Highest pass in Europe
 

Does anybody know where is the highest pass on Europe?

2822 m Otztal Bundeestrasse near Zwieselstein??? Is it a toll road?

the second is: 2802 m Cime de la Bonette? Near Le Puy?


Thx.
Szabi

Crossing from the Oetztal to Italy via Timmelsjoch pass is about 2.500m. Further south there's the Stilfser Joch Pass 2.700m plus. But I cannot say whether it's the highest. Very spectacular is the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse in Austria, but the highest point there is only 2.500m.

The Col de Restefond la Bonette is the highest pass in the Alps (2715) and the highest you are allowed to cross. The little loop called Cime de la Bonette next to it is a little over 2800m.

The highest in Europe is the one across the Sierra Nevada in Southern Spain going over Mulhacèn (over 3000m), but the Southern (gravel) side is closed and I don't even think you can ride the last 15km to the top any more (because it's in a National Park).

[This message has been edited by beddhist (edited 03 February 2006).]

The highest open road is Col Sommeiller in Italy, nearby Bardoneccia, have been there last summer. It is gravel road in a good condition so arrival with non-enduro bike is possible. The highest point at the end of road nearby small lake is 3005 above see level. The old buildings on the top are now removed and the plateoux is now empty, very, very nice. Worth visiting !
Regards,
AnteK, XTZ 660

According to viamichelin this road is only 2080m.

According to viamichelin this road is only 2080m.</font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Via Michelin covers very old data. Santhash is right, at the entrance of Otztal tunel you reach 2822 above see level, paved road, but not from long time ago, mostly unknown for most of riders.
Regards,
AnteK, XTZ 660

Hi,

the highest pass is the Pico de Veleta in south of Spain (Sierra Nevada near Grenada); about 3,394m . I went there in 1993 by car (dusty road...) and the car had lost lots of power due to the heigh. Great view, but the top was not nice (only a little pile, no sign with the total altitude), but maybe 13 years later (times fly...) there's more....
When going from north, there are nice places at the southern side for placing a tent and enjoying the sunset and the view to the Mulhacen, the highest peak there.
You can have a look at google for Pico de Veleta, you'll find more pics and stories about it.

Cheers, Chris

Unfortunately, access to Pico Veleta is now strickly forbiden for motorbikes and cars, so even is Veleta the highest pass, it is not legaly passable.
Regards,
AnteK, XTZ 660

I have a question about these high passes, for example Passo Dello Stelvio and the Col du Grand St. Bernand between Switzerland and Italy. I plan to travel Northern Italy and Switzerland in the latter half of April, and I wonder if it'll be too cold/snowy to cross these passes. I'm hoping to travel the Aosta, Trento, and Adige regions, but not if the weather is going to be too cold with snow at the top of each mountain pass. I need to travel relatively light.

Since I'll be on a Ducati, it's only fitting that I visit the Ducati factory and Museum in Bologna.

What about the Caucasus? Are there any passes near Elbrus, Europes highest mountain?
Sean

There must be some but for sure closed due to political instability. As the tension increases, even in the relatively safer western Caucasus, it's getting harder to reach Elbrus area even for backpackers. Doesn't look like changing (for better) in a foreseeable future...

seen on : http://homepages.solis.co.uk/~rider/stellist6.htm
STELLA ALPINA PLUS 2006 (Back to basics with serious altitude)
July 6th-13th 2006 (planning to include 5 out of 6 of the highest road passes in the Alps)

Tigerboy,

I travelled around Europe during May one year and the Stelvio Pass was still closed with snowfall. The St. Bernand pass was open but there was plenty of snow at the side of the road, but it wasn't icy on the roads during the day.

You might be lucky with the Stelvio pass. I wasn't.

Ben

As stated by others, the highest is in southern Spain.
In the Alps, the top ten order is:

2862m La Bonette
2758m Col de l'Iseran
2758m Stilfser Joch
2744m Col Agnel
2678m Col du Restefond
2645m Col du Galibier
2621m Passo di Gavia
2575 Grossglockner Hoch Tor
2509m Timmels Joch
2501m Umbrail Pass

La Bonetta should not really qualify as its only a loop to get to that altitude.
A pass should surly go somewhere... up one side and down the other!

This top-ten is valid if you count paved roads only.
Regards,
AnteK, XTZ 660

Hi,

La Bonnette is only 2715m high (paved road). Motor vehicles are not allowed to go higher ;-)

And yes I think it's a "pass" as you can come by one side and go by the other.

Ah, but then you are a Frenchman...

We were taking highest pass (and paved). If you remove the "loop" at la Bonette, it is not the highest pass. Thats all.

If you want to try a nice pass-run, I have a (very old), web page at http://www.bikerbytes.co.uk/ ... look under Touring. 24 Passes in 4 Days. Lovely stuff!

Yup, been on all of them...plus another 180+. I managed to take some on-bike videos of some of the passes to help me get through the winter months.

