The Alps are great place to run and I can highly recommend it as a place to consider for a running-based vacation aka runcation. Not that it really matters but, there seems to exist a general lack of understanding of the topology of the Alps when compared to the Rocky Mountains, at least in the US.
This post will compare some typical trails in three areas of the Swiss Alps with some well-known and some not so well known trails in the Rockies. In addition comparisons of some notable race courses in the Alps, the Pyrenees, and the Dolomites with some representative Rocky Mountain and one Sierra race courses are presented. I will show a few trail comparisons here as examples of what I have found to be typical across the broad expanse of the Alps, but first a few geologic comments.
What this means is that the Alps are less denuded than the Rockies and it is clearly evident to even the casual observer. The valleys are typically deeper and the peaks are typically steeper partially due to less weathering and erosion. Although there are numerous other reasons for the topological differences between the Alps and the Rockies the age difference is a primary one. Another big difference between the two mountain ranges is that the Alps are still in a significant state of active glaciation retreat.
Glaciers are everywhere in the Alps, whereas it is a rare occurrence in the Rocky Mountains. In fact it has been said that there are more glaciers in just one of the many valleys in the Alps than there are in all of Glacier National Park in the US. So if you want to see glaciers- go to the Alps. It is also educational to see the magnitude of the erosion and denudation that these glaciers in the Alps are responsible for. You are seeing geologic processes in real time as the rivers and streams are rushing with whitewater, not only because of the flows but because they are full of erosion debris.
The Zinal glacier as viewed from Cabane du Grand Mountet elev. The Matterhorn is just a short traverse beyond the upper ridge. Outflow from the Zinal glacier is white not only because of the flow rate but also because the outflow is full of erosion debris. The town is quaint and not at all Disneyland-like as many other Swiss Alps villages are. The language in this region of Switzerland is French. Zinal is a small village at the head of the valley and is most famous for the mid-August Sierre-Zinal 30 km Skyrunning race that has been around for over 30 years.
Village scene in Zinal en-route to the Cabane Tracuit. The Sierre-Zinal course is a classic trail run exemplary of what one will find in the Alps; the course is also the site of one of the most popular Skyrunning races. From here you will go straight up for 6 miles and ft of ascension. The first mile or so has small religious monuments adjacent to the trail periodically along the way.
To give you an idea of what this really looks like, plotted below is a plot of the entire Sierre-Zinal Course with a reference climb. I chose Green Mountain near Boulder as a reference because so many runners both in Colorado and outside of Colorado are familiar with it as it is often referred to by numerous bloggers and is famous for being Mr.
I have used the units of miles for distance and feet for elevation as is typical here in the US but have also included a plot using kilometers and meters, respectively for our European friends for this comparison. In addition the elevations have been normalized to facilitate direct comparison, but realize that the absolute elevation is significantly different as the start of the Sierre-Zinal course is at about feet and the Green Mountain course start is at about feet.
It is clear that the climb up Green is just as steep as the climb up from Sierre but the real difference is the length of the climb at this grade- it is much longer, about 2X longer. This is typical of many trails in the Alps as you will see below. These common extended steep climbs are what the athletes quoted above are remarking about when they compare the two regions.
This comparison also nicely characterizes the extent of the deepness of the valleys in the Alps as well as the steepness of the slopes. Just to flesh this out a bit more, another comparison is plotted below that includes another typical Rocky Mountain climb that I have in my backyard- Baldy Mountain Sun Valley. Here, although the ascension is greater than Green, the steepness is substantially less and nothing like Sierre-Zinal.
Climbs such as that shown for Baldy are common in the Rockies. Another point here is that once you get up to the peaks in the Rockies it is often relatively flat as you traverse a typical ridge line, there are exceptions of course. However, in the Alps ridge lines are typically quite corrugated and steep, meaning that once you get up there you still have a lot of climbing available.
That would give you the view on the green and the blue lakes. After the Mont Blanc, I have 8 days before I have to get to my airport hotel, plane leaves on the 9th day. After hiking, I was considering a side trip to Gruyeres and the Chillon castle, maybe stopping the night in each area to be a tourist after all the hiking.
