La Patrouille des Glaciers

What La Patrouille des Glaciers does

La Patrouille des Glaciers (PdG) is a Swiss biennial ski mountaineering race organized by the Swiss Army under Territorial Division 1 and governed jointly with the Fondation Patrouille des Glaciers, a non-profit foundation established in 2021. The event traverses the Swiss Alps along two routes: the Z route from Zermatt to Verbier via Arolla (approximately 26 km with 1,800 m of elevation gain), and the shorter A route from Arolla to Verbier (approximately 14 km). It is open to both military and civilian competitors, with elite times on the long course now under six hours versus roughly 13 hours in 1944. The race functions as a platform for military alpine training and skill maintenance for Swiss and international units while serving elite civilian ski mountaineers.

Operationally, the race is one of the largest military operations conducted by the Swiss Army, mobilizing more than 1,000 army personnel, approximately 700 Civil Protection personnel from Canton Valais, around 40 mountain guides and avalanche specialists, and roughly 160 medical soldiers plus doctors and nurses per edition. Planning begins approximately 18 months in advance. The organization is anchored at Saint-Maurice (Commandement and Fondation offices), with operations hubs at Sion for material control and Verbier as the finish village; Zermatt and Verbier serve as destination partners. Digital surfaces include the pdg.ch website, the pdgshop.ch e-commerce storefront for textiles and merchandise, an external results portal, patroller and spectator guides, a Hall of Fame archive, and the Patrouille des Jeunes youth program.

Commercially, PdG generates revenue from three streams: race participation fees across categories Z1, Z2, A1, and A2; merchandise and souvenir sales through pdgshop.ch; and a tiered sponsorship structure spanning a presenting partner (Swisscom), a main partner (Norton Peak), institutional partners (Valais/Wallis Promotion, SBB/CFF), destination partners (Zermatt, Verbier, Val d'Hérens, Val de Bagnes), and operational suppliers (Air Glaciers, Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn). The Confederation–Canton of Valais cooperation agreement guarantees organizational conditions through at least 2034, and the foundation is supported by 5–9 members appointed by the Walliser Staatsrat.

Name

La Patrouille des Glaciers

Legal name

Fondation Patrouille des Glaciers

Website

https://pdg.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1944

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Patrouille des Glaciers is a Swiss biennial ski mountaineering race organized by the Swiss Army and the Fondation Patrouille des Glaciers, connecting Zermatt/Arolla to Verbier. It serves military units for alpine training and elite civilian ski mountaineers, funded via race fees, merchandise, and tiered sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alpine Ski Mountaineering Race Events

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Winter Adventure Experiences (Ski Touring, Snowshoeing, Dog Sledding) (THAJABAH)

Keywords

• Ski mountaineering race
• Alpine military competition
• Biennial endurance event
• Swiss army race
• Mountain ski touring

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Maurice

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Race participation fees: Revenue generated from patroller registrations for the various race categories (Z1, Z2, A1, A2)
2. Merchandise and online shop: Sale of textiles, equipment, souvenirs, and promotional items through the pdgshop.ch e-commerce platform
3. Sponsorship and partnership: Partnership arrangements with presenting partners, main partners, destination partners, institutional partners, suppliers, and media partners

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

La Patrouille des Glaciers is a historic biennial ski mountaineering race held in the Swiss Alps, organized by the Swiss Army with two routes: the Z route from Zermatt to Verbier via Arolla (approximately 26 km with 1,800 m elevation gain) and the A route from Arolla to Verbier. The event is open to both military and civilian teams and is supported by an online merchandise shop (pdgshop.ch), a youth development program (Patrouille des Jeunes), and a Hall of Fame archive.

Product overview

La Patrouille des Glaciers is primarily an event organization centered around its flagship ski mountaineering race, with two main routes: the Z route (Zermatt to Verbier via Arolla, approximately 26km with 1,800m elevation gain) and the A route (Arolla to Verbier, approximately 14km). The organization supports this core event with supplementary services including an e-commerce shop for merchandise, a digital results system for race timing, informational guides for patrollers and spectators, a historical Hall of Fame, and a youth development program called Patrouille des Jeunes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Patrouille des Jeunes: Youth program that supports young ski mountaineering talents, enabling them to benefit from some of the event's infrastructure.

Products and services

• Patrouille des Glaciers Race - Zermatt-Verbier Route (Z) Biennial ski mountaineering race from Zermatt to Verbier via Arolla, approximately 26 km with 1,800 m elevation gain, open to military patrollers and civilian teams in categories Z1 and Z2.
• Patrouille des Glaciers Race - Arolla-Verbier Route (A) Short ski mountaineering race from Arolla to Verbier, approximately 14 km, open to military and civilian teams in categories A1 and A2.
• Online Shop (pdgshop.ch) Online retail platform selling textiles, technical equipment, souvenirs, and promotional items related to the Patrouille des Glaciers event.
• Patrouille des Jeunes Youth ski mountaineering program supported by the Patrouille des Glaciers, designed to foster next-generation ski mountaineering talent and provide access to the event's infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• Race times have improved from approximately 13 hours in 1944 to under 6 hours today on the Zermatt-Verbier route
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, presenting, main, institutional, destination, supplier and minor.

