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09-25-09, 10:26 AM
I had a great time last week exploring some more climbs in northeast Italy, especially Trentino -- see Report (http://www.roberts-1.com/b/v/e/09b/#climbs_not_over_anything_Italy_09sep)
Some were shorter but interesting and pretty. Three were bigger:
Balcone di M Baldo: Getting up on the "balcony" high on the east side of Monte Baldo, this one was also pretty -- prettiness that went on for a long ways -- big views east over the Adige valley.
Two of the big climbs were not pretty -- just big challenges.
Telegrafo: One is the climb from the east side of lake Garda up to the Passo di Telegrafo, a shoulder on the west side of the M Baldo ridge -- important because it's steepness and size is similar to the notorious Monte Zoncolan west climb (Giro d'Italia 2007, I think the hardest climb ever included in the Giro) -- the advantage the Telegrafo climb is that you can take on this physical challenge close to lots of other known good riding (instead of driving three hours east to some place not known).
Toughest of all. Not just in Italy. Not just the toughest sealed-surface road in Europe. But I've never heard any serious proposal of a contending road climb in the world.
Scanuppia - Malga Palazzo from Besenello.
I've tried lots of climbs that turned out to be over-hyped. But Scanuppia is the real deal.
Actually there is an element of hype for Scanuppia: the sign that says 45% steepness grade. But even after you take the usual road-authority exaggeration down to below 30%, Scanuppia still stands above the others. It includes 1200 vertical feet at steepness averaging around 24% grade, then later 2000 vertical feet around 17-19% grade.
I failed to climb it. Didn't even come close. And I'm never going to succeed on it. First climb ever to beat me.
see detail page (http://www.roberts-1.com/b/v/e/09b/index.htm#Scanuppia_climb_09sep) (what it's like, how to find it, links to photos)
Ken
Some were shorter but interesting and pretty. Three were bigger:
Balcone di M Baldo: Getting up on the "balcony" high on the east side of Monte Baldo, this one was also pretty -- prettiness that went on for a long ways -- big views east over the Adige valley.
Two of the big climbs were not pretty -- just big challenges.
Telegrafo: One is the climb from the east side of lake Garda up to the Passo di Telegrafo, a shoulder on the west side of the M Baldo ridge -- important because it's steepness and size is similar to the notorious Monte Zoncolan west climb (Giro d'Italia 2007, I think the hardest climb ever included in the Giro) -- the advantage the Telegrafo climb is that you can take on this physical challenge close to lots of other known good riding (instead of driving three hours east to some place not known).
Toughest of all. Not just in Italy. Not just the toughest sealed-surface road in Europe. But I've never heard any serious proposal of a contending road climb in the world.
Scanuppia - Malga Palazzo from Besenello.
I've tried lots of climbs that turned out to be over-hyped. But Scanuppia is the real deal.
Actually there is an element of hype for Scanuppia: the sign that says 45% steepness grade. But even after you take the usual road-authority exaggeration down to below 30%, Scanuppia still stands above the others. It includes 1200 vertical feet at steepness averaging around 24% grade, then later 2000 vertical feet around 17-19% grade.
I failed to climb it. Didn't even come close. And I'm never going to succeed on it. First climb ever to beat me.
see detail page (http://www.roberts-1.com/b/v/e/09b/index.htm#Scanuppia_climb_09sep) (what it's like, how to find it, links to photos)
Ken