BRUTAL SURENEN PASS

August 7, 2026

VIA ALPINA DAY 44 – TUESDAY 4 AUGUST 2026
ALTDORF → ALPEN RESORT EIENWÄLDLI, ENGELBERG

DISTANCE HIKED: 30.00 km
ELEVATION GAIN: 2,032 m

TOTAL DISTANCE HIKED: 1,107.80 km
TOTAL ELEVATION GAIN: 56,872 m

The temperature dropped a little overnight but didn’t fall below 20°C. As the hotel manager told me yesterday, this prolonged heat is something they haven’t experienced in this region before. No hotels in town have air conditioning. Despite the warmth, we slept well and, after breakfast and a second shower, were ready to face the day.

Today we entered the land of the Bernese Oberland Giants. From Altdorf we ascend Surenen Pass. It is a high mountain pass across the Urner Alps in central Switzerland. At an elevation of 2,292 m, the pass lies between Blackenstock (2,915 m) and Eggenmanndli (2,448 m) peaks.

The first four kilometres from town felt relatively flat until we crossed the Reuss River. We were still clean and dry. We hurried past the lift station, careful not to be tempted by the easy way up.

Less than half an hour into the climb we were drenched in sweat, with a steady drip falling from my chin. Our drinking water was already warm. We settled into a slow grind as the Altdorf valley receded below us, revealing more and more of the vast Urnersee, the eastern arm of Lake Lucerne.

The coolness of the forest provided a little relief from the searing heat. I said a quiet prayer of gratitude for its cooling shade and the occasional light breeze. The hum of the town slowly faded, replaced only by the sound of frequent aircraft overhead, punctuating our laboured breathing.

As we approached the top of the Brüsti chairlift, a church bell began to ring—a sound I’ve been finding incredibly uplifting.
Hammer, on the other hand, simply said, “It just announces another hour has passed.”

It was a relief to reach the top of the chairlift, although a little disheartening to realise we still had more than 800 metres of climbing over the next six kilometres before reaching Surenen Pass.

At least it was a little cooler. Leaving the chairlift, we knew we were back in the mountains. Cowbells replaced the distant hum of traffic from the valley below.

As we climbed above the tree line, the views became more expansive with every step. More than once I found myself shouting, “WOW!” It truly was a world of wonder.

Adding to that sense of wonder, two trail runners came flying down the mountain towards Altdorf. I asked if they were training for UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc), which starts in a couple of weeks. “No,” one replied. “We’re running across Europe.” I gave them a big cheer as they continued dancing down the mountain. Their feet barely seemed to touch the ground.

As we continued climbing, the scenery kept improving, but the ascent never became any easier. It was probably one of the hardest climbs we’ve done so far—relentlessly steep from start to finish—but the views were simply sensational.

The skies darkened and the wind picked up as we neared the top of the pass. Just as we reached the summit, fat drops of rain began to fall. There was no time to linger.
We crossed over the pass and started descending. Not far below the summit stood a small emergency hut, thankfully open. It seemed the perfect place to escape the rain and have lunch.

Two young women were already sheltering inside. They both spoke English, which always amazes me. I’m still embarrassed by our lack of language skills.

We learned they had met during their apprenticeships. One was from central Switzerland and the other from Sargans. Having recently graduated, they decided to hike from the hometown of one towards the hometown of the other as their graduation celebration. It was their first multi-day hike, and they proudly told us they were camping along the way. One was a trained violin maker and the other a wood carver. Both were due to start new jobs in September.
They were so genuinely happy with what they’d achieved already. It was beautiful to witness.

After lunch we said our goodbyes, wished them happy trails and every success in their new careers, then continued on our way.

A line of retreating glaciers and countless waterfalls dominated the valley we were entering. The trail was beautifully engineered, making it easy to lift our eyes and absorb the scenery. The rain came and went at least three times before we finally reached what felt like the valley floor.

We followed the rushing glacial waters of the Engelberger Aa until we reached a commercial campground, where we found a campsite well away from the hundreds of caravans and campervans.