Swiss Alps in the Spring-Some Questions
 

We just came back from a winter trip to Zermatt. It was glorious. Always wanted to be in rhe Alps in winter and it didn't disappoint.
We have also wanted to go in the Spring for waterfalls and valley and mountain flowers.
Normally Spring is a terrible time for us to go away as my husband is crazy busy. But this year it seems that Memorial Day and a Jewish holiday may make it possible.

So. Can we expect to get the rushing waterfalls and flowers the last week of May? (May27-June1). Thinking of the BO (which we've been to before), but if you have another recommendation, I'd love to hear it.

We have $600 in evouchers from AA so we're flying with them even though they're pretty awful.

The higher elevation hiking trails may still be closed in late May, but otherwise it's a fabulous time to go. See you there!

What is "awful" about 600 bucks?

We were in the Berner Oberland last June (arrived June 10) and that proved to be a little too early for the high mountain trails (specifically, for the Mannlichen-Kleine Scheidegg trail). However, I was told that this was unusual, so your timing might work out if we get more typical weather. You'll certainly get waterfalls. Not sure about what will and won't be blooming at that time. If that's what fits your schedule, I'd go for it.

Dukey1 - What's "awful" is that the plane we took to Zurich was about 35 years old and had no audio! Ironically, the film they showed on their overhead drop down screen was "The King's Speech". Also no lights. Seven hours in the dark. Additionally, coming home the flight was cancelled and while an AA agent supposedly rebooked after we called and they called us back 1.5 hours later, (on an Air Berlin fight we had to tell her about because she couldn't find it herself), when we got to the airport there was no booking for us! We finally went to a private ticket agent and bought tickets to get us home. So AA is giving us $300/each in evouchers.

Anyway, hope to see some flowers. Edelweiss and anything else?

Edelweiß is extremely rare and you are very very unlikely to find it in the wild.

For Alpine wildflowers that grow at high altitudes, May is too early. Fresh snow in early June is not unusual at all at 2000 m and higher. Second half of June and July will be better for the Alpine flora.

So are you saying there won't be any flowers at all? Unfortunately we can only go at the time I've stated.

There will be no tulips in the flower fields but lots of pulchritudinous blooms all spring and summer- just as nice IMO. But tulips, grown for bulbs mainly, will be all pulled up by then with other flowers in place grown for their bright flowers exported all over the world from nearby Schiphol airport.

There is a famous indoor humongous flower auction at Aalsmeer near Schiphol that you can visit in mornings when the action is at its height:

https://www.google.com/search?q=Aals...w=1745&bih=864

Oops- posted by mistake thru thinking it was about Holland.

check out the Alpine Garden at Schynige Platte- mountain train goes there from near Interlaken and Grindelwald:

https://www.google.com/search?q=alpi...w=1745&bih=864

If into rather serious hike hike down towards Grindelwald from Schynige Platte!

Pal-I did get a bit confused when I read your first response.
Been to Schnygge Playte twice, both times in Sept. I see it opens May 27 this year so if we want to we can go again.

Anyone-Would it be better to go to, say, Saas Fee?

I began a month in Switzerland on May 30, 2013, with an unusual snow and freezing temperatures in / around Geneva. I'm told that fresh snow a few days later in Gruyere was also unusual. I was in the Bernese Oberland during the 4th week of June; the Mannlichen / Kleine Scheidegg trail was closed because of a recent avalanche. I was fortunate to encounter good weather almost everywhere else I traveled, but I suspect a big part of that was luck. I think you would need to be prepared for inclement weather if you choose to travel during that last week of May. Wildflowers of various types were in prolific bloom throughout most of the areas I visited, and the waterfalls of the Bernese Oberland were spectacularly full.

You might get some ideas from my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...any-thanks.cfm

Good luck!

kja - I looked at your trip report. Thanks so much. You really got around!

I think I'm going to book this trip.

Guess we'll have to bring hiking boots in case we go to the upper regions and there's snow, as well as our usual sneakers.

You were in the BO the last week of June so that will be very different from our being there the last week in May. Fingers crossed we'll have flowers!! Again, this is the only time we can go in the Spring.

<b>****</b><i>Wondering if we should go back to Zermatt instead of the BO and if that would be any different in terms of weather at that time.

You have to bring hiking boots for Alpine hiking anyway and at any rate. Sneakers are not suitable for mountain trails, be it with or without snow. Period.

Many accidents in the Alps happen because tourists do not prepare and use inappropriate gear. The Bergwacht guys will not be happy if they have to rescue just another injured hiker in sneakers.

