UTMR
Ultra Tour Monte Rosa is a 100 mile / 170 km ultra trail race along a classic European long distance footpath, the Tour de Monte Rosa. The race route leads anticlockwise around the Monte Rosa massif, making a compete circuit of the Mischabel Peaks and the 4000m summits of the Nadelgrat ridge. At 4634m Monte Rosa is the second highest mountain in the Alps and western Europe. On its eastern side the mountain falls away in an almost vertical 2,400m wall of granite and ice, the biggest in Europe. The route encircles a total of 29 of the 4000m summits, and is surrounded by many more, a magnificent landscape!
The Ultra Tour Monte Rosa event consists of 100 miles / 170 km as a single-day ultra race, or as a four-day stage race. We also have a beautiful 63 km route following the höhenweg of the Mischabel range and a wonderful 19 km Berglauf!
The full tour is an alternative to the UTMB, though more technical and more wild, taking runners 20% longer to complete than the UTMB course. The races are held in early September, the optimal time for stable weather and for the high passes to be clear of snow.
Lizzy Hawker
All camps are led by Lizzy Hawker. On foot whenever possible, as an elite athlete Lizzy held the world record for 24 hours on the road and won the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc an unprecedented 5 times. She has twice crossed the Great Himalaya Trail, alone through the Nepal Himalaya. Now race director of the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa her passion for exploring is taking her far beyond competition to high, wild places often in Nepal.
Ultra Tour Monte Rosa - Training Camp
The running tour makes a full circuit of Monte Rosa in the Pennine Alps bordering Italy and Switzerland. The spectacular Monte Rosa massif itself includes seven summits over 4000m, including the Dufourspitze, the highest peak in Switzerland. The circuit on wildly beautiful trails follows ancient routes linking the Swiss and Italian valleys, making a challenging and diverse high-level route.
Day 1. Grachen to Zermatt
(40 km on the Europaweg, crossing the bridge, the world's second longest "Hängebrücke" at 494m)
From Grächen there's an easy and enjoyable first 10 km on forest trails right down to the valley floor. Look up to your left – high on the mountainside is the Europaweg, which is a 1100m straight up steep climb, so prepare yourself mentally! Enjoy the feeling of being up high. The first checkpoint at Europahütte will offer relief. From here a short descent to cross "the bridge" – a definite highlight. From here it's a mix of small technical sections, runnable trails, climbs and descents, which bring Zermatt and the Matterhorn ever closer.
Day 2. Zermatt to Gressoney
(Over to Italy, via an icy crossing of the Theodulgletscher with awesome views of the Matterhorn on the way up)
The streets of Zermatt will be empty as you start the stage before dawn. As the morning light arrives you'll pass very traditional hamlets as the climbing begins after just 1.5 km. 12 km later you'll be standing on the Theodulpass at 3295m after crossing about 2 km on ice. Please take care of crevasses! It's a rocky moonscape under the face of Monte Cervino on the other side until you climb over the next pass, the green returns on the long descent towards St Jacques. Only the steep and rocky pass of Colle de Rothorn stands in your way before the long descent to Gressoney, where comfort and good food await.