The Bernese Oberland in particular...
I've looked at climate charts and have seen that it's actually drier in October than it is in summer; I've read enough blogs/message board posts and guidebooks to know that the weather can be quite good and hotels are still open.

But, will it be still be green? I've been in June and was just dazzled by how green the meadows were, and how white the peaks were. I know there won't be flowers, but I'm hoping that everything won't be brown. And do the waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen Valley mostly dry up like Yosemite's do? Anyone know?

Topping for Christy.

This picture was taken November 26, 2007 in Murren. You can still see the flowers -

But here's the bigger picture -

That's almost 2 months after we'll be arriving, though...

Hi Christy,

I don't know if this helps but we have friends who live in Switzerland and she told us that starting in September it is pretty much a crap shoot on the weather for hiking in the mountains. It can be great and then again it might not. We are going in Sept. and are planning on trying some hiking even if we have to do some lower elevations. Good luck and enjoy your trip!

Funny, that's sort of the opposite of what I've learned. The alps actually get significantly more rain during the summer months than they do in October according to weather charts. I think it's always a bit of a crapshoot, though, like any mountain area.

October is a great month for walking in the mountains. The weather can be quite stable and it is less hazy than during the summer months, which means that you’ll get good views.

Don’t worry about the landscape being scorched; this will not be the case (a result of the rainy summer months). There might still be autumn flowers around and some tress will start to change their colours, which makes for a pretty sight (of course not to be compared to an Indian summer). And most waterfalls (especially in the Bernese Oberland) do not completely dry up.

Thanks! I did actually book an apartment in Murren this week and I'm SO excited to be going back.

October is quite nice for mountain hiking...provided you hit a warm day. Temperatures on a warmish day should be around 15C. On colder days it can easily get well below 10C, especially at high elevations.

You will be seeing nice fall colors, most likely. Definitely not the summer greens.

October is indeed drier than, say, June or July, when it often rains quite unpredictably and changes in weather are fast and sudden.

Here are some pictures of low elevation hiking in the Jura last October:

http://www.meetup.com/Switzerl...769/5839702/#5839701

and

http://www.meetup.com/Switzerl...769/5839702/#5839702