SINGING IN THE RAIN

Our First Swiss Hike

Our first Swiss hike started on an overcast drizzly day. We took a cog railway, built in 1889, up to Mt. Pilatus. The 48% incline makes this cog railway the steepest in the world. It took a year to build the approximately three-mile railroad. It was like going straight up the face of the mountain!

Legend says the mountain got its name Pilatus from a holy man who slayed a dragon living on the mountain.

At the top we wandered out on a walkway to a viewing area, but by then we were completely fogged in with a heavy mist. It was disappointing not to  be able to see the view, but it was still a thrill to be 7000’ above sea level. Even though we couldn’t see, it was so quiet that we could hear the serenade of the tinkling cowbells below in the alpine meadow.

Our hotel had packed us a picnic lunch, but we didn’t want to eat in the mist or in the middle of the foyer even though there were very few people about. Charly, our guide, knew everyone and his brother in the country, so he ventured into the mountain-top restaurant and talked the manager into letting us eat our lunch inside. We were the only customers in the big room. Most of us ordered a cup of soup and a hot drink. The friendly staff was very kind. We were especially careful to pick up all our mess and carry it off, as we were grateful for their hospitality.

After lunch we took the gondola down to 1415’ to Frakmuntegg where we started to hike with a destination at Krienseregg at 1026’. By the time we started to hike it was raining pretty hard. Several people had put a folding umbrella in their day pack and they went up rather quickly. I got the giggles as it seemed so ludicrous to be hiking with an umbrella. The tree canopy was rather heavy so we really didn’t get very wet. The path was well kept and fortunately not slippery. It’s interesting that in Switzerland distances are not measured in kilometers from point A to point B, but rather measured in the time it takes an average hiker to make the trek. Time, not distance, signs were consistent throughout the country.

At Krienseregg we took a small cable car to the bottom where we boarded a bus for a short ride back to Lucerne. In spite of the weather we had a grand time, and fortunately that was our last rainy day for the whole trip. Ah, make no mistake, those Swiss Alps are gorgeous!