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Pilatus (mountain)

Coordinates: 46°58′26″N 8°14′28″E / 46.97389°N 8.24111°E / 46.97389; 8.24111
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Pilatus
Pilatus above Lake Lucerne
Highest point
PeakTomlishorn
Elevation2,128.5 m (6,983 ft)
Prominence585 m (1,919 ft)[1]
Parent peakBrienzer Rothorn
Isolation16.7 km (10.4 mi)[2]
Coordinates46°58′26″N 8°14′28″E / 46.97389°N 8.24111°E / 46.97389; 8.24111
Naming
Language of nameGerman
Geography
Pilatus is located in Switzerland
Pilatus
Pilatus
Location in Switzerland
CountrySwitzerland
Cantons
Parent rangeEmmental Alps
Topo mapSwiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo
Climbing
First ascent14th century
Easiest routePilatus Railway (world's steepest cogwheel railway)

Pilatus, also often referred to as Mount Pilatus, is a mountain massif overlooking Lucerne in Central Switzerland. It is composed of several peaks, of which the highest (2,128.5 m [6,983 ft]) is named Tomlishorn.

Geography and transport

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Newest aerial cable car (called Dragon Ride) arriving at top station of Pilatus

The whole mountain range stretches at least from the Lopper just opposite from Stansstad to the east as far as at least to the Mittaggüpfi (1,917 m [6,289 ft]) and the Risetestock (1,759 m [5,771 ft]) to the west on the border between LU and OW.

The highest peak, Tomlishorn (2,128.5 m [6,983 ft]), and the other peaks, such as Widderfeld (2,076 m [6,811 ft]) even further west than the Tomlishorn on the border between LU and OW, Matthorn (2,040 m [6,690 ft]) to the south, the Klimsenhorn (1,906 m [6,253 ft]) to the north (NW), and Rosegg (1,974 m [6,476 ft]) and Windegg (1,673 m [5,489 ft]) to the east, both on the border of NW and OW, should only be approached with appropriate Alpine hiking equipment.

Jurisdiction over the massif is divided between the cantons of Obwalden (OW), Nidwalden (NW), and Lucerne (LU). The main peaks are right on the border between Obwalden and Nidwalden.

The top can be reached with the Pilatus Railway, the world's steepest cogwheel railway, from Alpnachstad, operating from May to November (depending on snow conditions) and the whole year with the aerial panorama gondolas and aerial cableways from Kriens. Tomlishorn is located about 1.3 km (0.81 mi) to the southeast of the top cable car and cog railway station. Two other peaks, closer to the stations are called Esel (Donkey, 2,118 m [6,949 ft]), which lies just east over the railway station, the one on the west side is called Oberhaupt (Head-Leader, 2,105 m [6,906 ft]).

During the summer, the "Golden Round Trip" — a popular route for tourists — involves taking a boat from Lucerne across Lake Lucerne to Alpnachstad, going up on the cogwheel railway, coming down on the aerial cableways and panorama gondolas, and taking a trolleybus back to Lucerne.

History

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A few different local legends about the origin of the name exist. One claims that Pilatus was named so because Pontius Pilate was buried there.[3] However, a similar legend is told of Monte Vettore in Italy. Another is that the mountain looks like the belly of a large man, Pilate, lying on his back and was thus named for him. The name may also be derived from "pileatus", meaning "cloud-topped."

Numbered amongst those who have reached its summit are Conrad Gessner, Theodore Roosevelt, Arthur Schopenhauer (1804), Queen Victoria and Julia Ward Howe (1867).

The cog railway opened in 1889. That same year, Leonardo Torres Quevedo presented his innovative cable car project for public transport,[4][5] but it was dismissed by the country's authorities.[6]

The mountain has fortified radar (part of the Swiss FLORAKO system) and weather stations on the Oberhaupt summit, not open to the public view and used all year round.

