Now that the HRP is finished we plan to hike across Switzerland on the Via Alpina 1 which is also called the Alpine Pass Route.
Some factoids about the trail:
East to west across Switzerland
Sargans to Montreux on Lac Lèmon (Lake Geneva)
225 miles / 360 kilometers
65,000 ft / 20,000 meters
120 hours guidebook estimated total walking time
16 mountain passes
We are using the Cicerone Guide updated May 2017
We booked plane tickets from Geneve to Corsica (our next hike, the GR20) for September 2. So we have 18 days to hike 18 stages. It all depends on weather. And our bodies. There are lots of options to take buses, trains or cable cars to speed up.
Ready, set, go……
This morning in Banyuls we picked up our package from the post office. Thanks to Paul and Chantal for mailing it. New shoes! We mailed a bunch of stuff home including my inReach. The next 2 trails are not remote and I don’t want to carry it anymore. The microspikes were also sent home.
Then we got on the train to Geneve. It was delayed 1.5 hours so it was midnight when we got to our hotel. Too late.
Goodbye Banyuls-Sur-Mer
nancyhikes 
Very excited – I’m rooting for you on every one of those incredible passes. And, yes, there are MANY ways to shorten the climbing.
Interesting, that the ascent for this trail equates to rather more per day than for the HRP.. 20km ascent for 225 miles as opposed to 40km for 500 miles on the HRP. However, the navigation and ground underfoot should be a lot easier I would expect. Looking forward to finding out!
Also there are many ways to “cheat” on this trail. We are on a bus now!
Ooh.. what will Erin say?!
I’m worried! Not!
Not. Worried. Nope. Exactly. Hope you two are having fun.