weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

For the remainder of this series, I am now switching back to SWITZERLAND. I start off with a set of images taken during our spring trip in the Valais, a large mountain canton in the southwestern corner of Switzerland. With the families of our children, we rented a nice wooden chalet at the edge of the fashionable mountain resort CRANS-MONTANA, well situated to make short drives into other mountain valleys or hikes in the greater vicinity of the town, some of which I will present in my images below. One of the very interesting and unique features in this part of Switzerland are the BISSES/Ancient Irrigation Channels constructed under very dangerous conditions hundreds of years ago to funnel water to dry areas. Parallel hiking paths have been constructed to a number of these Bisses, and we hiked some of these, as illustrated below.

I provide a few links to related topics covered in Wikipedia or other media:

BISSES - Info from House of Switzerland - https://houseofswitzerland.org/swissstories/history/bisses-valais-irrigation-channels-tourist-hit

CRANS-MONTANA - Info from Switzerland Tourism - https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/destinations/crans-montana/

HÉRÉMENCE - Info from Val d'Hérens: The Earth Pyramids of Euseigne - https://www.valdherens.ch/fr/les-pyramides-d-euseigne-fp39759


Notes
TRIP INFO: Set # 1 provides a brief introduction to this series. Please use the link below if you would like to review this intro:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-797460-1.html

2022 TRIP INFO: Set # 19 provides more information on the two trips of the year to Europe
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-798237-1.html

EARLIER POSTS of this series: Access my topic list at UHH, the new posts are listed in reverse chronological order:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/user-topic-list?usernum=45105

Thanks for visiting, I recommend viewing the downloads and look forward to your comments and questions.

.

1 - Crans-Montana - View from the Bisse du Ro walking path into the Liène valley and the high surrounding mountains Rotbachstein (2950m/9680ft) at right and possibly Mount Six des Eaux-Froides (2905m/9531ft) at left

(Download)

2 - Crans-Montana - View from the Bisse du Ro walking path to possibly Mount Six des Eaux-Froides (2905m/9531ft)

(Download)

3 - Crans-Montana - Vertical view of the sheer cliffs with the narrow wooden boardwalk of the Bisse du Ro walking path, suspended along the cliffs

(Download)

4 - Lens - Susan and our daughter's family carefully navigating a narrow path beside precipituous cliffs on the Grand Bisse de Lens walk beside the flowing water of the Bisse - the parents are holding the kids as a fall here would be disastrous

(Download)

5 - Crans-Montana - View from the top station of the cable car line from Crans-Montana - This area offers skiing in winter and hiking in summer, at rear center the prominent peak of Mount Trubelstock (2998m), to its left Mont Bonvin (2995m)

(Download)

6 - Crans-Montana - View to the surrounding mountains from the restaurant Les Violettes at the top station of the Les Violettes Express cable car line up from Crans-Montana

(Download)

7 - Crans-Montana - Etang Grenon in the center of Crans-Montana viewed from the northeast side

(Download)

8 - Crans-Montana - Evening view from our holiday chalet on Route de Grinchon towards the alpine chain of mountains south of the Rhone valley with a small village on a plateau illuminated by the last rays of the sun

(Download)

9 - Crans-Montana - View from our holiday chalet south to Mount Illhorn (2717m/8914ft) being spectacularly lit by the evening sun

(Download)

10 - Hérémence - The Earth Pyramids of Euseigne in the Val d'Hérens, one of Switzerland's most important geological sites and protected monuments, nature created these structures some 80,000 years ago

(Download)

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

For your reference:

Map of Switzerland indicating the location of the places shown in this set at bottom left

(Download)

NMGal Loc: NE NM

WOW!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Great set!
Love the view in the third, and the scene in the seventh.

Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas

Great visual series, Joe.

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thanks Barbara - happy to see that these scenes wowed you! - I felt the same way when looking at these cliffs!

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you Bill - those walks along the "bisses" sure cross some unbelievable terrain! - and that small pond in the middle of the town came with the right light for this shot.

lnl Loc: SWFL

I too love the scene in #7. #3 gives me vertigo just thinking about how close to falling it is. It sure is nice there is a railing. Your granddaughter in #4 doesn’t appear too happy to have to hold mom’s hand! I doubt I could have done that hike. I remember a hike in CA, I think it was Sequoia or Kings Canyon, where a younger family climbed up to a vantage point I wanted to ascend but was fearful and my husband had decided not to ascend the final bit. They encouraged me to accompany them and I made it. Fellow travelers can be so helpful, especially when they are younger.

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you Earnest for staying on the tour and providing your daily comments - much appreciated!

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

Fantastic photography, Joe!!! There was a time when I would have been all over a hike like that!

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thanks Ellen for your kind input. #3 definitely is special, but not the entire way was like that, just a number of exposed areas where this was the only way the water could travel. - I don't think that our granddaughter was unhappy about holding her mum's hand, I think she was rather a bit afraid about walking on this stretch as there was no railing, just some low bushes at the edge of the cliff. She probably appreciated holding mum's hand.

Yes, fellow travelers can be helpful - or inspiring. I remember our ascent of the Ayers Rock/Uluru in central Australia. At that time you could still climb all the way up to the top, which is no longer permitted. It was a very steep ascent on a totally bare rocky surface - and the only thing supporting you was this metal chain, strung from post to post which were anchored in the rock. If you let go and slipped, that was your end - and traffic up and down this huge single rock was using the same chain, just on opposite sides. After about a 200m climb, still very much at the bottom, there were a bunch of rocks, called the "Chicken Rocks" - because this was the point that many people chickened out and gave up on the climb. Same happened to us - Susan decided that she didn't want to go any further, so I left her resting there and did my ascent. Lo and behold, on my way down, I found Susan climbing up! While she was sitting on the chicken rocks, waiting for me to come back - and that took quite some time - Susan noticed an older lady - probably in her Seventies, continuing up that climb. Susan was then still in her upper 30's and she decided, if this "old" lady can do it, then I have to do so as well!

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

What a gorgeous set, Joe! #3 is breath taking.

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you Chief, glad you enjoyed the photos in this set as well!

weberwest Loc: Ferndale WA

Thank you Mike for your enthusiastic comment. Since it looks like people particularly like this scene, I am going to add one more, similar shot but taken directly from such an hanging walkway, with the rocks actually overhanging the path so taller people have to duck, at the side you can see the running water of the bisse.

(Download)

Barre Loc: Fairfax Co, VA

Nice pics! I need to pack my bags [8^)