In the midsummer, this place has strong winds like Tarifa. The difference in temperature between the flat and warm Northern Italy, and the cold nights in the Engadin mountains is the source for the thermal Maloja wind which gets additionally strengthed by the narrow valley. It starts at noon with about 8 knots( 3 bft.) up to 21 knots(5 bft.) and comes from the south-west through the valley. Therefore the low water temperatures - 15 degree Celsius is the maximum. Without a long wet-suit you are under-equiped even in August which is the best wind month besides September.
By Car -> Zürich -> Chur -> Julierpass -> Silvaplana
near by St.Moritz
Lake Silvaplana 3000 meter long, 1500 meter wide; Each year about 500 long distance freaks come to attend the "Engadin Surf Marathon" which was first held in 1978. The premiere was won by a 15 years old boy from Hawaii. Robby Naish started his victorious career on his first Europe-Tour with the victory in the Engadin Surf Marathon.
forgot the winter!
if you're into snowkiting you'll be at the right spot over here as well! from about mid january till mid march the lake is frozen over with hopefully a nice layer of snow on it and makes for a great open field for snowkiting! there's a kiteschool right in silvaplana that can offer beginners a safe iko standard course and has rentals for all wind conditions! earlier and in the after season and on north winds it's great to snowkite on lago bianco on the bernina pass! the little lake ofers flat surface riding and right next to it you can go steep uphill with cliff jumps unlimited!!!
and offcourse on the ocassional no wind day, you'll have some of europe's best snowboarding and skiing right there in the st.moritz area!!!!
so you're right summer and winter over here!
different then anywhere else!
lake silvaplana is at 1800 meters above see level! it's natural beauty is like nowhere else on this planet! windsurf and kite legends from around the world that have been here at one of the windsurf or kiteboarding worldcups have said it's been the most special place they've ever been! and most of them have been at some killer places around this globe!!! it's definitly not the warmest place you'll go to, but with a good wett-suite your fine from mid. june till the end of september! most locals don't wear booties and stuff in this time. but before and after you're better off with all that neoprene on! another nice thing is that you're in colico on lake como in one hour from here if the sun is not shining or if it snows in the summer.....that can happen!!
and offcourse if there's no wind there's some awesome mountainbiking around the valley and climbing, tennis, beach-volley, river-rafting, canyoning, hikingand partying around here!!!
there's a camping right inbetween the windsurf center and the kite center on lake silvaplana with lots of great windsurf and kiteboarders on it that are happy to party in the evenings at the bar puef with you!
so, come and check it out! it is truely god's country up here!
thanks, solo from holland!
comment by solo solinski , 2006-10-03 17:58:00