2001.03.31. First thing this morning we took the train from Lucerne to Engelberg, ready to head up Mount Titlis...
The train ride takes about an hour and a half to reach Engelberg...
AI-added context: Down in the Engelberg valley sits the Benedictine Engelberg Abbey (Kloster Engelberg), founded in 1120; for more than nine centuries it has been at the heart of this mountain town's development and tourism. Source: Kloster Engelberg official site.
Outside the station there were sightseeing horse-carriages that loop around town...but we weren't here for a carriage ride today...so we just borrowed one from its owner for a quick photo ^.^
Up by three cable-car stages
Mount Titlis stands 3,239 metres high, but reaching the top doesn't take a five-hour climb like Yushan...three stages of cable car and you're there in no time ^.^
As I recall, you could buy the day-trip package right at Lucerne station, covering the train, all three cable-car stages, and admission...
The final leg is the world's first rotating mountain cable car, able to carry 80 passengers.
** Before reaching the summit it makes a full 360-degree turn, so everyone gets to take in the view from every angle...**
AI-added context: The "world's first rotating mountain cable car" mentioned here is the TITLIS Rotair, inaugurated on 20 December 1992 as the world's first revolving aerial cableway. From Engelberg you change at Trübsee and then Stand before boarding the Rotair to the top, a journey of about 30 minutes in all; on the final section the cabin slowly rotates a full 360 degrees so every passenger can take in the snow peaks and glacier from every angle. Source: TITLIS Cableways official history.
Standing in a world of snow at 3,000 metres
The thing is, shooting up to a summit over 3,000 metres so suddenly...the moment my wife stepped out of the cable-car station she could barely catch her breath after a few steps @.@'"
We quickly grabbed a hot chocolate and some food so she could sit down and rest...
Luckily, your uncle here keeps in shape...the mountain was cold and the air was thin...but...none of that could put out the fire in my heart ^.^
The ski slopes, and heading back down
Mount Titlis is snow-capped year-round and a great ski destination...it's a shame it didn't occur to me back then that even if you can't ski, you can still try a snowboard...looking back it really is a regret...
Then again, it really was cold up there...if you're not skiing...an hour or two is about all you can take...
Street snapshots
Street snapshot 1...
Street snapshot 2...
Related reading:
Switzerland Travel Diary: Lucerne (Luzern)
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