Transhumence

Although the pass was opened to encourage tourism, the area around remains very traditional, such as at Innertkirchen on the Bern side of the pass, where the season migration of animals continues, between the alpine pastures in summer, and the low lands in winter. An image of the transumence, the day when the animals are brought down from the mountain, with much ceremony, traditional costumes, flower-decked cows, and mobile phones. One reason why this tradition survives is that it has moved with the times: one of the men who had spent the summer rising at dawn and making cheese by hand everyday, isolated in the mountains, was taking a four sabbatical from his 'normal' life as a computer programmer.