The 3 passes: Susten - Grimsel - Furka
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Switzerland |
tour provided by: Adrian Burkert |
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Tour
Susten - Grimsel - Furka
The three passes build a
nice roundtrip: The start is at Wassen and the finish line not more than
about 20km south in Andermatt - in between three of the nicest passes
connecting the heart of Switzerland with the Valais and the Berne highlands.
Susten
Data
Location |
Coordinate [WGS84] |
Type |
Services |
Wassen |
46° 42' 07.9'' N 008° 35' 34.3'' E |
town |
all services |
Susten pass |
46° 42' 07.9'' N 008° 35' 34.3'' E |
pass |
none |
Steinengletscher |
46° 43' 59.8'' N 008° 26' 49.8'' E |
glacier |
restaurant |
Meiringen |
46° 43' 44.3'' N 008° 11' 11.6'' E |
town |
all services |
Pictures
General information
Road condition: good.
Road into center of Meiringen closed to
bikers from 0600 to 2100 !!! (seems they don't want money from the tourists)
Road description
Starting at Wassen the road quickly gains
height and after traversing the valley you reach the pass where you have
a very nice view over the Steinegletscher and into the Berne region.
Be sure to see the Steinegletscher - altough
there is a 5.-sFr road toll up there. After about 250m turn left into the
narrow path to see the first tongue of the glacier, further up pass the
car parc and continue (gravel & stones & sand) to the main tongue
of the glacier where there's a small pond and the glacier-cave (be careful
! glaciers are dangerous ! don't go too close !)
The pass road traverses another mountain
and finally reaches Meiringen.
Grimsel
Data
Location |
Coordinate [WGS84] |
Type |
Services |
Meiringen |
46° 43' 44.3'' N 008° 11' 11.6'' E |
town |
all services |
Grimsel pass |
46° 33' 49.9'' N 008° 20' 34.8'' E |
pass |
restaurant, hotel , parc |
Gletsch |
46° 33' 37.7'' N 008° 21' 34.7'' E |
village |
restaurant |
Pictures
General information
Road conditions: good
Many bikers up there on weekends (seems
this is the berne peoples racetrack !) - traffic can get very busy in the
small turns. Take care of the people living in the small villages - drive
slowly in this aerea !
Road description
From Meiringen the road continues through
a few small villages, then gets slowly steeper and after a few needlepins
you reach the first plateau.
The last part up to the pass is the pure
racetrack: at first a few km straight, then hairpins as you like it - let
the footrests glow in the dark !!!
At the pass the landscape opens to the
south-east - have a look over the lake to the Valais / Wallis ! Up there
there is a little groundhog zoo and a huge restaurant with a giant bike
parking.
From there you drive about 250m then the
road turns to the left and .... a new valley opens up showing you many
awesome hairpins you have to challenge on your way down to Gletsch.
Furka
Data
Location |
Coordinate [WGS84] |
Type |
Services |
Gletsch |
46° 33' 37.7'' N 008° 21' 34.7'' E |
village |
restaurant |
Furka pass |
46° 34' 29.7'' N 008° 25' 07.0'' E |
pass |
shop, restaurant |
Andermatt |
46° 37' 54.7'' N 008° 36' 00.1'' E |
town |
all services |
Pictures
General information
Road conditions: good, pretty narrow between
Andermatt and the pass, take care when overtaking sunday drivers in their
cars !
The Furka connects the middle of Switzerland
with the german speaking part of the Wallis.
Road description
From Gletsch traversing a mountain almost
straight (stop at the car park half way up, nive view !) then back in the
valley it changes completely and with needlepins you gain a lot of height
on your way up to the Rhoneglacier.
Be sure to stop there to have a short peek
at the ice giant !
The way down isn't as much fun as the way
up - allthough the landscape is very nice. The road gets a little narrow
and so the cars searching their way down can make you a nervous wrack (let
me pass next time pleeeeeeeeze) !
Sights
in the area
WWW
Links
© by Atic.org in Okt. 1999