The Jungfraujoch Mountain is situated between Monch and Jungfrau in the Burnese Alps. On our trip there we left from Interlacken, Switzerland taking a modern cogwheel train to Kleine Scheidegg at 6,762 feet. From there we took the Jungfrau cogwheel train to the Eiger Glacier Station and then through the Eiger tunnel. (In comparison, this train was woefully lacking in any type of amenities, having only hard wooden seats and with people crammed so tightly together, we were like worms in a bucket. But being cramped together with people, damp clothes and luggage was worth it when we arrived at the top and stepped out on the summit where the sun shone sparkling onto the snow and ice and diamonds danced in the air around us.)
The tunnel is 7.3 km (4.5 miles) long. Begun in 1896 it took sixteen years to complete. On our trip to the summit, we stopped at a viewing window in the tunnel so we could take pictures. The window was put into the hole that was used to remove excavated rock during the building of the tunnel. It has also been used as the back-drop in several movie scenes.
The station at what is advertised as the Top of the World is over 11,000 feet up. There is a hotel, two restaurants, an observatory and the Ice Palace which is in the heart of the mountain. The ceiling, floors and walls in the Ice Palace are made entirely of ice but there are handrails to hold as slipping looks entirely too easy. It is an amazing place with spectacular sculptures of Eskimos, seals, igloos, eagles, etc. There is also a tunnel that leads outside where you can walk around. When we were there, the wind was ferocious so we didn't venture too far but we did see a 13.6 mile ice stream and an overwhelming panoramic view of the Konkordiaplatz and the Aletsch Glacier and surrounding mountains. The beauty of our surroundings struggled to hold us but the cold and the wind chased us back inside before long.
Jungfraujoch Mountain is considered the 'excursion mountain'. In the summer hikers can explore the lower regions enjoying views of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. Climbing the mountain is an entirely different story. Jungfraujoch and the Eigerjoch are the most difficult passes in the Alps for mountaineers to traverse. The summit was first reached in 1811 by Johann and Hieronymus Meyer, brothers, and two hunters from Valais. Muntaineers continue to climb Jungfraujoch and the surrounding areas even though these explorations are fraught with danger. The whole area of Jungfraujoch, Monch and Eiger includes the largest glaciated area in the Swiss Alps.
Although we went by the easy route, the cogwheel train, the experience of standing on the summit beside the Swiss flag flapping loudly in the wind was an overwhelming experience. The 360 degree panoramic view of snow and ice covered rocks, rugged peaks and awesome beauty makes one feel rather insignificant in the big scheme of things, But it's one I wouldn't have wanted to miss.
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