ICE CAVES

                             Ice Adventures

         It seems today that ice bars and other oddities are not really common but not unusual either. According to the internet there are many in large cities around the world. They are not high on my priority list but I do remember seeing an ice bar in Reykjavik, Iceland. I did not visit it but I did note that each visitor was given a heavy jacket before entering.

       Now ice caves are another story and I’ve visited two:

Titlis -Switzerland

      The ice cave in this glacier was constructed in 1974-78. It is 427’ long and has a constant temperature of 30-31 degrees. There are several rooms in the cave. Being my first I found it both intriguing and rather unusual. The ice in this glacier ranges from 15-50 meters (48-162-feet) deep. We were told it takes ten years for one meter of snow to become ice. Since this visit took place ten years ago I wonder how global warming has affected both the glacier and the ice cave—probably not much effect on the ice cave yet.

      Once we had wandered through the cave not once but twice,  we headed to the large cafeteria on the same level for something hot to drink.

Mer de Glace  -France  

      The Montenvers rack railway starts in Chamonix and 20-minutes later lets one out up on the mountain. Then it is down, down to reach the entrance of the Mer de Glace situated at 1,913meters or—6217-feet in France’s largest glacier measuring 7km  or 4 1/3 mi long, and  200 m or 656-feet thick. Entering the Grotte de glace (Ice Cave) actually takes you into the very heart of the glacier.

      Resculpted every year, posters inside describe the life of mountain people in the early 19th century. A crew outside the cave shoveled slush into a dump-truck like vehicle to be carried away. A gondola is available to take you down maybe 100 feet---I’m not a big judge of distance but it was a very short distance

and ride.  Then one starts down 400 steps to the cave entrance. That was the easy part! After your fill of cool air and ice, it is a 400 step trudge back to the top! The steps zig zag down the mountain and are broken every 15-20 steps with a short level platform. By stopping on each platform on the way up to not only return my breathing to normal but to savor the scenery and the moment I managed to save my knees from hurting and was in fine shape when back on top.

      The cave also can be reached by a 20 minute-walk on a footpath. Somehow we missed, although were not looking for, the path. I doubt it would have been any easier.

       There are two choices for eating: either coffee or ice cream at the railway station café or full meal at the restaurant in the Grand Hotel in Montenvers. The hotel, built in 1880, has history and authenticity.  In the summer, the hotel serves its original purpose, i.e., accommodating mountaineers, travelers and adventurers, just as it did in the late 19th century. Its nine rooms and dormitory have retained the charm and simplicity of bygone days.

      We by-passed both eateries, as I wanted my daughter to have the experience of lunch in a real French sidewalk café. It was a good choice as we leisurely enjoyed our meal.