Luzern: on top of the world!

A trip highlight within a trip highlight—that was the fabulous day we spent on (and riding up to) Mount Pilatus, the most imposing, and most scenic, of the mountains surrounding Lake Lucerne.

Don't worry, I'll show you plenty of views from up top, but the ride up was pretty cool, too. As you might have seen last Wordless Wednesday, we flew over a really, really long sommerrodelbahn run. (We didn't have time to take one of these thrill rides on this trip, but we did back in 1996, my first trip to Europe.) 

To get to the top of Pilatus (or almost the top; the trails that lead to its actual—multiple—summits were still snowed over) you have to take a set of two gondolas. The first one is similar to what takes you high above Monarch Pass near our place in Colorado.

These cars only hold 4 people and stop at a giant recreation area (where you can get the toboggan run as well as enjoy other fun amenities). Then you get on a much bigger people-mover (I think I remember seeing the capacity was 50?) for the final lap:

The building you see at the right here is only one edge of a really nice resort complex (there's even a hotel! where it's easy to fantasize about staying). The picture below doesn't even capture all of it; there's a whole big restaurant (as well as part of the hotel?) off to the right:

I took that picture from the top of a rather strenuous, but well-worth-it climb to a viewing area that has handy mile markers next to a photo-ready seat...

...as well as views just as breathtaking as you might expect...

looking at the side of the mountain away from Luzern

and the view looking back towards the town and the lake

You can get something of an idea of the platform, and the path to it, if you click on this picture, to enlarge it. It was taken from just outside the gondola station/snack bar/gift shop:

yes, it was kinda cold; notice the icicle

There's also a nice tunnel that takes you a good ways around the peak with the platform. You can see the beginning of it in the photo above. All along the way there are viewing spots (you can also see a couple of these in the picture) that afford wonderful photo opps of the surrounding countryside:

this pathway was almost a wind tunnel...we were colder here than up on top!

but the views were worth it!

a look out further around the mountain

What a fabulous capper (ahem) to our stay in Luzern! We found the city itself to be quite delightful, and I'll close out this series of posts with some miscellaneous Luzern sights next time.