Which is harder, Via Alpina Purple A56 or Via Alpina Red R51?

Via Alpina Red R51 is the tougher of the two on distance and elevation (12.0 mi (20 km), 4,764 ft (1,452 m) of climbing). See the full side-by-side breakdown.

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Via Alpina Purple A56 vs Via Alpina Red R51

A side-by-side look at distance, elevation, difficulty and the best time to hike each — so you can pick the right route.

Units

	Via Alpina Purple A56	Via Alpina Red R51
Distance	8.2 mi13 km	12.0 mi20 km
Elevation gain	3,891 ft1,186 m	4,764 ft1,452 m
Typical duration	1 day	2 days
Difficulty	—	—
Route type	Point-to-point	Point-to-point
Network	International	International
Country	Germany	Germany
Best time to hike	Best months: April, August, October	Best from June to August
	map Route & GPX	map Route & GPX

Via Alpina Purple A56 vs Via Alpina Red R51: which should you hike?

At 12.0 mi20 km, Via Alpina Red R51 is the longer route — roughly 4.0 mi6 km more than Via Alpina Purple A56 (8.2 mi13 km). If you want the bigger challenge or a longer trip, that's the one; for a shorter or first multi-day hike, Via Alpina Purple A56 is the gentler pick. Check the elevation and best-season rows above, then open each route for the full guide and a free GPX download.

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