This marked the beginning of riding in alpine terrain with a nice gentle one to start - Fern Pass
Followed by Kutai at the other end of the spectrum it was brutally steep with some stretchs of 18-20% grade and and a consistent 12% average, it climbed several thousand feet over 18 miles. We stopped to rest at a Volunteer fire station about 9km up as a rain downpour began. We waited it out sitting in the shelter of the firestation and finished the climb. And descended into Wattens in sunshine.
This was our first true taste of how the Austrian's like to build their roads. Recovery zone on the switchbacks with brutal grades along the stretches between the switchbacks. Unlike the Italian's, who build gentler grades between the switchbacks but brutal grades through the switchbacks.
Day 7 - Wattens to Mittersill
We meandered in the beautiful valley passing through Schwaz, then Fugen and a climb up Gerlospass. I had heard much about Gerlos while teaching skiing in Australia as many of the Austrian instructors including the Thredbo Ski School director at the time Roland Wanner were from Gerlos. The side we climbed was definitely the gentler version. It has high alpine Moors (a nature-conservation area) on the top of the pass. Then we plummeted down to the view of Krimml Waterfalls – the highest waterfalls in Europe (part of the Hohe Tauern National Park) and into the Krimml Achen Valley. If we had come from the other side up through the KrimmlValley the road is steep with many switchbacks. The Gerlos Alpine Road has only been open to traffic since 1964, when the Province of Tyrol and die Tauern Power Stations connected the road between the Pingauer Höhe and the community of Gerlos during the construction of a gigantic reservoir.
As we stopped at the information and viewing area on our way down we learnt that above the Krimml Waterfalls there is the Krimml Achental valley, the longest and most elevated Tauern valley. Upstream of the top stage of the waterfalls the trail becomes flat, with beautiful Alpine pastures. One of the side valley's branching off the Tauern Valley is the Windbach valley. The Windbach valley has one of the oldest crossings over the mountains of the Krimmler Tauern, the historical ”Säumerweg”, a mule track into the South Tyrol Ahrn valley, the route farmers would travel with their herds.
The road connection from Salzburg to Tyrol, however, has an even longer history
http://www.gerlosstrasse.at/en/gerlos-alpenstrasse/geschichte/karrenweg-zum-goldschatz.htm
Day 8 The Grossglockner to Heligenblut
The next day we set out for an even bigger adventure as recommended by the hosts at the Gausthaus we stayed at in Mittersill. The Grossglochner, an experience that should not be missed. Thus, we set out for the Grossglochner, the highest peak in Austria, on a day where the weather was a little questionnable - we stopped in Bruck for coffee and free internet which could be found at most MacDonalds in Austria (I always knew Micky D's would be good for something). The weather was holding but not improving, so we forged on.
http://www.grossglockner.at/en/
"The Grossglockner is more than just the highest mountain in Austria. It is enveloped in the aura of an extraordinary personality, cast on all who fall under its spell.“.... As a popular excursion destination it is the epitome of an impressive natural experience for many people: size and power can be felt here, one is subject to the fascination of the eternal ice and the elemental force of nature." For us as we climbed this 22km pass from 700m to 2500m, at about 2000 meters the clouds blew in, it started sleeting and the wind was icy cold.
The views would have been spectacular - except that the clouds covered most of it. There were moments of clarity where we had glimpses of magnificent glaciers but only for a few brief moments. We arrived at the first Alpine Refuge bitterly cold and wet, things were ugly. Stephen had the strength to forge on, without his will power I would have been beside myself. The height and magnitude of the glacers was amazing, despite the lack of views.
We put on everything we had except the fleece pullovers we had brought for cold evenings. This included one of our most valuable purchases - plastic helmet covers, undershirt, jersey, 2 sets of armwarmers, vest, shell jacket, gore tex jacket, leg warmers, plastic bags on our feet and headbands. Oh an did I forget to mention the glove overmits I brought for emergencies.
We forged across a couple kilometers between 2300 and 2500 meters then the road plummted down into the little town of Heligenblut. Stephen had a flat and we were wet and cold. We decided to call it a day and found an empty gasthaus and purchased groceries right at closing.
Day 9 Heligenblut- Lienz - Toblach/Dobbiaco to Cortina D'Ampezzo
This day was a long one but incredibly beautiful. We finished the decent from the Hohe Tauern through Hochtor, then into Lienz. Here we caught a section of the Drau bike route a well travelled route, usually ridden in the opposite direction to us where cycling tours ride almost all downhill from
We decided to stay 2 nights in Cortina - a beautiful town tucked in the Dolomites with spectacular peaks jutting out in a 360 degree view. Of the multiple roads leaving Cortina there is only one that does not go straight uphill. This is the route we left via on Day 11 due to predicted bad weather.
Some of the 360 panorama from Cortina D'Ampezzo
The View from Passo de Giau the first of many epic views of the Dolomites. This pass had an epic climb from the other side also one we might have to return to in the future.
We were already cooked at this point and realised we had bitten off more than we had bargained for. We decide to return back to Cortina via just one pass versus 3 so climbed to the summit of Passo di Falzarego. A spectacular winding road.
Day 11 - Cortina - Valle di Cadore - Feltre
The weather dictated a change in our original plan to spend several days in the Dolomites. The prediction was for heavy rain so we headed to the lower lands for a couple days to avoid climbing passes in bad weather or having to sit inside and wait it out. We followed sections of the Via Claudia Augusta Route - The Via Claudia Augusta follows a route blazed by the Romans 2,000 years ago, a heritage still vivid as you ride across wagon wheel scars and by age-old ruins. It bears witness to the fascinating building achievements of the Romans, and to the history and events of the Roman era and of the Middle Ages.
We rode down Valley into Valle di Cardore, down into some spectacular canyon-like roads. There was some heavy industry in the valley from mining. The road was fairly quiet with a heafty headwind as we dropped in elevation. Then the valley opened out into a more hilly valley terrain. We would our way through the hills avoiding the rain that had settled into the Mountains. The roads were awesome, quiet and a gave us a true taste of the real Italy.
The town of St Ulrich was a beautiful ski town - we stayed in a super nice Guest house with the name of Panoramik- the hosts were excellent.
Climbing up to Passo Sella
Passo Perdoi
This region of Italy is called the Alta Badia Region
We returned to the Drau bike path from Toblach to Lienz we got to ride 47km all downhill this time. Stayed in Lienz to do a bit of housekeeping and rest since we had not taken a rest day yet.
Corvara and Cortina were lovely places if we win the lottery one of these towns will be our second home :)
