Stoneman Glaciara Hike
Fiesch
-2/4°
ClosedBetween excitement and respect, answer the call of the Alps and discover 65 kilometers of pure fascination for trail running at the Stoneman Glaciara Hike – the exclusive adventure in Switzerland for hiking and trail running enthusiasts.
Difficulty
DifficultLength
63.37 kmDuration
22:35 h
Description
After the success of Stoneman Glaciara for mountain bikers, here is now the Stoneman Glaciara Hike, an exclusive adventure for hiking and trail running enthusiasts.
Discover this magical trail route on paths winding through mystical forests, leading upwards to offer fantastic views over a sea of peaks above 4000 meters. On the program, 3150 meters of breathtaking altitude difference, two suspension bridges spanning the valley, a spectacular hike on ridges and billions of tons of ice from the largest glacier in Central Europe – this is what Stoneman Glaciara Hike offers.
Choose to complete the route at your own pace, in trail running mode or walking, and experience the Stoneman Glaciara Hike in one, two, or three daily stages.
Get the official starter pack and follow the perfectly marked itinerary for an amazing experience.
Turn-by-turn directions
The route starts in Biel in the Conches valley. Gain altitude by following the Gommer Höhenweg trail to Bellwald and the Aspi-Titter suspension bridge. After crossing it, a steep climb awaits you to the crystal-clear waters of Märjelenwang. Once you reach Märjelen, you pass by the lake and continue to the Eggishorn, where you will have a magnificent view of the longest ice stream in the Alps, the great Aletsch Glacier.
Immediately after, experience another highlight with the ridge hike from the Eggishorn viewpoint to the Bettmerhorn viewpoint, then to Moosfluh. If the ridge is impassable due to weather conditions, there is an equally breathtaking alternative: the northern detour, which brings you even closer to the giants of ice.
You then descend to Bettmeralp, then continue towards Alpmatten and Martisberg until you reach the holiday village of Fiesch. There, you cross the Rhône, pass the picturesque villages of Ernen and Mühlebach, and reach the other shore again by crossing the bridge known as Goms-Bridge.
The climb to the Chapel of Saint Anne then begins and you walk towards Niederwald, cross the Rhône again before Blitzingen, and follow the forest path in the Conches valley to Reckingen. Once there, return to your starting point in Biel.
The entire route is perfectly marked in a counterclockwise direction. You'll find Stoneman Hike signs either fixed on local hiking signs or marked on the ground.
Start
Multiple starting points (1037m)
Destination
Multiple end points (1037m)
Author's recommendation
Start and finish the trail wherever you want. Many accommodation options are available in the various destinations.
Technical information
Altitude
2839m
1005m
Ascent
+3341m
Descent
-3341m
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Public transport
SBB to Brig via Lötschberg (from Bern) or Sion (from Lausanne). Regional train connections towards Conches to your departure point. Remember to reserve a spot for your mountain bike via the SBB mobile app or on sbb.ch.
Approach
The route crosses main road 19 at the holiday village of Fiesch, the lower station of Fürgangen, as well as in the northeast at Biel.
Brig is the interregional SBB station. Furthermore, the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn runs in the Rhône valley and is an optimal transport option for runners who wish to stay in one place and therefore need a transfer.
Parking
Follow the parking signs at your departure point.
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion