Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB
Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB – E35 - North Face Trail
Burglauenen
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Eiger Ultra Trail E35 – North Face Trail is a 35 km mountain race that packs 2336 m of vertical gain into a single loop through the Bernese Oberland, topping out at 2338 m almost directly beneath the Eiger's north face. Starting and finishing low in the valley at Burglauenen (898 m), it climbs hard to the high alpine balcony at Männlichen, Kleine Scheidegg and Eigergletscher before plunging back down to the finish at 1034 m. At roughly 67 m of climb per kilometre, the E35 is the shorter of the Eiger distances but no easier per metre run. It is a race defined by two big movements: a long, sustained ascent to the roof of the course, and a long, punishing descent off it. If you want the postcard views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau without committing to a 50 km or longer day, this is the entry point.
The course and terrain
The E35 runs from Burglauenen at 898 m through six intermediate points before finishing at 1034 m. From the start the route climbs to Wengen at 8.9 km (1277 m), then continues steeply up to Männlichen at 13.7 km (2224 m). From there it traverses the high ground to Kleine Scheidegg at 18.2 km (2059 m) and on to Eigergletscher at 21.7 km (2304 m), the highest aid station and the point closest to the Eiger's north face. The back half drops to Brandegg at 29.3 km (1336 m) before the final run down to the finish at 35 km. Because the start and finish sit low while the middle of the course lives above 2000 m, the terrain shifts character as you climb: valley trail and forest paths give way to open alpine footing across the Männlichen–Kleine Scheidegg–Eigergletscher balcony. Every checkpoint on the route is marked as a crew point, so support is available at Wengen, Männlichen, Kleine Scheidegg, Eigergletscher and Brandegg, giving you regular chances to resupply and reset.
Where the race is won and lost
The decisive climb comes early. From the start at 898 m the course gains more than 1300 m to reach Männlichen at 2224 m by 13.7 km — the single defining ascent of the day, and the section that will set your fatigue for everything after. The middle of the climb, from Wengen (1277 m at 8.9 km) up to Männlichen, averages a punishing grade, and going too hard here is the classic E35 mistake. Once you top out around the 2338 m high point near Eigergletscher (21.7 km), the second half is dominated by descent: from 2304 m down to Brandegg at 1336 m by 29.3 km, then further down to the 1034 m finish. That is nearly 1300 m of quad-loading downhill in the closing 13 km. Runners who blow their legs on the climb to Männlichen pay for it here, on ground where you should be making up time. Protect your quads on the descent early so you still have them for Brandegg to the finish.
How to pace and fuel it
Treat the E35 as two halves split at the high point. The first 21.7 km to Eigergletscher is a climbing effort — run the runnable valley section to Wengen conservatively, then settle into a steady power-hike on the steep pitch to Männlichen rather than surging. Banking time on the lower climb rarely holds up once the descent starts working your legs. From Eigergletscher onward, shift to descent management: quick turnover, short strides and controlled braking to spare the quads for the long drop to Brandegg and the finish. With crew access at every checkpoint, plan your fuelling around them: carry enough between Männlichen (13.7 km) and Eigergletscher (21.7 km), the highest and most exposed stretch, and top up hard at Brandegg (29.3 km) before the final descent. Aim to eat and drink consistently on the long first climb when your stomach still tolerates it; the descent-heavy back half makes steady fuelling harder, so front-load your calories on the way up.
Conditions to expect
This is a high-alpine course: although the start and finish sit near 1000 m, the heart of the race spends kilometres above 2000 m at Männlichen, Kleine Scheidegg and Eigergletscher, with a high point of 2338 m directly under the Eiger's north face. Weather at that altitude can swing quickly from valley warmth to cold, wind and low cloud on the exposed balcony, so carry layers even if the valley start feels mild. The altitude profile also means the exposed high section from Männlichen to Eigergletscher is where you are most committed and furthest from shelter — the reason to carry adequate clothing and fuel across that stretch. Lower down, the climb out of Wengen and the descent through Brandegg run on more sheltered valley and forest trail. Plan clothing you can add at Männlichen and shed again on the warm final descent to the 1034 m finish.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 898 m · —
8.9 km · 1277 m · —
13.7 km · 2224 m · —
18.2 km · 2059 m · —
21.7 km · 2304 m · —
29.3 km · 1336 m · —
35 km · 1034 m · —
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