Hello all! Two of my friends and I, all in are early 20's and in decent shape, will be spending a couple nights in Gimmelwald the third weekend of September and are really interested in the schilthorn hike. We are only planning on going up and then taking the cable car down. However, I have heard there are multiple routes and have also heard of some people just going down. Can anyone recommend which would be the best route as well as if we should hike up or down? Is there a chance for seeing more with better weather at the top if we take the cable car up and then hike down? Also is the hike still worth doing if it is cloudy? Thanks in advance!
Posted by
San Francisco area
1888 posts
Weather, as a broad generalization mornings tend to be nicer and as the day progresses clouds and rain can move in in the afternoon and evening. You can check the view before you head out.
http://schilthorn.ch/en/Info/Schilthorn_Live/Livecams
Sorry I can't help with the hiking trail part of the question.
Posted by
Chicago
8164 posts
I went there this past July. I did not do the hike.
You know it is best to start early morning to see what the weather is like so you decide day of.
Looking down from the top I would think it is easier to go down since you can see where you came from.
The topic has been covered here maybe this will help
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/switzerland/difficulty-of-a-murren-to-schilthorn-hike
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17422 posts
We would always rather hike uphill and ride a cablecar down. We are strong and fit hikers and know we can hike 3500 feet uphill on a steep trail. But we have never hiked up the Schilthorn, in four trips to Switzerland so far, as the weather has not cooperated. You need clear weather with no threat of thunderstorms for this hike---in either direction.
I do not understand Jazz+Travels' comment about it being easier to hike downhill because you can see where you are going. If the clouds move in, you will not see anything. I would rather be hiking uphill at that time, as you can always turn around and backtrack the way you came.
Posted by
Chicago
8164 posts
I do not understand Jazz+Travels' comment about it being easier to hike downhill
You are probably right I was judging it by the way the conditions looked if I were to go down on the day I was there.
Posted by
OP
10 posts
thanks for the replies. does anyone know anything about the different paths to the schilthorn? or if the weather is not suitable for hiking are there other comparable hikes in the region that could be?
Posted by
Chicago
8164 posts
Read all of this:
http://www.gimmelwald.ch/e/activities/summer/hiking.htm#hike3
The trails are marked Google mapped you just have to decide where you want to leave from:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Gimmelwald,+Lauterbrunnen,+Switzerland/Schilthorn,+3825+Lauterbrunnen,+Switzerland/@46.5528103,7.8225376,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x478f0aed3f1c9881:0xcdef1b5a011453a8!2m2!1d7.8917138!2d46.5460248!1m5!1m1!1s0x478fa0aa046345b1:0xe0ac87e82a107f2!2m2!1d7.8352793!2d46.5574809!3e2
Since you are planning to go in September look up the average weather conditions on the web and again it is a day of decision.
Posted by
2 posts
Thank you for the links to the Google Map hikes. Well done!
If the weather cooperates we expect to tackle these when we are there in October. We note that mid-October is near the end of the seasons for many of the hotels in Mürren.