Sardona-Welterbe-Weg Etappe 4

MODERATE (2.1/10)

Val Sax → Valtnov-Gams

Distance
16.0 km
Ascent
+462 m
Descent
-1,592 m
Est. Time
5h 17m
Altitude
1,005–2,434 m
Type
point-to-point

A rewarding day in the mountains — the Sardona-Welterbe-Weg Etappe 4 packs 16.0 km and 462 m of climbing into a 5h 17min day. Running from Val Sax to Valtnov-Gams, the trail spans an elevation range of 1,005 m to 2,434 m.

The route breaks into 10 segments. The toughest stretch is the 2.1 km from Val Sax to Älplichopf, climbing 215 m — an unrelenting 102 m/km grade. In contrast, the 2.3 km from Zinerspitz to Hüenerspitz is much gentler — mostly downhill with 446 m of descent.

About 69% of the trail is runnable, but the remaining steep sections will push most people into power-hiking mode. Some pitches hit 60% gradient, so trekking poles are strongly recommended.

Budget roughly 2,567 kcal of energy expenditure and 3.2 L of water. Aim for 60–90 g of carbs per hour to avoid bonking on the longer climbs. No confirmed water sources along the route — carry all the water you need.

Alpine route. Usually accessible from June to October. Early and late season may have snow patches above 2200m.

Elevation Profile

1,200m 1,400m 1,600m 1,800m 2,000m 2,200m 2,400m 0 km 2 km 4 km 6 km 8 km 10 km 12 km 14 km 2,434m 1,005m Heidelspitz (2340m) Heidelspitz Plattenfirst (2377m) Plattenfirst Horni (2346m) Horni Chrazerispitz (2379m) Chrazerispitz Seezberg (2198m) Seezberg Fahnenstock (2434m) Fahnenstock
Steep (15–25%) Easy (5–10%) Moderate (10–15%) Flat (<5%) Very Steep (>25%) Peak Hut

Route Map

Trail Splits

Waypoint-to-waypoint breakdown with estimated hiking times (Naismith's Rule).

Segment Dist ↑ Ascent ↓ Descent Time Cum. km
📍
Val Sax Älplichopf
2.1 km +215m -40m 48 min 2.1
⛰️
Älplichopf Marchegghorn
1.1 km +48m -8m 17 min 3.2
⛰️
Marchegghorn Chrazerispitz
1.1 km +38m -1m 16 min 4.3
⛰️
Chrazerispitz Heubützler
1.2 km +70m -128m 28 min 5.5
⛰️
Heubützler Plattenspitz
1.2 km +38m -29m 20 min 6.8
⛰️
Plattenspitz Heidelspitz
1.1 km +46m -41m 19 min 7.9
⛰️
Heidelspitz Zinerspitz
1.4 km +3m -469m 40 min 9.3
⛰️
Zinerspitz Hüenerspitz
2.3 km +0m -446m 50 min 11.6
⛰️
Hüenerspitz Horn
1.7 km +4m -211m 31 min 13.3
⛰️
Horn Ringgenstein
1.5 km +0m -219m 29 min 14.8
Total 16.0 km +462m -1,592m 5h 17m 16.0

Terrain Analysis

Runnability
70%
Runnable
% of route below 15% gradient
Climb Ratio
29 m/km
Moderate profile
↑ 462m ↓ 1,592m
High Point
2,434 m
Alpine zone
Low point: 1,005m — Range: 1,429m

Nutrition & Hydration

🔥
Energy Burn
2,567 kcal
MET 6.9 · hiking intensity
💧
Water Needed
3.2 L
~0.5 L/hour of activity
Fueling Rate
60–90 g/hr
carbs · 385g total carbs needed

Estimates based on metabolic equivalent (MET) for hiking with moderate elevation gain. Actual needs vary by body weight, fitness, weather, and pack weight.

Pace Estimates

Based on Naismith's Rule adjusted for distance, elevation, and technical difficulty. Click a pace to update split times above.

🥾
Relaxed Hiker
6h 53m
2.3 km/h avg
🏔
Average Hiker
5h 17m
3.0 km/h avg
🏃
Trail Runner
3h 10m
5.0 km/h avg

Current Conditions

🌤
-0.9°C
Mostly Clear
💨 12.1 km/h 🌧 0% chance
Next 24h: -1°C – 5.3°C
At trail center · Updated 2026-03-06

Best Season

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Best Snow Risk

Alpine route. Usually accessible from June to October. Early and late season may have snow patches above 2200m.

Logistics

💧 Water Advisory

No confirmed water sources along this 16 km route. Carry all water needed — plan for 3.2 L minimum.

Nearby Points of Interest

⛰️ Peaks

  • Heidelspitz 131m · km 7.8
  • Plattenfirst 205m · km 5
  • Horni 291m · km 6.4
  • Chrazerispitz 354m · km 4
  • Seezberg 452m · km 8.3

📍 Nearby Places

  • Lavtina-Patöni 34m
  • Valtüsch 37m
  • Lavtina-Stierenläger 246m
  • Rüti 475m

Route Details

Network
Regional Trail Network
Sport
hiking
Start
Val Sax
End
Valtnov-Gams
Reference
73
Operator
Wanderland Schweiz
Start Coordinates
46.91558, 9.27549
OpenStreetMap
View on OSM →

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