Daily Photo – Jungfrau

Daily Photo – Jungfrau

JungfrauOrder a print of this photo

So normally one doesn't talk about the Eiger and Mönch without also mentioning the Jungfrau.

This image was taken from a trail across the and above Gimmelwald.

Eiger is translated as Ogre, Mönch as Monk and Jungfrau as Virgin (or Maiden). The Jungfrau is the highest at 4158m, then the Mönch at 4099m and the Eiger at 3970m, though it's the Eiger that has all the climbing lore associated with it in general and it's north face, or Nordwand, in particular.

I'm guessing they were named by folk who'd been smoking or drinking the same stuff as the folk that named the constellations. I'm sure some hallucinogenic substance would help conjure up the back story to the names.

Although my memory has faded, I believe in my own mind that we hiked from Gimmelwald to the Schilthorn that day.

Many years later, when I visited the region with my wife, we took the cable to the Schilthorn and took the railway to the Jungfraujoch. Far less stressful on the knees.

The Jungfraujoch station is in the saddle between the Mönch and the Jungfrau. At 3454 m above sea level it's the highest station in Europe.

In addition to an expensive restaurant (everything has to be hauled up on the railway) there's an opportunity to walk out on the glacier on the south-east side. Well worth the diversion from Interlaken if you're in the area.

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