Switzerland

Soglio, Switzerland

The municipality is located in the Bergell sub-district of the Maloja district. It is located on a terrace at the entrance to the Passo della Duana which leads into the Avers valley and the Passo da la Prasignola into the Val Madris. It consists of the village of Soglio (at 1,095 m (3,593 ft)) and the section of Spino. Soglio lies on a ledge on the mountainside on the northern side of the Val Bregaglia (Bergell in German) above the river Maira (Mera in Italian), with views across the valley to the Bondasca glacier and the peaks of the Sciora group, Piz Cengalo and Piz Badile in the Bregaglia Range. View of Soglio (foreground) with the Sciora peaks (left), Piz Cengalo (left centre) and Piz Badile (centre) The town is 17 kilometers (11 mi) from the Italian town of Chiavenna at the foot of the Val Bregaglia, and 39 km (24 mi) from Sankt Moritz in the Engadine valley which is reached via the Maloja Pass. These two towns provide the nearest railway stations. The highest point of the territory of the municipality is the summit of Piz Duan (3,131 m (10,272 ft)).

Coming in for a landing.

Hot air balloon trip, for Debbie's birthday. 2002.

Hiking next to the Julier Pass and the River Julia

The Julier Pass (Romansh: Pass dal Güglia, German: Julierpass, Italian Passo del Giulia) (el. 2284 m) is a mountain pass in Switzerland, in the Albula Range of the Alps. It connects the Engadin valley with the rest of Graubünden. At its summit, the pass crosses the watershed / drainage divide between the basins of the Rivers Rhine and Danube. The Julier Pass lies between Piz Lagrev and Piz Julier. Remains of a Roman temple and cart tracks were found and illustrate its importance in Roman times. The road constructed in the 1820s to replace the old Septimer Pass was well built and is still easily passable after moderate widening for normal cars and trucks. In some parts, areas were rebuilt in 2009 to reduce the number of serpentine turns. Winter use requires winter tires, as well as snow chains in extremely poor weather.

2015 11 11 Swiss Mountain Stream

Crossed over this stream, after taking the Septimer Pass and heading toward Piz Roccabella.

2015 11 11 Swiss Farmhouse

Hiking up the Septimer Pass.

Sils Maria River Hike

Sils im Engadin/Segl (German: Sils im Engadin; Romansh is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The municipality's name is a combination of the German and Romansh names. Sils im Engadin is the German name while Segl is the Romansh. The coat of arms is Per fess Azure a Sun radiated Or and Or a Trout Azure spotted Gules. It shows a blue upper half with a golden sun and a yellow lower section with a blue trout. It is a combination of the historical village coats of arms and represents the sunny and elevated location of the municipality and the fish-filled Lake Sils. Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche summered in Sils in 1881 and between 1883 and 1888, and the house he lived in – the Nietzsche-Haus – is now a small museum. Anne Frank was in Sils for several vacations, and Hermann Hesse also visited Sils.

Säntis, Switzerland

At 2,502.9 meters (8,211.6 feet) above sea level, Säntis is the highest mountain in the Alpstein massif of northeastern Switzerland. It is also the culminating point of the whole Appenzell Alps, between Lake Walenstadt and Lake Constance. Shared by three cantons, the mountain is a highly visible landmark thanks to its exposed northerly position within the Alpstein massif. As a consequence, houses called Säntisblick (English: Säntis view) can be found in regions as far away as the Black Forest in Germany. Säntis is among the most prominent summits in the Alps and the most prominent summit in Europe with an observation deck on the top. The panorama from the summit is spectacular. Six countries can be seen if the weather allows: Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France, and Italy.

Snow Melt - Julia River

Julia (Romansh: Gelgia) is a river in the Grisons canton, eastern Switzerland. It is a tributary of the Albula river, which it meets in Tiefencastel. The road to the Julier Pass runs through the Julia valley.

Spring Alpine Flowers

Moss & Lichen on Boulder

Spring Alpine Flowers

Traffic Jam on the Furka Pass, Switzerland

Furka Pass, with an elevation of 2,429 metres (7,969 ft), is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting Gletsch, Valais with Realp, Uri. The Furka-Oberalp-Bahn line through the Furka Tunnel bypasses the pass. The base tunnel opened in 1982 and replaced a tunnel at 2100 m. The Furka Pass was used as a location in the James Bond film Goldfinger. Source: Wikpedia

Life Hangs On

Life hangs on.

1978 11 First Winter Snow - Hirzel, Switzerland

1978 11 First Winter Snow - Hirzel, Switzerland

Barscheinz Farm

Barscheinz farm is located close to Bivio, GR, Switzerland. You can hike to it, from Bivio, in summer (about an hour) and in winter, on snowshoes (two hours or less). The farmhouse (with chimney) was built in 1609, but has been renovated in 2014. However, the land is still farmed, in summer, for hay, for winter. When we're in Bivio, it is one of our favorite hikes or snowshoe walks, with our dog, Jake.

Soglio, Switzerland

Soglio, Switzerland

Heidi-village. Grevasalvas, GR, Switzerland.

There are many Heidi villages, in Switzerland. This one claims to be one. A hiking photo, from 2005.

Quiet night in Bivio II Bivio, Switzerland (Pop. 197; Elev 1,769 m / 5,804 ft). It's 1:00 AM. The stars twinkle and the steeple of the Catholic church is in view.

The sound of the snow cannons.

Bivio, Switzerland (Pop. 197; Elev 1,769 m / 5,804 ft). It's 1:00 AM. The village lights burn, and the only sound is the quiet "whoosh" of the snow cannons

Quiet night in Bivio.

Bivio, Switzerland. (Pop. 197; Elev 1,769 m / 5,804 ft) About 11:30 PM. All is quiet. Some lights are burning. A single car is on the Julier Pass road and the Septimer Pass is snow covered.

Sunrise on the ski slopes

Captured, from our terrace, at 7:50AM. Fabulous sunrise.

Morning sun on Piz Scalotta (Elev. 2,992 m / 9,816 ft) Bivio, Switzerland. (Pop. 197; Elev 1,769 m / 5,804 ft) Morning. The sun is coming up, but the ski slopes are still in the shade.

Warm fire to snuggle by.

Image of our fireplace, in our apartment, in Bivio, Switzerland.

Tree in a snowstorm.

Tree in front of Catholic Church, Hirzel. Living in Horgen, Switzerland - First snow, 1978.

Tree in a snowstorm - sepia, green, magenta, blue. Horgen, Switzerland - First snow, 1978.