Hiking options in Switzerland on cloudy May days?
Rose is planning a short hiking trip in early May to Switzerland with her ten-year-old son, using Lucerne as their base. They're interested in visiting Mt. Rigi and the Jungfrau region but are concerned about potential cloudy weather affecting their hiking plans. Rose is looking for hiking options suitable for cloudy days.
- Avoid high-altitude hikes on cloudy days due to limited visibility.
- Consider moderate hikes around Lake Brienz in the Jungfrau Region as a scenic alternative.
- Always check local weather forecasts and webcams for real-time updates before heading out.
- The Swiss Travel Pass can be a great option for convenient travel between the regions.
AI-generated summary-
Hello,
Thank you again for this excellent site and forums.
I plan a short trip to Switzerland with my ten years old son, early May. Our interest is hiking with scenic views.
Lucerne is our base. We want to visit Mt. Rigi and Jungfrau region – Grütschalp to Mürren and / or Lauterbrunnen valley.
Following the forecast in the last weeks in our interest points, I’ve noticed that a series of cloudy days is quite possible.
As I understand, cloudy days are not recommended for mountain hiking.
What kind of hiking could be suitable for us on cloudy days?
Thank you very much!
Rose
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Hi Rose,
Nice to hear you’re coming for some hiking with your son.
When cloudy and/or foggy it is not recommendable to go into the high mountains, due to limited sight. However, higher altitudes will most probably still have snow.
You will find some moderate hikes in each region using our hiking link. E.g. there are really scenic walks around the lake of Brienz in the Jungfrau Region.
– http://www.myswissalps.com/hi kingAlso always keep an eye on the short-term weather situation here:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/we ather/forecastThis thread about a similar plan last year also provides helpful input:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/hiking-st-moritz-zermatt-grindlewald-in-may-2018Happy hiking.
Best,
Steph
Hi Rose –
Steph has noted the issues with hiking in cloudy weather, and particularly in early May, when higher trails may be blocked by snow, or be muddy as Spring develops at lower altitudes.
Grütschalp to Mürren should be passible, possibly even clear of all snow in early May, and, in May the valley floor near Lauterbrunnen is usually free of snow. Whether you will see up to the mountain peaks is a different issue. ;-(
And, of course, you can check with the local tourist information offices, staff at the Lauterbrunen train station, your hotel, and webcams, in addition to the weather forecast.
en.swisswebcams.ch/suc he/ort/lauterbrunnen-2659992/
Here are some images which help explain the issues with cloudy weather. It is not necessarily a barrier to hiking, but much depends on altitude.
Especially In the Alps, or for that matter, even in the lower altitudes of the so-called Mittelland, the weather often comes in relatively stable layers. And, in the the mountains, you may get high enough that you are above the clouds, or, at a height above a cloud deck and below another layer of clouds.
Here are a few pictures to help understand that. From them, you can see that on some occasions, hiking can be great above or below the clouds, or even could be tolerable at a break in the clouds, although poor visibility would prevent sightseeing.
The pictures from Lake Luzern and Rigi– Kaltbad, show how the skies can look from below on a cloudy day…obscuring the top of Pilatus. Also, how it looks from the cable car going up from Weggis as you emerge above the cloud deck on a different day ( with a different camera, in the Spring) , and, from Rigi Kaltbad below the cloud deck. showing sun strikes penetrating the cloud cover over the lake.
The pictures from Männlichen, above Wengen, show the trail toward Kleine Scheidegg on a clear day, and on a day in June 2015 when the trail had just opened, where the was a break in the clouds. Also a winter view, from Männlichen showing clouds down in the valleys below. If you were in those valleys, you would have a grey cloudy day. At Männlichen, there was brilliant sunshine.
Finally, some from Fribourg down by the river in the Winter, and one taken to show the Alps rising above the haze and lower level clouds in the Winter on the next day in that same weather pattern.. There was sun at higher altitudes that day.
The Swiss get sun on cloudy grey Winter days by going up. Commonly, above 2000 meters.
Slowpoke
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Hi Steph,
Thank you for the information and links!
I like your idea of hiking along the lake as an alternative plan.
Rose
Hi Slowpoke,
Thank you for the detailed answer!
You gave me a different view of the cloudy weather.
After reading your beautiful descriptions, and looking at the awesome pictures, I consider waiting especially for partly cloudy days …
Rose
Hi Rose-
<<” I consider waiting especially for partly cloudy days …”>>
Some photographers do seek them out. I try to avoid them, but take pictures when they provide some special features. Partly cloudy days can have there own beauty, or interest. But, since seeing the mountains in the distance is an important part of the scenic beauty , for the most part, as Steph noted, you’re better off without clouds.
That is easier to do in September than it is in the Spring, but dry sunny days happen in the Spring, as well as the rains.
