Alpine trip

[NorthernBoy]

Well, it's that time of year again when I head off for some alpine fun. Actually, it is early for me to be doing this, and so I have a question. What sort of condition are the high passes likely to be in next month? I know that most will be open, but does anyone know if they will be wet with meltwater constantly, or if they tend to dry off when the weather is good?

I ask as I am half thinking of taking my car this year (RS4), just to try doing it a different way, and will be more likely to take this option if conditions are marginal (I still enjoy riding in the wet, but I do have more fun sliding a Quattro in these conditions than slinging the bike down a mountain).
Anyone just come back?

 

[swissrob]

Well, it's that time of year again when I head off for some alpine fun. Actually, it is early for me to be doing this, and so I have a question. What sort of condition are the high passes likely to be in next month? I know that most will be open, but does anyone know if they will be wet with meltwater constantly, or if they tend to dry off when the weather is good?

I ask as I am half thinking of taking my car this year (RS4), just to try doing it a different way, and will be more likely to take this option if conditions are marginal (I still enjoy riding in the wet, but I do have more fun sliding a Quattro in these conditions than slinging the bike down a mountain).
Anyone just come back?

the very high passes will and are still closed, the snow melt runs off and across so the road is mostly dry

 

[NorthernBoy]

the very high passes will and are still closed, the snow melt runs off and across so the road is mostly dry

Thanks. Is this only the top of the highest roads that wil be down, or is it going to severely cramp any and all fun on the normally good roads?

I have use of a house in Anzere, and was intending to be out riding most days. If it is still too early for most places, though, I may as well just fly down to Geneva, and get a hire car for tooling around in, then spend my days drunk.

 

[PhilBolton]

In my experience certainly the high passes will be closed, and maybe some others.

But where they are open, they dry quite quickly if the weather is good.
Plenty of good riding to be had!

 

[t'other dave]

Try
http://www.alpineroads.com/passstatus.php
Enjoy

 

[ChasMill]

Over 50 cm of snow fell in Tignes yesterday - not far from the Col d'Iseran. The ski resort is open until 11th May. Don't think much will be open higher up unless there is a serious thaw.

 

[NorthernBoy]

Then I think that it is going to be a bit more skiing, and a bit less riding.

 

[swissrob]

http://www.swissinfo.org/ger/verkehrsinfo/index.html?siteSect=490#pass refresh the page for the latest info

 

[Dave Cr]

I have travelled over the Alps to Italy during the third week in May for the last three years and the 'interesting' passes have been closed on every trip. As already stated, there is still a lot of snow on higher ground this year too. Enjoy the trip though, however you get there. Have a look at www.weather.com to help your decision making.

 

[NorthernBoy]

Thanks guys. I've decided to take the bike rather than the car, and to take my ski kit with me (I had not thought of skiing this trip, but may as well if conditions are still OK).

What's the story with the closed passes then? Are they unploughed completely, meaning that until the first clearance, the whole length is screwed, or are you able to ride the lower sections then just come back down again?

I've been out today to the map shop, and got a few 1:200,000 maps covering the appropriate areas, so will sit and start marking the out tonight with the roads that I'll want to visit.

 

[G5RJO]

We went last May & .........

A group of us went late May 08.

Very high passes all shut (Col de la Bonetta 2802m) and some moderate ones were as well. ( Col de la Cayolle 2326m)

A couple were marked 'Route barre' i.e. road closed (Col de la Lombardie 2350m and Col de L'arch 1948m) but we managed to get through. The snow is only 1/2 the story as the roads can get quite torn up over the winter freeze and re-surfacing goes on in May'ish.

On one pass (Col de Vars 2109m) we had to wait for about an hour for the workmen to say the concrete had set enough for us to pass over a short repaired bridge section that had been badly damaged.

Checking the web sites mentioned is a good idea and be mindful that things change fast that high up.

In a matter of a few hours we went from a sweltering 31 deg in Monte Carlo to riding over a pass into Italy (Col de la Lombardie) on a seriously damaged road surface with at least 4 feet of snow either side of us, thick (Seriously thick) fog and horizontal sleet and ICE flashing on the dash.

Please take extra kit and be prepared to spend a lot longer than you may anticipate getting through.

Main thing though.........have fun

Roger.

 

[ratboy]

High Passes

We go every year about the 5/6th June. All the passes are just open and the roads free from snow but as stated at least one is still shut every year for maintenance.

 

[original_concept]

As ratboy says... if you can go in early June do so (after Mullego). In my experience the high passes are open, and usually they've only been open for a few days so are still nice and white.

Saying that, I'm looking to head out that way for the first week of June.

 

[NorthernBoy]

Thanks everyone for the advice. It has to be next week (a friend of a friend has lent me his house, and the mate I am meeting has booked his flights), so I'll just take the conditions as they come.

Last time I was down that way, later in the year, the conditions were rubbish, and I kept getting chased South by the weather, until I came over a rise and saw Monaco spread out below me. I'm hoping that I find some dry, sunny roads before the Med this time.

 

[ChasMill]

If you need somewhere to stay (and ski) high up in the French Alps (Tignes) - pm me.

 

[Stryder]

Alpine Trip

Stelvio still looks a little 'sporty', but I'm sure you'd be fine with knobblys...

http://webcam.popso.it/stelvio.php?PASSOALTO2

 

[NorthernBoy]

Yes, that looks a bit slippy, but I still have decent tread on the front, so it should be fine, I think, as long as I take it easy...

Is there a ski lift to the top of there? I think that I may need to ry it with planks on my feet, rather than on two wheels.

 

[NorthernBoy]

Well, I unexpectedly made it to Geneva in one hit on Tuesday, and have been exploring the passes and valleys since then. I was up the Simplon pass today, and the road was clear, although there were four metre walls of snow either side at the top.

In the valley, I saw 32 degrees on the display, and there are bright blue skies.

I followed a trail up 1.2km vertically from near Zermatt, but called it a day at this point,

Back on firmer ground, this was the scene at the top of the Simplon,

I hadn't realised that the Superbikes was at Monza this weekend, so I'll head down there on Sunday.