Location: Gimmelwald, Switzerland
Description:
Gimmelwald is a small village in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland, halfway up the mountain between Stechelberg and Mürren, at an elevation of 1363 meters (4472 feet). The Schilthorn cable car stops in Gimmelwald where it is possible to board another cable car which runs between Gimmelwald and Mürren.
In addition to a shop that sells fresh cheeses, Gimmelwald also possesses its own school and firehouse. Farming and tourism are the main occupations. Farmers raise hay on tiny plots of land to feed small herds of cows. Gimmelwald has a few small hotels, bed & breakfasts and the 50-bed Gimmelwald Mountain Hostel. It was saved from development as a ski resort by having it falsely declared an avalanche zone.[1]
The 2003 population of Gimmelwald was 130, most of whom have one of three family names: von Allmen, Feuz, or Brunner.
Important info: Take the train to Interlochen. Than journery your way through the valley to the higher elevation. There is a mountain hostel half way up the mountain (there is a cable car that goes there). This place is amazing and you must do the hike that starts at the hostel and ends on the peak opposite of the hostel… there is a bunk there to stay. Definitely do this hike, than come back to the hostel and soak in the hostel while staring at the stars and the mountain peak you just climbed.
Lesson: This is an incredibly spiritual place. When hiking up the alps, I learned that the journey is the goal. The hard hike was worth all the suffering…. to this day is one of the biggest life changing experiences of my life. I realized that though it was good to have goals, the real beauty lies in the journey. And when I sat on top of the mountain and watched the sunset over the glaciers, I realized that one must not get caught up in end results, one must enjoy the journey. Because at the end of it, death is the only inevitable goal we all share, so enjoy the beauty of life and enjoy the journey, all the journeys, for that is the true goal.