Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures

Choose the Right Size Trekking Pole

2009-12-11T09:30:00.000-08:00

Trekking poles make a nice holiday gift for the avid hiker. They reduce stress on the knees, they offer added stability, and they increase stamina. How much stamina? A German physician discovered that each pole plant relieves approximately 18 pounds of pressure from the lower extremities when traveling on an incline. Consider that an average hiker makes around 45 pole plants each minute, and the total weight savings over the course of a hike becomes enormous. Trekking poles are a "must have" on all of our hikes.

Use these sizing charts when shopping around for the perfect pair. The idea is to shoot for a 90 degree angle at the elbow when gripping the pole, and then make minor adjustments based on personal preference.

Two other notes: Always buy two poles, one for each arm. And, make sure that your poles aren't completely extended while walking on flat ground. You want some length left in reserve so that you can extend the poles for added reach on the downhills. The object is to shorten the poles on climbs, and then extend them for the descents. You should rest somewhere in the middle on flat/slightly undulating terrain. The following charts from Leki offer advice.

Click image for larger size.

Don't Pity the Humble Painter

2009-12-04T10:17:00.000-08:00

It was Leonardo Da Vinci that once wrote, “Don’t pity the humble painter. He can be lord of all things. Whatever exists in the universe, he has first in his mind, and then in his hand. By his art, he may be called a grandchild of God.”

Da Vinci originally wrote those words to describe an idea whereby everything that we see around us represents the product of our thoughts. Every bridge, every road and every house, for example, first began in someone's imagination before it became a reality. This insight also works the other way around. Not only can the visual artist create a reality based on what they see in their mind’s eye, they can also capture for all-time the greatest mysteries, and sometimes tragedies, that already exist in the universe.

One of our recent guests captured a bit of that greatness and then shared her work with us. Please enjoy the following pieces from the Engadine region of southeastern Switzerland, painted by one of our recent guests, Marlene Kort.

The above image captures the romantic architecture that characterizes the Engadine. The following image offers a view of the Bernina Massif as seen from the St. Moritz side, the Fuorcla Surlej. As an interesting side note: A close up of the Biancograt, the ice ridge on the far left, made it to the cover of our 2010 catalogue. Check it out.

Please contact us if you’d like more information regarding Kort’s work, or if you’d like to purchase one of her paintings. We’ll gladly forward your information directly to her.

Watch the Swiss Prepare for Winter

2009-11-24T09:51:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder how they do it?...How everything seems so perfect? Now we know the secret. This video from our Swiss partners offers a humorous behind-the-chalet look.

Enjoy it.

Read Our 2010 Catalog Online

2009-11-18T12:55:00.000-08:00

Click here and start drooling.

Congratulations to Our Lucky Winners

2009-11-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

Ryder-Walker hosts an annual feedback drawing, and the rules of the game are quite simple. Each year, we send out feedback forms and request that our guests complete and return them by October 31st. Then we draw two names out of the pile, and the winners each receive a free night's stay at one of our preferred hotels in the Alps.

We're proud to announce that Carolyn Rubenstein and Heidi Pirie won this year's drawing. They each get a free hotel stay in the Alps during 2010.

Congrats to Carolyn and Heidi!

Trekking Away the Winter Doldrums

2009-11-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

What could be better than summertime hiking in the Alps? Try winter hiking, snowshoeing, nordic skiing, or even sledding from village to village. Read about our Winter Engadine Holiday in the latest issue of Newsweek.

Read the story here:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/220752

Check out the trip itinerary here:

http://ryderwalker.com/WinterEngadin.html

Only a few days left to save

2009-10-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

Book now, before October 30, 2009, and take advantage of last season's price. Just give us a shout to get in on the action.

How to learn a foreign language online

2009-10-26T07:09:00.000-07:00

This was an informative read:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/10/24/language.training.online/index.html

Lost in Translation

2009-10-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

Why does this make me laugh?

Bellinzona Cheese Market This Weekend

2009-10-12T16:43:00.000-07:00

I had craving for cheese this afternoon which reminded me that the annual Bellinzona cheese market takes place this weekend in Bellinzona, Switzerland. Bellinzona is one of those quietly elegant border towns that feels more distinctly Italian than it does Swiss. Resting on the border between Italy and Switzerland, Bellinzona lies at the heart of a romantic, Italian speaking region called Ticino.

