The Swiss Alps

As an outdoor enthusiast, I love to find new places to explore and hike. This year, my
husband and I are going to try Swiss hiking, which has plenty of trails with the best scenery
in the world. I've already discovered tips on hiking the Swiss Alps, but here are just some
fun information and tidbits about the Swiss Alps.

* The highest point in the Alps is Mont Blanc at 15,771 feet.

* The most famous mountain is the Matterhorn (4,478 m).

* Mont Blanc was first climbed in 1786 by Dr. Michel-Gabriel Paccard, an event that gave
birth to the sport of mountaineering.

* The first woman to ascend Mont Blanc was 28-year-old Maria Paradis from Chamonix, in
1809. When asked what it was like to climb Mont Blanc she replied, "If you want to know
what it is like, go and find out for yourselves."

* Ötzi the Ice Man was found preserved in the snow on an alpine ridge along the border
between Austria and Italy in September 1991. At the time of his death (about 5,200 years
ago), he was between 40 and 50 years old and suffered from a number of medical
conditions. Scientists believe that Ötzi was caught in a heavy snowfall, fell asleep, and froze
to death.

* The first skis used in Switzerland were built in the town of Airolo in 1879, commissioned
by a local carpenter, Giocondo Dotta, who learned how to use skis in the US, when he had
to cover great distances to herd his cattle.

* Hiking is a national pastime in Switzerland. There are plenty of signs directing you to
hiking paths, called wanderwegs.

* A weather phenomenon known as the Föhn brings a wind with warm Mediterranean air
can occur at all times of the year. This typically means good weather for hikers. However,
the Swiss and other Europeans feel that these winds bring illness and accidents, similar to
the Santa Ana winds. These winds are often associated in popular mythology with illness
ranging from migraines to psychosis. A study by the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat
Munchen found that suicide and accidents increased by 10 percent during föhn winds in
Central Europe.