Via Alpina Stage 78: Col du Demècre - Vernayaz
HARD (3.2/10)Les Garettes → Chanton
A demanding mountain route — the Via Alpina Stage 78: Col du Demècre - Vernayaz packs 30.2 km and 217 m of climbing into a 8h 09min day. Running from Les Garettes to Chanton, the trail spans an elevation range of 450 m to 2,447 m.
The route breaks into 6 segments.
About 78% 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 3,676 kcal of energy expenditure and 4.9 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
Route Map
Trail Splits
Waypoint-to-waypoint breakdown with estimated hiking times (Naismith's Rule).
| Segment | Dist | ↑ Ascent | ↓ Descent | Time | Cum. km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 📍 Les Garettes → Cabane du Demècre | 0.0 km | +0m | -0m | 0 min | 0.0 |
| 🏠 Cabane du Demècre → Mont Bron | 1.3 km | +95m | -109m | 30 min | 1.3 |
| ⛰️ Mont Bron → Tête du Portail | 1.1 km | +3m | -71m | 17 min | 2.4 |
| ⛰️ Tête du Portail → Sex Carro | 1.5 km | +0m | -194m | 27 min | 3.9 |
| ⛰️ Sex Carro → Tête des Crêtes | 20.9 km | +117m | -1736m | 5h 49m | 24.8 |
| ⛰️ Tête des Crêtes → Chanton | 1.4 km | +2m | -5m | 16 min | 26.1 |
| Total | 30.2 km | +217m | -2,116m | 8h 09m | 30.2 |
Terrain Analysis
Nutrition & Hydration
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.
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 30 km route. Carry all water needed — plan for 4.9 L minimum.
Nearby Points of Interest
⛰️ Peaks
- Sex Carro 28m · km 3.9
- Le Diabley 123m · km 0.4
- Portail de Fully 149m · km 2.9
- Tête de la Croix 201m
- Tête du Portail 256m · km 2.3
🏠 Mountain Huts
- Cabane du Demècre 42m
- Cabane de Sorniot 1.1 km · km 0.1
📍 Nearby Places
- Gorges du Trient 222m
- Les Grands Drets 927m
- Grands Terreaux 934m
- Mayen-Loton 1.1 km
Route Details
- Network
- International Trail Network
- Sport
- hiking
- Start
- Les Garettes
- End
- Chanton
- Operator
- via-alpina.org
- Start Coordinates
- 46.17395, 7.08173
- OpenStreetMap
- View on OSM →
- Official Website
- Visit →
Similar Trails
Plan this route
This hard 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.