Hi Diane,
I was in Berner Oberland during the 1st week of last May, I saw plenty of wild flowers in the valley, cows roaming on green herbs, and rushing waterfalls everywhere. If that's what you want to see, then I say go. It depends also on the weather, but you will go there later than I did, so I hope you'll get warmer weather. You can see my trip report here, or at least look at my photos of flowers and cows and waterfalls:

https://moveablefeastofamess.wordpre...r-my-imladris/

We will not be doing any difficult hikes but will bring our hiking boots anyway.

FuryFluffy - Thanks.

The Bergwacht guys will not be happy if they have to rescue just another injured hiker in sneakers.

That may be but they <B>will do it</B>

Dukey - I'm sure they will. It's their job. Thanks.

And. . . Perhaps one could get injured wearing hiking boots too? And then will the Bergwacht guys be happy? (I feel a little like I'm being scolded before I've even done anything!)

We will not be doing any difficult hikes but will bring our hiking boots anyway.>

If doing walks or non-difficult hiking leave the boots at home IME -I have hiked in athletic shoes all over the Jungfrau area on foot paths - up to Kl Scheidegg and Grosse Scheidegg - Bachalpsee - Kl Scheidegg to Wengen -Mannlichen to Kl Schiediegg and never had any problems -in fact was glad not to have heavy boots.

but those were all relatively easy trails -if taking those boots are overkill IMO and if you need them rent them locally.

I may add that I was hiking those trails with two others - a gal and a guy and they had athletic shoes as well-the trails were not difficult but strenuous and at times hopping from boulder to boulder as stairs - but we were in great physical shape.

Most of the Germans and Swiss, etc usually had a walking stick and boots.

but if you chose your trails they are more like walking and not hiking per say- scrambling over rocks, etc.

Trails are color-coded in three hues on maps - easiest -intermediate to difficult. Stay away from difficult unless you have boots.

But everyone has their own subjective take on this and it depends how you walk - bounding along from boulder to boulder or carefully following a groomed trail.

One day we walked Grindelwald to Grosse Scheidegg down to Meiringen-a wonderful walk but tiring - no need of boots which really I think would slow us down.

Thanks Pal.

Truth be told, I wore my hiking boots in Zermatt. We went for a week and got back a week and a half ago. My toes started to cramp and now really hurt. Since I'm going to physical therapy for ankle problems, I told her my toes were now a mess too. She said it was probably from the boots I wore (Timberland) as they don't "give". So they have support which is good for my ankles, but are stiff and thus they were slamming down on my toes.

I know a crazy guy who climbed Uluru in flipflops. But that does not mean it was a good idea and should be a model for others.

Please take the Alps seriously. Every year people die because they did not prepare well enough.

As for the Bergwacht, if someone gets in trouble due to their own stupidity they will rescue them but send them the bill afterwards.

Hiking boots must fit well and be broken in well to be comfortable.

I think that quokka, who no doubt has much more experience in hiking the Alps in general than me is talking about different types of trails than those in the Jungfrau Region than I'm talking about.

Ones I took I never felt dangerous or in fear of life and were caution was needed took caution.

It depends on the trail in my mind. Mannlichen to Kl Scheidegg - do you think hiking boots needed for example?

Boots are great for older folks unfit folks perhaps and again I am talking about the trails I mentioned -none of us ever felt we needed boots not felt we were taking risks at all or would not have done it.

We don't do dangerous hikes. They are more like rambles. Usually pretty flat. Exhaustion, pain and fear are not what we're going for.
I don't wear flipflops ever.
I may look for softer topped hiking boots, if there is such a thing.

Anyway, getting back to flowers and waterfalls. . .

I was fortunate to see a number of Switzerland's very different nooks and crannies! :-)

To be clear about the weather -- the possibilities don't include just snow-covered trails. You could have snow, ice, sleet, trails closed due to avalanches, etc. I think that means that you would be wise to be prepared in at least two different ways -- both by having options in mind if you can't get out and hike (or hike the trails you planned) and by having attire appropriate to a variety of potential types of weather.

FWIW, there's a huge range of options between sneakers and full-support hiking boots. I didn't do any particularly difficult walks, but was grateful to be wearing very, very lightweight Gore-tex lined walking shoes (by Salomon), which are not only waterproof, but have soles that give much better footing than sneakers -- and without the weight of most walking shoes. Today's world also includes lightweight options for hiking shoes or boots with ankle support. And I've been intrigued by references to yaktrax by a fellow Fodorite, melnq8. I could easily be wrong, but they struck me as a lightweight option for travelers who want to do some easy walks in light snow.

I sincerely appreciate quokka's concern. I never cease to be amazed by the human capacity for idiocy -- or the willingness of some to risk their own lives and well-being to rescue idiots!

