Alpine Pass Route Switzerland [Paperback]

Kev Reynolds (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2001

The Alpine Pass Route traverses Switzerland from east to west, taking in 325 kilometres of mountain and valley and crossing 16 passes. The walker is privy to the snow-capped peaks and the variety of passes that range from the slender crest of the Richetli to the broad tourist-thronged Kleine Scheidegg or the rocky crest of the Bunderchrinde and the grassy saddle of the Blattipass, making this a long-distance trek with a difference and a route to suit all walkers.The guide describes the route from the ancient town of Sargans, on the borders of Leichtenstein, to Montreux, on the shores of Lake Geneva, and provides options to do the walk in two easy parts or as one long, hard trek.Plentiful suggested accommodation along the way, with notes on alternative means of transport, such as cable-cars, chair-lifts and funiculars.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kev Reynolds is a freelance writer, photojournalist and lecturer whose first title for Cicerone is still in print. He has published many books on the Alps, a series of trekkers' guides to Nepal and, nearer to home, several guides on walking in southern England. He is a member of the Alpine Club, Austrian Alpine club and the Outdoor Writers Guild. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Cicerone Pr Ltd (October 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852840692
• ISBN-13: 978-1852840693
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,914,201 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive guide for Switzerland's definitive walk., May 6, 2005

By 

David Carpenter (Fort Collins, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Alpine Pass Route (Cicerone Mountain Walking S.) (Paperback)

I hiked the Alpine Pass Route (APR) in August/September 2004. I relied on the first edition of this book for the hike, but I own this second edition as well, so I can vouch for it. If you are planning to walk the APR, you should definitely buy this. The APR is covered in Lonely Planet's "Walking in Switzerland" as well, but Kev's book does a better job of giving you a feel for how the route meshes together as a whole. That said, the Lonely Planet book is worth a look, but consider borrowing it from your library and writing down the most useful bits in your travel notebook. You DO carry a travel notebook, right?

Kev describes the route in its entirety, and in splendid detail. By necessity, he cannot document every little twist, turn, and rise of the path, but you really wouldn't want him to spoil all the fun. His sidebar anecdotes (which I assume he must have extracted from HIS travel notebook) add a good dose of humor and personality to the material.

One thing I absolutely love about this author is his ability to put an optimistic, positive spin on every aspect of the walk. If you choose to hike the APR, the Hohtürli is probably the most physically demanding section, and Kev tempers it by reminding you that with every step, you are gaining valuable elevation. Such is the character of this book.

So, should you decide the APR is for you, buy this book well in advance, read it cover to cover at least twice, and carry it with you on the walk. You'll have a great time. Not many people get to see Switzerland this way, and for those who enjoy the mountains, this hike really cannot be beat.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kev Reynolds is Rock Solid, April 1, 2007

By 

Steve Anderson (Folsom, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Alpine Pass Route (Cicerone Mountain Walking S.) (Paperback)

While I haven't actually done the Alpine Pass Route yet, this book has met my expectations formed by Kev's similar Cicerone Guide, Chamonix-Zermatt, The Walker's Haute Route. That trek I did do, and even before doing it, my research on the subject consistently pointed to Kev as THE information source on the subject. I'd have to say he delivered the goods on that one, and here the style and format is the same, although some of the graphics are cleaned up a little here. Obviously one can't do it with just the book, as the excellent Swiss maps are required as well, but he does a great job of referring to map details in his unfolding instructional route narrative, so you can almost always tell where you are. I haven't found a better source, but then again, I've never felt the need to look any further. Compact format, great contact information, good route variations, local color and history, and none of the machismo swagger I've seen in other guidebooks. He makes me jealous that he has done so much hiking/trekking, and grateful that he cares enough to help others do the same.

5.0 out of 5 stars Alpine Pass Route, December 9, 2007

By 

Ward Carter Jr. (Bellevue WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Alpine Pass Route (Cicerone Mountain Walking S.) (Paperback)

We used this book to successfully plan our walk across Switzerland in 2005. The information and maps were very accurate, and it should get any long distance trekkers excited to try this challenging yet easily doable route.