Walserweg (1708m), sentiero 1W

from David’s Mountain Huts to Gressoney-La-Trinité

Shortly after leaving Ranzola Inferiore.

Trail 1W , the “Walserweg,” starts at the Baite di David (1,708 m) and ends in Gressoney-La-Trinité (1,620 m). It is 13,866 meters long, and the total elevation gain is 1,069 meters.
The approximate time for the ascent is 4h08. The trail is rated of difficulty E.

It is the longest of the official trails, more than 12 kilometers, and joins Gressoney-Saint-Jean to Gressoney-La-Trinité, running along the left side of the valley (orographic right) keeping always about 400m from the valley floor. We encounter several alpine pastures along the way (Ranzola Inferiore, Roncké, Jatza, Valnera Inferiore) and pass through the wonderful Walser villages of Alpenzu Grande and Alpenzu Piccolo .

A herd of ibex near Alpenzu Piccolo

The trail crosses several paths coming up from the valley floor that can be used as alternative entry and exit points if you do not want to complete the entire trail. Don’t be misled by the fact that the starting elevation is higher than the finishing elevation: over these 12 kilometers, there are actually quite a few ups and downs, bringing the total elevation gain to about 1,069 meters. Even if you hike it from Gressoney-La-Trinité to Gressoney-Saint-Jean, the elevation gain is still significant— 909 meters.

The end of the trail in Gressoney-La-Trinité

There are no particular technical difficulties, except for the undoubtedly challenging length, considering that you also have to… turn around! Of note is a short section that is quite exposed but facilitated by some fixed ropes, and another section with steps carved into the rock, steep but completely safe. If hiked in autumn, on a clear day when snow is already whitening the higher slopes, you will enjoy views of truly spectacular color contrasts.

Note: This page describes the route from Gressoney-Saint-Jean to Gressoney-La-Trinité. Of course, you can also do it in the opposite direction, starting from the trailhead located at the roundabout at the entrance to Gressoney-La-Trinité (the one with the little wooden house). The points made earlier still hold true: the total elevation gain varies only slightly.

More information on level of difficulty, ascent times, maps and GPX tracks

Photo Gallery

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The trail descends near the tunnel on the state highway

1. Start and finish

Trail W starts from David’s Huts, the elevation is 1708m.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.7485715071, 7.83345369685

The arrival location is Gressoney-La-Trinité. The elevation is 1,620 meters.
See on Google Maps.

Latitudine e longitudine (WGS84 - EPSG 4326): 45.825305368172806,7.823395389818189

2. The route

The start is along TRAIL 2 , which you must follow until you reach La Cialvrina hotel/restaurant (about 1656m). The hotel is currently (2025) closed. You pass it, and when you meet a paved hairpin bend you stay on the dirt road.

After Cialvrina continue on the dirt road to the right

The section on the dirt road always has a fairly constant gradient, except at one point where it becomes particularly steep.

Steep section of the dirt road

Continue for about 600 meters more, until you find a post on the right-hand side indicating a detour to TRAIL 1W …

The pole indicating the direction for the 1W to the right

Trail 1W begins from this point (David’s Huts are just above). After a short stretch in dense forest, at about 1825m we cross a trail coming up from the right: a trail marker tells us that we are crossing TRAIL 3 (the first of the “tributary” trails), heading to the Ranzola Pass, which from this point continues for a stretch in common with our 1W.

The 3/1W crossroads

Proceed straight ahead for a stretch that is horizontal at first and then descends for a very short distance: you can almost immediately catch a glimpse on the upper right of the huts of thelower Alpe Ranzola (1999m), which you will soon reach.

The trail descends for a short distance, the Lower Ranzola huts appear at the top

Gradually move out of the trees, cross two nearly dry streams, at 1864m on guada a small, well-bodied stream and cut across the opposite slope.

The stream that you wade through before moving to the other side

At the first left turn, at about 1897m, a second junction with TRAIL 1W is crossed, which abandons 3 and heads right, toward Ranzola Inferiore.

The crossroads between 3 and 1W

The lower Ranzola huts (1999m) are reached…

Ranzola Inferiore (1999m)

…after which we reach in order the alpine pastures of Roncké (1878m),where the second tributary, TRAIL 4 (direct to Bocchetta di Eclou), is located….

Roncké (1878m)

…and Jatza Alp (1928m), at the third tributary, Trail 4A (which ends here).

Jatza (1928m)

The arrival at the junction with the fourth tributary, TRAIL 5 (leading to Valnera Col and then to Punta Valfredda) is followed by a sharp ascent of the trail, about 50m, which flattens out again at the huts of Valnera Inferiore (2053m).

Valnera Inferiore (2053m)

After about 400m from Valnera Inferiore, you will encounter a sign indicating a “mandatory variant” that avoids the old, now-dangerous path.

Deviation at 2034m

You descend abruptly in elevation , and ascend again, then cross the old path. In this section a fairly exposed ledge has fissse ropes to facilitate the passage…

The ledge with the fixed ropes

…ledge in places interrupted by steps carved into the rock.

Steps in the rock

Past this section, you are faced with a wide scree consisting of very large boulders, which you easily cross by following the rather frequent yellow bolts.

The wide stone

The trail soon comes in sight of Alpenzu Grande.

Alpenzu Grande in view

You go around a shoulder, descend to cross the stream coming down from Valfredda….

Before crossing the Valfredda creek.

…and you will soon touch the village of Alpenzu Grande (1779m) .

Alpenzu Grande (1779m)

After crossing Alpenzu Grande, follow the markers on the post in the direction of Alpenzu Piccolo: the trail continues almost horizontally, leaving the village.

The stake at Alpenzu Grande

Before you get to Alpenzu Piccolo you pass by some very old and wonderful stadel.

We finally come in sight of Alpenzu Piccolo (1807m): the long gallop is coming to an end.

Alpenzu Piccolo in view

The village is narrower but more elongated than Alpenzu Grande. A very similar small church is located there.

The little church of Alpenzu Piccolo

Alpenzu Piccolo at sunset

If you don’t want to continue all the way to the end of the trail—which is now close by—you can take one of the first trails leading down toward the valley, such as the one that takes you near the tunnel on the state highway.

The trail descends near the tunnel on the state highway

If, on the other hand, you continue on, the trail descends gently until it reaches the roundabout at the entrance to the main town.

The end of the trail in Gressoney-La-Trinité

3. Map and GPX track

This is the official map of the trail as recorded in the SCT Trail Registry of the Aosta Valley.
You can download the GPX track of the trail if you want to use it later in your favorite app.

Download the trail in GPX format

4. A recent hike

8/11/2021

Wonderful day, in the middle of autumn, without a cloud in the sky, with the first snow already lapping several sections of the trail. From the center of Gressoney-Saint-Jean I took TRAIL 15 “OF THE QUEEN ,” arrived at the castle and continued along TRAIL 2 until I reached, just before the Baite di David, the entrance to Trail 1W. All along the way, throughout the day, I met no one but ibex and chamois. I reached the valley floor at the tunnel just before Gressoney-La-Trinité with the sun now down, and returned to Gressoney-Saint-Jean in the dark, walking on the roadside brushed by cars. Noted for next time: leave earlier!

Download the trail in GPX format