Tour des Dents du Midi
EPIC (8.5/10)Circular route from Mex VS
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Route briefing
What comes next
Climbs, descents and decisive places in route order. Not listed does not mean absent: it may not be mapped.
Start
0 m
Mex VS
Start
Route geometry · source 2026-04-10
About 0 min in
46.9 km remaining
+3807 m remaining
Climb
1.4 km
1029 m climb
6.1 km at 16.9% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-10
About 34 min in
45.5 km remaining
+3747 m remaining
Climb
10.8 km
519 m climb
3.8 km at 13.7% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-10
About 4h 21m in
36.1 km remaining
+2200 m remaining
Descent
14.5 km
939 m descent
5.7 km at 16.6% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-10
About 5h 52m in
32.4 km remaining
+1414 m remaining
Climb
21.1 km
580 m climb
5.2 km at 11.2% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-10
About 8h 31m in
25.8 km remaining
+1407 m remaining
Descent
39.8 km
498 m descent
3.8 km at 13.0% average
OpenStreetMap route data · source 2026-04-10
About 16h 05m in
7.1 km remaining
+271 m remaining
Finish
46.9 km
Mex VS
Finish
Route geometry · source 2026-04-10
About 18h 56m in
0 m remaining
Trail route lab
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Tour des Dents du Midi is a 46.9 km circular epic hiking route in Switzerland, starting and finishing at Mex VS. The route covers 3,807m of ascent and 3,806m of descent, with elevations ranging from 1,049m to 2,432m. Allow approximately 18h 56m for the full route.
The route is divided into 12 segments. The toughest stretch is the 14.0 km from Mex VS to L'Église de la Tour Sallière, climbing 1,690m.
About 60% of the trail is runnable, but the remaining steep sections will push most people into power-hiking mode. The steepest pitches reach 60% gradient.
Budget roughly 18,045 kcal of energy expenditure and 11.4 L of water.
Mountain route up to 2433m. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
📍 Mex VS → L'Église de la Tour Sallière | 14.0 km | +1690m | -523m | 6h 02m | 14.0 |
⛰️ L'Église de la Tour Sallière → Arête Fabien | 2.2 km | +159m | -283m | 55 min | 16.1 |
⛰️ Arête Fabien → Cabane de Susanfe | 0.5 km | +0m | -87m | 10 min | 16.6 |
🏠 Cabane de Susanfe → Chaux d'Antème | 8.4 km | +738m | -852m | 3h 37m | 25.0 |
⛰️ Chaux d'Antème → Dent de la Chaux | 0.6 km | +64m | -16m | 13 min | 25.6 |
⛰️ Dent de la Chaux → Tinderray | 1.6 km | +66m | -133m | 32 min | 27.2 |
⛰️ Tinderray → Doigts de Champéry | 0.7 km | +37m | -111m | 17 min | 27.8 |
⛰️ Doigts de Champéry → Dent de Valère | 5.7 km | +433m | -503m | 2h 16m | 33.5 |
⛰️ Dent de Valère → Pointe de l'Erse | 1.7 km | +102m | -172m | 39 min | 35.3 |
⛰️ Pointe de l'Erse → Dent de Valerette | 1.5 km | +44m | -90m | 26 min | 36.8 |
⛰️ Dent de Valerette → L'Aiguille | 8.4 km | +379m | -845m | 3h 00m | 45.2 |
⛰️ L'Aiguille → Mex VS | 1.9 km | +95m | -192m | 42 min | 47.1 |
| Total | 46.9 km | +3,807m | -3,806m | 18h 56m | 46.9 |
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
🌤️ Mixed. Sections above the treeline are open to the sky; lower sections have some canopy. Carry sun protection for the open parts.
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 Tour des Dents du Midi is usually best from July to September. Snow is likely at the high point (2434 m) in December to June.
Weather this week
Loading the forecast for low point (1,045 m) and high point (2,434 m)…
Weather by month
Typical weather on this trail: at the lowest point (1,045 m) and the highest point (2,434 m). Select a month to see why it is rated as it is.
| Month | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weather | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Good | Good | Good | Mixed | Poor | Poor |
| High point, day / night | -3°/-10° | -4°/-10° | -2°/-8° | 1°/-5° | 5°/-1° | 10°/3° | 12°/5° | 13°/6° | 9°/3° | 6°/1° | 1°/-4° | -2°/-7° |
| Low point, day / night | 4°/-4° | 4°/-4° | 8°/-1° | 11°/2° | 16°/7° | 20°/10° | 22°/11° | 22°/12° | 17°/9° | 13°/6° | 8°/1° | 5°/-2° |
| Rain, mm | 164 | 136 | 138 | 126 | 162 | 118 | 110 | 114 | 108 | 137 | 164 | 181 |
| Snow at high point | Likely | Likely | Likely | Likely | Likely | Likely | – | – | – | Possible | Possible | Likely |
| Daylight | 9 h | 10 h 19 | 11 h 49 | 13 h 30 | 14 h 56 | 15 h 45 | 15 h 27 | 14 h 14 | 12 h 38 | 11 h 01 | 9 h 29 | 8 h 39 |
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.
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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 46.9 km, 3807m ascent, max altitude 2432.8m, ~19h 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. 18045 kcal burn
- 🧴 Sunscreen SPF 50+UV intensifies above 2000m
- 🧢 Sun hat / capExposed alpine terrain
- 🧥 Windbreaker / shell jacketSummit at 2432.8m — 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
- 🔦 Headlamp19h route — plan for delays
- 🩹 Mini first aid kitBlister plasters, tape, antiseptic
- 🥢 Trekking poles30% steep terrain, 3807m+ ascent
- 🧊 Microspikes / light cramponsSnow risk in Jan, Feb, Mar
- 🦵 GaitersKeep snow out of boots
Nearby Points of Interest
⛰️ Peaks
- L'Aiguille km 45.2 · 1.5 km off trail
- La Dzornive km 42.2 · 2.0 km off trail
- L'Église de la Tour Sallière km 14 · 1.4 km off trail
- Haute Cime km 14.2 · 1.4 km off trail
- Dent de la Chaux km 25.6 · 1.6 km off trail
📍 Nearby Places
- La Chaux km 1 · 700m off trail
- Les Hautes km 0.6 · 1.0 km off trail
Route Details
- Network
- Regional Trail Network
- Sport
- hiking
- Start
- Mex VS
- End
- Mex VS
- Start Coordinates
- 46.18599, 6.99944
- OpenStreetMap
- View on OSM →
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