DH Lawrence once described the Ticino in writing, "It is strange how different the sun-dried, ancient, southern slopes of the world are, from the northern slopes. It is as if the god Pan really had his home among these sunbleached stones and tough, sun-dark trees. So I was content coming down into Airolo..."

We often send our guests to the Ticino because it offers an irresistible finale to hikes traversing the Engadine region lying just next door.

This weekend, Friday, October 16-Sunday, October 18, 2009, the Ticinese Alpine cheese producers will descend upon Bellinzona and parade their mountain cheeses at the traditional cheese market. The historic square and the radiating alleyways of old-town transform into the kind of colorful market typically reserved for story books and fairy tales. Market goers enjoy prominently featured Ticino cheeses, as well as local wines, breads, handicrafts and a large variety of fresh produce from local agriculture. Many local restaurants also offer traditional Ticinese cuisine like risotto and polenta, making for a delicious autumn lunch served al fresca.

I won't be able to make it to the market this weekend, but I'm dropping a big hint to any guests that might be reading this from the trail. Treat yourself to this colorful, atmospheric event.

Image: Courtesy of swissimage.ch

Are you plugged in: 2.0

2009-09-30T09:10:00.000-07:00

"Recharging" on vacation just got a whole lot easier.

About a year and-a-half ago I wrote piece titled Are you plugged in: A guide to recharging on vacation. In the article I discussed the dos and don'ts of running electrical equipment while traveling in a foreign country. That was a year and-a-half ago, and a few things have changed.

The most notable change concerns voltage converters. I originally stated, “You’ll fry your U.S. camera charger if you take it to Switzerland and just put an adapter on it.” In addition, “You also need a converter that will “step down” their higher voltage to meet the lower voltage requirements of your device.” These statements may, or may not, be true depending on your device.

More and more electrical devices use a universal power supply these days because electronic manufacturers realize that lugging around voltage converters can be a pain. Take a look at the power supply on your electrical device. (Or better yet, read your owner’s manual). Those designed for use just about anywhere have a section on the label that looks something like this:

Input 100-240V 50/60HZ

This means that your device can handle nominal voltages in between 100 and 240V on a 50 or 60 HZ AC system. Put simply, if your device has a label with these parameters, then you CAN take it to Switzerland and just put an adapter on the end of the plug. The power supply will automatically adjust to accept to the higher voltage. Likewise, the device will also accommodate the lower voltage that we use in the U.S. All you have to do is change the shape of the plug to fit the outlet. If in doubt, read your owner’s manual.

This is what the label looks like on my Canon battery charger. (Click for larger image)

…and the one from the power supply on my MacBook.

Please note that devices with these labels are designed for alternating current (AC), the power supply that most utilities companies use today. They should not be used with direct current (DC). DC systems are not common but they do exist. Small, developing countries and people living off the grid sometimes use DC. Just be aware.

Where Two Worlds Meet

2009-09-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I posted a few photos of this beautiful Citroën on our Facebook page. What do photos of an old French automobile have to do with hiking? The answer is “a lot” depending on your perspective.

We all hike for different reasons. Some take to the trail to escape civilization. Others simply enjoy the exercise. Some of us, myself included, enjoy discovering the cultural frontiers that hiking tours allow us to explore.

I commented on FB that I spotted this little car while hiking through the quiet little village of Trient, Switzerland. At first glance, Trient appears tranquil. Some might call it sleepy. Peel back the rural patina, however, and this tiny village of roughly 130 people reveals something more.

Trient is a geographical and cultural crossroads. Every summer, hundreds of hikers and backpackers from all over the world descend upon this tiny mountain hamlet while making their way along the Hiker’s Haute Route and the Tour du Mont Blanc. The chatter of German, French, and 10 other languages fills the evening air, while at the same time, intrepid wayfarers steer their motorized chariots across the Col de la Forclaz and down past Trient on the sinuous motorway between Switzerland and France. Most drivers just cruise right by, having watered themselves at the top of the pass. Every once in a while though, somebody stops, parks their little Citroën, and a passing hiker quietly snaps a photo.

Trient is a place where two worlds meet, and this little car was the bridge between those two worlds on the day that I hiked through, though the Citroën could have just as easily been an old farmer, a delicious local dish, or something completely new and undiscovered.

Journalists once referred to the Citroën as a symbol of the avant garde and they even called later versions “radical solutions to automotive design”. What does the Citroen have to do with hiking? Consider this: André Citroën started producing automobiles back in 1919 and his innovative, some might say crazy, designs carried them all over Europe. In the end, however, it was a pair of hiking boots and a high mountain pass that brought us together, in a secluded corner where two worlds meet.

