Collection · 15 trails in this catalog
Challenging alpine scrambles
Trails our records grade SAC T3+ or that note scrambling or exposed sections — derived from each record’s difficulty data, not a vibe.
Members are only trails we hold. Lengths are live from each record: OSM 2-D where we have a relation, schematic pin-to-pin where we do not — those schematic figures are not walking distances. Permit status is public-level only (required / none / unverified). Cost and booking stay behind the login gate on each trail page.
Membership is programmatic from the additive Difficulty seam and hazard fields. SAC grades that this desk mapped from OSM or a native scale are labelled as mapped — no official SAC grade. Hazards stay public. This page does not say “hardest.”
Countries: Albania, Australia, France, Italy, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Türkiye.
Italy · point-to-point
Alta Via 1
OSM 118 km · Verified
osm:relation:177743 · 2026-08-24 · osmCicerone/CAI: Grade 2 / E (optional Marmol VF = EEA) · SAC T2–T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1
Optional via ferrata on this record — the standard itinerary is a walk where the record says so.
Hazard: The standard AV1 itinerary does not require via ferrata gear. The optional Via Ferrata Marmol finish to Rifugio 7° Alpini does; hikers without that kit can take the walking descent to La Stanga/La Pissa. Some optional extensions and the Lagazuoi Tunnels descent have iron cables on exposed ground (same page, checked 2026-08-24).
Permit unverified
Nepal · out-and-back
Annapurna Base Camp Trek
70 km*
seed:approx · 2026-01-01 · editorial · provisionalSAC T3 · YDS 2
Permit required: ACAP (NTNC entry permit); TIMS commonly required
Nepal · point-to-point
Annapurna Circuit
OSM 334.1 km*
osm:relation:1187310 · 2026-08-20 · osm · provisionalSAC T3 · YDS 2
Permit required: ACAP (NTNC entry permit)
Norway · point-to-point
Besseggen
OSM 14.5 km · Verified
osm:relation:1417687 · 2026-08-24 · osmDNT: krevende (red / demanding) · SAC T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 2
Hazard: Narrow, exposed ridge scrambling on the Besseggen knife-edge: DNT/ut.no describes steep passages and an airy feeling with Gjende about 400 m below one side and Bessvatnet on the other (https://ut.no/turforslag/114842/klassikeren-over-besseggen, checked 2026-08-24). DNT's colour system grades this class of trip red / krevende (demanding); the same UT.no trip page currently stamps it svært krevende (extra demanding).
No permit listed
France · point-to-point
GR 10
OSM 925.9 km*
osm:relation:7411272 · 2026-08-25 · osm · provisionalSAC T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 2
No permit listed
France · point-to-point
GR20
OSM 183.6 km · Verified
osm:relation:12484370 · 2026-08-24 · osmPNRC: one of Europe's most difficult; N très technique · SAC T2–T4 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1
Hazard: The north (Calenzana–Vizzavona) is the hard end: PNRC describes those stages as very technical, with steep, narrow, and slippery ground, rock slabs with handrails on alpine variants, scree, and in places rappel descents; hands may be needed from stage 1. This is scramble terrain, not glacier or T5/T6 climbing (https://www.pnr.corsica/fr/randonnees-decouverte/gr-20-fra-li-monti, checked 2026-08-24).
No permit listed
New Zealand · loop
Kepler Track
OSM 61.6 km*
osm:relation:1385141 · 2026-08-24 · osm · provisionalDOC: Great Walk / Intermediate · SAC T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1
Hazard: Exposed alpine section between Luxmore Hut and Iris Burn Hut; weather can change quickly and DOC may close that section or use a bad-weather route when avalanche hazard is present (https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/fiordland/places/fiordland-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/kepler-track/, checked 2026-08-24).
Permit required: DOC Great Walk hut/campsite booking
Türkiye · point-to-point
Lycian Way
OSM 454.5 km*
osm:relation:51855 · 2026-08-20 · osm · provisionalSAC T2 · YDS 1
Hazard: Some cliff, scramble, and route-finding sections; a few variants are harder than the main line (same sources, checked 2026-08-23).
Permit unverified
New Zealand · point-to-point
Milford Track
OSM 53.6 km*
osm:relation:1385121 · 2026-08-25 · osm · provisionalDOC: Great Walk / Easier tramping track (in season) · SAC T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1
Hazard: Exposed alpine section over Omanui/McKinnon Pass (DOC shelter 1,154 m): steep, slippery, rough, and muddy; not recommended for children under 10 (same page, checked 2026-08-25).
Permit required: DOC Great Walk hut booking
Australia · point-to-point
Overland Track
OSM 77.6 km*
osm:relation:1673569 · 2026-08-24 · osm · provisionalParks Tasmania: Grade 4 · SAC T2–T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1
Hazard: Deep mud, exposed alpine sections, steep and rocky ground — Grade 4 (same page, checked 2026-08-24).
Permit required: Overland Track Pass (booking season) + Tasmania parks pass (winter)
Albania · loop
Peaks of the Balkans Trail
192 km*
seed:approx · 2026-01-01 · editorial · provisionalSAC T3 · YDS 2
Permit required: Cross-border permit (AL/XK/ME)
Slovenia · point-to-point
Slovenian mountain trail
OSM 577.6 km*
osm:relation:6443086 · 2026-08-20 · osm · provisionalSAC T2 · YDS 1
Hazard: Includes via-ferrata / fixed-protection sections (Cicerone Grade 3) in the high Alps — experience and equipment required. Cicerone, The Slovene Mountain Trail (provisional; Cowork 2026-08-23).
Permit unverified
New Zealand · point-to-point
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
OSM 19.7 km*
osm:relation:104369 · 2026-08-25 · osm · provisionalDOC: high fitness; steep and undulating · SAC T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 2
No permit listed
France · loop
Tour du Mont Blanc
OSM 166 km · Verified
osm:relation:9678362 · 2026-08-24 · osmStandard TMB non-technical; high variants harder · SAC T2–T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1
No permit listed
Switzerland · point-to-point
Walker's Haute Route
122.6 km · schematic — not walking distance*
curated:schematic · 2026-08-25 · editorial · provisionalSAC T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 2
No permit listed
Also in this desk: Collections · How long is the trail? · Permit & season calendar · Albania · Australia · France · Italy · Nepal · New Zealand · Norway · Slovenia · Switzerland · Türkiye.
Questions
How was this list chosen?
A trail qualifies when its Difficulty seam is SAC T3 or harder (including the high end of a mapped SAC range) or when its grade or hazard text notes scrambling, chained sections, via ferrata, or exposed alpine ground. Mapped SAC values are labelled as mapped — no official SAC grade. This is not a ranking.
Are these the hardest walks in the catalog?
No. The page does not rank trails. T1–T2 walks with no scramble or exposure note are excluded even if they are long. Optional ferrata is labelled optional when the record says so.