Trient - Catogne - Col de BalmeWalk 8104
Canton - Valais / Wallis - Vallee du Trient
Author - Trient Office de Tourisme
Length - 6.5 km / 4.1 miles
Ascent - 1060 metres / 3498 feet
Descent - 100 metres / 330 feet
Time - 4.00 hours
Grade - moderate
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A hike to the Col de Balme that can be combined with walk 8103 or walk 8105 to provide a good full-day circuit.
Start & End - the village of Trient, 10 km. southwest of Martigny (VS).
From the village of Trient follow the long zigzags of the Vallorcine path that climbs up through the wooded hillside to the Alp of Les Tseppes. Once clear of the trees there are superb views across and along the Trient valley.
The path continues around the northern ridge of the Croix de Fer to reach Catogne where a number of paths meet. Ignore the right hand path climbing to the saddle between the Croix de Fer and Tête de Balme instead following the left hand path. This leads in a large arc to cross into French territory as the path contours around the Tête de Balme to reach the Col De Balme.
From here a number of options are possible including a visit to the summit of the Tête or the Croix de Fer, before returning to Trient by either of the route suggested above.
Suggested Maps
Landeskarte der Schweiz - 1:50000 - Sheet SW 5003 - Mont Blanc - Grand Combin
Recommended Books
100 Hut Walks in the Alps
This guidebook has route descriptions for 100 day walks to suit alpine walkers of all abilities, with suggestions for some hut-to-hut tours. These routes take you through breathtaking scenery in the Maritime Alps, Julian Alps, Gran Paradiso, the Turnitzer Alps, Bernese Oberland, the Kitzbuheler Alps and the Dolomites of South Tirol.
Trekking in the Silvretta and Rätikon Alps
This guide describes three treks, between 5 and 8 days, in the Silvretta and Rätikon Alps starting near Klosters, and 12 half-day hut-to-hut routes. These contrasting ranges form a line on the borders of Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein. The Tour of the Silvretta, the Prättigauer Höhenweg and the Rätikon Höhenweg.