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Alphorn musicians play on summit, as a paraglider fades into the clouds
  • Pilatus mountain seen from Gisikon Root
    Pilatus mountain seen from Gisikon Root
  • Panoramic view towards Mythen
    Panoramic view towards Mythen
  • View on Rigi and Säntis in the background
    View on Rigi and Säntis in the background
  • A view of the Hotel and Restaurant, the cog railway top station, and the Esel peak in the back
    A view of the Hotel and Restaurant, the cog railway top station, and the Esel peak in the back
  • Cable car descending
    Cable car descending
  • Ibex family near summit
    Ibex family near summit
  • A view from the cog-wheel railway
    A view from the cog-wheel railway
  • Chapel on Pilatus
    Chapel on Pilatus
  • Cableway
    Cableway
  • Paraglider taking off from summit
    Paraglider taking off from summit
  • Pilatus seen from Stanserhorn funicular
    Pilatus seen from Stanserhorn funicular
  • Pilatus with the Alpnachersee below seen from Stanserhorn
    Pilatus with the Alpnachersee below seen from Stanserhorn

Weather

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Climate data for Pilatus (2106m a.s.l., Reference Period 1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −0.8
(30.6) 		−1.2
(29.8) 		0.6
(33.1) 		3.2
(37.8) 		7.1
(44.8) 		10.5
(50.9) 		12.6
(54.7) 		12.8
(55.0) 		9.6
(49.3) 		7.3
(45.1) 		2.7
(36.9) 		0.1
(32.2) 		5.4
(41.7)
Daily mean °C (°F) −3.8
(25.2) 		−4.4
(24.1) 		−2.5
(27.5) 		0.1
(32.2) 		4.0
(39.2) 		7.5
(45.5) 		9.5
(49.1) 		9.8
(49.6) 		6.5
(43.7) 		4.0
(39.2) 		−0.3
(31.5) 		−2.9
(26.8) 		2.3
(36.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −6.5
(20.3) 		−7.1
(19.2) 		−5.2
(22.6) 		−2.5
(27.5) 		1.3
(34.3) 		4.8
(40.6) 		6.8
(44.2) 		7.2
(45.0) 		4.0
(39.2) 		1.4
(34.5) 		−3.0
(26.6) 		−5.6
(21.9) 		−0.4
(31.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 164
(6.5) 		155
(6.1) 		150
(5.9) 		163
(6.4) 		153
(6.0) 		168
(6.6) 		163
(6.4) 		161
(6.3) 		110
(4.3) 		98
(3.9) 		132
(5.2) 		173
(6.8) 		1,791
(70.5)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 12.2 11.3 13.3 12.8 14.6 15.2 14.4 13.9 11.3 11.0 11.5 13.7 155.2
Average relative humidity (%) 64 66 72 77 82 84 83 81 79 71 68 65 74
Mean monthly sunshine hours 124 132 155 156 152 146 162 165 154 159 116 106 1,726
Percent possible sunshine 51 50 45 41 35 33 36 40 44 52 48 47 42
Source: MeteoSwiss[7]

In literature

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In The Chalet School Does It Again. (1955) Elinor Brent-Dyer retells the Pilate burial place legend.

Mount Pilatus plays a pivotal role in the conclusion of Brad Thor's fiction novel Lions of Lucerne.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Retrieved from the Swisstopo topographic maps. The key col is the Glaubenberg Pass (1,543 m).
  2. ^ Retrieved from Google Earth. The nearest point of higher elevation is north of the Widderfeld Stock.
  3. ^ "In Swiss Alps, Tales Stand as Tall as the Mountains". Los Angeles Times. 2 April 2006. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  4. ^ Torres, Leonardo, "CH589 (A) – 1889-04-17 Nouveau système de chemin funiculaire aérien, à fils multiples.", Espacenet, 17 April 1889.
  5. ^ "Der Spanier Leonardo Torres plant 1889 eine "schwebende Drahtseilbahn" zwischen Pilatus-Kulm nach Pilatus-Klimsenhorn". Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek. Kultur und Wissen Online. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  6. ^ Luis Montalvo Guitart (1 May 2024). "La ciencia olvidada. Leonardo Torres Quevedo (1). El invento del transbordador". La Plazuela. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Climate Normals Pilatus (Reference period 1991−2020)" (PDF). Swiss Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
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