Via Alpina

2 Responses to Via Alpina

1. Pingback: Trekking Switzerland | Dans Life

2. Michele says:

   February 7, 2012 at 10:33 am

   Hi Dan,
   sorry you were disappointed but I can’t read this w/o making a few comments from a local. I think you set out with the wrong expectation and you missed entirely the whole point. I have been many times to the US (not yet to Alaska unfortunately…) and somehow I am not surprised about your comments, but rather disappointed. Switzerland is a small country, a quick read of the highly detailed 1:25000 map (a piece of art, used to cartograph Everest) and you can’t possibly expect true wilderness if you stay below 2500m as you did. It is the most densely and well organized trail system in the world with barns and alpine settlements well above the treeline simply because in this country until a few decades ago the subalpine zone had been intensely used and populated for centuries. Some of the easy paths you walked on were already walked on centuries before the USA existed and was part of a vital system of alpine economy with mountaneers how had to be skilled to survive in that wilderness. Today entire families go hiking in the high alps and it is the national sports, along with (backcountry) skiing and climbing. The true wilderness is in the alpine zone which, looking at your photos, you missed entirely on your trip. The entire subalpine zone below 2500m is still used for cattle raising and cheese making (unfortunately less and less) in summer from june to august.
   I recognized most places in your pics because I know the swiss valleys and peaks quite well – not sure where you got your information from – via alpina is not really a name here in Swizterland – but u really travelled over the major passes – there are much more interesting and isolated areas which can connect to an alpine traverse, but you need to get the info right. Next time I show you a few places…:-)
   Have a look at the portal where I publish some of my outings… its is the most comprehensive portal in the Alps for mountaneering and hiking (soory most of it is t in german, italian and french ..and english, but that’s what most people speak here)
   Wishing you good hikes and dives,
   Michele