Bucket List: Mount Titlis of the Uri Alps

Switzerland, Obwalden and Bern, Mount Titlis

The original article was first published in this blog in May 2017. 

Even though I cannot claim rot be well-travelled, I had seen and on the rare occasions, climbed some mountains. Trekking the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal's western region had brought forth a love for this mighty mountains that towered over us mere humans.

I had also using just leg power, climbed South-East Asia's highest peak; Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia's Sabah state. 

When I had the chance to visit and ascend to the peak (or near the peak) of Mount Titlis during a visit to Switzerland in 2009, it was like a dream came true. Another peak to add to my travel list. The fact that I took a cable car up this mountain and didn't climb up my way up Mount Titlis did not matter to me. A peak conquered is a peak conquered! Apart from Mount Titlis, the fairy-tale like village of Engelberg which serves as the gateway to Titlis for tourists is a wonderful place to visit. I was struck by the beauty of Engelberg and absolutely love the sceneries of the village to bits.

A personal travel bucket list has been checked, albeit a rather touristy one. 

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Mount Titlis at 3,328 meters (about 10,623 ft) is world famous as a tourist destination in Switzerland. For tourists, the ascent to Mount Tilis is usually taken from the resort village of Engelberg via a unique rotating cable car! This cable car system brings tourists from Engelberg to the summit at Klien Titlis (3,028 meters, 9,934 ft).

Summit of Mount Tilis as viewed from Klien Titlis, Tiltlis, Switzerland (2009)

History and Geography 

Since the mid 1800s, Engelberg has been known as a resort for vacation. Mountain sports have been conducted here from then until today. Easier access to and from the nearby city of Lucerne via road and rail links in the 1960s opened up Engelberg to the wider tourist market. The final sections of the cable car system was completed in the late 1960s and today, tourism is the mainstay of the local economy.

The village of Engelberg, Engelberg, Obwalden, Switzerland (2009)

Engelberg is administratively a municipality of the canton of Obwalden. It is located in central Switzerland within the Uri Alps mountain range and its current population is just slightly over 4000 people. Titlis is located south of Engelberg. Other mountain summits surrounding Engelberg are mostly with peaks over 2,000 meters (6,562 ft) above sea level. These summits include Ruchstock, Hahnen and Walenstocke amongst others.

Titlis geographically straddles the cantons of Obwalden and Berne. At 3,328 meters, Titlis is the highest peak in the Uri Alps north of the Susten Pass. The Titlis Glacier covers the northern part of the Titlis massif. 

Climate

Warmer months in Engelberg are usually between April to October where average daily temperature can range between 10°C to 12°C (48°F to 54°F). The colder months are between December to February where one can expect average daily temperatures to range between 1°C to 3°C (34°F to 37°F). The months of March and November fall somewhere between the warm and cold periods.

The summit of Titlis is cold all year round due to its permanent snow cover.

Getting There

The Engelberg Railway Station is located in the village itself and is the terminal station of the Luzern-Stans-Engelberg Line. 

During my visit, I travelled to Engelberg via charted bus.

What to Expect

Engelberg is like a fairy tale village taken right out of the pages of a mythical novel. I particularly love the architecture of the houses with their medieval-like yet modern looks. Large expense of open spaces with the plains of the valley coloured green by fresh grass in the warmer months. Coupled with the thick forests in the surrounding areas, the landscape certainly do invoke a magical feel to the village. Its like those real-life "Hansel and Gretel" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" settings combined.

Fairy-tale village, Engelberg, Obwalden, Switzerland (2009)

Some of the summits of the Ural Alps, Engelberg, Obwalden, Switzerland (2009)

Ascending Mount Titlis

Ascending to the summit of Titlis, my ride to Klien Titlis was amazing. While on the cable car as it traveled towards the summit, I particularly enjoyed the bird's eye view of the village of Engelberg as the terrain slowly changed from fresh green to paler shades of green before snow took over and then it was all white and snowy and, may I add, dreamy. 

View from the cable car ride to Klien Titlis, Titlis, Switzerland (2009)

View from the cable car ride to Klien Titlis (note the change in the terrain as snow slowly took over when the elevations got higher), Titlis, Switzerland (2009)

View from the cable car ride to Klien Titlis, Titlis, Switzerland (2009)

View from the cable car ride to Klien Titlis, Titlis, Switzerland (2009)

At the summit of Titlis, there are small restaurants, gift shops. There are also designated areas where one can indulge in some rumblings in the snow (for a fee). I played in the snow like a little kid fresh out of kindergarten and throughly enjoyed the experience.

Also located at the summit area is a glacier cave with an easily accessible entrance within the cable car station. The illumination from the lights installed along the pathways of the cave accorded a light greenish glow to the surroundings as one explores the small cave. And of course, you can expect it to be very cold in there!

If you have never been to Engelberg and Titlis, do seriously consider including them in the itinerary of your Switzerland vacation trip. You will not be disappointed.

Advices and Tips

If you are like me who lives in a city with an all-year warm tropical climate, do remember to pack some thick winter wear for your visit to Titlis. If you are spending all your time shivering from the cold, you will be unlikely to enjoy the trip very much! Gloves to keep your hands warm are highly recommended.

Both cash (Swiss Franc) and credit cards are accepted by the restaurants and gift shops at the summit. 

My delicious lunch at a restaurant at Klien Titlis, Titlis, Switzerland (2009)