Europe - Switzerland climbs not over anything

I had the good luck to be in Switzerland with my bike in late May. Most of the roads over the famous high passes were not yet open because of snow. So instead I tried climbs that don’t go “over” a pass to somewhere on the other side. It was rather fun, and some of those climbs seemed more interesting and pretty than many of the passes that “go to somewhere” on major cycle touring routes across Switzerland -- here’s
some links to photos (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/index.htm)

http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/i/20/200x/264-NNE_to_rider+valley+mountains_200x150.jpg (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/a/index.htm)..http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/i/22c/200x/614-les_Drus+Italy_frontier_peaks_thru_Mont_Maudit_200x150.jpg
(http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/b/index.htm)
I’ll be glad for suggestions of other interesting or spectacular climbs to try.

This trip I was mainly around the Rhone river valley and some around Interlaken -- here’s a
map of some climbs in that area (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=115487569681665383360.00046b9b7eb2e7c4c983b&ll=46.230203,7.237244&spn=0.498741,0.906372&z=10)

A little about some of the climbs I tried . . .
(lots more details on this page (http://www.roberts-1.com/b/v/e/09a/index.htm#climbs_not_over_a_pass_Switzerland_09may))around Martigny and the Rhone valley:

* Lac d’Emosson by the France-Switz frontier [ map (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=46.080614,6.968422&spn=0.125025,0.237236&z=12&msid=115487569681665383360.00046b9b7eb2e7c4c983b) ] -- A great big view of the snowy Mont Blanc mountains - (perhaps the best mountain view from a paved road in Europe) - [ photos (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/b/index.htm) ], also some interesting riding above the lake. [ photos2 (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/c/index.htm) ]

* Villars-sur-Ollon from Bex -- big views of the Rhone valley and mountains across it, thru vineyards + farms + villages, interesting riding - (much prettier than the more direct road up from Ollon). [map (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=46.265579,7.03743&spn=0.124606,0.237236&z=12&msid=115487569681665383360.00046b9b7eb2e7c4c983b) | photos (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/d/index.htm) | photos2 (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/e/index.htm) ]

* "Balcon Sud du Rhone" -- multiple climbs + descents above Sion + Sierre -- big views of Rhone valley + mountains across it, thru mountain villages with views across and up higher valleys, with interesting climbs and descents. [ map (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=46.194092,7.400665&spn=0.499069,0.948944&z=10&msid=115487569681665383360.00046b9b7eb2e7c4c983b) | photos (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/a/index.htm) ]

* "Balcon Nord du Rhone" -- multiple climbs + descents above Sion + Sierre -- big views of Rhone valley and snowy mountains. [ map (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=46.282428,7.374573&spn=0.498267,0.948944&z=10&msid=115487569681665383360.00046b9b7eb2e7c4c983b) ]

* le Fays from le Brocard southwest from Martigny [ map (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=46.085376,7.048759&spn=0.125015,0.237236&z=12&msid=115487569681665383360.00046b9b7eb2e7c4c983b) ] -- a short way to “skim the best” of the Col de la Forclaz northeast side. Villages + vineyards with views over the Rhone valley (bigger views if descend instead the main Forclaz road).

around Interlaken:

* Lauterbrunnen valley near Interlaken [ map (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=46.626806,7.897797&spn=0.247564,0.474472&z=11&msid=115487569681665383360.00046b9b7eb2e7c4c983b&iwloc=00046b9c7ab1c40a36382) ] -- pretty farms + villages under big cliffs with waterfalls, snowy mountains above, options for higher steeper climbs with more farms + animals + villages + bigger views [ photos (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/s/c/index.htm) ] - (and yet more options for those willing to ride on dirt). Great side-trip for the spectacular climb over Grosse Scheidegg.

* Sharon and I also climbed part of the west side of Sustenpass and north side of Grimselpass (near Innertkirchen east of Interlaken) - [map]. We couldn’t go over them because the snow had not yet been plowed higher at the passes. But especially the west side of Susten was spectacular and interesting just riding up + back [ photos (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/f/index.htm) ]

Lots more info + details on this page (http://www.roberts-1.com/b/v/e/09a/index.htm#climbs_not_over_a_pass_Switzerland_09may)

Lots more photos linked from this page (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/index.htm)

http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/i/25/200x/014_Sharon+bike+snow_on_road_200x150.jpg (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/f/index.htm)..http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/i/22a/200x/106-NW_to_Chablais_mountains+Lac_Leman+vineyards_200x150.jpg (http://www.roberts-1.com/t/b09/chm/k/d/index.htm)

You mentioned Col du Sanetsch on your website. This is a GREAT road. It is one of the longest continuous climbs in Switzerland, going up about 1800m from Sion. Because it isn't a continuous road over the top, it is reallty quiet. You can ride for a few kms over the top, and at the end of the road there is a cable car which you can take down with your bike to the bottom of the valley on the other side, near Gsteig.

With that scenery I'd certainly drive off the road :)

-spence

Col du Sanetsch . . . a GREAT road.
Hope to get to try it sometime. The signs by Pont du Diable(sp?) said the road was still closed higher up, and it was a cloudy day, so I decided not to try this time.

I also visited the bottom station of the cable car on the north side of Sanetsch near Gsteig, and in late May the cable car was not yet operating. (If I'm going to pay for the cable car, doesn't it make more sense to ride it in the upward direction?)
( btw - Why is "long" supposed to be a virtue in a climb? What's so bad about great short climbs? )Ken

( btw - Why is "long" supposed to be a virtue in a climb? What's so bad about great short climbs? )

Sure, the short ones can still be great. However, the long ones are more of a physical challenge, which can also be a fun aspect for some people.

hey..

Switzerland climbs is adventurious route for any bike and bicycle rider..many companies available for its services for climbing..specially you can use only bicycle for climbing..

you can chek it here for help for climbing in surfing ice...haha:thumb: