hiking, skiing, and close encounters with the 5-0 in Switzerland

So while I have been waiting for my sleeping bag to arrive here I went on some hikes around the Zurich area-
Sure hope I'm even going somewhere!


Found some bunkers in the woods, nuclear holocaust ready


My uncle would love this place, 5' diameter tree being cut down by some farmers



The local watering hole is maybe the coolest I have ever seen



Thirsty people live around these parts

I thought the ski hills around here in the alps, not back in Minnesota

Hiked up to uetliberg overlooking Zurich, i was pretty happy

looking down

Then Friday Andre from Titlis invited me to the local mountain to ski with him. Never seen a morning lineup like this before.

The speaker cone where you "talk to god"

Some ice climbing friends would love this place

Andre-we were the only people skiing that day. I couldnt understand it all, it was deep!

Andre took me to the farm on mt. Rigi where his girlfriend worked. Top 5 prettiest places I have ever been too. On a clear day across lake Luzern you can see all of the alps.

Then on Saturday Patrick and I drove to Les Marecottes and scored some more fresh turns

Sweet chutes littered this place. Midseason with safe avy conditions, this would be a skiers heaven

Beautiful day, great visibility and snow makes for an awesome day

I split ways with Patrick and went to Le chable, access to Verbier was a gondola ride away. I stayed at a youth hostel "le stop" located inside a bunker! more about bunkers to come-
Verbier- most sun I had all day.

ok snow at Verbier but it was pretty wind effected.

some more things I leanred about Europe-

-Bunkers in Switzerland- Due to the Swiss safely making in through WWII without harm and the effects of the cold war, the swiss govt supplied bunkers to all citizens in case of a nuclear fallout. now there must be a place for every citizen to stay at in a community bunker or have one built under or near your house. even if you build a house nowdays there must be anuker for you if there is no place in the community bunkers. some, like the youth hostel in le chable, have been converted into youth hostels(probably because normal people wouldnt actually pay money to stay in a dingy mold cellar).

-DONT TAKE GARBAGE! Yesterday I was walking around town and saw some cardboard boxes next to the garbage andf thought they would be good organizers for my car. i grabbed two of them and walked 10 feet away and was tapped on the shoulder by 2 cops. they made me spread my arms and they emptied my pockets. they asked my why i had stollen the boxes! I told them and they said "were dissapointed that an american comes over here and steals stuff." I was about ready to poop myself on the street over 2 cardboard boxes! they called me in and checked to see if my ipod and cell phone was stollen. they hassled me for 10 minutes and then made me return the boxes to the garbage. as they left they said"be carefull, there are lots of cops in switzerland" to which i replied "no shit!"