So that leaves me really 5 more hiking days, considering the first day after completing the TMB will be a travel day to reach my first hiking starting point. The hike from Lauterbrunnen to Griesalp is one of the less travelled routes in the Oberland , although even here you will find the odd hiker or two. The owners put mattreses in the loft in the summer. I don't know if they still do that, but it was fun.
It's about halfway from the pass to Griessalp which is at the head of the road going down the valley and has a regular bus service. Trying to compare Switzerland with the US is perhaps a little unfair.
They are not the same, so don't be dissapointed if your experience there is different from back home. There are remote areas in Switzerland, particulary in the south east and the National Park, but nowhere in the Oberland can be considered "Wild". People have lived, worked and travelled in some of these valleys since the before the Bronze Age. As far as pickpockets go, I'm always on my guard around major railway stations regardless of which country I'm in, although Switzerland is certainly a lot safer than just about anywhere I can think of.
Outside of the bigger cities, petty crime against tourists is rare. Book 11 months in advance. Free cancellation. Swiss Alps experts since Coronavirus Plan your trip About Switzerland. Traveling to Switzerland Traveling in Switzerland Rail passes. MySwissAlps features commercial and non-commercial links. Swiss Alps as impressive as the Rocky Mountains? All threads in 'Switzerland miscellaneous'.
Posts: 13 This thread is closed. You are welcome to log in and submit a new thread. Mar 2, - PM i am committed to my trip to Switzerland having already purchased my airplane ticket; however I have found your trip report forum and have to say I am disappointed at the photos of the Jungfrau hiking. Hope we can provide some information to help you undertstand Swiss hikes. Of course, ski culture here is part of everyday life — not just a pastime for those who are affluent enough to afford it, as is often the case in North America.
In Switzerland, says Schwarz, early ski lifts were often built on private land, with the landowners charging users on a per-ride basis. If the weather turned bad, skiers would be less inclined to pay for another ride, and would instead opt to enjoy a meal and a glass of wine at the local hut or restaurant. That practice carried over into good-weather days, forming the basis of the local aprs-ski tradition.
Moritz , considered the birthplace of winter tourism in the Alps. That claim stems from a widely cited incident from in which St. The guests stayed the whole winter, inspiring many of their countrymen to follow their lead. With its posh hotels, polo games on frozen lakes and celebrity sightings, St. Moritz can feel like stepping into an episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous I rubbed shoulders with Ralph Lauren in my hotel lobby — not someone wearing Ralph Lauren , but the Ralph Lauren.
Home to the Matterhorn, Mt. Only here can you can expect a well-rounded Alpine experience with a gorgeous view to match. There will be some lederhosen. I remember when I was a kid, I look at snow globes displayed on stores during the holidays and dreamt of seeing the Swiss Alps one day. Indeed, dreams do come true!
At 10, feet, Mt. At the top of Mt. Titlis is where I got to witness a dreamlike high panoramic view of the alps where I felt like I was on top of the world! Think you have a head for heights? I recommend anyone who wishes to see the Swiss Alps to try this.
The Alps have been a pitched as a family destination for some time as generation after generation return to the region — but where do you start? I never cease to be amazed by the incredible natural beauty of Swiss landscapes.
What I enjoy most is hiking in the summer and snow-shoeing in the winter in the shadow of the most iconic Alpine peaks, such as the Matterhorn and the Eiger. Nothing beats spending time in nature, just always make sure you have the right equipment as the weather can change quickly in the Alps. Comprised of three ski villages Riederalp, Battmeralp and Fiescheralp interconnected by ski lifts and trails so you can be close to everything from restaurants to slopes.
Your little ones can compete in the village kids races, join ski school, go sledding or you can all hop on the tram to visit Aletsch Glacier. See tours to the Swiss Alps…. In Courchevel , slopes are carefully groomed and the area is teeming with family chalets, fun zones and even features a panda bear art installation you can visit.
Whilst families are attracted to resorts and lodges, singles and backpackers flock to smaller towns and villages to party and keep it social.
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