Old School

2009-09-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

I met this gentleman while hiking across the Col de Torrent last week. He was extremely nice and had just come down from Basel for a day hike. He was about 4800 ft. into his climb by this point and actually continued to climb higher after he reached the top of the pass. His pack, and most of what was left of his clothing, dated back to World War II. Nice.

2010 Tour Schedule Sneak Peak

2009-09-01T13:51:00.000-07:00

We’re still taking registrations for 2009 self-guided hiking tours, but here's a quick look at the 2010 guided schedule. As an added bonus, book before October 30, 2009 to receive the 2009 price on next season's tours.

European Tours

Italian Dolomites Trek: June 15-22, 2010

Cortina & the Lakes of the Dolomites: June 24-30, 2010

Tour du Mont Blanc: July 4-13, 2010

Hiker's Haute Route: July 13-22, 2010

Eiger Trail: July 13-23, 2010

Secret Swiss Valleys: July 25-31, 2010

Zermatt and Saas Fee: July 25-31, 2010 (New village based Flex Tour)

Via Alpina Stage 1: August 1-8, 2010 (New)

Jungfrau Trail: August 1-7, 2010

Engadine Trek: August 10-17, 2010

Engadine Summit Series: August 20-27, 2010

Jubiläum: 2.0: August 28-September 5, 2010

Historic Switzerland-Appenzell: September 7-12, 2010

Otzi Trek: September 14-21, 2010

Heart of Austria: September 23-29, 2010

Italian Lakes District: Como to Bellagio October 1-7, 2010

India Trekking (New)

Markha Valley Trek: May 27-June 7, 2010 (New)-Call for details

U.S. Tours

Canyon Country Escape: May 2-10, 2010

Telluride Trek: September 22-30, 2010

Pat On The Back

2009-08-20T10:01:00.001-07:00

It's nice to get a pat on the back once in a while. This one made us smile. Thanks Alec!

Peter -

A quick note to let you know that the trip exceeded expectations (which were
very high). We fell in love with the Engadine Valley and the little towns.

The hotels, hikes, etc. were all perfect. Thanks for all the extra train
info, too. Our kids had a great time and still seem to like us after all
the hiking.

We also had a great time in Wengen.

We look forward to our next trip with you.... Perhaps to Italy?

Best wishes,

Alec

Flying Swiss Cows

2009-08-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder how the people of Switzerland get all their cows in place for the summer tourist season?

...Or how they maintain them?

This one had to go into the shop for some body work.

Actually, one of our guests recently finished the Eiger Trail and sent us these interesting photos. It looks like the old girl ate a bit too much rösti on her way down from the Hohthurli pass.

Seriously, she needed to go to the doctor but refused to walk down the mountain paths. Only in Switzerland would a farmer actually bring in a helicopter to deliver a queasy cow to the doctor's office. This is just one more reason why I love this little alpine country.

Thank you Moshe for these wonderful photos.

Maluns: A Traditional Engadine Recipe

2009-08-10T11:22:00.000-07:00

Maluns, a simple but delicious dish, comes from the Graubünden region of southeastern Switzerland. It's a satisfying hiker's repast prepared with boiled potatoes that are grated, mixed with flour, and roasted in butter. Serve with a few slices of fresh alpine cheese and cooked apples on the side, or just a simple cup of coffee or latte. This is the way the original mountain people used to eat, simple, hearty, and economically.

Ingredients

1 kg (about 2 ¼ pounds) cooked, unpeeled potatoes cooked the day before. (Boil the potatoes in salted water and set aside in the fridge at least 24 hours).

300 g (around 10 ½ ounces) white flour

Salt, black pepper (to taste)

100 g (3 ½ ounces) cooking (clarified) butter

50 g (1 ¾ ounces) butter

Preparation

Peel and grate potatoes. Add flour, and rub in with fingertips until mixture crumbles. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat cooking butter in cast iron pan. When this is good and hot, put in the potato gratings and lump them together with a pair of wooden spoons until the ingredients are crumbly and light brown in colour. Be patient! Cooking usually takes a while. When ready, mixture should resemble little golden lumps. Stir in remaining butter.

Important: Serve from pan straight onto plates together with cooked apple slices and a medium to hard alpine cheese. A gruyère style cheese tastes great with this dish. Applesauce, plum, cranberry, and cherry puree also make delicious sides.

