Simplon-Höhenweg
MODERATE (2.9/10)Rosswald → Kulm
Use this route
The walk, as far as the open data goes
Getting there
- Start: Rosswald railway station, 226 m away
- Finish: Simplon Kulm, Bellevue bus stop, 353 m away
Somewhere to stop
- Bortelhütten hut, 2,113 m
- Berghotel Klenenhorn hotel
Mapped within 200 m of the line. Whether they are open is not something we have read.
Height and time
- High point 2,305 m
- Low point 1,861 m
- Climb 1,094 m from a 30 m terrain model, smoothed
- Swiss signpost time 6 h 20 the official method, on our line
Computed on 2026-09-20 from OpenStreetMap, the terrain model and the federal route layer — not read from the operator's own page, and not checked on the ground. Hikes we have reviewed say who published each fact and when.
Explore the route
Read the topography, inspect the climb, or preview the route over real terrain.
Route briefing
What comes next
Climbs, descents, huts and decisive places in route order. Not listed does not mean absent: it may not be mapped.
Start
0 m
Rosswald
Start
Route geometry · source 2026-04-11
About 0 min in
17.0 km remaining
+1094 m remaining
Climb
2.4 km
133 m climb
1.5 km at 9.0% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-11
About 53 min in
14.6 km remaining
+944 m remaining
Climb
4.8 km
147 m climb
1.3 km at 11.2% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-11
About 1h 46m in
12.2 km remaining
+796 m remaining
Hut
6.9 km
Bortelhütten
Hut
OpenStreetMap · source 2026-04-11
About 2h 32m in
10.1 km remaining
+583 m remaining
Climb
8.3 km
159 m climb
1.7 km at 9.4% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-11
About 3h 03m in
8.7 km remaining
+554 m remaining
Climb
10.9 km
250 m climb
2.2 km at 11.4% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-11
About 4h 00m in
6.1 km remaining
+379 m remaining
Finish
17.0 km
Kulm
Finish
Route geometry · source 2026-04-11
About 6h 14m in
0 m remaining
Trail route lab
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Simplon-Höhenweg is a 17.0 km point-to-point moderate hiking route in Switzerland, running from Rosswald to Kulm. The route covers 1,094m of ascent and 992m of descent, with elevations ranging from 1,861m to 2,297m. Allow approximately 6h 14m for the full route.
The route is divided into 6 segments. The toughest stretch is the 6.9 km from Rosswald to Bortelhütten, climbing 497m (allow 2h 25m for this section). In contrast, the 1.2 km from Spitzhörnli to Isenwegg is much gentler.
About 73% 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 3,592 kcal of energy expenditure and 3.7 L of water. No confirmed water sources along the route — carry all the water you need.
Mountain route up to 2297m. Best June–October; snow possible into June.
Trail Splits
Waypoint-to-waypoint breakdown with estimated hiking times (Naismith's Rule).
| Segment | Dist | ↑ Ascent | ↓ Descent | Time | Cum. km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
📍 Rosswald → Bortelhütten | 6.9 km | +497m | -249m | 2h 25m | 6.9 |
🏠 Bortelhütten → Spitzhörnli | 0.6 km | +39m | -58m | 14 min | 7.5 |
⛰️ Spitzhörnli → Isenwegg | 1.2 km | +28m | -180m | 25 min | 8.7 |
⛰️ Isenwegg → Hohture | 1.6 km | +153m | -26m | 35 min | 10.2 |
⛰️ Hohture → Chastelegga | 2.2 km | +84m | -47m | 37 min | 12.4 |
⛰️ Chastelegga → Kulm | 5.3 km | +314m | -432m | 1h 56m | 17.8 |
| Total | 17.0 km | +1,094m | -992m | 6h 14m | 17.0 |
Pace & Fuel Calculator
Adjust your flat 10K pace to see personalized finish time, calorie burn, and hydration needs.
Terrain Analysis
Surface & Technicality
Gradient describes steepness, not exposure, scrambling, footing or current conditions. Technical difficulty is unknown where no mapped rating is available.
Tree cover and UV
☀️ Little to hide under. About 53% of the route is above the treeline, so wherever the terrain is not shading you there is nothing else to. Sunscreen, a hat and extra water.
Canopy is inferred from elevation against a 2000 m Alpine treeline and from gradient below it, not from observed tree data — treat it as an estimate. It is a different question from the terrain shade above, which is about whether a mountain is between you and the sun at a given time.
Current Conditions
Based on 1991–2020 climate averages, the weather on Simplon-Höhenweg is usually best from June to September. Snow is likely at the high point (2305 m) in December to May.
Weather this week
Loading the forecast for low point (1,861 m) and high point (2,305 m)…
Weather by month
Typical weather on this trail: at the lowest point (1,861 m) and the highest point (2,305 m). Select a month to see why it is rated as it is.
| Month | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Good | Good | Good | Good | Mixed | Poor | Poor |
| High point, day / night | -2°/-9° | -2°/-9° | -1°/-7° | 2°/-4° | 7°/0° | 11°/4° | 13°/6° | 13°/6° | 9°/3° | 6°/1° | 1°/-4° | -1°/-7° |
| Low point, day / night | 1°/-7° | 0°/-7° | 3°/-5° | 6°/-2° | 11°/3° | 15°/6° | 17°/8° | 17°/8° | 13°/5° | 9°/2° | 4°/-2° | 2°/-5° |
| Rain, mm | 66 | 54 | 68 | 78 | 92 | 86 | 80 | 88 | 77 | 98 | 107 | 75 |
| Snow at high point | Likely | Likely | Likely | Likely | Likely | – | – | – | – | Possible | Possible | Likely |
| Daylight | 8 h 59 | 10 h 19 | 11 h 49 | 13 h 30 | 14 h 57 | 15 h 46 | 15 h 28 | 14 h 14 | 12 h 38 | 11 h | 9 h 29 | 8 h 38 |
Source: TerraClimate 1991–2020 monthly averages. Averages for the area at each point’s elevation (4 km grid, corrected for height). Not a forecast or a report of current trail conditions. These values describe the whole trail's lowest and highest points. Snow at the high point is estimated with a simple snowpack model from these temperatures and precipitation, not observed; steep islands and high summits can hold more snow than it shows. Daylight is for the 15th of each month. Hut, transport and park seasons are separate: check them for your dates.
Averages cannot establish current trail conditions. Check recent local reports, the forecast and restrictions before departure. Snow and ice can persist on shaded sections or arrive outside the usual season.
Current snow conditions
Insufficient evidence
Enable “Current snow map” in the route map’s Map layers to see the surrounding snow evidence. Current conditions do not describe a future departure date.
Planning ahead?
Checking snow-monitoring coverage... Notifications require permission on this device; on iPhone use the installed Home Screen app. No email alerts are sent.
Safety & Bailouts
We do not have a verified emergency exit plan for this route. A nearby settlement, hut or route endpoint is not necessarily reachable or open. Do not leave the trail based on a straight-line distance or compass direction.
Review possible exits against current local information before your trip. In an emergency, contact local rescue services; this page is not live rescue guidance.
Suggested Gear List
Auto-generated based on 17.0 km, 1094m ascent, max altitude 2297m, ~6h duration.
- 👟 Trail running shoes / hiking bootsRequired for any trail
- 📱 Phone (charged) + offline mapNavigation & emergency contact
- 💧 3L hydration vestWater source information is incomplete; plan supplies before departure
- 🍫 Trail mix, bars & sandwichEst. 3592 kcal burn
- 🧴 Sunscreen SPF 50+UV intensifies above 2000m
- 🧢 Sun hat / capExposed alpine terrain
- 🧥 Windbreaker / shell jacketSummit at 2297m — wind chill
- 🆘 Emergency space blanketCritical for preventing hypothermia if you stop moving
- 🕶️ Sunglasses (cat 3+)Snow & rock glare at altitude
- 🧤 Warm mid-layer (fleece)Temps drop ~6°C per 1000m
- 🔦 Headlamp6h route — plan for delays
- 🩹 Mini first aid kitBlister plasters, tape, antiseptic
- 🥢 Trekking poles27% steep terrain, 1094m+ ascent
- 🧊 Microspikes / light cramponsSnow risk in Jan, Feb, Mar
- 🦵 GaitersKeep snow out of boots
- 💰 Cash (CHF/EUR)Mountain huts often cash-only
Logistics
This route runs from Rosswald to Kulm (17.0 km by trail). You'll need to arrange transport back to your starting point.
Nearby Points of Interest
⛰️ Peaks
- Spitzhörnli km 7.5 · 1.9 km off trail
🏠 Mountain Huts
- Bortelhütten km 6.9 · 752m off trail
📍 Nearby Places
- Ze Twingu km 0.1 · 829m off trail
- Alpji km 0.8 · 1.2 km off trail
- Stockalpji km 11.1 · 1.6 km off trail
- Basweri 1.7 km off trail
- Stückiegga 1.8 km off trail
Route Details
- Network
- Local Trail Network
- Sport
- hiking
- Start
- Rosswald
- End
- Kulm
- Start Coordinates
- 46.30448, 8.04392
- OpenStreetMap
- View on OSM →
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Route resources
Specialist links and source details for this route. Everyday actions are kept in the route rail above.