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Wow, that’s tremendous! Have fun!
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Have a great time @John58 ! Looking forward to more great photos 
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Nice! Switzerland is such a beautiful country.
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Very envious of the venue, despite all the heat warnings for Europe! It’s been way too long since my last visit! Enjoy!!
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Do I see some Appenzeller on that cheese plate? One of my favourites. Or I should say, one of my dozens of favourites.
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I was lucky enough in high school to do a 3-week summer educational bus tour with my German teacher and 8-10 classmates, through southern Germany, Austria, and part of Switzerland. We hiked and bussed through the outskirts of Oberammergau, Bad Kolgrub, Ettal, the city and outskirts of Innsbruck and Lucerne, many churches, sights, and eateries along the way. My USAF career saw several returns to Southern Germany and Belgium, allowing me to further explore buy local breads and cheese for meals. The wife and I met up with my daughter an her husband in Garmisch one year for Christmas and go up the Zugspitze, clearing clouds at the top for fantastic views, and again wonderful meals, Christmas Markets, Gluhwein, sausages…perhaps a bit touristy but fun and delicious…and on the night before departure 2’ of snow over Oberammergau with us being first to King Ludwig’s Cross…something I always wanted to see and absolutely gorgeous.
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The weather has been sketchy cold and cloudy with T storms roaming around. Started the Via Alpina trek yesterday east of Engelberg and today west from Engelberg to a mountain hotel at Engstlenalp. (That tiny speck to the right of the lake in the pic). Temps in the low 40’s at 7000 feet plus where we crossed a pass.
This trek involved splitting my gear in two with one large backpack shipped ahead via the railroad and a smaller pack on my back to go a few days with. The best thing about hiking here is no need for tent, sleeping bag, cooking gear etc. D gear: enough everything to last the entire rest of trip is in each bag…no matter which one gets lost I still have enough D stuff!
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I can’t even begin to compete with @John58 's beautiful pics, but I do get lots of hummingbirds. So far we have identified 4 types that visit our feeder. Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Anna’s Hummingbirds, Allen’s Hummingbirds, and the ruffians of the group - Rufous Hummingbirds.
Watching the interactions between the groups is better that TV most days.
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@elver My wife has two hummingbird feeders at our cabin near Berkeley Springs WV. We seem to only get on variety…”red throated”? Where about s are you that you get a variety? She really liked your colorful feeder! Glass or plastic?
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@John58 That’s gorgeous territory! I envy your trip! Years back I was in Boy Scouts in San Diego (I know, bad rep these days, we had a great time) and the two troops I was in hiked a lot (San Jacinto, Mount Gorgonio, El Camino Real, Borrego Springs, etc.) in mountains, coastal, and deserts. Highlight was doing two Sierra Treks for 8-9 days, 60-80 miles: Mineral King to Whitney Portal (up Mt Whitney) and Kings Canyon to Bishop’s pass (may not have the last one right). We climber up from the headwaters of the Kern River to Crabtree Meadow at about a 45 degree angle, camped a Guitar Lake just under Whitney, had 14” Golden Trout for dinner! I left a fishing pole just below Bishop’s pass on re-packing during a break! Molded me for later life!…
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We had a fantastic hike today, Engstlenalp to Meiringen. Weather cleared up and warmed up so all is well. Not sure I explained the whole basis for the trip…40th wedding anniversary splurge with Kathy my wife. We have gone hut-to-hut several times in the Alps and Dolomites and enjoyed. The splurge part of this trip is going hotel to hotel rather than mountain huts. We are hiking the middle stages of the Via Alpina, starting east of Engelberg and ending west of Adelboden. Stopping for a few days in a few of our favorite towns for day trips.
Anybody looking for unbelievable luxury hiking trips in the Alps be sure to ask me for ideas, I am overflowing with recommendations.
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Happy 40th Anniversary!! Great way to celebrate!
I, too, love Switzerland! I’ve hiked around Wengen and Grindalwald.
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Happy anniversary to you both @John58 and Kathy! 
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Thanks! I feel a Christmas present coming!
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@John58 Happy Anniversary to both you and Kathy! Quite the adventure, even if using hotels! Enjoy!
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@John58 your trip sounds like a dream! I will be back to you for recommendations on hikes/itineraries and certainly hotels! Happy, happy anniversary!
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I have no idea what the nightly rate is but the glamping looks mighty fine at 2000 meters, Hahenmoos Pass at Adelboden.
The hiking part of the trip is about wrapped up, now we are doing day hikes in a ski town. Lots of fun because some of the lifts are running for hikers to go up or down and rest their knees. We totaled about 150 miles in 2 weeks which is pretty good for our ages. Did not lose any of my D supplies and maybe lost a few pounds along the way.
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