Via Alpina

HARD (3.3/10)

Griesalp → Kandersteg

Distance
17.1 km
Ascent
+1,569 m
Descent
-1,812 m
Est. Time
7h 32m
Altitude
1,171.9–2,752.2 m
Type
point-to-point
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17.1 km Distance1,569 m Climb7h 32m Est. time2,752 m High pointHARD Difficulty
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Via Alpina is a 17.1 km point-to-point hard hiking route in Switzerland, running from Griesalp to Kandersteg. The route covers 1,569m of ascent and 1,812m of descent, with elevations ranging from 1,171m to 2,752m. Allow approximately 7h 32m for the full route.

The route is divided into 5 segments. The toughest stretch is the 5.9 km from Griesalp to Blüemlisalphütte, climbing 1,373m.

About 52% 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 4,826 kcal of energy expenditure and 4.5 L of water.

Mountain route up to 2752m. Best June–October; snow possible into June.

Elevation Profile

1,200m1,400m1,600m1,800m2,000m2,200m2,400m2,600m2,800m05 km10 km15 km2,738m1,172m
Flat (<5%) Gentle (5–10%) Moderate (10–15%) Steep (15–25%) Very steep (>25%)

Route Map

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Trail Splits

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

SegmentDist↑ Ascent↓ DescentTimeCum. km
📍
Griesalp → Blüemlisalphütte
5.9 km+1373m-39m3h 30m5.9
🏠
Blüemlisalphütte → Schwarzhorn
0.8 km+18m-229m22 min6.7
⛰️
Schwarzhorn → Fuli Flue
2.2 km+15m-493m53 min8.9
⛰️
Fuli Flue → Berghaus Unterbärgli
1.4 km+19m-279m33 min10.4
🏠
Berghaus Unterbärgli → Kandersteg
6.7 km+144m-772m2h 13m17.1
Total17.1 km+1,569m-1,812m7h 32m17.1

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
4h 41m
Calories
4,094 kcal
Water Needed
3.8 L
Effort Distance
41.8 km
flat-equivalent
🍫 Recommended: ~45g carbs/hr (211g total) 🧂 Electrolytes: ~2342mg sodium/hr

Terrain Analysis

Runnability
52%
Mixed
% of route below 15% gradient
Climb Ratio
92 m/km
Very steep profile
↑ 1,569m ↓ 1,812m
High Point
2,752.2 m
High alpine zone
Low point: 1,171.9m — Range: 1,580.3m

Surface & Technicality

Terrain Difficulty Breakdown
Runnable Flat (15%) Easy Grade (18%) Moderate Climb (15%) Steep (30%) Very Steep / Technical (22%)

⛰️ Highly technical route. Power-hiking the steep sections is expected.

Sun Exposure

🌤️ Moderate Exposure 69% exposed · 31% shaded
Route shade profile
Forest/shaded (31%) Open terrain (35%) Above treeline (34%)
South-facing: 46% of route

🌤️ Mixed shade and exposure. Sections above 2000m are fully exposed. Lower sections offer some tree cover. Sun protection still recommended.

Current Conditions

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Conditions for July

✅ In season — good conditions expected
Snow Risk
0%
Unlikely
55% north-facing slopes
Mud Risk
10%
Low
Ice Risk
0%
Unlikely

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

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

Snow Conditions

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Suggested Gear List

Auto-generated based on 17.1 km, 1569m ascent, max altitude 2752.2m, ~8h 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. 4826 kcal burn
  • 🧴
    Sunscreen SPF 50+
    UV intensifies above 2000m
  • 🧢
    Sun hat / cap
    Exposed alpine terrain
  • 🧥
    Windbreaker / shell jacket
    Summit at 2752.2m — wind chill
  • 🆘
    Emergency space blanket
    Critical if injured at altitude
Recommended 6 items
  • 🕶️
    Sunglasses (cat 3+)
    Snow & rock glare at altitude
  • 🧤
    Warm mid-layer (fleece)
    Temps drop ~6°C per 1000m
  • 🔦
    Headlamp
    8h route — plan for delays
  • 🩹
    Mini first aid kit
    Blister plasters, tape, antiseptic
  • 🥢
    Trekking poles
    52% steep terrain, 1569m+ 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 Griesalp to Kandersteg (17.1 km by trail). You'll need to arrange transport back to your starting point.

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

Nearby Points of Interest

⛰️ Peaks

  • Schwarzhorn km 6.7 · 713m off trail
  • Chlyne Bundstock km 6.8 · 1.4 km off trail

🏠 Mountain Huts

  • Blüemlisalphütte km 5.9 · 793m off trail

📍 Nearby Places

  • Pochtenalp 243m off trail
  • Nessli km 0.4 · 390m off trail
  • Zürcherweide 576m off trail
  • Lärchenboden km 0.7 · 722m off trail
  • Mutzboden 838m off trail

Route Details

Network
National Trail Network
Sport
hiking
Start
Griesalp
End
Kandersteg
Start Coordinates
46.54732, 7.76143
OpenStreetMap
View on OSM →

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