Alpine Pass Route

The Alpine Pass Route is a long-distance hiking trail through the Alps in Switzerland, part of the Via Alpina route. It starts in Sargans in eastern Switzerland, and crosses the heart of country westwards to finish in Montreux on the shore of Lake Geneva. The total route covers over {{convert|325|km|mi}} and crosses 16 mountain passes, and takes 15 or more walking days to complete.{{Cite book |last=Reynolds |first=Kev |title=Trekking in the Alps |publisher=Cicerone |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-85284-600-8 |pages=124–135 |chapter=Trek 10 - Alpine Pass Route}}

Image:13schild50.jpg

The route

Image:Foopass.jpg and St. Gallen) view toward Glarus.]]

There are a number of variations on the precise route, but the following stages are fairly standard:

The Via Alpina green trail follows the Swiss National Route no. 1 (previously known as the Swiss Alpine Pass Route from Sargans to Lenk, which then continues over a further four passes to Montreux.{{Cite web |url=http://www.wanderland.ch/en/routes/route-01.html |title=Via Alpina |access-date=6 April 2016 |archive-date=2 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402075202/http://www.wanderland.ch/en/routes/route-01.html |url-status=dead }}

From Sargans over the Foo Pass to Elm
Over the Richetli Pass to Linthal
Over the Klausen Pass to Flüelen
Over the Surenen Pass to Engelberg
Over the Joch Pass to Meiringen
Over the Grosse Scheidegg Pass to Grindelwald
Over the Kleine Scheidegg Pass to Lauterbrunnen

Image:Kandersteg.jpg]]

Over the Sefinenfurgge Pass to Griesalp
Over the Hohtürli Pass to Kandersteg
Over the Bunderchrinde Pass to Adelboden
Over the Hahnenmoos Pass to Lenk
Over the Trütlisberg Pass to Lauenen
Over the Krinne to Gsteig
Over the Col des Andérets to Col des Mosses
Over the Col de Chaude to Montreux

Image:Montreux2004.jpg]]

The central portion of the route through the Bernese Oberland is the most spectacular, with many hikers choosing to hike a few passes rather than the whole route in one go. The excellent transport connections give many possibilities for breaking it up.

Signposting

The trail is well signposted. Most of the signs carry the name of the next pass or town, but increasingly the green square "Via Alpina" signs are being introduced. This is now called route number 1.{{cn|date=May 2015}}

References

External links

{{commonscat-inline|Via Alpina (Schweiz)}}
http://www.wanderland.ch/en/routes/route-01.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402075202/http://www.wanderland.ch/en/routes/route-01.html |date=2016-04-02 }}

Category:Hiking trails in Switzerland