Morning EFers,

as the season of summer draws to a close, I thought it may be a good idea to get a few folks together for a rafting trip mid-September & would like to poll the forum to see if we can get a couple of boats together.

Venue : Interlaken

River : The mighty Lütschine !!!

Cost : 99 chuffs

Length : 8.6kms

Length of time : 3-3.5hrs, including suiting up, transport & safety briefing

Numbers : 8 per boat (would be cool if we could get three boats going)

Costs include bus transfer, wetsuit, helmet, snack + 2 beers at the end.

Did this a few years back & is mostly Class III, but is dependant on how much sunshine ... obviously.

Train journey : Interlaken Ost

Zürich - 2hrs
Bern - 1 hr
Lausanne - 2.15 hrs
Basel - 2hrs

(Daniel will be able to compute this into required number of beers for return trip)

Will arrange for pick up at Interlaken Ost train station for those that need it, suggested pick up time 11.00am. With the EF fleet expected to launch at 12.00 midday.


gbn can bring his own banjo ....


so scores on the doors please, I will have to close this by Thursday next week (30th) in order to be able to book.

a good weekend to all

Hi Polorise, I did this just 2 weeks ago on the same course. It's mostly C3. Also at the midpoint you need to stop and get into a shuttle bus for 5 mins because they closed off a section.
We launched at 12:30, 40 of us, and even at that time the glacial water was ultra cold. Yes free drink at the end, they take photos throughout(bit pricey). When you see the 'white' and 'brown' waters come together it's quite impressive.

I'd love to do this, but I'll probably still be out of town when you folks do the trip.

Class III stuff is generally pretty fun. It is especially fun when it is a bigger water Class III.

Does anyone know of any guide books for the whitewater trips in Switzerland? I'd like to find out what is out there. I know there are trips on the Inn and the Vorderrhein near Ilanz that swissraft offers.

I think the mid-section you are referring to is a proper Class IV/V (dependant on conditions), they only take professional crews on this section. Surprise .... they need a licence ...

Hi Greg, came across this book on Amazon, covers pretty much all the Alpine rafting in Europe.

Feedback quote (5 star) :

That's an excellent book, which I picked up in a used book shop before moving to Switzerland. Sadly, the North Alps are another volume, which I've not found yet. Perhaps I should search Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.de.

I used to drive by the Birs often while living near Basel. It looked like the lower part just before the Rhein would be a great run. Well, except for the sewage plant that would end up dumping in effluent whenever there was a heavy rainstorm...

Couple of questions have come in :

Yes it is a guided tour, helmets, lifejackets & wetsuits are provided.

First timers. no worries, these guys are experienced, have been down this route three times now & have not seen an overturned raft.

Bring a pair of swimmies & a set of trainers that you are not too bothered about getting a soaking

Showers are provided

Looks like the 16th (Sunday) as this is when most people are going to be available (including me). Also that fresh Alpine water is an effective shock treatment for the Sunday morning horrors ... believe me I have been there.

Advise that you bring a bottle of water & leave on the bus. Mid-section break, you are going to be thirsty as hell (see above note).

any other questions please PM me ...or if you want to keep this thread bumping (which would be nice) please keep posting, I'll get back to you.

Cheers P

can't make it on the 16th, I will be on my way back from Paris, drowning my sorrows... (yeah yeah, go ahead and laugh Polorise!)

after our shite performance against the Yarpies on Saturday, I think you & I should draw up a "truce" until the Six Nations 2008 ....

go on then, a truce it is!

as you come down the Lütschine and get towards the lake, there is a massive boulder in the middle of the river - if the flow and activity is good enough, your pro might actually plant the boat right on it.

We did that many moons ago [with the ill-fated AdventureWorld] one May when the flow was pretty aggressive. The [white] Lütschine coming down off the glacier was pumping.

Don't you have to row across the lake afterwards though?

(and am I allowed to say the rapids are tame compared to running down from Vic Falls on the Zambezi? )

I calculate approx 14 beers / person for the entire trip, but it depends on how many cases of booze they allow us to load into the dinghy.

Yes .... Yes .... Yes

any other questions ?

Daniel many thanks for the booze input there & being a reliable source of such info as always.

Also thanks to the Pieman for the most banal groan I have received to date, thought PC Designs had topped the chart yesterday, only for the revolving door to come along & catch him on the backside.

OK, to date we have 6 confirmed, one on holiday & apparently GrumpyGrapefruit is ironing his Tutu that weekend ... any more takers ????

Update : apparently Mr Hall is helping GG ... manlove .....

actually I don't see the need for that groan at all so I invite it to be removed by the groaner

Looks like the 16th (Sunday) as this is when most people are going to be available (including me). Also that fresh Alpine water is an effective shock treatment for the Sunday morning horrors ... believe me I have been there.

OK, I may have missed something here but on the website I though it stated the season for Lütschine finishes on Sep 15th?? I made this mistake last year, landing in interlaken the day after the rafting season fiished.
Apologies if I'm wrong

Caroline, thanks for the heads up - just called & have been informed that the licence for rafting in Kanton Bern is restricted & 15th is the last day.

This still works from me, so Saturday it is.

PS have a number of non - EFers from Bern (5-6) who look like they will also join, so we can look at minimum of two boats by the looks of things.

Cheers P

Cheers, Saturday 15th still works for me.
Erm....any other females signed up?

I can't on the 15th


Oh well, maybe next year.

Are you gonna do a formal invite so you can get an idea of numbers. At the moment its just poll.

H