Trailer Marc Baumgartner 1968
Vallée de Joux
My feelings on the situation:
The Swisspeaks committee is working hard to finalize this exceptional project, but this year is also exceptional and they face many challenges:
1) Environmental associations:
Which, since this year, require the strict application (without possible derogations) of the regulations of the « Wildlife Protection Zones ». Hence for us the obligation to cross the 1st zone above Ovronnaz, during the day (no had lamp are allowed). And for the other zones they must make changes of tracks (already integrated into the route that has been presented to you) which avoids them.
For the other distances, all the changes have not yet been announced. This is causing logistical and organisational problems that were not foreseen, even if the new routes are now accepted by these associations and the canton of Valais. Everything must be reworked, controlled on the ground and communicated.
2) The weather:
During the winter, there was a snow cover well above average above 2000m. And it’s still complicated at the moment.
Last weekend, I was scouting at the Col de la Gollette (2470m). There were still huge snowfields on steep slopes just before the summit, ditto on the descent which fortunately was not as steep.
In recent weeks, the Valais has experienced exceptionally violent floods and landslides. In the regions of Lourtier (cut off from the rest of the world for a few days) and Eisten (a victim found buried a little higher up in Saas-Grund), several families had to be displaced. Overall there are problems everywhere in the canton (the state of alert was lifted on 10/07/24). And during other scouting, I realized that the priority of the Valaisans was not yet to develop the footpaths, even if there are already many sections that are already ready, others are still under flow, filled with branches or stone.
Our 660 adventure:
As a result, I perfectly understand that the Swisspeaks volunteer committee is prioritizing to review and finalize the organization of the 360 and the other distances, before finalizing our 660, which in the end, will not be timed on the 1st part and where we will have to advance in semi-autonomy.
For us, the trip to Oberwald will be an adventure… Refreshments are planned « at worst » every 30km, and for water there are quite a few places with fountains… where you can recharge the water flask.
Segment management:
For your information, the 1st part, until the passage of the zone above Ovronnaz 96km (which we will have to cross during the day) will have to be accomplished at the slowest pace, i.e. at best 2.95km/h average, to respect this condition (possible passage from Wednesday 5am approximately). After that, there will be a little more than 190km with approx. 12’500m D+ to Fiesch to be done if possible in 3 and a half days (84 hours max.) to enjoy a good rest in Fiesch (between 6 and 8 am). After that, there will be 35km with just over 2’100m D+ to get to the start of the 360.
And that’s where it all begins, Sunday 1 September at 10am… with about 350 other adventurers.
A 360 organised as we are used to with gastronomic meal, efficient marking of the route and comfortable living conditions…
Even if I was a strong supporter of timing the 1st part of our 660, today, in the current conditions, I think it’s a good thing that we are approaching this trip to Oberwald, in a much more relaxed way…
And even in these conditions, the Swisspeaks will remain the Swisspeaks with endless ascents and descents… Breathtaking landscapes and I hope… A spirit of benevolence, fair play and friendship that will accompany us throughout this exceptional adventure.
Below, the status of the project with the latest information we have received, concerning possible assistance points, refreshments and partner refuges… Step by step with . Downloadable GPX via trace de trail.
I hope this will allow you to scout and organize your adventure as well as possible, even if changes are always possible. And that only official information is authentic for the competition
For the back way, please refer to the information give for the 360 on the Swisspeaks website: : https://swisspeaks.ch/360k/
THANK YOU.
Almost 2 months before the start of the 660, here is some news about the route, the base areas and the refueling points that will be offered to you.
The first part up to Fiesch interests us here. You will soon receive information, at the same time as the 360 runners, regarding the second part of the race.
https://swisspeaks.ch/660k/?lang=en
Note that the course on the website has been updated and now seems very close to the final version. Important: the pink area located after the first life base (Ovronnaz) can only be crossed during the day. It is a comprehensive protection zone for wildlife and its biotope and this is the reason for this new constraint imposed on us. The Ovronnaz base will of course welcome you accordingly.
There is still a lot of information missing on the rest and refueling places that will be offered to you throughout the route. We are actively working on it. We will be able to send you this information in around 2 weeks, this time with all the detailed information on the race.
There is still a fair amount of snow remaining in certain areas and we recommend that you wait for reconnaissance on the highest parts of the routes.
We thank you for your trust and look forward to welcoming you for an unforgettable adventure.
For the SwissPeaks Trail committee
Julien V. SPT Race Director
EXCEL file with all the elevations and passage times, for the 1st part. Must still be modified with the new data from the second part.
