MySwissAlps.com includes Proper gear for hiking the Via Alpina with my son in late August
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Hi folks. My son and I are planning to hike the Via Alpina in late August, with the following itinerary:
Attinghausen → Engelberg→ Engstligenalp→ Meiringen→ Grindelwald→ Wengen→ Kiental→ Kandersteg→ Adelboden→ Lenk→ Gstaad→ L’Etivaz→ Les Mosses
We already have all the hotels reserved. I’m mostly curious about weather at this time. I saw this thread — https://www.myswissalps.com/community/thread/hiking-on-via-alpina-weather-advice-please/ — where folks talk about snow, near-freezing conditions, and full mountaineering gear. Is that what we should realistically expect? I was thinking of bringing one fleece, a waterproof windbreaker, and maybe a packable down jacket. Does that seem appropriate? Would you recommend high-ankle boots (for snow), or would standard hiking shoes do?
We’re from Seattle, so in fairly decent shape — have gone around 1800m elevation gain with a 40 pound backpack. We’ll be staying in hotels, so expecting a much much lighter load. But also want to make sure we’re not getting into anything irreversible. 🙂
Anyway, any advice on this route during this time period would be highly appreciated.
Thanks!
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Hi eugene_polonsky, and welcome to MySwissAlps!
What a lovely prospect to be hiking the Via Alpina with your son :-).
You should indeed be prepared for all kinds of weather conditions. Freezing cold and snow aren’t likely in late August, but they can’t be excluded either. After all, you’ll be at high altitudes, and the weather up in the mountains is notoriously changeable: https://www.myswissalps.com/planning/practical/weather/
A good set of hiking gear contains waterproof walking boots with good grip (I’d definitely opt for ankle height: not just for snow and puddles of water or mud, but also because they provide better support on the uneven mountain trails), and a hooded water- and windproof jacket. Ideally, you’d have waterproof pants as well.
Underneath these top layers, you should be able to add and remove layers to adjust to the temperatures.
More about proper hiking gear: https://www.myswissalps.com/planning/practical/clothing/
More about hiking preparations and safety: please see “Practical hiking information and tips” at https://www.myswissalps.com/activities/hiking/
Does this help you out?
Hi,
Sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime trip!
We’re doing a portion of your route—Meiringen → Grindelwald → Wengen → Mürren—during the first week of September, so I can only speak to that section.
We live at over 9,000 feet at a Colorado ski resort, so we’re basing our expectations on our experience hiking in the mountains here.
No one can predict exactly what the weather will do, especially these days. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some snow at the higher elevations, but I’d expect it to melt fairly quickly unless there’s an unusual storm.
I’m using MyRadar, SwissMeteo, and YR.no on my phone to monitor the forecast. I’ve also been told that many hotels post the local mountain weather at the front desk each morning. Our plan is to adjust departure times based on the forecast. If there’s a day of heavy rain or lightning, we’ll simply use public transportation to reach the next town instead of hiking.
Our section of the trail doesn’t appear to go much above 9,000 feet. Most of our hiking days are only about 6–8 miles, so even at a relaxed pace we should have plenty of time. I’ve also noticed there are huts, lodges, and cable cars along much of our route if we need to wait out weather.
We’ll also be carrying a Garmin mini inReach, just in case.
For footwear, I personally hike exclusively in Salomon Speedcross 6 trail runners. I used to be a trail runner and have trained in snow in the Colorado mountains. They have outstanding grip on loose gravel and wet rocks, dry quickly, and I’ve found that carrying an extra pair of socks is far more comfortable than wearing heavier boots. Any quality trail runner or lightweight hiking shoe with good traction should work well. If you’re planning true mountaineering, that’s obviously a different situation.
We’ll be carrying 25–30L daypacks with a light first-aid kit, electrolytes, water, snacks, a change of clothes (in case our luggage hasn’t arrived yet), a Gore-Tex rain jacket, hat, large emergency blanket, medium-weight gloves, fleece, paper trail maps in a zip-top bag, Garmin mini inReach, phone, and a large trash bag that can double as an emergency pack cover or rain protection. We’re hoping to keep our packs under about 25 pounds.
Personally, I don’t think a heavy down jacket is necessary for late August or early September. If you have room, a lightweight down or synthetic puffy—something like Patagonia’s—is nice for cool mornings or evenings.
Hope that helps, and have an amazing trip!
E
Thank you both! Definitely helpful.
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