During the Austrian Open of 2007 in Feldkirchen, we had a trip to a nearby “Blumenalm”, the Gerlitzen.
From a distance, it doesn’t look like much of a mountain, but much to my dismay, it turned out to be an impressive climb.
Since I did not have my bike with me, I was forced to get up by car (or by foot, but I was lazy) and since the car had difficulties getting there, I figured it must be steep.
I looked up the profile and indeed, it was: about 12 kilometers at an average of over 10%.
I made a vow I would be back with my bike the next year.
During the course of the year, I extended the trip with a prelude in the Bavarian Alps (Bad Wiessee, Tegernsee) and even the Gerlitzen was eventually demoted to an appetizer, as we would ride on to Prad, Italy, to “storm” the Stelvio Pass too…
The Tegernsee area was nice, but not really fit to ride with a road bike and I even had a lot of trouble with my mountain bike. However, that was mainly because it was fitted with a road cassette (12-21) and “no flat”, profile-less tires.
The Gerlitzen
This turned out to be a very hard climb – I managed the two ascents (Alpenstrasse and Gipfelstrasse) consecutively, but I was at the end of my rope by the time I finished the last grueling 2 kilometers of gravel road on the Gipfelstrasse.
Since 1) I had zero experience with anything like this, 2) it was blistering hot and I had not planned and therefor 3) not enough sustenance with me for the second climb, my first mountaineering experience almost became my last.
(There was nothing to be had at the end of the Alpenstrasse ascend – I did get something at a gas station once we got back down in the valley, but that hardly qualified as ‘sustenance’…)
I was beginning to doubt my abilities but I was definitely sure that I had lost my sanity.
Climbing the Alpenstrasse had taken me 1:10, for the Gipfelstrasse – although shorter and slightly less steep – I needed 1:15.
Nockalmstrasse
In the evening, Paula motivated me with a nice brochure about a “biker friendly, winding roller” of a road: the Nockalmstrasse.
This would be a nice experience and probably just as good as a recovery ride.
Erm, are you sure about that, dear?
I swear that at the time neither she nor I thought of a motor bike, but that may well have been because I was still half past dead from the double Rittberger on the Gerlitzen…
I couldn’t find much info on it at the time, but there have since been created several proper profile cards.
Climbfinder has cut it into 4 bits:
- Schiestelscharte from Ebene Reichenau (Glockenhütte)
- Schiestelscharte from Karlbad (which I descended)
- Eisenthalhöhe via Winkl (the second part of my climb, ending 27.5 kms from Ebene Reichenau)
- Eisenthalhöhe from Kremsbrücke (I was considering getting down to and back up from Innerkrems in the middle)
Anyway, the next day, near Unter-Winkl at the ‘Devil’s bridge’, I saw the very promising sign and I was about not to get out of the car.
Of course, I couldn’t help myself and did so anyway.
And although it was far from easy, I got up the first summit at the Glockenhütte (2,024m), had something to eat there, descended 500 meters to the Sacklhütte and ascended to the second summit at the Eisentahlhöhe (2,042m).
I considered going down to Innerkrems and then return to at least the Eisentahlhöhe, but I was too tired.
The total of my trip: 27.5 kilometers and 1,460 altimeters over 20 kilometers of climbing – that’s a 7,3% average – in a net time of 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Stelvio Pass
The Stelvio is the oldest and one of the most beautiful passes of Europe.
From Prad (or Prato) it is 24.3 kilometers long, with an altitude gain of 1,808 meters.
That’s ‘only’ a 7.4% average, but you’ll run into steeper stretches more frequently than is comfortable.
However, this climb is most famous because of its 48 numbered hairpins, starting just outside Trafoi.
Especially further up – starting in hairpin 24 – you get to see them, winding up above you.
The views from there – both up and down – are ever more breathtaking and for me it’s a thing I will never forget, much like a first love, I guess…
I was very lucky with the weather, which can be ‘spooky’ at times, even in August (I was there August 21st).
It took me 1 hour and 44 minutes to cover the 25.3 kilometers from the hotel in Prad and the CicloMaster recorded 1,846 altimeters with a maximum grade of 15%.
Once I got to the summit, I was met by the stench of grilled sausages – even if I’m hungry, I don’t like ‘m – and the largest array of (souvenir) shops I’ve seen on any summit.
I got a picture at the mellow ‘Coppi stage’, but the real monument in his honor (picture left) is on the other side of the street.
We had a bite at Albergo Genziana – they serve much better food than the sausages, but the place was crowded AF.
An unforgettable experience and it made me yearn for more. Even though I’m not much of a climber, the effort is definitely worth it, if you are able to take in the overwhelming surroundings.
Video footage:
Gerlitzen / Nockalmstrasse / Stelvio (I looked so young was so fat back then 😂)