The Alpine Pass Route is a long-distance hiking trail through the Alps in
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, part of the
Via Alpina
The Via Alpina is a network of five long-distance hiking trails across the alpine regions of Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Monaco. The longest of trails is the red trail, whose termini are in Trieste a ...
route. It starts in
Sargans
Sargans is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of Sarganserland in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
Sargans is known for its castle, which dates from before the founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291. Sargans was also ...
in eastern Switzerland, and crosses the heart of country westwards to finish in
Montreux
Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approximat ...
on the shore of
Lake Geneva
, image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg
, caption = Satellite image
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = Switzerland, France
, coords =
, lake_type = Glacial lak ...
. The total route covers over and crosses 16
mountain pass
A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have presented formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human a ...
es, and takes 15 or more walking days to complete.
The route
There are a number of variations on the precise route, but the following stages are fairly standard:
The Via Alpina green trail follows the Swiss National Route no. 1 (previously known as the Swiss Alpine Pass Route from Sargans to Lenk, which then continues over a further four passes to
Montreux
Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approximat ...
.
* From
Sargans
Sargans is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of Sarganserland in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.
Sargans is known for its castle, which dates from before the founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291. Sargans was also ...
over the
Foo Pass
The Foo Pass (german: Foopass) is a mountain pass of the Glarus Alps, located on the border between the Swiss cantons of St. Gallen and Glarus, at an elevation of . It crosses the col between the peaks of Foostock and Piz Sardona.
The pass is ...
to
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the flowering plant genus ''Ulmus'' in the plant family Ulmaceae. They are distributed over most of the Northern Hemisphere, inhabiting the temperate and tropical-montane regions of North ...
* Over the
Richetli Pass
The Richetli Pass (german: Richetlipass) is a high mountain pass in the Glarus Alps in the Swiss canton of Glarus. The pass crosses between the heads of the valleys of the Linth and the Sernf rivers, using the col between the Hausstock and K ...
to
Linthal
* Over the
Klausen Pass
Klausen Pass (German: ''Klausenpass''; elevation: ) is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting Altdorf in the canton of Uri with Linthal in the canton of Glarus. Somewhat unusually, the boundary between the two cantons does not lie ...
to
Flüelen
Flüelen is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.
History
Flüelen is first mentioned in 1266 as ''Vluolon''.
Flüelen formed an important transshipment point on Switzerland's transport system for many centuries, and at least sin ...
* Over the
Surenen Pass
The Surenen Pass (German: ''Surenenpass'') is a high mountain pass across the Urner Alps in the canton of Uri in Central Switzerland. The pass crosses the col between the Blackenstock (2915 m) and the Eggenmanndli (2448 m) peaks, at an elevatio ...
to
Engelberg
, neighboring_municipalities = Attinghausen (UR), Gadmen (BE), Innertkirchen (BE), Isenthal (UR), Wassen (UR), Wolfenschiessen (NW)
, twintowns=
Engelberg (lit.: ''mountain of angel(s)'') is a village resort and a municipality in the canton ...
* Over the
Joch Pass
The Joch Pass (German: ''Jochpass'') is a mountain pass of the Uri Alps
The Uri Alps (also known as ''Urner Alps'', german: Urner Alpen) are a mountain range in Central Switzerland and part of the Western Alps. They extend into the cantons of ...
to
Meiringen
Meiringen () is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. Besides the village of Meiringen, the municipality includes the settlements of Balm, Brünigen, Eisenbolgen, Hausen, Prasti, ...
* Over the
Grosse Scheidegg Pass
The Grosse Scheidegg is a mountain pass in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, The pass crosses the col between the Schwarzhorn and the Wetterhorn mountains at an elevation of .
The pass is traversed by a road connecting the town of Meiringen, at ...
to
Grindelwald
Grindelwald is a village and Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli (administrative district), Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Bern (canton), Berne. In addition ...