Usually April has a lot of cloudy and rainy days, but in 2014 there was an unusual period of about a week of dry, warm sunny weather in mid-April, just as the trees were flowering, but before the leaves had appeared. The weather was more reminiscent of May than of April.
I was in the Emmental, and up on a ridge overlooking Sumiswald and Trachselwald with its castle. I was able to get a series of pictures that made a nice panorama. It would not have been very nice on a cloudy day.
Especially in the Jungfrau region, the local tourist offices often have an excellent idea of the conditions up on the mountains, and webcams help. It is disappointing and very expensive to go up to Jungfraujoch, and see only the insides of clouds.
For the Lake Lucerne area, the tourist information office beside the track at the side of the train platform nearest Zentralstrasse, by the lowest numbered track ( for some screwy reason it is not #1, but #2 or #3) is very knowledgeable and very helpful.
http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/railway-stations/lucerne-station.html
Scroll down that page until you see some downloadable maps on the right. Open the “Shopping Map.”
I tried to attach that *.PDF to this post, but did not succeed. Maybe the file is too large.
The tourist info office is near the Burger King, close to track 3.
If I were to plan a trip to the Jungfrau region from Luzern, I’d stop there before I go on a train and ask them about weather conditions in the Berner Oberland.
One other thing to realize about the weather is that Switzerland’s geography adds its own twist. First, even a few minutes of a passing shower in a village or two will require the forecast to report rain for a the area. In practice, a mountian or a ridge may intervene between where the rain is and where you are. In the Alps, the mountains make their own weather. The hills and mountains, as well as the large lakes, all cause micro-climates. So, when I am deciding whether to go for a hike near Lake Lucerne, I’ll do my best to understand if it looks like a major storm front over a whole area, or , instead, scattered clouds and showers. If the latter, it is quite possible that I’ll have sun while an area on the other side of the lake will have rain. And it may only last for an hour.
If you get the impression that weather forecasts are unreliable in Switzerland, especially in the Alps,you are right. So, always carry rain gear. And wear layers, to be ready for cold or warm changes.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ab outswitzerland/nature
Many have recommended the Meteocentrale website, especially for good localized information:
http://www.meteocentrale.ch/e n/weather.html
for example:
http://www.meteocentrale.ch/e n/europe/switzerland/w eather-rigi-kaltbad/details/N-3516497/
I use it
The Rigi:
The Rigi has quite a few walks.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ri gi
Once you are at the top, one nice thing to do is to walk down the trail along side the tracks to Rigi Staffelhöhe, then swing out to the right ( westerly) across the meadows to to Chänzeli (Känzeli), then come back on the tyrail to to Rigi Kaltbad, with a look at the small chapel in a nook on the left as you approach the village.
That takes about 2 hours at a very leisurely pace, including time to stop and look around now and then.
Then take the cableway (die Luftseilbahn, abbreviated “LSB”) down to Weggis, walk 10-15 minutes substantially down hill to the ship landing , and catch a boat back to Luzern.
This topo map shows the route frpm Staffelhöhe:
It is the yellow line with squiggles near Chänzeli.
Zoom the map out to see how the trail comes down from Rigi Kulm.
Timing for your journeys can be found by using the timetable; the instructions on th eopening page are quite helpful:
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
In the “advanced” version, you can turn off trains and buues, for example, if you wish to see only boat schedules.
Here is a walk above the lake on a scenic route that includes a nice boat ride and can include a nice funicular ride:
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/the-swiss-path-and-southern-lake-lucerne
In that thread, there are some pictures of the southern part of the lake.
Here is a good walk for cloudy days in the Spring…there will often be sun on this trail when it is cloudy north of the Alps:
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/bls-sudrampe-trail
Slowpoke
<<“I like your idea of hiking along the lake as an alternative plan.”>>
Some parts are easier than others.
I’d consider Lake Thun for that, as well.
Trails show on this map- I’ve zoomed in near Brienz. Zoom out for both lakes.
Color coding explained:
http://www.alpenwild.com/stat icpage/trail-signs-in-the-swiss-alps/
“Red” trails really need boots or sturdy hiking shoes with good soles, and a hiking staff.
Slowpoke
Hi Slowpoke,
Thank you very much for the important information and the useful links.
You let me understand the expected (or mostly unexpected…) weather conditions. You gave me a lot of subjects for research, I’m sure it will be usefull.
Thank you for the guidance about the Tourist Information Office in Lucerne. The bahnhof maps are really clear.
I was happy to read your recommendation about the trail from Rigi Kulm to Rigi Kaltbad – that’s exactly the route I’ve planned to do.
Thank you for all the help here, which makes the trip planning clear and enjoyable!
Rose
You are quite welcome. Enjoy your trip together!
Slowpoke
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