Crossing the Alps on the Via Alpina (EN-INT)

2,000 kilometres, 116,000 meters of elevation gain, 8 countries – the Via Alpina is the ultimate trek across the Alps from Trieste to Monaco. The hiking route is divided into 120 stages, but ultra-runners Maggy Kalus and Susann Lehmann covered it in 50 days – under the toughest and roughest and wettest conditions…

Maggy, how did you come up with the idea to run the entire Alpine arc?

Well, it sounds almost impossible – and that’s what caught us. We wanted a challenge that would take us to the most incredible places. The Via Alpina is known as one of the most beautiful treks in the world. I mean, no wonder you get the full diversity of the Alps. It showcases the great mountain ranges from the Adria to the Mediterranean. This run was overwhelmingly beautiful.

You set out to cover the route as fast as possible. In the end it took you 50 days, a bit longer than planned…

Because things rarely go according to plan, do they, especially in the mountains. Yet, we weren’t out there to break records. That’s not what drives us. We’re ambitious and we like to push ourselves, but it’s not about getting from A to B as quickly as possible. It’s about the experiences. When your own body takes you to the most incredible places, lets you see and experience the most incredible things – that’s the best motivation you could possibly have.

What were the major obstacles?

We had more days with rain than without. And rain usually meant flash floods. We faced flood warning level 4, mudslides, shoes stuck in the deep dirt. We had to turn back several times because we just didn’t see the trail anymore or thunderstorms were rolling in. It started as early as day 5. At that point we still thought we could make up the time with 100-kilometer days, but it didn’t get any better. And we didn’t want to run at night because we wanted to see the landscape.

But you still had stages of 50km and 3,000m of climbing. That’s incredible.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t run everything because from day 16 on I was dealing with anterior compartment syndrome – meaning pain from the shin down into the forefoot, muscles, tendons, everything. So depending on the terrain, I’d run some sections, skip the asphalt parts, sometimes just do the uphills. But Susi absolutely crushed it the whole way through. It was insane.

Any regrets?

None. It was an amazing experience with so many ups and downs – not just topographically, but physically and emotionally too. There were moments we didn’t think we’d make it, which made arriving in Monaco all the more amazing. We were so happy and proud. It was unforgettable and we’re still processing.

You were accompanied the whole time by an I 67 S.

Rosi! Don’t ask me how I came up with the name, but we christened our Sunlight A-Class “Rosi” and fell in love pretty quickly. Without Rosi, none of this would have worked. She never let us down, climbed up and down narrow passes, backed into and out of access roads. She was our home, our safe haven, kitchen, bedroom, everything. During those 50 days I also learned how cool it feels to travel with so little. That was a big learning.

I 67 S ^Adventure

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Speaking of learning: What were the landscape highlights for you – or is that too hard to say?

It kind of is, because the Dolomites are obviously spectacular, Triglav National Park, our Bavarian home region… But what we didn’t know and what totally surprised us was the Thabor Group in the Hautes-Alpes in France, where I felt like Patagonia meets Bolivia meets Gran Canaria – also with beautiful camping spots. And the Maritime Alps between Italy and France were also sensationally beautiful, the people were super friendly, and the region is really camper-friendly.