Via Alta della Verzasca

The Via Alta runs along the ridges of small side valleys, lying like valuable, forgotten jewels: the Porta, Carecchio, Pincascia, Agro, Efra, and Vegornè valleys. The white-blue marked route is equipped at some more difficult sections with handholds and ladders to facilitate passage. Those who embark on the Via Alta should have solid alpine basic knowledge and a secure step, be fearless of heights, have good fitness, and good knowledge of alpine meteorology. The Via Alta della Verzasca was recognized as the first white-blue route with a high difficulty level in the Alps and is ranked among the most attractive ridge paths in Switzerland.

The Via Alta begins with an ascent from the plain (Tenero, Gordola, or Cugnasco) or from Vogorno, the first village in the Verzasca Valley. Both ascents have huge elevation differences, 1700 m from Tenero/Gordola or 1500 m from Vogorno. Once you reach the Borgna hut, the actual starting point of the first trekking stage, the elevation differences are significantly reduced to 800-1000 m per stage, but walking times remain long, 6 to 10 hours per stage. The route can also be done in the opposite direction, starting from Sonogno, with walking times practically the same.

Note: In the event of sudden severe thunderstorms, the streams below the mountain huts Borgna, Efra, and Cógnoa can become impassable. In such cases, utmost caution should be exercised, to wait for weather calming or to return to the hut.