Downloadable and adaptable to your pace (modify only the V+ and V- columns): Swisspeaks Trail 660 analyse complète, version provisoire juin 2024.xlsx
Please note that the route below is still provisional, the organizer is still making some adaptations and corrections (he can do this until the day before departure, depending on the weather and its requirements). Even if overall, the big changes are no longer relevant. For example, I noticed that:
- On the Swisspeaks 660 site, the climb from Ovronnaz no longer goes through the Rambert refuge !
- Between Torgon and Pointe de Bellevue, there are also some adaptations in progress.
- And I submitted a possible adaptation just above Albinen.
If all goes well and the weather doesn’t play any tricks on us (for information: Valais is just coming out of major floods, particularly in the Oberwald valley and above Eisten). An update and complete information should be given within 15 days (message received on the morning of July 2, 2024)
Encouragement:
The organizer wishes you good training while they work hard to open the new road on the north side of the Valais.
They ask us to trust them, the track will be up to what they are used to organizing and … This is my personal opinion:
• I imagine that the stewardship will be as well.
If some of you do not have this confidence, you can still ask for a refund of the registration fee, before the final course is revealed.
Rest places between the live bases :
On the 1st part, in Fiesch.
One concern for the organizer seems to be the space available in the refuges to sleep (in cohabitation with other customers). Ideally, we could spread out in the different refuges offered so as not to arrive with overcapacity. There should be enough shelters available, sometimes not very far from each other..
Do you think it is possible to call to book the berth before we arrive ?
We, the trailers of the committee, proposed to try to set up a dynamic information system with the number of competitors « in the race » between two huts and the capacity of the berths available in the next hut.
Do you have any ideas, or proposals ?
Personally, I feel that if the weather is good, I can easily find places on the side of the road to sleep.
Depending on the heat, I don’t know yet if I’m going to prefer to rest during the night or during the day, it’s not easy for me to call to book « in advance ». Along the way a few hours before… Maybe… this depends on the fatigue associated with the advance or the accumulated delay.
On the other hand, if the weather conditions are difficult, it will be important that we can be guaranteed a place in a shelter.
The organizer believes that in case of bad weather, the refuges will have cancellations of reservations, which should increase the places available to us. But if we get to 50 to sleep in a shelter with 30 places, it may still be complicated!
What about you ?
Do you think you will sleep the 1st night from Monday to Tuesday ?
Please use the chat channel set up by the organizer to respond, so we will have centralized responses in one place. THANK YOU:
https://swisspeaks.ch/forums/forum/swisspeaks-660-2024-athlets/
Live Bases :
In any case, the living quarters of the first part will offer the same services: massage & podiatrist as those on the 360, while offering us the possibility of sleeping.
Roadbook:
The 1st version of the Roadbook has been released
in French https://swisspeaks.ch/files/rdbk_fr.pdf
and English https://swisspeaks.ch/files/rdbk_en.pdf
Be careful, the 360 track change after Finhaut, who is no more a life base. You need go until Salvan for a bed and shower. No other languages are published (for layout reasons). And we will still have to wait until the beginning of May for the 660 info, or even a little later for the final route…
While waiting for the final Routes:
I calculated an estimate to address the transition between Fiesch and the restart of the 360:
According to the time barrier planned for Fiesch at 10 p.m. on Saturday, taking into account a departure at 9 p.m. from Le Bouvret.
Bouvret-Fiesch approx. 270km / 121h = approx. 2.25km/h
But the objective is to adopt a pace of 2.34km/h to take 115h30 and arrive at
4:30 p.m. at the latest.
In this case, I advise to leave immediately, which already requires you to adopt a pace of 2.63km/h until Eisten, i.e. approx. 150km/57h in order to cross the time barrier scheduled for Tuesday morning at 1:30 am. It is a compromise to guarantee a certain continuity and regularity of time barriers. This seems realistic because the route is marked.
Note that you will also have to keep this pace to cross the following time barriers to Grande-Dixance. After you should have a little more margin…
Compared to the 360
Oberwald-Bouvret 365km / 156h = approx 2.34km/h
In principle, without any particular problems, we should all be able to have an average pace higher than the minimum planned for the 360. In any case, that will be the objective… (ideally at least 2.63km/h) if you want to be finisher of this 660, which is what I wish us. Let’s enjoy, training well.
Courage to you, and good preparation.
Here we are finally with some news and an offer of accommodation for « before » and « after » the 660.
