Stage 3: Weisstannen → Elm

Via Alpina · Day 3 of 20 · km 41 of 392

Distance

22.3 km

Ascent

+1,420 m

Descent

−1,463 m

Estimated average time

7 h 45 min

Highest 2,223 m · lowest 960 m

22.3 kilometres, 1,420 metres of ascent, 1,463 metres of descent, 7 hours 45 minutes of walking, an estimated average; highest point at 2,223 metres, lowest at 960 metres.

Technique: medium · fitness: hard

What Clotilde says

Vaduz → Montreux

Today, the first pass of your journey: the Foopass. On the other side, Elm awaits with its church tower, the one the sun lights up twice a year through the Martinsloch. If the rain comes, don't sulk: it's the alpine salamander's favourite weather. Look for it in the stony pastures, jet black and shiny, without a single spot.

Montreux → Vaduz

From Elm, the village that saw a mountain collapse in 1881, you set off for the Foopass. Take a good look at the peaks as you leave: there, the oldest rocks lie on top of younger ones, the wrong way round, and UNESCO has listed the region as World Heritage. After 22.3 km, Weisstannen and its forests will take you in for the night.

Along the way

• Martinsloch Twice a year, in March and at the start of autumn, the morning sun shines through this hole in the rock of the Tschingelhörner and lights up Elm's church tower for a few minutes.
• The Elm landslide Hollowed out by slate quarries, part of a mountain collapsed onto Elm on 11 September 1881. The disaster killed 114 people.
• Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona Around Elm, very old layers of rock lie on top of much younger ones, and the line between them can be seen with the naked eye. This geological feature earned the region its place on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2008.

In the nature guide

Alpine salamander

Sources: Wikipedia, "Elm (Glaris)" (French), "Martinsloch", "Bergsturz von Elm" and "Tektonikarena Sardona" (German); swissinfo, "Sun crossed the Martinsloch in Elm this morning" and "Die schlimmsten Bergstürze in der Geschichte der Schweiz"; SRF, "Diese Bergstürze haben die Schweiz erschüttert"; UNESCO, "Haut lieu tectonique suisse Sardona".

See on SwitzerlandMobility (new tab)

Distances, ascents, walking times and route: Federal Roads Office FEDRO, cantons, SwitzerlandMobility Foundation — Hiking in Switzerland (ch.astra.wanderland), open data OPEN BY.