Bernese Oberland & Central Switzerland - Discover Switzerland: Experience the Best of Switzerland - page 329

Mt Pilatus
Rearing above Lucerne from the southwest, Mt Pilatus ( www.pilatus.com ) rose to fame in
the 19th-century when Wagner waxed lyrical about its Alpine vistas and Queen Victoria
trotted up here on horseback. Legend has it that this 2132m peak was named after Pontius
Pilate, whose corpse was thrown into a lake on its summit and whose restless ghost has
haunted its heights ever since. Poltergeists aside, it's more likely that the moniker derives
from the Latin word pileatus, meaning cloud covered - as the mountain frequently is.
From May to October, you can reach Mt Pilatus on a classic 'golden round-trip'. Board
the lake steamer from Lucerne to Alpnachstad, then rise with the world's steepest cog rail-
way to Mt Pilatus. From the summit, cable cars bring you down to Kriens via Fräkmün-
tegg and Krienseregg, where bus 1 takes you back to Lucerne. The reverse route (Kri-
ens-Pilatus-Alpnachstad-Lucerne) is also possible. The return trip costs Sfr91 (less with
valid Swiss, Eurail or InterRail passes).
Mt Pilatus is fantastic for walking . Hikes include a steep, partially roped 2.8km
scramble (June to September) from Fräkmüntegg to the summit.
In winter, try sledging 6km through snowy woodlands from Fräkmüntegg to Kriens. A
return ticket between Kriens and Fräkmüntegg by cable car costs Sfr38 for adults and
Sfr19 for children. Free sledge hire is available at Fräkmüntegg station.