Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB
Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB – E51 - Panorama Trail
Grindelwald
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Eiger Ultra Trail E51 – Panorama Trail is a 51 km loop out of Grindelwald that climbs 2696 m and reaches its high point of 2677 m at the Faulhorn, one of the great viewpoints of the Bernese Oberland. True to its name, the route strings together the high ridgelines and balcony trails above Grindelwald before dropping back through Schwand and Burglauenen to finish at 1034 m. Starting and finishing at 1034 m, the E51 sits between the shorter E35 and the longer Eiger distances. It rewards runners who can climb steadily and then hold form across a rolling, high-altitude middle section before a long descent home. With crew access at most checkpoints and a course that lives largely above 2000 m, it is a proper alpine day out with the Eiger, Wetterhorn and Grindelwald basin as the backdrop.
The course and terrain
From the Grindelwald start at 1034 m, the E51 climbs steadily to Grosse Scheidegg at 8.6 km (1959 m), then continues up to First at 14.7 km (2166 m). The course then holds high ground across Feld at 21 km (2131 m) before the climb to the Faulhorn at 26 km — at 2674 m the roof of the race and the summit that gives the Panorama Trail its name. From there it undulates to Egg at 31.5 km (2130 m) before the long descent begins. The back third drops hard: from Egg the route falls to Schwand at 39.4 km (1558 m), then down to Burglauenen at 45.7 km (900 m) — the low point of the course — before a final climb back to the finish at 51 km (1034 m). Crew points are available at the start, Grosse Scheidegg, First, Schwand, Burglauenen and the finish, while the exposed high-mountain aid stations at Feld, Faulhorn and Egg are where you are most on your own. Underfoot the character moves from valley trail up to open alpine balcony paths across the highest sections.
Where the race is won and lost
The E51 has a long, staged climb rather than a single wall: 1034 m at the start rising to the Faulhorn's 2674 m by 26 km, gained across Grosse Scheidegg, First and Feld. The whole first half is uphill or high-and-rolling, so the discipline is to climb within yourself all the way to the Faulhorn rather than spending too early on the pitch to Grosse Scheidegg. The high point at 2677 m near the Faulhorn marks the tipping point of the race. From Egg (2130 m at 31.5 km) the course gives back nearly all its height: down to Schwand at 1558 m and on to Burglauenen at 900 m by 45.7 km — around 1200 m of descent that will find any weakness in your quads. The sting in the tail is real: after bottoming out at Burglauenen you must climb back roughly 130 m to the 1034 m finish. Runners who empty the tank on the climb to Faulhorn, or who trash their legs bombing the Egg–Burglauenen descent, struggle on that final rise.
How to pace and fuel it
Build the E51 around its shape: a climbing and high-rolling first 31.5 km to Egg, then a descent-dominated finish. Run the lower approach to Grosse Scheidegg controlled, power-hike the steeper pitches to First and Faulhorn, and use the rolling high ground through Feld and Egg to move efficiently without redlining. The Faulhorn at 26 km is the emotional and physical crux — reach it with legs in reserve. For fuelling, lean on the crewed points at Grosse Scheidegg (8.6 km) and First (14.7 km) on the way up, and carry enough to cover the high, exposed stretch through Feld, Faulhorn and Egg where the aid stations sit above 2100 m and the terrain is committing. Refuel well at Schwand (39.4 km) and Burglauenen (45.7 km) before the final climb to the finish. Eat steadily on the long ascent while your stomach cooperates, because the pounding descent to Burglauenen makes consistent intake harder later on.
Conditions to expect
This is a genuinely high course: from the 1034 m start it spends the entire middle third above 2100 m, peaking at 2677 m near the Faulhorn. Weather in the Bernese Oberland can change fast at that altitude, and the balcony sections from First across Feld to Faulhorn and Egg are exposed to wind, cold and cloud. Carry layers you can put on for the high point even if Grindelwald starts warm. The most committing part of the day is the run across the high ridges to the Faulhorn and on to Egg, where you are furthest from crew and shelter — the reason to be self-sufficient with clothing and fuel across that block. Lower down, the climb out of Grindelwald and the long descent through Schwand and Burglauenen run on more sheltered valley trail. Expect to add clothing near the Faulhorn and shed it again on the warm drop toward Burglauenen before the last pull to the finish.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 1034 m · —
8.6 km · 1959 m · —
14.7 km · 2166 m · —
21 km · 2131 m · —
26 km · 2674 m · —
31.5 km · 2130 m · —
39.4 km · 1558 m · —
45.7 km · 900 m · —
51 km · 1034 m · —
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