This is the closest alp to Lucerne and something I look at every morning. It’s highest peak is Tomlishorn - 7000 feet, next is Esel at 6953 feet and Oberhaupt at 6913 feet which is which has a cross on the top. The origin of its name is uncertain and ranges from the burial of Pontius Pilate, but Monte Vittore in Italy is also thought to be his burial place. Another story tells that the mountain looks like the large belly of a man, Pilate, who is lying on his back, and a third that the name originates from the word Pileatus meaning “cloud topped”. People who have reached the top include Queen Victoria, but somehow I don’t think she walked.
I had to try to get to the top if I could find a safe way. The information lady’s tip on the bike path was as close as I was going to get. Tourists like to take “the golden round trip” - taking a boat from Lucerne, across the lake to Alpnachstad and then take the cog railway funicular up and the gondola cable car down the other side. The funicular is the steepest in Europe.
The weather was dry all week and Saturday weather was to be sunny and warm, but not hot, so I decided to see how far I could get. I got up at 5:15 which is now before sun rise and started for the S Bahn to take the train to to the trail head at Alpnachstad. Another reason this is a great location is that the S Bahn is literally a 5 minute walk from the apartment. There was a full moon and, if you look closely at the first picture, you can see the lights at the top of the mountain where there is a hotel, restaurant and cable car hub.
There was a vending machine at the S Bahn station. I always find it interesting to see if these are stocked and what sort of things are available.
If you look closely, third row down from the top on the left side, you’ll see lighters, tobacco and condoms. I saw similar offerings in other vending machines in Lucern. Liberal country in US terms:)
The train ride to Alpnachstad was beautiful, along the banks of the lake and through a few scenic towns and tunnels through sheer rock.
The trail is very well marked and is very walkable - that said there were some steep parts with an angle of ascent greater than 50%. As I started up the sun was just coming over the mountains across the lake:
There were about 5 of us who started out together and all about the same age. Everyone passed me. I was surprised the trail wasn’t more crowded, given the great weather and I saw maybe 50 other people along the 4.5 hour trek. Most were younger than I, but a good handful were older AND EVERYONE PASSED ME.
I was feeling pretty well until I passed the 3000 foot mark and then I felt like I hit a wall. I was still going up and keeping to my stop every 1000 feet or so for a drink and a rest, but my muscles were complaining. Later i realized it probably wasn’t a great idea to do the hike the day after I did a hard workout at the gym.
The views along the way were fabulous. Towards the beginning of the trail there was a sign telling you you might see the local Ibexs, a type of mountain goat, but I didn’t see any, only the ubiquitous cows. Most of the route paralleled the cog railway. You could tell you were getting close to the end when you rounded the hill and could see the buildings at the summit.
As I got to the saddle with only about half a mile left, I knew I was going to make the summit-Pilatus Kulm-6795 feet and 5155 feet above the S Bahn stop. This 7 Ike hike took me 4.5 hours. I had made my goal and proved to myself that, at least in theory, I can do the TMB trek. It was only afterwards I realized there were no bicycles going up the trail.
The first thing I did was walk up 2 flights of stairs (you can see them in the background) to the restaurant and sit down. I ordered my first beer of the trip. I don’t like beer, but this one tasted amazing. I also ordered the closest thing they had to meringue glacé and sat in the sun enjoying the view ! You can see the end of the path through the fence on the right.
From this spot you can see other mountains of the Alps laid out in front of you. I was pleasantly surprised to see snow still on many of them. I’m sure global warming has made these glaciers a shadow of their former selves, but I was still happy to see there were some left. Mount Titlis is one of the peaks visible from this area.
I have fond memories of a visit there with my mother in 1976 or 77, not long after my father died. We went there with one of my father’s colleagues from GUIDE, Simon, and his wife. It was where I was introduced to air dried beef and meringue glacé and the concept of spring skiing. ANYWAY…
I hadn’t done any research on what to do next at the top, so decided to go up to Oberhaupt to see the view from the cross. I didn’t have the energy or knee control at that point to do Tomlishorn or Esel, although all three had very easy to use stairs to the summits. The view at the cross was amazing and you could even see a small ultralight flying around Tomlishorn. Way in the distance I could see my apartment block.
It was time to go down. No, I didn’t walk, I took the gondola all the way down to Kriens. The gondolas were quite crowded as one would expect on a lovely Saturday. I was amazed how noisy it was and I didn’t enjoy that part of it. You have to switch to smaller cars at Frankmuntegg and I had one to myself, so it was blissful and quiet. We actually stopped mid trip, like stopping on a Ferris wheel, it was really quiet and I could hear the wind coming through the trees. Along the way I saw a red kite riding the currents.
The good news was that although I felt like I just had too much of a workout, I wasn’t sore, simply a bit stiff and uncomfortable. I had no lasting effects and felt good today, Sunday. I’m not sure if I’ll do it again before I leave, but at least I know I can do it once and am at some level ready for my TMB trek.
It also reinforced that I am so happy not be be walking up Mont Blanc, only around it!
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