Glimpses of the Tour du Mont Blanc-(From our Guests)

2009-08-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Just a quick email from all of us to let you know how much we enjoyed the whole trip. It was a great holiday, and your knowledge and experience made all the difference. Attached are some pics.

Best Wishes,

Chiao-Ling, Elaine and Peter

Check Out These Delicious Photos

2009-07-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

Two of our guests had a chance to do some modeling!

We just received the following note from two guests that we sent on one of our custom self-guided hiking tours through the Alps. Lucky for us, they know a couple of photographer friends that like to hang around Zermatt. Throw in a few clothing items from Smartwool and, voila, you have the perfect alpine photo shoot. (In case you're wondering, yes, that's the Matterhorn in the background).

Be sure to click on the link to Patitucci Photo. He took some great photos of these two during their trip. Enjoy.

From our guests:

"Ok - we're having a little bit of fun!! Check out the photo link below. We couldn't of hit the weather any better.

http://patitucciphoto.com/lightbox/smartwool_alpinehiking/index.html

Dan and Janine our photographer friends we fired up, and they had a couple prime smartwool models, just for the matterhorn. Only 12 hours of hiking and posing like super posers. Holy cow is that place beautiful...but a bit of a shock to the system after no people in the Bregalia. We are so stinkin lucky!! The only bad weather day we've had so far has been a travel day to Zermatt.

We're getting spoiled rotten in super luxury hotels - there's a roman bath in this one - sauna, steam, jacuzzi, pool - deluxe!

We're in Chamonix and keith is officially in heaven. This place is the land of rock climbing. We're headed up to a hut tomorrow am for 2 days, then back to Chamonix - then up to another hut. Ooh this is going to be good. We played on the rock today and cruised around the Mer de Glace, in awe of the big views.

Hope all is grand.

Love Julie and Keith

See our Hiking Domain on Television

2009-07-21T10:11:00.001-07:00

If you watched Sunday’s stage of the Tour de France then you saw the famous bike race enter Switzerland and finish the day at the top of a climb in the alpine village of Verbier. Verbier is an optional stop along our popular Hiker’s Haute Route (extended version).

Today’s stage offers more fantastic views as it ascends from Martigny, Switzerland, over the Col du Grand Saint Bernard before descending into the Aosta Valley of northern Italy. This is grolla country and one of our favorite hidden hiking spots. The tour even descends through a small village called St. Rhemy, an absolutely charming little hamlet that we’ve enjoyed on many occasions. It wasn’t too long ago that I almost got our luggage van stuck between two walls of a narrow alleyway in this pint-sized town. Anyway, the race continues across the Col du Petit Saint Bernard and back into France for a finish in Bourg St. Maurice.

Watch the tour on television if you get a chance. The beginning and middle part of the stage offer a great chance to view the surroundings before the race heats up and the cameras hone in on the cyclists. I saw some great views this morning of the Mont Blanc Massif and of l’Aiguille du Midi, a popular mountain spire that towers over Chamonix, France, the beginning of our Tour du Mont Blanc and Hiker’s Haute Route. I also enjoyed some great views of the Aosta castles during the latter part of the stage. This day of the Tour de France offers a great opportunity to see one of our treasured hiking domains on television. Treat yourself. Tonight’s expanded coverage begins at 8:00 PM eastern on Versus.

Photos: Hiking in front of the mighty Mont Blanc Massif and our cozy home for the night in St. Rhemy, Italy. By Chris Pranskatis

Parting Shot From Austria

2009-07-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

We're back in Bad Goisern this evening. We had a great week of hiking during our Heart of Austria tour. Tonight we'll raise our glasses in honor of this beautiful corner of the world. Don't forget. It's not too late to organize your own self-guided version of this trip.

Hallstatt Austria: Worth Its Salt

2009-07-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

Our group descended into tiny Hallstatt this afternoon, a storybook village perched on the rocky shore of the Hallstätter See in the Salzkammergut region of upper Austria. Hallstatt is a small town, but what it lacks in size it generously makes up for in character and sensorial stimulation. Lovingly decorated gasthauses and cobbled alleyways make this secluded gem feel more like a fantasy diorama than an actual functioning town. This is the real deal though, and about 1,000 inhabitants call Hallstatt their home. The strategic location of our hotel for the next two nights will offer our guests the best of two worlds, stunning mountain scenery and a fairytale market square on one side, and delicious lakeside views of the glacial fjords on the other.(Look closely. Our hotel sits directly behind the church steeple in the above photo).

