Sunrise in the Alps
 

I’m planning to spend some time in Haute-Savoie in early summer. I had not originally planned to spend any time in the mountains, but I recently read an account of a sunrise seen in the Alps, and it sounds like an experience I would like to have. It sounds absurd, but can anyone recommend a good spot for this? Most guides that discuss spending time in the Alps in summertime seem to be targeted towards the aggressively athletic, which I am not. I’d like to find someplace reasonably accessible from Geneva , fairly unspoiled, with a simple or comfortable (not luxurious) hotel. Or, if there’s a better way to do this, I’d be interested in that. Thanks for your help.

Part of the problem is that to see a sun rise, you need to be in a place where the mountain ridges to the east do not block your view. That is a formidable problem in some areas such as Lauterbrunnen which is on the floor of a tight valley with high ridges both east and west, or in Saas Fee where the high ridge to the east reaches elevations of better than 13,000 feet, some 7,000 feet above the village.<BR><BR>Other than that, I think you need to be where there is lake that runs east and west, like Lake Geneva. I you are at the east end of the lake, you can look west and the sun will not be in your eyes as it comes up. Luzern is a ways away from Geneva, that the lake there is quite large and should enable you to see the rising sun. <BR><BR>I have had much more success with sunsets where the rays of the setting sun caused the snow capped mountains to take on delicate shades of pink. The effect is dramatic if you can catch a full moon coming up while the sun is sinking. If the timing is right, the silver light from the moon gradually replaces the red of the sun. For a magical few minutes, the moon and the sun are mixing their light spectrums on the snowy summits. Under those conditions, I have seen the peaks glow with such luminosity that it was surreal, ethereal even. To be honest, I never saw colors like that before -- first red, then pink as the sun faded, then a mix of silver and pink as the moon began to illuminate the slopes together with the light of the fading sun, and then finally the light turned to pure silver as the moon rose higher and the sun passed well below the horizon. I was in Lauterbrunnen on the floor of the valley when I saw this magical lighting event, and I hope to see it again this summer. I remember well standing on the floor of the valley on a country lane with my girl friend of many years exclaiming in wonder as nature showed us what she can do with light, while Staubbach Falls thundered just behind us. It was indeed a magical moment, one that is indelibly etched in my memory because I also shared it with someone very close. <BR><BR>

Sghosh,<BR><BR>We experienced something similar to a "sunrise moment" in Zermatt. Our very small hotel room balcony faced the Matterhorn. We got up early, not a cloud in the sky, and peaked outside, looking at the Matterhorn. As the sun rose behind us, the rays of the sun hit the peak of the Matterhorn first and gradually came down the side of the mountain. Beautiful! The colors changed to/from pinks, purples, golds and yellows.

The best places might be Hotel Kulm on top of the Rigi mountain near Lucerne and Hotel Kulm on the Gornergrat ridge above Zermatt. Both are accessible by cog-wheel train.<BR><BR>Ingo

I've stayed at the Hotel Kulm on the Gornergrat, the sunrise that morning one of my favorite memories. The rooms are shared bath, but in early summer you will find you probably have the place pretty much to yourself. The meals are excellent and the staff very friendly. rates quite reasonable too. We were there the first week of June and were the only guests. The only problem could be the altitude. Now if the weather just cooperates...