Via Alpina Stage 78: Col du Demècre - Vernayaz

HARD (3.9/10)

From Dorénaz

Distance
15.2 km
Ascent
+2,232 m
Descent
-338 m
Est. Time
7h 18m
Altitude
448.7–2,447.9 m
Type
point-to-point
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Via Alpina Stage 78: Col du Demècre - Vernayaz is a 15.2 km point-to-point hard hiking route in Switzerland. The route covers 2,232m of ascent and 338m of descent, with elevations ranging from 448m to 2,447m. Allow approximately 7h 18m for the full route.

The route is divided into 6 segments. The toughest stretch is the 11.0 km from Tête des Crêtes to Sex Carro, climbing 1,813m.

About 64% 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 5,358 kcal of energy expenditure and 4.4 L of water.

Mountain route up to 2448m. Best June–October; snow possible into June.

Elevation Profile

600m800m1,000m1,200m1,400m1,600m1,800m2,000m2,200m2,400m2,600m0 km2 km4 km6 km8 km10 km12 km14 km16 km2,443m449m
Flat (<5%) Easy (5–10%) Moderate (10–15%) Very Steep (>25%) 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
📍
Dorénaz → Tête des Crêtes
1.5 km+7m-8m19 min1.5
⛰️
Tête des Crêtes → Sex Carro
11.0 km+1813m-197m5h 23m12.5
⛰️
Sex Carro → Portail de Fully
1.1 km+155m-5m28 min13.6
⛰️
Portail de Fully → Mont Bron
1.6 km+140m-25m34 min15.2
⛰️
Mont Bron → Cabane du Demècre
1.4 km+117m-103m33 min16.6
🏠
Cabane du Demècre → End
0.0 km+0m-0m0 min16.6
Total15.2 km+2,232m-338m7h 18m15.2

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 44m
Calories
4,603 kcal
Water Needed
3.8 L
Effort Distance
39.2 km
flat-equivalent
🍫 Recommended: ~45g carbs/hr (213g total) 🧂 Electrolytes: ~2369mg sodium/hr

Terrain Analysis

Runnability
64%
Runnable
% of route below 15% gradient
Climb Ratio
147 m/km
Very steep profile
↑ 2,232m ↓ 338m
High Point
2,447.9 m
Alpine zone
Low point: 448.7m — Range: 1,999.2m

Surface & Technicality

Terrain Difficulty Breakdown
Runnable Flat (30%) Easy Grade (11%) Moderate Climb (17%) Steep (17%) Very Steep / Technical (25%)

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

Sun Exposure

🌤️ Moderate Exposure 52% exposed · 48% shaded
Route shade profile
Forest/shaded (48%) Open terrain (23%) Above treeline (29%)
South-facing: 16% of route — mostly north-facing, less direct sun

🌤️ 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 June

✅ In season — good conditions expected
Snow Risk
0%
Unlikely
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 15.2 km, 2232m ascent, max altitude 2447.9m, ~7h 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. 5358 kcal burn
  • 🧴
    Sunscreen SPF 50+
    UV intensifies above 2000m
  • 🧢
    Sun hat / cap
    Exposed alpine terrain
  • 🧥
    Windbreaker / shell jacket
    Summit at 2447.9m — 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
    7h route — plan for delays
  • 🩹
    Mini first aid kit
    Blister plasters, tape, antiseptic
  • 🥢
    Trekking poles
    42% steep terrain, 2232m+ ascent
  • 🧊
    Microspikes / light crampons
    Snow risk in November, December, January
Nice to have 1 items
  • 🦵
    Gaiters
    Keep snow out of boots

Logistics

This route runs from Dorénaz to the finish (15.2 km by trail). You'll need to arrange transport back to your starting point.

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

Nearby Points of Interest

⛰️ Peaks

  • Tête des Crêtes km 1.5 · 1.7 km off trail
  • Sex Carro km 12.5 · 1.9 km off trail

📍 Nearby Places

  • Gorges du Trient km 1.5 · 1.5 km off trail
  • Le Bras km 4.1 · 1.7 km off trail
  • Marecot km 1.5 · 1.9 km off trail
  • Grands Terreaux km 2.3 · 2.2 km off trail
  • Les Follatères km 10 · 1.4 km off trail

Route Details

Network
International Trail Network
Sport
hiking
Start
Dorénaz
Start Coordinates
46.14456, 7.04497
OpenStreetMap
View on OSM →

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