegg, here's a precariously perched something-or-other, apparently a viewing station for the glaciers formerly there behind it, reached by cablecar and now (again apparently) out of use.
Back to Rosenlaui in a light rain, already hungry again
Our cheery salon -- so when's dinner then, eh?
Contemplative diners awaiting the main course in the Hotel Rosenlaui (photo by Alison)
After a pre-dawn dash to get Mark and Alison to the train in Meiringen (thence to the airplane in Geneva, thence to the UK, from which Hawaii), back up to regather our wits and leave Rosenlaui in a more dignified manner.
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All rights reserved, all wrongs avenged. Posted 8 November 2017. 
