Trail running

Via Valais Cabane d’Essertze - Cabane des Aiguilles Rouges (Stage 2)

Durchqueren Sie Mondlandschaften und laufen Sie entlang von schneebedeckten Gipfeln.

Hérémence

8/17°

Thirty kilometres long and 1,783 metres high, this second leg of the Via Valais takes you from hut to hut in the heart of an exceptional alpine landscape.

Difficulty

Difficult

Length

31.25 km

Duration

6:25 h

Der Weg beginnt durch die Sträucher oberhalb des Val d'Hérémence.

Description

Start this second leg by crossing the pastures above Hérémence before quickly reaching Grande Dixence, the highest gravity dam in the world. The path which then runs along the Lac des Dix is fairly wide and relatively flat. The ease of the first few kilometres is soon interrupted by a rugged landscape and a very steep climb leading to the Pas de Chèvres. through glacial moraine, scree slopes and rocks, especially below the Mont Blanc de Cheilon. To facilitate the crossing between the valleys, the Pas de Chèvres has been equipped with a series of stairs and ladders. Once over the pass, take advantage of this leg’s unique descent to increase your pace and admire the splendid view of the valley below. A final climb takes you to the Aiguilles Rouges hut, perched at 2,810 metres, and which offers delicious home-made tarts.

Turn-by-turn directions

From the Essertze hut, the path takes you over the Grande Dixence dam and continues for seven kilometres along a flat stretch of Lake Dix. The route becomes significantly steeper on the path leading to the Pas de Chèvre. Follow the markers and cairns used as markers to help runners find their way through the rocks of the former Cheilon glacier. There are several ladders and stairs for crossing the Pas de Chèvres. On the other side of the pass, the Val d'Hérens opens up over Arolla with magnificent paths leading you through the Pra Gra mountain pasture to the Aiguilles Rouges hut.

Cabane d'Essertze - Lac de Dix - Pas de Chèvres - Pra Gra - Cabane des Aiguilles Rouges

Start

Cabane d’Essertze (2197m)

Destination

Cabane des Aiguilles Rouges (2831m)

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Author's recommendation

Follow these tips should you encounter guard dogs protecting their herds: http://www.protectiondestroupeaux.ch

Technical information

Altitude

2859m

2135m

Ascent

+1547m

Descent

-904m

Technique

Stamina

Experience

Landscape

Best time of the year

Public transport

For the 1st Stage Via Valais : Take the train to Martigny station, then to Le Châble. Take a first gondola lift between Le Châble and Verbier, then a second one from Verbier to Les Ruinettes in order to get to the start of the trail.

Approach

For the 1st Stage Via Valais : Take the A9/E62 motorway to Martigny, then continue on the Grand-Saint-Bernard/route 21 via Sembrancher to Le Châble.

It is advisable to use public transport however as this is a multi-leg route that ends in Zermatt.

Parking

For the 1st Stage Via Valais : 240 free parking spaces are available at the Le Châble Aerial Cableway station for a maximum of 10 days.

Source

This activity is brought to you by Valais/Wallis Promotion

Other itineraries

8.64 km 3:20 h Medium

Hikes

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