Simplon-Höhenweg

MODERATE (2.9/10)

Rosswald → Kulm

Distance
17.0 km
Ascent
+1,114 m
Descent
-992 m
Est. Time
6h 14m
Altitude
1,861.4–2,297 m
Type
point-to-point
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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 1,114m 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.

Elevation Profile

1,900m2,000m2,100m2,200m2,300m0 km2 km4 km6 km8 km10 km12 km14 km16 km17 km2,297m1,861m
Easy (5–10%) Flat (<5%) Very Steep (>25%) Moderate (10–15%) Steep (15–25%)

Route Map

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Trail Splits

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

SegmentDist↑ Ascent↓ DescentTimeCum. km
📍
Rosswald → Bortelhütten
6.9 km+497m-249m2h 25m6.9
🏠
Bortelhütten → Spitzhörnli
0.6 km+39m-58m14 min7.5
⛰️
Spitzhörnli → Isenwegg
1.2 km+28m-180m25 min8.7
⛰️
Isenwegg → Hohture
1.6 km+153m-26m35 min10.2
⛰️
Hohture → Chastelegga
2.2 km+84m-47m37 min12.4
⛰️
Chastelegga → Kulm
5.3 km+314m-432m1h 56m17.8
Total17.0 km+1,114m-992m6h 14m17.0

Pace & Fuel Calculator

Adjust your flat 10K pace to see personalized finish time, calorie burn, and hydration needs.

7:00 /km
4:00 /km (elite) 12:00 /km (leisure)
Fast Hiker / Jogger
Est. Finish Time
3h 46m
Calories
3,025 kcal
Water Needed
3.1 L
Effort Distance
33.1 km
flat-equivalent
🍫 Recommended: ~45g carbs/hr (170g total) 🧂 Electrolytes: ~1889mg sodium/hr

Terrain Analysis

Runnability
73%
Runnable
% of route below 15% gradient
Climb Ratio
66 m/km
Very steep profile
↑ 1,114m ↓ 992m
High Point
2,297 m
Alpine zone
Low point: 1,861.4m — Range: 435.6m

Surface & Technicality

Terrain Difficulty Breakdown
Runnable Flat (34%) Easy Grade (19%) Moderate Climb (20%) Steep (16%) Very Steep / Technical (11%)

🥾 Mixed terrain: expect sustained climbs between runnable sections.

Sun Exposure

☀️ High Exposure 82% exposed · 18% shaded
Route shade profile
Forest/shaded (18%) Open terrain (29%) Above treeline (53%)
South-facing: 49% of route

☀️ High sun exposure. 53% of the route is above the treeline (2000m) with minimal shade. In summer, start before 7am to avoid peak UV. Carry sunscreen, a hat, and extra water.

Current Conditions

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Conditions for June

✅ In season — good conditions expected
Snow Risk
0%
Unlikely
52% north-facing slopes
Mud Risk
30%
Moderate
Ice Risk
0%
Unlikely

✅ Snow unlikely at this elevation in June. Trail conditions expected to be clear.

🥾 Muddy sections likely. Waterproof boots recommended.

Best months: June, July, August, September, October

Snow Conditions

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Suggested Gear List

Auto-generated based on 17.0 km, 1114m ascent, max altitude 2297m, ~6h duration.

Essential 8 items
  • 👟
    Trail running shoes / hiking boots
    Required for any trail
  • 📱
    Phone (charged) + offline map
    Navigation & emergency contact
  • 💧
    3L hydration vest
    No water sources on route
  • 🍫
    Trail mix, bars & sandwich
    Est. 3592 kcal burn
  • 🧴
    Sunscreen SPF 50+
    UV intensifies above 2000m
  • 🧢
    Sun hat / cap
    Exposed alpine terrain
  • 🧥
    Windbreaker / shell jacket
    Summit at 2297m — wind chill
  • 🆘
    Emergency space blanket
    Critical for preventing hypothermia if you stop moving
Recommended 6 items
  • 🕶️
    Sunglasses (cat 3+)
    Snow & rock glare at altitude
  • 🧤
    Warm mid-layer (fleece)
    Temps drop ~6°C per 1000m
  • 🔦
    Headlamp
    6h route — plan for delays
  • 🩹
    Mini first aid kit
    Blister plasters, tape, antiseptic
  • 🥢
    Trekking poles
    27% steep terrain, 1114m+ ascent
  • 🧊
    Microspikes / light crampons
    Snow risk in November, December, January
Nice to have 2 items
  • 🦵
    Gaiters
    Keep 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.

Start — Getting There
Rosswald
No transit stops detected nearby.
Finish — Getting Back
Kulm
No transit stops detected nearby. Check local timetables.
🗺️ Transit directions (Google)

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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