Bernina Ultraks
Bernina Glaciers Marathon
Pontresina
Race guide
Updated 29 June 2026
The Bernina Glaciers Marathon is a 42 km mountain marathon set in the high Alps around Pontresina, in the Engadin valley of eastern Switzerland. With 2,709 m of total ascent and a high point touching 2,993 m, this is not a road marathon wearing trail shoes — it is a genuine high-altitude Alpine sufferfest that takes runners from the valley floor at 1,826 m up onto glacial terrain, past working mountain huts, and across exposed ridgelines before dropping back into Pontresina. The course is a loop that circles the Bernina massif, threading together iconic landmarks including the Boval Hut, the Diavolezza ski station summit and the Fuorcla Pischa before a final descent past the Segantini Hut. The finish cut-off at 16:30 on Saturday means total race time is strictly limited, and the remote, high-altitude sections demand respect regardless of your road marathon credentials.
Course & Terrain
The race starts and finishes at the Rondo in Pontresina at 1,826 m, making the full loop 42.2 km. The opening 10 km climb steadily to the Chamanna da Boval (Boval Hut) at 2,469 m — this section takes you onto the lateral moraine of the Morteratsch Glacier and introduces the rocky, uneven terrain that defines the rest of the day. From Boval the route climbs further to the Diavolezza Station summit area at 3,003 m (the race high point is recorded at 2,993 m), reached at the 20 km mark. Beyond Diavolezza the course descends before climbing again to the Fuorcla Pischa and Alp Languard area at 2,842 m around km 28 — this is the third distinct high point and arguably the most demanding one mentally, coming late in the race. A final significant descent and re-ascent brings you to the Segantini Hut at 2,731 m at km 35, after which the course drops all the way back to Pontresina. Surfaces vary from maintained mountain paths and gravel tracks to boulder fields, glacial moraine and grassy Alpine slopes; trekking poles are strongly worth considering.
The Decisive Climbs & Descents
Three climbs define this race. The first, from Pontresina to the Boval Hut (roughly 640 m of gain over 10 km), sets the rhythm — going out too hard here will compound fatigue on everything that follows. The second and biggest effort is the push to and around the Diavolezza summit, which takes you above 2,900 m; thin air is real at this altitude, especially for runners travelling from lower elevations, and technical footing on moraine and glacial runoff zones slows progress considerably. The third decisive section is the climb from the post-Diavolezza descent back up to the Fuorcla Pischa / Alp Languard area at 2,842 m at km 28 — legs will already be accumulating significant hours by this point, and this climb has ended many races. The descent from the Fuorcla Pischa down toward the Segantini Hut at km 35 is long and technical enough to trash quadriceps if you haven't run conservatively on the earlier descents; the final drop from the Segantini Hut (2,731 m) back to Pontresina (1,823 m) is a sustained 900 m descent over 7 km that rewards runners who have saved something.
Pacing Strategy
With 2,709 m of climbing and a high point near 3,000 m spread across 42 km, pace should be governed entirely by effort and altitude rather than any kilometre-per-minute target. Start conservatively on the Boval climb — even runners with strong mountain fitness often underestimate how much the altitude will cost them later. The Diavolezza summit section at km 20 is the halfway point by distance but not by difficulty; treat reaching it as a checkpoint rather than a reason to push. The stretch from km 20 to km 28 (Fuorcla Pischa) involves both descent and re-ascent and is where races are most commonly lost to cramping, bonking or time pressure relative to the 16:30 cut-off. A runner leaving Diavolezza at km 20 with 5–6 hours already on the clock needs to do the maths carefully. Save leg strength on every major descent by shortening stride and leaning slightly back on technical ground; arriving at the Segantini Hut at km 35 with working quads makes the final descent to the finish runnable rather than a survival shuffle.
Fuelling & Hydration
The checkpoint network — Boval Hut (km 10), Diavolezza Station (km 20), Fuorcla Pischa area (km 28) and Segantini Hut (km 35) — spaces refuelling opportunities roughly every 7–10 km, which is manageable but leaves no room for skipping a stop. Carry enough calories and fluid to cover each gap comfortably, given that altitude suppresses hunger while simultaneously increasing caloric demand. Cold temperatures at the higher checkpoints (Diavolezza and Fuorcla Pischa sit above 2,800 m) can make gels and bars hard to consume; favour real food where it is available at the mountain huts and test your nutrition in training at altitude if possible. Hydration needs are significant — dry Alpine air and sustained climbing cause higher fluid losses than equivalent effort at sea level. Carry a minimum of 1 litre capacity between checkpoints and top up fully at each stop. Electrolyte supplementation matters on a race of this duration, particularly if temperatures rise on the lower sections.
Conditions to Expect
The Bernina massif holds snow well into summer and the terrain above 2,500 m can be icy in the early morning hours of race day regardless of the calendar date. Waterproof jacket, hat and gloves are standard mandatory kit for good reason — the summit areas around Diavolezza and Fuorcla Pischa are fully exposed and weather in the Engadin can change within minutes. Morning temperatures at the start in Pontresina (1,826 m) may feel mild but conditions at 3,000 m will be considerably colder and wind-chill on exposed ridges can be severe. Afternoon thunderstorms are a genuine risk in the Alps during the summer race season; the course largely descends back toward the valley in the latter kilometres, which helps, but the sections around Fuorcla Pischa at km 28 are exposed if weather rolls in. Snow patches on the higher sections require grip — trail shoes with adequate lug depth are essential and microspikes may be warranted depending on the year. Always check race-day conditions and mandatory kit requirements from the organiser before the start.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 1826 m · —
10 km · 2469 m ·
20 km · 2144 m ·
25 km · 2265 m · Sat 13:15
33 km · 2388 m · Sat 15:30
35 km · 2684 m ·
42.2 km · 1823 m · Sat 16:30
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