Nice site, except for that "Loud Pipes Save Lives" icon that moves across the text that I'm trying to read. Sorry bud, but little wonder a lot of pass roads and areas are closed to motorcycles with that "Loud Pipes Saves Lives" mentality. Its a poor excuse to justify their use.

I did get up the Pfitscherjoch (closed to motor traffic)...thanks to a stock pipe and friendly officials.

As some have already mentioned, I believe the highest pass is in Spain.

But higher (or bigger) isn't always better.

I've been on some of the highest passes and although they might offer distant views, they don't always offer the most interesting roads or scenery.

The road from Passo di Croce Domini to Anfo, crossing Passo Maniva was more rewarding to ride than most of the well-known passes. I've been on more out-of-the-way roads where I might come across one or two vehicles at most that I would rate higher than the typical road that an "organized tour company" would take you on.

Here are pics of the road over Passo Maniva...
http://www.ott.igs.net/~ace/0013.jpg
http://www.ott.igs.net/~ace/0014.jpg

Hi Alex,

thanks for the site comments and yours is not too shabby either!
The site will be closing at the end of the month and will re-apear in another format... probably minus the "loud pipes" logo;-)) though I still have a tee-shirt with it on.

Having said that, I still love 'em. I'm not talking race pipes but stuff with nice rounded, fruity sound.
Living in a area full of deer and boars, they are very good at stopping the wildlife jumping out on me!

They are also good at letting the deaf and blind buggers in their cars know that you are about.
I do not like the BMW/Honda approach of making a bike sound like a compressor. Come to think of it, all my German mates call BMW's Komressors as well.
I notice that your bike is an "older" model and so does not suffer from the whispering death exhaust of the newer models.
Here in France there is a more liberal view from the locals who like a good sounding bike - except for the 2 stroke stingers.

Beers,
John

Hi John,

You mean like an older Ducati or a Moto Guzzi? Unfortunately, it is loud throaty singles that probably put an end to Passo Tremalzo being open to us. Oh, I'll be riding that one legally, thanks to the help of a local.

Well you might think differently depending on how long you had to listen to it. Over here, my leisurely day rides are usually 650 to 850 kms; long ones are 1500+ kms. I don't think I would want to listen to the constant drone of a loud pipe. Been there...Honda CB400 F with a full race, hand bent, open Yoshima pipe...no thanks...drove me nuts. Loud pipes only sound good when going up and down through the gears hard, as on a race track.

My older bike that you see pictured was sold last year and I now have two R1150 GS Adventures as well as an R80 G/S PD, an R100 GS and a Krapmasaki KLR 650. The old airheads are the best of the GS series; no fancy smancy high tech stuff to go wrong.

Thats exactly why I hope to buy one this week, ('94 r100gsPD with 27000km), for my trip next year.
I do love my KTM 950 adv but cant afford the cost of carnets etc and no big tanks available as yet... and not at a price I can affors anyway!

I have had a few BMs and the best was the 1150GS. But that was only after having used it in the Alps for aseason. At first I thought it was as bad as my second r100rs. That must have been a Friday bike because the first RS was the dogs in its day and that was getting off an 850 Le Mans.

Why oh why did we sell all those bikes.

Cheers,
John

If it is in nice shape, grab it. I would and might still look for one to add to my collection. It would have to be the white/red one of course.


I didn't. I still have my 1986 R80 G/S Paris Dakar (bought used) and my 1990 R100 GS (bought new), so along with my 2003 and 2004 GS Adventures, I'd say I'm a GS rider. The first thing that came off the R80 G/S PD was that noisy Supertrapp exhaust. LOL.

I'm kind of sorry I sold my mint Suzuki RG 500 Gamma though. It paid for the R100 GS.

[QUOTE=Global Rider]If it is in nice shape, grab it.... It would have to be the white/red one of course.IQUOTE]

It IS!! (both)

John

Like Chris from Graz, I went up the Sierra Nevada (Pico Veleta) pass in Spain back in 1993; even then there was a barrier across the road at about the 2500m point (just by the observatory car park), but lots of bikes and even some cars had found a way around it and got to the top, with that commendable Spanish disregard for regulations and barriers. I went up there a year ago and it was a bit more difficult, with more official-looking signs and a guard hut next to the barrier. I daresay you could still get to the top on an off-road bike, but you might get into trouble... I went skiing up there in January (the top Sierrra Nevada pistes are quite close to Veleta), and from what I could see of the road to the top, it looked pretty much intact.

The Col d'Iseran (near Val d'Isere) is snowbound for at least half the year, as I found out when I tried - and failed - to get through in an Audi Quattro a few years back. No doubt many of the other high passes are only open part of the year.

and the unpaved...
 

this is a great thread, but pray tell what is the top 10 (rideable) including unpaved, gravel roads...:thumbup1:

The trouble is too many people want to go to these passes and their state of repair is not good. Some have fallen into disuse because they are too expensive to maintain, there is little "need" for them or they are in designated parks that or now reserved for walkers. Some are closed because they are liable to collaps.