• Fondation Patrouille des GlacierscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021The foundation was established in 2021 to ensure the continuity and promotion of the Patrouille des Glaciers and youth talents. It supports the Swiss Army in marketing and sponsorship while the Army handles race organization. The foundation has 5-9 members appointed by the Walliser Staatsrat.
• Swiss Army (Armee Schweiz / DDPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Swiss Army is responsible for the organization and execution of the race, maintaining alpine skills of deployed units. The cooperation is based on an agreement between the Confederation and the Canton of Valais guaranteeing optimal conditions through at least 2034.
• Territorial Division 1coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Command of Patrouille des Glaciers is subordinate to Territorial Division 1, which oversees the military aspects of the race organization.
• Canton of ValaiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership agreement between the Swiss Confederation and Canton Valais that guarantees the event's organizational framework through at least 2034.
• Civil Protection of Canton ValaismajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerApproximately 700 Civil Protection personnel from Valais are deployed during the event for operational support.
• Swiss Alpine Club (SAC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Swiss Alpine Club for mountain expertise and support.
• SwisscompresentingGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting partner providing telecommunications infrastructure including temporary network setup exclusively for the race.
• Norton PeakmainGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner supporting the event with watches and timing solutions.
• Valais/Wallis PromotioninstitutionalGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism promotion organization supporting visibility of the event and the Valais region.
• ZermattdestinationGTM or Marketing PartnerStart village for races Z1 and Z2; destination partner for the race route.
• VerbierdestinationGTM or Marketing PartnerFinish village for all race categories; festival village and prize-giving ceremonies location.
• Swiss Federal Railways (SBB/CFF)institutionalGTM or Marketing PartnerTransportation partner providing rail services and valid tickets for the new timetable during race weekend.
• Matterhorn Gotthard BahnsupplierGTM or Marketing PartnerRailway services supporting transportation logistics for the event.
• Air GlacierssupplierGTM or Marketing PartnerHelicopter services supporting rescue and logistical operations during the race.
• Patrouille des JeunesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth ski mountaineering event actively supported by PdG, which promotes young talent and allows them to benefit from some infrastructure.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Swiss Alpine Club (SAC): Largest mountaineering organization in Switzerland, partner of PdG for mountain expertise. Comparable as an alpine event organizer, hut/lodge operator, and host of competitive mountaineering events in Switzerland.
• ISMF (International Ski Mountaineering Federation): Governing body for the sport of ski mountaineering, organizing the World Cup and World Championships. Comparable as the umbrella organization that sanctions events like PdG and shapes the participant pool that registers for these races.

Direct peers

• Trofeo Mezzalama: Historic Italian ski mountaineering race held on the Monte Rosa massif, originally dating to 1933 and revived in 1971. Closely comparable to PdG in prestige, team format, military/alpine heritage, and elite civilian/military participant mix.
• Marathon du Mont Blanc: Major Alpine trail running event held in Chamonix each summer, drawing tens of thousands of participants. Comparable as a high-prestige mass-participation mountain race with strong regional tourism and sponsorship economics in the Alps.
• Tour du Rutor: Italian ski mountaineering race held in the Aosta Valley, one of the longest-running ski mountaineering competitions in the Alps. Comparable as a peer-stage ski mountaineering event drawing elite international teams.
• Pierra Menta: Major multi-stage ski mountaineering race held in the French Alps (Arêches-Beaufort), widely considered alongside PdG as one of the most prestigious events on the ski mountaineering calendar. Directly comparable in format, participant profile, and brand positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Cortina Winter Open / Ski World Cup events: Large-scale winter alpine competitions organized by FIS at venues across the Alps. Comparable as mass-participation, government-backed winter mountain events with similar destination-partnership and broadcast economics in the Alpine market.
• UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc): The largest mountain ultra-trail race organizer globally, operating a global series of mountain endurance events. Comparable as a high-prestige, government-region-supported mountain race event with similar commercial scale, sponsorship model, and mountain tourism positioning.

Regional players

• Zermatt Unplugged: Major annual music festival held in Zermatt, one of the start villages for PdG. Comparable as a high-profile Zermatt-hosted event drawing international audiences and leveraging the destination's alpine brand.
• Verbier Festival: Internationally renowned classical music festival held annually in Verbier, the finish village for PdG. Comparable as a high-prestige event leveraging Verbier's destination brand with similar sponsor and tourism dynamics.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/pdg_ch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/patrouilledesglaciers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about La Patrouille des Glaciers