3 points are presented below:
- Progress in refining the concept
- Pre- and post-race accommodations
- dedicated forum
Progress in refining the concept
- As stated before, the concept is being refined and it is going well overall. We are not going to make a summary of where we are at the moment, it would take unnecessary time and would in any case be subject to change in the future, so it seems useless and we prefer to put time and energy into the organization of the race down to the smallest detail.
I would like to salute the very constructive work that is being done by the trailers who are members of the « SwissPeaks-riders of the 660 » committee. Thank you to them!
In broad outline, a few points that have been decided:
- Departure Monday evening 26 August, 9 pm, arrival point of the 360
- no Timing until Fiesch or Oberwald (non-negotiable, medical reasons and racing permits
- refreshments in Troistorrents (km 44 – possibility to sleep), Collonges (km 68 – possibility to sleep), Haut-D’Arbignon (km 75), Cabane des Violettes (km 147 – possibility to sleep)
- living quarters with follower bag in Ovronnaz (km 88) and St German (km 210)
- Note that all these points will give you the opportunity to leave with a lunch-bag
- regrouping in Fiesch with full board, « re-start » to finally start with the riders of the 360 on Sunday morning at 10am
- warm and full refreshments in Oberwald
- no time barriers for you on the « 360 » part to Eisten
- your follower bag follows you to the living bases + Fiesch + Oberwald
- your suitcase follows you to Fiesch and then back to Le Bouveret
- Everything is of course included in the registration fee (if it should still be specified)
Pre- and post-race accommodations
Very high quality, free safe private parking and free transfer vs parking at around 70 CHF in Le Bouveret.
Here is the proposal of our partner « Alp-art hotel »:
Single use: 120 CHF/day/pp
Dual use: 90 CHF/day/pp
Triple use: 75 CHF/day/pp
(Price excluding tourist tax: 1.70 CHF/day/pp)
Restoration:
Breakfast: 15 CHF /day/pp
Evening meal: 60 CHF /day/pp
Offered: Parking + luggage storage for the duration of the SwissPeaks Trail
Dates: from 25 August to 09 September (check-out on 10/09)
Offer and availability guaranteed until January 15, 2024 for a minimum stay of two nights – dates to choose from.
Reservations:
Code SWISSPEAKS24 – Rates will be adjusted based on occupancy.
Please note that all bookings are handled by the hotel itself and not by SwissPeaks!
Dedicated Forum
A lot of discussions have already been done on the Facebook group 660 and a lot of work, as highlighted above, by the committee « SwissPeaks-riders of the 360 ». But there is still a lot of room for discussion and to have a neutral and free place (not moderated, thank you for your respect) to exchange where everyone can connect easily, we have set up a forum – which is strictly reserved for 660 runners – on the SwissPeaks website. You can come and ask your questions. All of them are dealt with by the committee and allow you to create a concept that will satisfy you as much as possible.
Here is the connection link: https://swisspeaks.ch/forums/forum/swisspeaks-660-2024-athlets/
To log in:
- Your « identifier » is: the first letter of your first name followed by your last name (only the first one if there are several). Example for Patrick Dufour Laporte: pdufour
- Your password is the same password used for the registration platform, you are reminded of it below.
Thank you for being simple and concise in your requests in order to limit the work of the runners who also have to prepare their race!
Please note that the SwissPeaks team is not available and will not intervene on this forum, for obvious reasons.
Thank you all for your trust and see you soon with the final routes and refreshment points!
Julien V.
SPT Race Director
Timing of the 1st part:
Despite various proposals and options to extend the timing to the 1st part of the event (especially for the elite), the organizer does not work into the matter. Perhaps the proposed tracks will be adapted and used in the more or less distant future, if the event continues. What we want. I will gladly explain the proposals and options (with the same rules for every participant) to you on August 26th in Le Bouveret.
Grouping of competitors on the Fiesch life base :
A regrouping of the competitors in the Fiesch base is also imposed on us.
Restart from Fiesch and start of the timed race from Oberwald ditto 360:
Finally, we move towards on simultaneous timed start with the 360 from Oberwald (360 km). From Fiesch, everyone will walk to Oberwald at their own pace following the proposed route. A copious supply of supplies and the follower bag will be present in Oberwald, but the place is not suitable for sleeping.
The elected committee is also leaning towards this option for the following reasons:
- The secret departure at 2 a.m. doesn’t seem sexy to us, whereas in Obervald, we enjoy the atmosphere and the infrastructure of the 360 start.
- The stress-free journey between Fiesch and Oberwald is an opportunity to create a state of mind and belonging to the same family before the departure of the 360. The opportunity to fraternize, get to know each other and prepare psychologically for the next…
- In the event of a departure from Fiesch, the fastest will pass through Oberwald before the start of the 360, while the slowest will be much later, at best during the dismantling, while the spectators have left.