* Over the
Kleine Scheidegg Pass
The Kleine Scheidegg ( en, Little Scheidegg) is a mountain pass at an elevation of , situated below and between the Eiger and Lauberhorn
The Lauberhorn is a mountain in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, located between Wengen and Grindelwald, no ...
to
Lauterbrunnen
, neighboring_municipalities= Aeschi bei Spiez, Blatten (Lötschen) (VS), Fieschertal (VS), Grindelwald, Gündlischwand, Kandersteg, Lütschental, Reichenbach im Kandertal, Saxeten, Wilderswil
, twintowns =
}
Lauterbrunnen is a village ...
* Over the
Sefinenfurgge Pass
The Sefinafurgga (Swiss German, Germanized: ''Sefinenfurgge'') is a mountain pass of the Bernese Alps. The pass crosses the col between the peaks of Hundshore and Bütlasse, at an elevation of .
The pass is traversed by a hiking track, which c ...
to
Griesalp
Reichenbach im Kandertal is a village and municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. Until 1957 it was known as Reichenbach bei Frutigen. Besides the village of Reichenbach, the m ...
* Over the
Hohtürli Pass
The Hohtürli ( Swiss German, literally means ''High Little Door'') is a high Alpine hiking pass of the Bernese Alps. The pass crosses the col between the peaks of Wildi Frau and Dündenhorn, at an elevation of .
The pass is traversed by a hi ...
to
Kandersteg
Kandersteg is a municipality in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. It is located along the valley of the River Kander, west of the Jungfrau massif. It is noted for its spectacular mounta ...
* Over the
Bunderchrinde Pass
The Bunderchrinde Pass is a mountain pass of the Bernese Alps. The pass crosses the col between the peaks of Gross Lohner and Chlyne Lohner, at an elevation of .
The pass is traversed by a hiking track, which connects Kandersteg, at an eleva ...
to
Adelboden
, neighboring_municipalities= Diemtigen, Frutigen, Kandersteg, Lenk im Simmental, Leukerbad (VS), Sankt Stephan
, twintowns=
}
Adelboden is a mountain village and a municipality in Switzerland, located in the Frutigen-Niedersimmental administ ...
* Over the
Hahnenmoos Pass
The Hahnenmoos Pass ( German: ''Hahnenmoospass'') is a mountain pass of the Bernese Alps. The pass crosses the col between the peaks of Regenboldshorn and Albristhorn, at an elevation of . The Hahnenmoos Pass is the lowest pass between the Eng ...
to
Lenk
Lenk im Simmental (or simply Lenk) is a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the Obersimmental-Saanen (administrative district), Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Bern (canton), Bern i ...
* Over the
Trütlisberg Pass to
Lauenen
Lauenen ( French: ''Lauvine'', Romansh: ''Lavina'') is a municipality in the Obersimmental-Saanen administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland.
History
Lauenen is first mentioned in 1296 as ''an der Lowinon''. Lauenen is know ...
* Over the
Krinne to
Gsteig
* Over the
Col des Andérets to
Col des Mosses
Col des Mosses (elevation 1445 m) is a mountain pass in the western Bernese Alps of Switzerland. The pass is located in the municipality of Ormont-Dessous in the canton of Vaud. It links Aigle, to the south in the valley of the Rhone, with Ch ...
* Over the
Col de Chaude to
Montreux
Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approximat ...
The central portion of the route through the Bernese Oberland is the most spectacular, with many hikers choosing to hike a few passes rather than the whole route in one go. The excellent transport connections give many possibilities for breaking it up.
[
]
Signposting
The trail is well signposted. Most of the signs carry the name of the next pass or town, but increasingly the green square "Via Alpina
The Via Alpina is a network of five long-distance hiking trails across the alpine regions of Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Monaco. The longest of trails is the red trail, whose termini are in Trieste a ...
" signs are being introduced. This is now called route number 1.
References
External links
*
* http://www.wanderland.ch/en/routes/route-01.html
Hiking trails in Switzerland
{{Switzerland-stub