Leysin, Berneuse, Pierre du Moelle, Roche loop

I don't normally get out for 6-7 hour runs on consecutive weekends but the Swiss high country is just so inviting and full of opportunities that I ventured out for another adventure despite some lingering hamstring unhappiness.  Even though the hamstring issue is not unexpected due to the fact that I recently started speedwork sessions again, and have not had any S-Caps to take on long runs as of late, admittedly I forced this one a bit and paid the price with some cramps and stomach issues.

Hiking is practically a national pastime in Switerland - poles, boots, and extremely large daypack required

Espresso + mountains FTW

Nonetheless it was great to spend some quality time above treeline again.  Getting above treeline, by gondola, train or by 5 lb hiking boots is so easy here it seems to be a bit of a national past time.  It's totally common to see people with hiking sticks on weekends at the train stations.  On the traverse over the pass at Pierre du Moelle I was again reminded of just how technical mountain trails here can be, not in sense of being super challenging or really cool, but more in sense of being largely unrunnable, due to either steep sections, upwards or downwards, or very rocky terrain.  Not quite my cup of tea but other options exist and it is what it is.  I'll leave it as 'not worse or better just different' for now and save the detailed comparison of Swiss trails vs American trails for a later date after I have explored more of the low country, where naturally there are many trails as well, this being Switzerland and all.

I should have stayed low on road, but instead opted for the trail up to the left

Slightly technical terrain on the 'Chemin de Montagne'

Granite postholing is bad

Mont de Ori straight ahead, the pass I'm heading (Pierre du Moelle)  for in between

Ridiculous rocky switchbacks, the trail snakes away down to the left in this photo

The area from which I just came

Random non sequiturs regarding this run:

1) Its often hard to frame pictures in this section of the Alps.  While almost everything in Switzerland seems small, the mountains are decidedly not.  How do you put a 300 ft wall in a picture properly?

The double track is generally of really high quality

The ridge route I took marks the border of the closed military zone

2) There are restaraunts and cafes all over the mountains.  I've never had to consider the calculus of espresso shots in my route planning before.  It sufficed to say that I'll do at least 300 ft of extra elevation for some mid run caffeination.

3) Ridgeline routes above treeline are not to be missed under any circumstances.  Lack of food, water, salt or trail is not a valid excuse.

Unforested ridge routes cannot be beat.  The Rhone Valley and Lake Geneva lie 6000 ft below

More ridge running

Looking back from where I came

Runnable sections of trail on the 'Chemin de Montagnes' are actually pretty rare.

4) Between the Alps and the Rhone valley proper, the routes (notice I'm not calling them trails) often go through around or very near to pastures and houses.  Rather than passing by a series of 'No Trespassing' signs only to be greeted by a shotgun toting old man, its more common to encounter an elderly couple drinking wine on their patio who are only too happy to point the way towards town, even when it runs directly by their house and through their fields.  My French is obviously not as good as I think it is because when I say to these people "Ou est le gare de Roche?"  I'm not really saying "How do I get to the train station" so much as I'm implying "I ran out of food, water and salt hours ago and am a looooong way from anywhere that will accept these Francs in my pocket for any of the above.  By the way what are you eating?  It looks quite tasty".

5) The descents from the Alps down to Lac Leman (Lake Geneva) are out-of-this-world insane.  6000 ft in 8 miles.  Seriously?  Some of the worst descents on the AT in Maine were like 1000 feet per mile, but only for a mile or two at a time.  By comparison a few of the more commonly known (to PNW ultra-runners) descents rate in as follows:

Vaud Alps summit to Rhone Valley/Lake Geneva  (6000 ft in 8 miles)

Columbia River Gorge - Dog Mtn                         (2800 in 3)

Columbia River Gorge - Mt Defiance                    (4900 in 5.6)

Mt Hood summit to Timberline lodge                     (5300 in 4)

Mary's Peak North Ridge trail                               (2320 in 3.8)

Maiden Peak to Williamette Pass ala WW 100km (3000 in 12)

South Sister summit to Devils Lake trailhead          (5000 in 6.2)

WS 100m – Last Chance-ish to 1^st canyon Creek (1400 in 1.0)

WS 100m – Devils Thumb-ish to El Dorado Creek(4000 in 4.3)

WS 100m – Descent to Volcano Creek                 (1000 in 1.4)

6) Some of the more obscure towns have train stations at which trains don't often stop.  This is an example of information which is always better to know before the end of a 33 mile run.

On the descent to Roche

Water fountain and head dunking in Roche, looking back towards the gap the I headed down.

Handdrawn route map