- It’s an opportunity to meet up with acquaintances registered on the 360.
- The possibility of a reference time on the 360.
- It corresponds to the 1st presentation that was made to us on Facebook on September 10, 2023.
A Forum (https://swisspeaks.ch/forums/) has been created for you to give your opinion. A communication will be sent to you shortly by the organizer.
Time barriers on the 360 between Oberwald and Fiesch:
Regarding the first time barriers on the 360, we are guaranteed that they will be adapt, to competitors from the 660, until Eisten. We are working well with the organizer to removed or adapted, time barriers proposed throw the 360, for as many of us reach Eisten.
Final route:
The final route is not yet known, mountain huts and restaurants (which it is not possible to contact during the winter period) have yet to give answers. The objective is not to have a section of more than 30km without refreshments.
The deadline for notifying us of the final routes with the supply locations is early June.
Personal Bag:
For the competitors of the 660, a personal bag will be sent from the Bouvret to the Base de vie in Fiesch. It will make it possible to complete and/or rearrange the official 50l bag which follows in each base of life:
For the 1st part: Ovronnaz – St-Germain – Fiesch – Oberwald
For the second part: Fiesch – Eisten – Grimentz – Gde-Dixence – Finhaut – Morgin – Le Bouveret.
The personal bag will return to Le Bouveret before the start from Oberwald and will no longer be available for the second pass in Fiesch.
Personal Assistance:
As with the 360, personal assistance should only be allowed in the vicinity of official supply zones and bases de vie. Of course, with reciprocal respect for the staff and the infrastructures that welcome us. These points are essential to allow the organisers to envisage a second edition of the 660. (Personal note: the regions crossed, outside the Crans-Montana area, are a little less touristy than the rest of the route, so it is essential that the organizer can count on the infrastructure and the reception in the long term. It’s up to us to make a good impression and leave a positive image of our visit. Thanks)
Alternative pathway:
In case of bad weather, alternative routes are planned, they should be communicated before the start of the race, as is done at the torX. So you could download them to your GPS. Activation will be communicated « as soon as possible », if necessary, if possible at the refreshment points.
Parking in Le Bouveret:
There could be a free solution in Collombey if we take the before and after accommodation offered by the organization. This is a point that will be dealt with again in future sessions.
Change of distance:
As far as this remains the exception, if a 660 competitor has a non-physical problem and no longer feels like doing the entire course, he could go to the start of a shorter event under his own responsibility and would be classified on the distance in question if he finishes the event.
I always use the conditional tense, because only official communications from the organizer are the reference. I also apply myself to translations, but they are generated with automatic translators. Thank you for your understanding and tolerance. I remain available if you have any questions and/or comments.
Thank you 🙏 for your incredible support.
I look forward to work with my colleagues on the committee, Luca Papi and Albert Meige to finalize this extraordinary project.
It must be a world first in the world in the world of trail running, where the participants already selected finalize together the concept and the rules of the event with the organizers 🤔.
I find this very interesting and… Now that the work begins 😅.
Together with my colleagues, it will be a question of presenting and representing as best as possible the diversity of opinions and proposals that you have submitted to us in order to find the optimal path for this Swisspeaks 660k.
We look forward to coming back to you soon, for the rest of the adventure…
Encouragement:
The organizer wishes you good training while they work hard to open the new road on the north side of the Valais.
They ask us to trust them, the track will be up to what they are used to organizing and … This is my personal opinion:
• I imagine that the stewardship will be as well.
If some of you do not have this confidence, you can still ask for a refund of the registration fee, before the final course is revealed.
Rest places between the live bases :
On the 1st part, in Fiesch.
One concern for the organizer seems to be the space available in the refuges to sleep (in cohabitation with other customers). Ideally, we could spread out in the different refuges offered so as not to arrive with overcapacity. There should be enough shelters available, sometimes not very far from each other..
Do you think it is possible to call to book the berth before we arrive ?
We, the trailers of the committee, proposed to try to set up a dynamic information system with the number of competitors « in the race » between two huts and the capacity of the berths available in the next hut.
Do you have any ideas, or proposals ?
Personally, I feel that if the weather is good, I can easily find places on the side of the road to sleep.
Depending on the heat, I don’t know yet if I’m going to prefer to rest during the night or during the day, it’s not easy for me to call to book « in advance ». Along the way a few hours before… Maybe… this depends on the fatigue associated with the advance or the accumulated delay.