A brief history:

Historians believe that Hallstatt gets its name from the old Celtic word "hall" meaning salt. It was, in fact, this rich resource that brought Hallstatt its wealth and attracted some of the first human habitation of the region thousands of years ago. The world’s first salt mine is supposedly located here which, three thousand years ago, earned Hallstatt recognition as the salt mining capital of Europe. The salt trade, and the highly developed culture that flourished because of it, was so important that historians even refer to a particular 1,000-year period in European history as “The Hallstatt Period.”

Hallstatt became a market town around the year 1300, a legal term from the medieval period that granted certain European settlements the right to host markets in order to sell and distribute goods. This was a big deal back in the day, and it contributed to Hallstatt’s continued economic success.

Hallstatt continues to produce salt today, but tourism plays a larger role in the town’s economic vitality. Tourists descend upon tiny Hallstatt to see the famous salt museum and to witness the brine pipeline that, since 1595, continues to transport precious salt a full 40 kilometers from Hallstatt to the town of Ebensee.

Perhaps even more interesting than the subterranean lakes and tunnels of the mines, however, is the ossuary. Hallstatt has always been so pint-sized, and perched so precipitously on a miniature ledge that it long outgrew, that bones in the church cemetery were exhumed every 10 to 12 years to make room for the newly departed. The result is a fascinating chapel of decorated bones with each of the more than 600 skulls named, dated, and decorated in different motifs of rose and ivy. (The church fortunately stopped this practice of exhumation back in 1960).

We’ll enjoy some of the local tourist attractions, but our primary purpose is to hike and discover the Gemütlichkeit that makes this region so wonderful. What, you ask, is Gemütlichkeit? It is something that’s easy to experience in Hallstatt but difficult to explain in words. Perhaps you should join our Heart of Austria tour to find out first hand for yourself. We think you'll agree, Hallstatt is certainly worth its salt.

See you on the trail.

Another Taste of Austria

2009-07-16T09:30:00.001-07:00

The Heart of Austria-Guided
The Heart of Austria-Self Guided

gosau.org

A Taste of Luxury in the Heart of Austria

2009-07-16T08:23:00.000-07:00

Our tour participants hiked into this mountain gem two days ago. They spent last evening in a cozy house among the high mountain passes, but tonight they’ve returned to the valley to relax at this four-star estate surrounded by the stunning walls of the Gosau Kamm Mountains.

This is one of our favorite accommodations. It features gourmet dining and a well-deserved taste of luxury in the heart of the Austrian Alps. Guests at this hotel feast on the utterly divine flavors of historic Austria, they toast to the good life in the exclusive wine cellar, and they enjoy every modern amenity during their stay. Local craftsmen tastefully appointed each room with careful attention given to every detail.

Tomorrow the Heart of Austria tour continues to Hallstatt, a majestic waypoint that many have named, “The most beautiful lakeside village in the whole of Europe, if not the world.”

Have I Been Here Before?

2009-07-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

I love old postcards of the Alps, and this one is particularly appropriate because it captures a glimpse of the region that we’ll call home for the next few days. As I mentioned yesterday, we’re hiking our new Heart of Austria tour, and tonight we rest our feet in the village of Gosau, surrounded by the impressive peaks of the Dachstein.

The country home in this postcard is the Gasthof Gosauschmied, and although we’re not staying here, I know it well. This house is characteristic of the small homes that dot this enchanted countryside. This particular guesthouse celebrated its 310th anniversary in 2005, and the family that runs it is 5th generation. They continue to welcome weary travelers with warm meals and a comfortable place to sleep.

Old images like these stir something exciting my blood, and I feel like they rekindle deep-rooted memories of the past. I like to think that a person can actually remember their ancestral history because it would to help explain the reason that I’m drawn to images like this one, with its dark forests, clear running streams, and lonely mountains looming in the distance.

I can almost smell the hot soup bubbling on the open hearth. I can feel the smooth, well-worn and almost waxy texture of the long wooden dinner table. I can taste the cool mountain spring water and see my shadow dancing across the hand-hewn timbers in the flickering firelight. I can even hear the faint din of laughter and song from the hearty wayfarers that passed this way centuries ago.

I find this region enchanting. Do I have an ancestral memory of this place? I like to think that I do. People settled this region more than 7,000 years ago; maybe my ancestors walked their own paths through this mysterious land.

Check out more images of Gosau and the Dachstein by clicking today’s Twitter link, or visit gosau.org.