That said, I trust that you will make decisions about footwear that provide a reasonable assurance of safety.

Hope that helps!

Oh yes, there are all types and weights of "hiking" boots these days.

Like kja, I have a pair of low-slung Solomon "hiking" boots that look like sneakers but have sturdy hiking soles --

http://www.salomon.com/de/product/x-...article=381637

I bought them here in Garmisch, and the sales lady told me they were good for most local hiking but cautioned me that I shouldn't try to hike up the Zugspitze in them. haha. No fear of that, I said.

I also have a pair of high-top Meindl (just look like sneakers when the top is covered by pants), also for light hiking:

http://www.meindl.de/produkt/ohio-lady-2-2/

Dianedancer, if your toes are now trashed, I suspect that your boots were too small -- that's a quite common error. You may want to go to a better shoe store or an outdoor sports store and get better fitted.

Have fun in Zermatt!

s

@ swandav2000: Don't you love those Salomons? I have a pair just like that, and two others that are similar, which I snatched when I found them on sale. :-)

I do!! I even wear them for urban "hiking" -- wore them a lot on my last trip to Paris.

s

I will definitely check out the suggestions given. Thanks all.

swandav - We've already been to Zermatt (2 weeks ago). We're thinking of Spring in the BO (which we've also been to before.) That is, unless someone has a better suggestion for some Swiss mountain area for us in the last week of May.

http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/top...ikes-in-wengen

this lists walks and hikes where they say hiking boots are not needed - stick to those and leave the heavy boots at home.

Pal-Great site. Thanks again.

Hi again Dianedancer --

Oh gosh, even though your OP clearly states that you are thinking about the BO, somehow I thought you were going back to Zermatt. Sorry!!

A better suggestion . . .??

I am partial to Gstaad and that area. It doesn't have the towering, majestic peaks that the BO and Zermatt does; rather it has lush, green, rolling hills that go on into the distance. I find it far prettier and more inviting than high-mountain areas (with the caveat that I now live in a mountain town at the base of some big-ish mountains). There are a number of pleasant town-town walks and a number of walks in the nearby (low-ish) mountains. Because it is at a lower altitude, it may be more temperate in May. Here are some photos of my favorite walk:

https://swandavsgstaad.shutterfly.com/

Have fun!

s

swandav - Looks pretty spectacular to me! Lots of muddy walks too it seems. When were these pictures taken?

Also - I looked up the Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidigg walk and it seems the cable cars for ascent and descent from/to Grindewald or Wengen WILL be open at the time we will be there.
http://www.maennlichen.ch/en/summer-timetable.html

I walked also down from Kl Scheidegg to Wengen on a wide track even mountain bikers were using - no boots needed IME.

Hi again --

Thank you!

The photos were taken in the summertime, either July or August. I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Menuhin Classical Music Fest, and that's three weeks in July/August. I would walk/hike during the day and listen to amazing music at night.

As I recall, there had been a big rain storm a day or two previous to this hike.

s

Many, but not all, higher elevation mountain resort hotels are closed in late spring. For example, we were in St. Moritz in late May (to catch the scenic post bus ride to Lugano). I walked around for a while and most hotels were closed with signs saying they weren't re-opening until mid-June earliest. Ditto for Zermatt, Wengen, etc. Just an FYI.

You will see beautiful flowers and flowing waters in the Ticino and in the lower elevations, and you will find hotels and restaurants open and buzzing in places like Zug (which has lovely lakeside gardens), Lucerne, Solothurn, Bern, Interlaken, etc.

Grindelwald and Interlaken especially will have enough hotels open and it's a buyer's market.

Grindelwald "will have enough hotels open and it's a buyer's market."

Actually, no. If you look at the more highly rated hotels in Grindelwald (8+ on booking.com), for example, many of them are down to their last couple of rooms for those dates. Others are sold out or closed.

Well then Interlaken will be open- was not talking about highly rated hotels - I always base in Interlaken - great for taking day trips to say Bern or Lucerne if foul weather sets in or in 20 minutes or so be in Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen.

Something don't compute - most hotels are closed because it is off season yet the hotels that are open are almost fully booked?

Not a good marketing sense for some of the closed ones?

Weissertee - Just becuase booking.com doesn't have the rooms in particular hotels, doesn't mean those hotels themselves don't.

http://www.naturfreundehaeuser.ch/2/...lwald/welcome/

All ages are welcome and families to at Grindelwald's Nature Friends House - private rooms I believe available and a communal kitchen - European hikers of all ages stay here=something different and much cheaper than a hotel.