Day 3 - Trummellbach Falls

We looked up 'how the alps were formed'.  In a nutshell it was two continental plates coming together, but apparently at some point some of the rock was heated in the process and when it came to the surface it was rumpledy.  I'm sure a geologist can do a far better job of describing this, but the cliffs in the canyon make this mismash obvious.  I'm used to seeing fairly even striations, but they don't even run in the same directions. 

Trummelbach Falls is a cascade of 10 falls that are inside the cliffside.  The Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau glaciers all drain through this point.  20,000 liters of water per second. There's a lift that takes you part way up inside the cliff with carved out stairs to view the falls from different angles. 

Another funicular, this time with only one car and a heavy stack of counterweights that go up and down with it.

I took a lot of video footage which conveys more of this magnificent site, but I can't seem to get my videos to load on the blog :(

The volume of the pounding sound of the water is unbelievable. 

I got a little dizzy peaking over the edge at some of the overlooks.  Truly terrifying power here.

To get some idea of the scale, you can see a person standing at one of the lookouts.

I try not to judge, but purple lady was totally not dressed for any kind of outdoor adventure today.  She had on white pumps and was carrying a fuzzy purple purse to match her lovely purple dress.  This is at the base of the falls and she was headed up as we came down.  I saw her about 10 minutes later in the picnic area.  She had obviously reached the same decision - that she was not prepared to hike up multiple levels of wet stairs even for a spectacular view.  What was she thinking that morning??

I was surprised that the size of the stream at the base of the falls was not bigger. It was flowing pretty fast though.  

This crazy squiggly line is my hiking app tracking us through the tunnels at Trummelbach Falls.  You can see the elevation changes as well as the curvy route to each of the viewing platforms. 

We saw a group of Swiss Scouts (male and female) as we had lunch.  I wish I'd been able to have a conversation, but it felt a little too awkward. 

After a picnic lunch, we caught the bus to head further up the canyon to Stechelberg and a two part gondola ride to Murren via Gimmelwald.