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[title]When it takes a boat, a train and a steady hike to get an incredible view, you need to make sure the trip is worthwhile. And sometimes, the trip is better than what you came to see.
At least, that is what I learned when I climbed Mt. Rigi, the "Queen of the Mountains" in Switzerland.
Located in Central Switzerland's Alps surrounded by the Lakes Lucerne, Zug and Lauerz, Mt. Rigi's summit, Rigi Kulm, is 5,899 feet (or 1,798 meters) above sea level. It's known for incredible 360-degree views of the Alps, 13 lakes in the lowlands, Germany and France as well as the cities of Lucerne and Zug.
The journey there from the city of Lucerne is just as visually stunning. Using the Swiss Travel Pass last fall, I boarded a steamboat at Lucerne's Bahnhofquai headed for the beautiful lakeside town of Vitznau still in the canton of Lucerne. As we dined, the boat slid through Lake Lucerne past its epic landscape with mountain peaks and villages rising up on either side of us. Throughout the nearly one-hour trek, the views left me speechless.
Once there, I transferred to the Cogwheel Railway—Europe's first mountain railway—(for free with the Swiss Travel Pass) for a long, steep trek up the side of Mt. Rigi through small villages and pastures. The sound of the clattering train was broken up only by a chorus of mooing cows as we climbed to the top. The higher we went, the more dramatic the view became.
Finally, I reached Rigi Kulm, ready to see the most spectacular view of my trip in Switzerland.
Except I saw nothing. Clouds blocked our view for all but two minutes of our time on Rigi Kulm. My hair was wet. The wind whipped my jacket around. The sign posts weren't pointing to anything in particular.
When the clouds did let up, we saw the gorgeous blue-green lakes below for miles, but clouds quickly moved back in, leaving us in misty grayness.
I headed back down the mountain on the cogwheel railway to Lok 7 for lunch with a view—a view that I could see now that I was back under the clouds. Here, I enjoyed rösti with raclette and a tall glass of red Rivella. The sun was out but clouds continued to cast shadows off and on.
But soon, my whole experience of Mt. Rigi changed for the better. A mountain guide met me outside of Lok 7 for a Classic Rigi Hike—a tour organized by Lucerne Tourism and oRIGInal, an organization of volunteer enthusiasts who guide visitors around the mountain. Knowing the changeable nature of the clouds, my guide, Peter, offered to take a different route that would give me incredible views—without the cloud cover.
We hopped back on the cogwheel railway to the Rigi Kaltbad stop, where we passed a tempting outdoor spa, the Rigi Kaltbad Mineral Baths and Spa. I made a mental note for a later trip, and followed Peter to the Rigi Felsenweg, or cliff trail.
After passing a pasture of cows dining on grass and walking through a dense forest, we came upon Felsenweg, which is a popular leg of the Rigi Panoramaweg. As the name suggests, we were literally walking on a cliff. To the left, a giant wall of rock. To the right, a steep drop and a sprawling view of Mount Bürgenstock and Mount Stanserhorn and Mount Pilatus—not a cloud in my way!
The stunning view kept us there for a good while, taking photos and resting on the benches, taking it all in. Gone was the disappointment I experienced up at the peak of Rigi Kulm. I breathed in deep and knew that I'd finally seen what I came to Switzerland for.
Peter then took me down the path that eventually weaved through more farmland and pastures—giving a taste of the famed pastoral Swiss landscape—and back into the forest toward the train. Without Peter's knowledge of the mountain, my excursion to Mt. Rigi would have been a wet let-down. But the delicious food and gorgeous views on an alternative route were all found below Rigi Kulm. It turns out that reaching the summit isn't always the best outcome. All you need is a local and a taste for adventure.