Tour du Val d’Hérens: Grande Dixence – Arolla (Stage 2)
Evolène
-1/3°
The second stage of the Tour du Val d'Hérens leads from the world's highest gravity dam and along the longest reservoir in Switzerland to the foot of glacier-covered peaks. You will also discover a legendary mountain pass.
Difficulty
DifficultLength
17.93 kmDuration
6:15 h
Description
The second stage of the 5-day Tour du Val d'Hérens connects two valleys: the Val d'Hérémence and the Val d'Arolla. The first section consists of a flat stretch along the shores of the Lac des Dix. Then follows a steep ascent to the pass Col de Riedmatten, which connects the two valleys. The last section of the hike is a steady descent to the village of Arolla.
The hike starts on the dam crest of the Grande Dixence, the highest gravity dam in the world. Along the western shore of the reservoir, you reach the southern end of the reservoir, which can store 400 billion liters of water. The structure alone is impressive, its surroundings with snow-covered peaks and glaciers make the scenery even more spectacular.
From the end of the lake, the path leads steeply up to the Col de Riedmatten, the pass known from the hardest ski mountaineering race in the world. In the Patrouille des Glaciers held every two years, teams of three complete the route on touring skis from Zermatt to Verbier. The very steep and narrow crossing over the Col de Riedmatten (2918 m) is one of the greatest challenges of the race – in summer, however, the hike poses no problem for experienced walkers.
From here, the route leads down to the village of Arolla in the neighboring Val d'Hérens.
If time allows, it is worth visiting the visitor center at the dam to learn more about the geology and fauna of the region as well as the dam itself. The largest hydroelectric power plant in Switzerland consists of a vast network of reservoirs, tunnels, pumping stations, and power stations.
Highlights of the hike:
- Grande Dixence – the highest gravity dam in the world with visitor center and cable car to the dam crest.
- Reservoir Lac des Dix – flat path along the longest reservoir in Switzerland with snow-covered peaks all around.
- Col de Riedmatten – dramatic ascent to the legendary mountain pass made famous by the Patrouille des Glaciers race.
Turn-by-turn directions
The second stage of the Tour du Val d'Hérens begins on the dam crest and follows the western shore of the lake. At the beginning, it leads through some tunnels and then over open grassland. At the end of the reservoir, you hike briefly along the southern shore before the steep climb to the Col de Riedmatten (2918 m above sea level) demands all your strength.
Alternatively, the ridge can also be crossed about 200 m further south at the Pas de Chèvres (2854 m above sea level). To take the route equipped with ladders, surefootedness and a head for heights are required. The two paths join again shortly after the crossing and the route descends steeply but steadily down to Arolla.
Start
Grande Dixence Dam (2147m)
Destination
Arolla (2011m)
Author's recommendation
Technical information
Altitude
2923m
2011m
Ascent
+891m
Descent
-1028m
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Best time of the year
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Tags
Public transport
Approach
Parking
Source
This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion
