Stelvio Route advice please

[Straydog]

Wanting to do loop, start at Zernez and go via Livigno -> Stelvio then coming back along Ofen pass to Zernez

The advice revolves around how many have used Livigno and the Munt la Schera Tunnel and what is the experience?

Or is it better to bypass and go Zernez down via 29/27 through Samedan out onto ss301?

 

[Tusky]

Just a rocky damp tunnel but takes coaches, so plenty of room.

Main thing is to remember to fill up in Livigno and buy some cheap booze

 

[Kenny Rodkiss]

The tunnel is 3.5 km long and is only 3.6m high by 2.5m wide and cost €9.
It is alternating one way controlled by traffic lights depending when you arrive can mean you wait for 10-15 mins on traffic clearing.
If you go by the Ofenpass first and turn right at Santa Maria Val Mustair this will take you up the Umbrail pass and bring you out near the top of the Stelvio.
Livigno is nice place to stop for lunch and to check out the supposedly duty free stuff.

 

[Straydog]

Thanks! It would make the trip interesting..
I think as SWMBO is not quite confident on the dirt yet we might skip Umbrail pass but worth keeping in mind, see how she goes after her GS1 offroad..

 

[newboy]

The tunnel is 3.5 km long and is only 3.6m high by 2.5m wide and cost €9.
It is alternating one way controlled by traffic lights depending when you arrive can mean you wait for 10-15 mins on traffic clearing.
If you go by the Ofenpass first and turn right at Santa Maria Val Mustair this will take you up the Umbrail pass and bring you out near the top of the Stelvio.
Livigno is nice place to stop for lunch and to check out the supposedly duty free stuff.

+1
Done it twice that way - great - tunnel is boooring and expensive!

Great hotel on way up the Umbrail
Stayed there twice - once with lads - great
Once with wife in car run to Milan (OK - we meandered a bit )

Lovely - and 10 mins from Stelvio which is great on the bike as you beat everyone else up there

 

[Rushy]

Thanks! It would make the trip interesting..
I think as SWMBO is not quite confident on the dirt yet we might skip Umbrail pass but worth keeping in mind, see how she goes after her GS1 offroad..

Took 3 complete dirt novices (one being myself) up the Umbrail some years ago to get to the Stelvio, all lardy 1150GSes , all bikes 2 up and luggage......it's a piece of P*ss. Only a small section is not tarmac and its just a hard packed dirt section with light gravel on it . Easy peasy and I am sure the Mrs would get a strong self of accomplishment too. Just my 2p ...have a great trip

 

[Straydog]

Thanks Rushy

 

[sven]

The tricky bit of the Umbrail is the horrible tight hairpin bends at the bottom, especially if there are cars coming from the opposite direction

 

[Wapping]

I have ridden a Blackbird and a 1600GT over the Umbrail. Lived to tell the tale.

Done the tunnel, too.

Both are OK, just different from the A406 North Circular, that's all.

Give either of them a go. You'll both be fine

 

[Straydog]

Nice to know Wapping, Mate is taking his Pan European.. so he should be able to handle it if you can get a K1600 round.

 

[Wapping]

...... so he should be able to handle it if you can get a K1600 round.

The trick, if there is one, is not to hype the whole thing up

 

[teejay]

Umbrail is easy, here we are in 2007 on FJR's x 3 and a Tiger

Teejay

 

[Dellis]

Thanks! It would make the trip interesting..
I think as SWMBO is not quite confident on the dirt yet we might skip Umbrail pass but worth keeping in mind, see how she goes after her GS1 offroad..

The Umbrail is excellent well worth riding and the dirt section is nothing to be concerned about, it's flat firm with a bit of surface gravel. Tunnel is a bit dull and as already mentioned around €9 which you'll make up by filling up on cheap Livigno.

Dave

 

[Rasher]

The Umbrail is excellent well worth riding and the dirt section is nothing to be concerned about,

Agree with all comments on Umbrail, rode it two up on ZZR1400 with my mate two up on a GTR1400, the unpaved bit is quite short - and I reckon most people are more likely to drop a bike on the tight (but paved) hairpins.

Livigno is a fine base, we got a good Hotel deal in 2010 and stopped for a few days, the tunnel out is no problem and you save the cost of it by filling up in livigno (about 80p a litre when we were there)

We actually cheated by riding up the Umbrail and coming down the much easier West ramp of the Stelvio, if your not too bothered about ticking the "whole" Stelvio off your pass list this is a nice way of doing it, or up the West ramp and down the Umbrail.

I am going back over it the other way this year on the way to the Dolomites, may even stop at Livigno the night before for some cheap fuel.

Forget the Duty Free shopping, it is like the airports the duty is knocked off and the price jacked up to what you would pay anywhere else, so unless your particularly keen on ensuring none of your money goes into (Italian) government duty coffers you don't gain anything.

Enjoy the trip

 

[Wapping]

Spot on advice from Rasher and Dellis

 

[Rushy]

We actually cheated by riding up the Umbrail and coming down the much easier West ramp of the Stelvio, if your not too bothered about ticking the "whole" Stelvio off your pass list this is a nice way of doing it, or up the West ramp and down the Umbrail.

We went up the Umbrail (the hairpins at the start are easier going up) on to the Stelvio summit and then down the twisty east ramp. Really enjoyed doing it that way

 

[Straydog]

Thankyou again gentlemen, not hyping it up, just have SWMBO who is still nervous on the dirt, hence we are doing together the GS offroad in March. She saw dirt and baulked, but I am Sure Mr Pavey will sort that out.

AS for the rest of the advice, looks like my plans are changing, think we will setup in the area,, still planning the route so all this information is very helpful

again thanks to all

 

[JimmyMac]

Umbrail on a S1000RR

Last year did a tour of Europe as far south as Lake Garda and East to Poland.
Rode from Davos to Lake Garda via the Umbrail and Stelvio. I was on my S1000RR and my mate on his K1600GT. It was no more difficult than riding in a gravel car park, to be honest we were both a little lost being guided by a Tom Tom Rider, we both thought we were on the Stelvio when we were on the Umbrail and via the intercomm we were slagging it off wondering what all the hype was about!!
We both felt like a couple of fannys when we realised we weren't on it for real.

The Stevio was a first for us both and we were humbled by seeing cyclists ride up it with prosthetic legs, well worth doing for the sausages at the top.

Met a nice guy called Den in Holland on the way back

JimmyMac

 

[Dellis]

Last year did a tour of Europe as far south as Lake Garda and East to Poland.
Rode from Davos to Lake Garda via the Umbrail and Stelvio. I was on my S1000RR and my mate on his K1600GT. It was no more difficult than riding in a gravel car park, to be honest we were both a little lost being guided by a Tom Tom Rider, we both thought we were on the Stelvio when we were on the Umbrail and via the intercomm we were slagging it off wondering what all the hype was about!!
We both felt like a couple of fannys when we realised we weren't on it for real.

The Stevio was a first for us both and we were humbled by seeing cyclists ride up it with prosthetic legs, well worth doing for the sausages at the top.

Met a nice guy called Den in Holland on the way back

JimmyMac

Funny thing is I prefer the Umbrail to the Stelvio

Dave