(Wengen, Switzerland)

After the poor visibility that plagued our first three days of skiing in the Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen areas around Wengen, we were pleased to see the sun rise for our last day of skiing in Wengen. Maybe we would be able to properly see what we were skiing?

And just like the old Foreigner song…when we emerged from the cable car at Männlichen, it was like we were seeing and skiing these slopes for the very first time! We could indeed see everything, including the mighty Eiger!

The photos tell the story. But I’d like to comment on a couple of special elements of this special day. The first was being able to properly ski my favourite Wengen piste: the Black Rock (now known more generically as Piste #32). Part of this black-rated piste’s appeal is the steep slope that demands precision. But, most of all, it’s the natural beauty of the slope.

The first part is not very challenging, although in the distance you can see that the piste appears to fall off a cliff. And then when you get to that cliff, you have to balance skiing smartly with enjoying the spectacular view of the Lauterbrunnen valley on one side and a massive nearly-black rock formation on the other.

Once you get past the massive rock formation, the piste’s incline eases considerably and it’s a little safer to fully enjoy the beauty of your surroundings. On a sunny day like today, I find myself saying that there is no other place I’d rather be. And that’s about the time that “Right Here, Right Now” (the 1991 song by Jesus Jones) implants itself in my head.

For our final run of the day (and week, and year), we decided to go out with a bang. We would ski the famous Lauberhornrennen, the oldest and longest World Cup downhill race in the world. Check out this video from about 10 years ago to see exactly why the Lauberhorn race is so difficult and so special.

Before starting the Lauberhorn run, we saw a group of unusually dressed skiers (one in a white dress) near the starting gate. Yes, a skiing couple from Australia was actually getting married on the slopes! Instead of a “destination” wedding on a beach, they invited their skiing friends to celebrate with them in Switzerland.

The Lauberhorn run was a demanding but great way to end our week of skiing. But if you liked the spectacular photos from the last two posts, fear not! There is lots more to come from this amazing part of the world!