I'd like to hike part of the Alps in late May (third week). Can anybody recommend where to go where the weather will be decent. I'm looking for multi-day hikes in the Valais region. I've found a nice hike in Ticino and on Jura, but I can't find any hikes in Valais for May. I'm not looking for anything too difficult.

Thank you.

Here are three sites that may give you some ideas:

Wandersite

Wanderland

Hikr

Thanks, Rod!

I know of Wanderland (very helpful) but didn't know of the other two. Unfortunately I don't read German so I can't read the sites. I tried Wanderland but they were at a shortage of average hikes (not too difficult) in Valais in May so I was hoping for some person experience.

Thanks again!

The other two have some English pages. Select en or the Flag.

For the other pages, copy the web address into Babelfish

I suggest you pm our resident expert on hiking in the Valais:
http://www.englishforum.ch/members/4...tiredinnh.html

His avatar says it all!

Not to mention his blogs!

Lauterbrunnen is nice place to start a hike.

I am going to Lauterbrunne for 3 days in 3rd week of April
Will this be too early to hike in that region ?
I want to do wengen-kliene schniedig kind of small but scenic hikes..
but there might be too much snow this year ?

This should be okay, even in Winter you can walk in Kleine scheidig. I have a friend who rents out out a affordable apt. Raiffainer house her neighbor also rents out a smaller place. www.swisstipp.com
Enjoy! You must go to the Wasserturm also this is 3 waterfalls that come together inside the mountain. Lots to see as they have the most waterfalls in this region than any other. It alos is a valley that runs North South. The only other valley like this is is Glarus. I love this region so much can you tell.

awesome, send the booking, wish the bigger was available, it has such an awesome view
btw, i searched for Wasserturm dint find anything, is it near to Lauterbrunen ?

Here it is: www.truemmelbachfaelle.ch I always get this name wrong.

oh ok its the same thing, I have been there last year, I love this region as well

To get back to the OP's questions, I have a few suggestions. Note that I have not hiked most of these trails myself; I go later in the summer to be able to hike at higher elevations, over passes that are likely to be snow covered early in the season.

Choosing three hikes in the Valais is as painful as having to choose one desert from the desert menu

The OP is planning to hike in late May early June, so higher elevations are tricky, and in any case he writes: So here goes!

• A bisse hike. Bisses are ancient irrigation channels that bring water to the vineyards, and often have two components; a wild hike in a narrow gorge from the water source, then a much milder vineyard hike. The Valais Tourist Office has a bunch of brochures; you can download them or order them (free!!). One is on the bisses. The text is in French for the French speaking part of the canton, German for the German speaking part, but that is not a problem. The maps are clear, and under each map is a good pictogram, with elevation profile, bus stops and restaurants shown. Last summer I hiked the Bisse de Clavau and enjoyed it immensely; I am sure that most of the others are just as enjoyable.
  
  
• The ridge walk in the Upper Goms, the home of the young Rhône. I have never hiked there, but have often taken the train, and the scenery is very different from that of the lower Rhône valley, or of the lateral valleys that branch south of it. A good description is King's route Gommer ridge path -- Fiesch. Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the extra information! Highest elevation is around 1,700 meters. Note that this hike can be shortened, every few kilometers there is a trail going down to the valley.
  
  Another Obergoms hike might be Spectacular hiking route to the Binn Valley -- Binntal; I know little about the south slopes of that valley, but remember being intrigued by what I saw from the train. Highest elevation is below 1,700 meters. Ambitious, may be made easier by taking the bus to Binn, foregoing the visit to the mine, and going downhill to Grengiols; that would be shorter than the trip described, and downhill rather than uphill.
  
  
• After the bisses and the Obergoms I would choose something at mid-hight on the north side of the Rhône (south facing, hence likely to be free of snow reasonably early). Let me make three suggestions.
  
  There are two hikes from Derborence, which is reached by one of the most spectacular bus routes. The easiest is going down in the steep gorge of the Lizerne to Ardon; I have not done it but it is one of the classic hikes. The other, that I did last summer, is to go over the Col de la Cheville to the alpage of Anzeinde and back; note that buses are few and far between, so have the timetable with you and plan carefully. The Col de la Cheville is at 2,038 meters; a call to the Sion tourist office should tell you whether it is snow free.
  
  The third possibility, which again I have only seen from the train, is the Lötschberg South Ramp; again a classic that I have not yet done.

Whichever you choose, enjoy