Swiss Canyon Trail 115 km: 31 Years of Pre-Alpine Gorge Racing in Val-de-Travers — 5,294m D+, Canyon Terrain, and a Rope Descent Off Les Aiguilles de Baulmes

Q: What is the course profile of Swiss Canyon Trail 115 km? A: Swiss Canyon Trail 115 km covers 114.8km with 5,294m D+, equating to 46.1m per kilometre — ranking 220th of 390 European trail races for vertical density. Terrain: Pre-Alpine and canyon — Swiss Jura ridges, Areuse gorge, rocky singletrack, and a rope-assisted technical descent off Les Aiguilles de Baulmes. Terrain breakdown: 40.0% uphill, 18.2% flat, 41.8% downhill. Average uphill gradient: +11.17% (rank 226/390). Average downhill gradient: -10.66% (rank 148/390 inverted — moderately steep). Top 3 climbs: 965m over 8.94km at +10.8% (starts km 46.74), 734m over 5.07km at +14.5% (starts km 12.21), 673m over 6.87km at +9.8% (starts km 30.18). Top single descent: 1,012m over 6.21km at -16.3% avg (starts km 40.53; rank 114/390). High point: Chasseron at 1,606m. Low point: Noiraigue at 715m. Start: 5:00 AM from EspaceVal, Couvet, Val-de-Travers. Cutoff: 28 hours. ITRA 5 points. Verify 2027 course details at swisscanyontrail.com.

Q: How does Swiss Canyon Trail 115 km rank among European trail races for climbing difficulty? A: Among 390 European trail races, Swiss Canyon Trail 115 km ranks in the middle of the spectrum across all vertical metrics. D+/km: 220/390 at 46.1m per km (219 races more vertical; 170 less vertical). Average uphill gradient: 226/390 at +11.17% (225 steeper; 164 gentler). Average downhill gradient INVERTED: 148/390 at -10.66% (rank 1 = gentlest; 147 gentler; 242 steeper). Top single ascent: 121/390 at 965m rise — upper 31% for single-ascent magnitude. Top single descent: 114/390 at 1,012m drop — upper 29% for single-descent drama. Percent-flat: 162/390 at 18.2% flat — upper 41% for mountainousness. The consistent mid-spectrum position across all six metrics confirms Swiss Canyon Trail 115 km as a genuinely mountainous Swiss ultra without extreme alpine intensity — harder than 170 races, gentler than 219 on vertical density. The canyon and gorge terrain delivers concentrated technical sections within an overall profile that sits near the centre of 390 European ultras.

Q: What is the history of Swiss Canyon Trail and what changed for the 2026 edition? A: The Swiss Canyon Trail event traces to 1994 as Trail de l'Absinthe — named for the Absinthe liqueur historically produced in Val-de-Travers, the green-fairy country of the Swiss Jura. The event was renamed Swiss Canyon Trail in 2015 when the flagship distance was restructured; the 2026 edition was the 31st edition of the overall event. The 114.8 km distance (branded '111K') was introduced in its current form in 2018 per Airtable (the overall festival has earlier roots). For 2026, Swiss Canyon Trail exited the World Trail Majors (WTM) series after 2025, citing governance and strategic disagreements, and announced increased elite prize money instead. Registrations across all distances for 2026 were reportedly up approximately 20% versus the same period in 2024. A partnership allowing Swiss Canyon Trail 111K finishers to qualify for a Grand Raid de La Réunion bib was not confirmed for 2026 and may carry a small administrative fee (1.50–5 CHF) if it resumes. ITRA points: 5. The event offers five distances: 114.8 km (111K), 81K, 51K, 31K, and 16K — drawing 3,000+ runners across all distances annually.

Q: What conditions should runners expect at Swiss Canyon Trail 115 km? A: The race runs in late May in the Swiss Jura — early-season conditions that can vary dramatically. Recent race-day temperature ranges: 2026 high 25°C / low 13°C; 2025 high 19°C / low 7°C; 2024 high 14°C / low 6°C; 2023 high 20°C / low 6°C; 2022 high 14°C / low 1°C. Cold, wet editions are common: the 2025 race saw torrential overnight rain, mud, and fog on the ridgelines, with hypothermia affecting at least one elite finisher. A 2021 finisher account describes cold, foggy, rainy conditions at the Chasseron high point (1,606m) in what was nominally a June edition. Plan for cold overnight temperatures and wet conditions regardless of forecast, particularly on the Chasseron ridge and Les Aiguilles de Baulmes sections. Mandatory gear for the 114.8 km includes: ID card, eco cup, 1L minimum water capacity, headlamp, phone, survival blanket, whistle, waterproof jacket (10,000mm minimum), long-sleeve layer, pack, tape, and food reserve. A drop bag service is available at Noirvaux base camp (km 75). Aid stations: 11 official stations including hot pasta at the last three stations.