Via Alpina
EPIC (7.1/10)Obere Gornere → Heuwachsi
An epic alpine undertaking — the Via Alpina packs 52.3 km and 1,857 m of climbing into a 15h 16min day. Running from Obere Gornere to Heuwachsi, the trail spans an elevation range of 1,179 m to 2,746 m.
The route breaks into 4 segments. The toughest stretch is the 5.3 km from Obere Gornere to Blüemlisalphütte, climbing 1,328 m — an unrelenting 250 m/km grade. In contrast, the 2.7 km from Blüemlisalphütte to Fuli Flue is much gentler — mostly downhill with 685 m of descent.
With 81% of the route below 15% gradient, strong trail runners can maintain a good rhythm for much of the distance. Some pitches hit 60% gradient, so trekking poles are strongly recommended.
Budget roughly 10,383 kcal of energy expenditure and 9.2 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. Expect snow patches above 2,546 m into early summer.
Elevation Profile
Route Map
Trail Splits
Waypoint-to-waypoint breakdown with estimated hiking times (Naismith's Rule).
| Segment | Dist | ↑ Ascent | ↓ Descent | Time | Cum. km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 📍 Obere Gornere → Blüemlisalphütte | 5.3 km | +1328m | -0m | 3h 15m | 5.3 |
| 🏠 Blüemlisalphütte → Fuli Flue | 2.7 km | +0m | -685m | 1h 07m | 8.0 |
| ⛰️ Fuli Flue → Berghaus Unterbärgli | 1.3 km | +1m | -256m | 28 min | 9.3 |
| 🏠 Berghaus Unterbärgli → Heuwachsi | 40.8 km | +527m | -1118m | 9h 58m | 50.1 |
| Total | 52.3 km | +1,857m | -2,058m | 15h 16m | 52.3 |
Terrain Analysis
Nutrition & Hydration
Estimates based on metabolic equivalent (MET) for hiking with significant 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.
Current Conditions
Best Season
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 52 km route. Carry all water needed — plan for 9.2 L minimum.
Nearby Points of Interest
⛰️ Peaks
- Fuli Flue 110m · km 7.9
🏠 Mountain Huts
- Berghaus Unterbärgli 67m · km 9.4
- Blüemlisalphütte 269m · km 5.3
📍 Nearby Places
- Oeschiholz 35m
- Underbärgli 45m
- Nessli 47m
- Hohtürli 76m
- Obere Bundalp 80m
Route Details
- Network
- National Trail Network
- Sport
- hiking
- Start
- Obere Gornere
- End
- Heuwachsi
- Reference
- 1
- Operator
- Wanderland Schweiz
- Start Coordinates
- 46.54732, 7.76143
- OpenStreetMap
- View on OSM →
- Official Website
- Visit →
From OpenStreetMap
Etappe 13: Griesalp – Kandersteg
Similar Trails
Plan this route
This epic route demands careful planning. Use the TrailSplits planner to set waypoints at key mountain huts, get turn-by-turn navigation, and export to your GPS.