On the other hand, if the weather conditions are difficult, it will be important that we can be guaranteed a place in a shelter.
The organizer believes that in case of bad weather, the refuges will have cancellations of reservations, which should increase the places available to us. But if we get to 50 to sleep in a shelter with 30 places, it may still be complicated!
What about you ?
Do you think you will sleep the 1st night from Monday to Tuesday ?
Please use the chat channel set up by the organizer to respond, so we will have centralized responses in one place. THANK YOU:
https://swisspeaks.ch/forums/forum/swisspeaks-660-2024-athlets/
Objectives :
1) To meet the expectations of competitors who want a time on the entire course, without neglecting those who are not interested in the spirit of competition..
2) Keep the idea of a grouping of competitors on the Fiesch life base and minimize the hours of presence for the organizers.
3) Give a spectacular image of the 660 event, which will be at least a 360km + 250km.
The proposal:
Le Bouveret – Fiesch section (approx. 250km). As planned in semi-autonomy, without markings, but with a timing of the race time.
The Fiesch « Base de vie » is used as a place to live and regroup (between Thursday and Sunday mornings) all the competitors of the 660. When they arrived, time is neutralized.
Instead of a new start in Fiesch, the competitors « just » have to reach Oberwald to be present at the start of the 360 (without timing of this section). Everyone is free to start from Fiesch, (approx. 50km) according to their own timetable, but must follow the proposed route and walk to Oberwald where there is a VIP 660 aid station with something to eat and an area to rest « a little » before the start of the 360.
To help the slowest 660s to get past the first time barriers of the 360, the delay they will have accumulated on the 1st part is converted into an hourly bonus for the second departure from Oberwald.
The best time of the 1st part (Le Bouveret – Fiesch) must start at the same time as the competitors of the 360.
All the others can claim a bonus proportional (to be defined) to the delay accumulated on this 1st game. This would allowed them to set off a little earlier than the official start of the 360. Of course, the actual time is counted at the time of the actual departure from Oberwald.
This bonus would be optional. It only allows you to get a little ahead of the first time barriers of the 360. Those who use it will no longer be able to claim a « Scratch » ranking with the 360 competitors.
The Oberwald – Le Bouveret section is completely the same as the 360.
Technically :
You have to time the 1st part (Le Bouveret – Fiesch). Establish a leaderboard with delays converted into bonuses.
Provide a time barrier in Fiesch that allows the last arrival to reach Oberwald according to the time of his possible new departure from Oberwald.
In Oberwald there is a head of departures for the 660 (volunteer of the organization) with a list of possible times for each competitor (established according to the ranking of the 1st part). All trail runners who wish to take advantage of their bonus are obliged to pass by him before they leave Oberwald. The actual departure time is noted and then added to the time of the second part. The others take the normal start of the 360 and accept the time barriers provided for the 360.
From an organizational point of view, the operation is realistic, is evolutiv, does not require many human resources and is not very different from the 1st proposal made by the organizers. (.pdf file in 5 languages)
Advantages :
The elites could play on two boards, 660 and 360.
Other competitors could adapt their strategy according to their objectives and strengths.
Either: go fast on the 1st part and get more rest time in Fiesch or arrive « just in time » and « be warm » at the start of the 360 track.
Take advantage of their bonus or try to make a time and ranking on the 360 as well.
The slowest riders don’t have any pressure on the 1st part, outside the time barriers, because their delay turns into a bonus for the first time barriers of the 360.
For all, and for the image of the race, there will be a total time (250km + 390km) in relation to an extraordinary event of more than 600km.
For live TV, there will be a race within a race with participants of the 660 who evolve and also play a classification over 360km.
Aside :
Thank you for reading this proposal, I remain available to discuss it, to make it evolve… if it seems interesting and adds value to you.
I am happy to apply to represent the athletes and make my skills available to the Swisspeaks 660 organising committee.
My skills :
Member of the committee and responsible for the infrastructure and the finish stadium of the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Le Brassus, for Nordic skiing. I am currently the director of a small micromechanics company that designs stamps and produces parts for watchmaking.
Relatively new to the world of ultra-trail, I have a web page, not very professional, but useful for my personal needs, with a summary of my route (https://b0m.ch/my-life/) and an Excel sheet that allows me to easily develop walking plans (onedrive.live.com).
I don’t lack ideas when it comes to organization and like all of you I am very eager to take part in this already mythical event. I hope to get your support and represent you on the organizing committee of this Swisspeaks 660, 1st edition 2024. THANK YOU.
