Spot info
Spot
Hardly any body of water is as blessed with wind and yet so easy to reach as Lake Alpnach - a branch of Lake Lucerne. Located in the middle of central Switzerland, our spot can be reached in 15min from Lucerne and in less than an hour by car from Zurich. And from Basel and Bern you can also be at the gateway to Obwalden in no time. Via Lucerne, Hergiswil and Stansstad you finally reach the western shore of Lake Alpnach via the main road.
A very popular entry point is the Tellikurve (1) further up the lake. As in the heyday of windsurfing in the 1990s, water sports enthusiasts use the local thermals that are enhanced by the narrowing on nice days (see Wind for more details). This is due to the boom in hydrofoils, which allow higher speeds and jumps when there is suddenly significantly less wind. So Lake Alpnach became the ideal area for all foil sports practically overnight. In addition to wing foilers, curious passers-by also watch people doing wind and pump foiling.
Due to the high occupancy at the Tellikurve, we recommend parking in the Hauetli harbor (7). These parking spaces are subject to a fee, but the conditions are very reasonable. An alternative launching point is located 100m away in the direction of Stansstad (3). This starting point is suitable for everyone who can already maintain altitude when wingsurfing. For everyone else, we recommend taking a beginners course with us first.
Wind
Understanding and being able to predict the wind on the Obwalden part of Lake Lucerne is necessary in order to actually be on the spot when the wind blows through properly. But to do this, you first need a basic understanding of meteorology. So here's a brief summary:
On the northern side of the Alps in Switzerland there are four major meteorological weather conditions: Bise (NE), westerly wind (SW-NW) and north (N) and south foehn (S). The strength of the Bise and westerly wind conditions can be determined by the pressure differences between Geneva and Güttingen (TG). The greater the pressure difference between the two places, the stronger the wind blows. We die-hard water sports enthusiasts can read these pressure differences from the Bise diagram from SRF . The same applies to north and south foehn. If the pressure in Zurich is lower than that in Lugano, south foehn sets in. If the opposite is the case, we have north foehn. There is also a good diagram for this on SRF.
Depending on the location, there are also thermal winds, which build up on nice days, especially in the Alps and the foothills. These are caused by the sun's rays, which leads to a local pressure difference between the foothills of the Alps and the Mittelland, allowing the air to flow into the valley. On sunny and cloudless days, a breeze usually develops on Lake Alpnach between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., generating ideal conditions for all foil sports with 8 to 15 knots. If this thermal is supported by a bise, the normally somewhat gusty wind is more constant and is in no way inferior to the somewhat stronger thermals on Lake Uri. The thermals are somewhat stronger in spring and early summer than in midsummer and autumn due to the higher position of the sun and the cooler nights.
Generally, you can find a good wind forecast for Lake Alpnach on the website search.ch . The current wind conditions can be observed on our website using the weather station and the webcam .
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Accommodation
Alpnach is a municipality in Obwalden with a lakeside location on Lake Lucerne. The region is of tourist interest due to the boat connection from Lucerne to Alpnachstad and the Pilatusbahn - the steepest cog railway in the world - which runs from Alpnachstad to Pilatus. Tourists and water sports enthusiasts alike will find a wide range of accommodation options in the immediate vicinity. The Bachmattli campsite in Niederstad offers an economical way to stay overnight - and in close proximity to the spot. A slightly higher standard can be found at the Seehotel Pilatus in Hergiswil. The accommodation even has its own spa area with a whirlpool, saunas and an indoor swimming pool.
The Hotel Winkelried in Stansstad and the Seehotel Kastanienbaum are other high-class accommodation options in the region. And for those for whom only the best is good enough, the Bürgenstock Resort offers pure luxury.
Locals
Here at Lake Alpnach, it's not uncommon to meet familiar faces from the wing foil scene.
Balz Müller ( radiculo ), Kilian Braun ( kilian_braun ) and Michi Näf ( rawham.mcl ) can regularly be seen practicing spectacular tricks. The latter also trains young surfers as part of the Foil Mania Youth ( foilmaniayouth ) club. Mäsi aka havannakiller is a young-minded neighbour of ours, and still very playful on the water in any weather. Then of course, there's Martial, our wingfoil teacher who is one of the best wingfoiler on the lake.