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Uber: term with literal meaning of “above” in German (Urban Dictionary), being a superlative example of its kind or class (Merriam Webster)
Unless you speak German, the name Üetliberg may throw you for a loop (prounounced Oot-lee-berg). And unless you’ve been to Zurich, you may have never heard of the Swiss plateau mountain…or as some refer to it, “Zurich’s own little mountain”.
A few years ago, one of my crew members asked if we wanted to take the train to Üetliberg, do some hiking and have a picnic. Of course, being a beautiful warm day, we all decided that was a fantastic idea. Grabbing some goodies and drinks at the grocery store, we set off for our outdoor adventure.
Although not much hiking took place that day, we did find a great spot for our picnic and then finally went to the summit to admire to outstanding views of the city and Lake Zurich.
Last weekend, my oldest son, having just finished his first year of college, decided to accompany me to Zurich. He got to ride in style while I worked, but that was okay…I was excited that the flight was not very full and that we could spend some quality time together before he started his summer job.
Remembering my Üetliberg experience, I thought that it was a place he might enjoy, but after checking the forecast during the week, the weather did not look promising. When we landed, however, the skies were bright and sunny and the temperature hovered in the high 70s. A perfect day for Üetliberg!
Finding the ticket counter in the Hauptbahnhof, the main train station, was a little challenging, however, after asking around, tickets were soon in hand and we were on our way. A quick 20 minutes later, we were disembarking and heading toward the trail-head and the summit, some 2851 feet above sea level.
The paths were filled with hikers, mountain bikers, families and individuals enjoying the outdoor balmy temperatures and clear skies. The trails are not extremely steep and wide enough to accommodate a large number of visitors. Amusing lamp posts lines the way…though we never could figure out if they were some sort of deer or giraffe! As we finally reached the top, we were rewarded with outstanding panoramas of Zurich, Lake Zurich and the snow covered Alps.
At the top of Üetliberg presides Uto Kulm, a hotel and restaurant, an observation tower and nearby a TV tower. Surprisingly, there now resides a Christ the Redeemer Statue designed by a Lithuanian artist, though from news articles I’ve read, it is unclear how long the statue will remain in its current location. Still, it was fun to see and take a few photographs with especially since I have not yet been to Rio (on my bucket list!).
After gazing admiringly at the white-peaked Alps and then skipping the climb to the top of the observation tower, we decided to relax and have a couple of cool beverages. What more can you ask for…beer and beauty!
With so many trails available on this mountain and beyond, it was regrettable that we were unable to discover more of the natural exquisiteness of this area. With only 24 hours at our disposal, it was finally time to hike back down to the train station for our return to the city…for there was was lots more for my son and I to discover in Zurich! But if the outdoors is your thing…Üetliberg has much to offer, even in winter, when you can don your boots and bring your sled!
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Uetliberg
- Getting there: From Zurich Hauptbahnhof (Zurich Main Station), take the S-Bahn Zurich service S10. Trains usually run every half hour during the weekdays and three times an hour on the weekends. Travel time is approximately 20 minutes.
- Train fare: approximately 9 Swiss francs
- http://www.uetliberg.ch/en/