Contents
Introduction
The Swiss Alpine Pass Route
Suggested itineraries
When to go
Getting there – and back again
Accommodation
Languages
Notes for walkers
Paths and waymarks
Recommended maps
Safety in the mountains
Information at a glance
Using this guide
The Swiss Alpine Pass Route – Via Alpina Route 1
Prologue – The Liechtenstein start
Prologue A European Via Alpina Steg – Gaflei
Prologue B Via Alpina Gaflei – Sargans
The main route
Stage 1 Sargans – Mels – Weisstannen
Stage 2 Weisstannen – Foopass – Elm
Stage 3 Elm – Richetlipass – Linthal
Stage 4 Linthal – Braunwald – Urnerboden
Stage 5 Urnerboden – Klausenpass – Altdorf
Stage 6 Altdorf – Surenenpass – Engelberg
Stage 7 Engelberg – Jochpass – Engstlenalp
Stage 8 Engstlenalp – Planplatten – Meiringen
Stage 9 Meiringen – Grosse Scheidegg – Grindelwald
Stage 10 Grindelwald – Kleine Scheidegg – Lauterbrunnen
Stage 11 Lauterbrunnen – Mürren – Sefinenfurke – Griesalp
Stage 12 Griesalp – Hohtürli – Kandersteg
Stage 13 Kandersteg – Bunderchrinde – Adelboden
Stage 14 Adelboden – Hahnenmoospass – Lenk
Stage 15 Lenk – Trüttlisbergpass – Gstaad
Stage 16 Gstaad – Col de Jable – L’Etivaz
Stage 17 L’Etivaz – Col de Chaude – Rochers de Naye
Stage 18 Rochers de Naye – Sonchaux – Montreux
Alternative finish
Stage 15A Lenk – Lauenen – Gsteig
Stage 16A Gsteig – Blattipass – Col des Andérets – Col des Mosses
Stage 17A Col des Mosses – Col de Chaude – Montreux
Appendix A Useful addresses
Appendix B Bibliography
Appendix C German–French–English glossary
Sept 2017
The following information has been received regarding accommodation and route changes to the Swiss Alpine Pass Route:
Stage 12: The route described in paragraph 2 on p145, as descending ‘a well-made stairway with fixed cables’ has changed. The way now descends a stony farm lane slanting down a cliff, at the foot of which you reach the alp of Unter Bärgli.
Stage 14: Restaurant Geilsbrüggli in Geils (p158) no longer provides accommodation.
Stage 16: With accommodation in L’Etivaz (p174) being limited to Hotel du Chamois, should this be full (or closed), please note that buses run to Château d’Oex (last bus 19:04 in summer 2017) where one-star Buffet de la Gare has been recommended by a reader.
Stage 17: We have been informed that the route from L’Etivaz to Rochers de Naye has been altered. Instead of going directly to Sonlomont, it now goes from L’Etivaz to Rossiniere, then to Sonlomont to join the original route as described in the guidebook– see map on 176.
GPX files for this title will not be available to download from the Cicerone website. Instead, files can be downloaded from the official Via Alpina website (http://www.via-alpina.org/en/page/246/the-green-trail). Select the stage you require from the drop-down menu above the map on this page and click 'OK'. GPX files can be accessed under 'Download track' at the top of the menu on the left.
Many thanks to author Gillian Proce for these comments from their September 2017 walk through the cetral part of the APR. Posted 20 September 2017.
As promised, here are my update notes for the APR route Altsdorf-Kendersteg stretch that I did in August.
Stage 6: an alternate descent is feasible (we didn't do it but others did) from the junction above Stabele p91 at the bridge. Take R fork (says 1hr 10) for Furenalp then cablecar down. NB A bus runs from the lower Furenalp station (very handy for the main route!) into Engelberg.
Stage 8: p101 and start p102. If you're on the ridge (via Balmeregghorn) you detour the junction mentioned with the blue route so suggest remove as it could be confusing.
Stage 9: p114 margin comment about path closure - still closed.
Stage 11: p134 line 2 - ... after about 400m uphill, the Via Alpina leaves the tarmac as a path into the woods, contouring. It crosses the Schiltbach to Pension Spielbodenalp. (Suggest remove the rest as it's clearly signposted)
p136 last para - a cable accompanying the steps was lying on the ground loose and many walkers found this stretch tricky (me included).
Stage 12: p145 para 2 - Instead of 'The path now descends with cables' the situation has changed to 'You now descend a stony farm lane slanting down a cliff. At the foot you reach the alp of Unter Bargl...'
