Great Alpine Runs

[DavidA]

With the summer in mind and the Sierre-Zinal drawing me to the Alps once again this summer and I'd be interested to collect some recommendations and thoughts on great mountain runs (not particularly races which are well generally well documented). Although sometimes easy to find routes it's not always easy to find opinion - those trails that through combination of access, scenery and runnable terrain seem to offer it all. All slightly subjective I know but regardless, I'd be interested to collect some ideas around the sweepingly general category of Great Alpine days out.

To start things I'll recommend the Grand Balcon Path running high above the South side of the Chamonix valley. Familiar to many I suspect particularly UTMBers (although coming at the end possibly not always a memory of the great views and effortless glide high along the valley.) I've ran this a couple of times from Argentiere running the valley floor along the Petit Balcon Sud trail to climb up and along to access the Grand Balcon Sud around Flegere. From there I've generally run along the high Balcony trail to drop down and loop back into Argentiere. Hardly a hidden corner of the Alps I know but there can't be too many more spectacular views of the Mont Blanc range to accompany a 15K run.

My second offering should you find yourself in the Ecrins would be to suggest the path that goes up the from La Berarde to the Glacier de la Pilatte. La Berarde a small village about 30km from the cycling hub of Bourg d'Oisans sitting at the end of a beautiful valley. The trail climbs gently out of the village for about 8km with a big climb towards the end to the refuge Pilatte. The refuge sits on a rocky promontory overlooking the huge glacier and is an easy place to find an excuse to draw breath for a while before running back down the opposite side of the valley with a possible detour to take in the Glacier du Chardon. Overall about 20km - this is a superb trail in a gorgeous location. I'd say well worth a trip just for this run alone.

Any thoughts welcome!

[Alan Lucker]

The Eiger Trail is nice (Swiss alps). Its a bit of a linear route though. I started it at Grindelwald and ended at the Eigergletscher train station. Most people would probably get the "rip off" train back. But I ran a less interesting trail / road back.

I agree with the Chamonix run, I always get the free bus to Col Du Montets. You can extend this towards the end by going to Aiguilette des Houches, taking Le Brevent on the way, then back to Chamonix.

Going up Mont buet from the train station is a nice run with a bit of possible variation. It is also a 10,000 + feet peak.

[DavidA]

Thanks for the recommendation - the Eiger trail is something I briefly considered last year but ended up passing through Grindelwald without taking to the trails. Another Swiss valley trail that I'd considered is the Europaweg up the valley to Zermatt - a little over 30km I think and from what I can tell it sounds like an spectacular day out - linear like the Eiger trail but with easy rail connections I would imagine.

[Full Moon Addict]

europaweg has lots of boulders, so not the best for running. so many great traversing paths in the alps. take your pick!

[DavidA]

europaweg has lots of boulders, so not the best for running. so many great traversing paths in the alps. take your pick!

I think I see what you're saying ... you're not recommending the Europaweg but you are recommending any other random traversing paths I care to pick!

[Full Moon Addict]

I think I see what you're saying ... you're not recommending the Europaweg but you are recommending any other random traversing paths I care to pick!

pretty much, yes. The europaweg would be frustrating to run along unless you like boulderfields. The rest of the walkers haute route is fantastic. I'd really recommend it.

[MorganW]

Another in the Chamonix area.

Start at Le Buet (free on the train from Cham with a Carte d'Hote) - Refuge de la Pierre a Berard - Col du Salenton - Chalets de Villy - Refuge Moede d'Anterne - Pont d'Arleve - Col du Brevent - Plan Praz - La Flegere - La Tete Aux Vents - Col des Montets - Le Buet.

Essentially a circuit of the Aiguilles Rouges above Chamonix which takes you round the north and east of the range into some quieter space.

I hope to be doing this next week as a solo day trip whilst getting in some UTMB training.

[DavidA]

Start at Le Buet (free on the train from Cham with a Carte d'Hote) - Refuge de la Pierre a Berard - Col du Salenton - Chalets de Villy - Refuge Moede d'Anterne - Pont d'Arleve - Col du Brevent - Plan Praz - La Flegere - La Tete Aux Vents - Col des Montets - Le Buet.

Thanks for this. I've trekked up over the Col du Salenton from one direction and on other occasions ran the valley up to the the Refuge but not looped which makes great sense as a run. I'll be down in Chamonix in a couple of weeks and may well follow your footsteps. Best of luck in the UTMB - the Grand Raid in the Pyrenees for me at the end of August.

[MorganW]

Another in the Chamonix area.

Start at Le Buet (free on the train from Cham with a Carte d'Hote) - Refuge de la Pierre a Berard - Col du Salenton - Chalets de Villy - Refuge Moede d'Anterne - Pont d'Arleve - Col du Brevent - Plan Praz - La Flegere - La Tete Aux Vents - Col des Montets - Le Buet.

Essentially a circuit of the Aiguilles Rouges above Chamonix which takes you round the north and east of the range into some quieter space.

I hope to be doing this next week as a solo day trip whilst getting in some UTMB training.

I managed to do this run yesterday. It was 32 degrees in Cham, so it was a long, hot day.

Around 9 hours for the circuit. Can be done quicker for suroe but there was huge amounts of late season snow on the Salenton which made that crossing both slow and exciting in trail shoes. Poles were essential.

I started and finished at Plan Praz. Trains up the valley are not running currently; tunnel repair work.
With the extra snow time, I arrived back at PP at 6.05 pm, an the telecabine was already closed. So I had a "bonus" 1,000 metre descent back to Cham rounding the day off to a fabulous 10 hours of high mountain travel, much of it in complete peace and quiet.

Highly recommended.

Morgan