The Italian police/rangers are known to use helicopters to patrol some of these passes an catch illegal riders/drivers.

I think some of the problem is too many full-blown crossers have been up them over the years. Instead of going for "the ride" and to see the sights, they treat it almost as competitive driving and carve up the surface. They also love them loud cans and that really pisses people off.

So we all loose out.

thanks,

the world is getting quite small...

I'm wanting to a weeks trip to southern France/Northern Italy. have you got any experience of good rides/places to camp?

Last year I went to Piemont and make a basecamp in campsite "Boki" in
Bardoneccia, then do one-day trips around. There is a lot of fantastic
rideable trails in sourounding - Sommeiller, Assieta, Jafferau, Lago Nero,
Mullatiera, Col Rho and Freus, a lot of trails around Briancon, etc.
Leaving most of equipment in tent make life easier.

AnteK, XTZ 660

For the French part, you could do worse than a round trip of the moto camps on this site.
Nice roads in between them, especially the Augverne and Ardech.

http://www.campingmoto.com/

You do get all sorts staying at them!

John

thanks
 

thanks guys, this is really good stuff.

Only paved roads and only in the Alpine regions but here are my favourites:
http://www.alpineroads.com/toproads.php

Karabe Gecidi
 

May I suggest, that maybe the highest is the 2.985 m Karabe Pass (Karabe Gecidi) in Turkey, betwen Gevas and Bahcesaray? No asphalt, but we passed this autumn by an Aprilia Futura and a Hayabusa :-) (the road is not for them).

And if you agree, than Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan is part of Europe maybe there are a lot of higher passes there.


Szabi

I just drove back through the alps and there is a big shortage of snow at the moment, nothing below 2000m. many of the high passes become ski runs in the winter and even in june can be closed, but given the current weather who knows. if you want a long run you could try The Route Des Grande Alps, it is about 400miles and awesome!! it takes in some of the highest passes, but is also spectacularly gorgeous!

Route des Grandes Alpes
 

Good tip!!

www.routedesgrandesalpes.com has map and a lot of informations!
Thanx!

Szabi

In 2006 I rode up Mount Evans (14,260ft) and Pike's Peak (14,130ft). In 2007 I rode up Stelvio (9046ft). Last year I rode up Grossglockner (2405m).

I understand that Europe's highest paved road is Otztaler Gletscherstrasse (2822m) in Austria.

This year I'm thinking about the Pico de Veleta (11,148ft) but there seems some doubt as to whether motorcycles are allowed up to the summit. Can someone please confirm either way? Thanks.

Probably but its not a pass, it terminates at the Ötzal Glacier. So you get to ride it twice!

John

anyone got a version in English? i dont do other languages, i do try but they just dont work with my limited brain.

Route des Grandes Alpes, Lac Léman to the Beaufortain - MountainPassions.com

John

brilliant, cheers Redboots.

there's the Stilfser Joch Pass 2.700m plus

Denis

The Passo dello Stelvio at 2758m is also known as the Stilfser Joch :-D

If you want a great read then get this book

Amazon.com: Motorcycle Journeys Through the Alps and Corsica: John Hermann: Books

it includes a list in height order for paved roads

I bagged the highest- La Bonnette in 2007 in August and there was no snow at all

I visited the de Stelvio in the first week in June 2004 and it had been open the week before but closed due to avalanche when I got there!, the same week i went to the Gross Glockner and it was 28c at the foot and -1c at te summit and snowing

some pictures here 2004 Austria on the VFR | Innsbruck travel blog by BRIAN BRITCH | Page 2

Get the book and you will start pass bagging :-)

ps I went back the following July and the De-Stelvio was clear and warm

there are best chances, that there will be plenty of snow.
i attended the stella alpina meetings 2nd weekend in july several times and hardly ever it was possible to ride to the top of colle sommeiler.

for a report about stella 2007 check:
Picasa-Webalben - airhead - stella alpina...

Answer is clear: a big NO. I's completely forbidden.

http://josantero.blogia.com/upload/2...-veleta-44.jpg

You'd better not try to ride it or you can get in trouble. It's a national park.
The highest you can ride is up to the military instalation at 2550m.

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/3327/p1010328rh2.jpg
(not my bike)
Foros Moto Club Almeria - Saliditas por Almeria, El Pico Veleta

Thank you Vander, that's a great shame. I wondered if anybody was actually going to come of with the definitive answer. Is the ride up to the military installation worthwhile? If not, I'll spend another day in Granada before riding home.

Cannot give a definitive answer but i did ride up the south side of the Pico de Veleta (not to the summit, just some way out of last town on south side) and eventually the road turned to gravel & pot-holes, got narrow and very slow going on a road bike. If you were going to get there, the quieter side to approach from would be the south side but as said, if you got caught i do not think they'd be very happy.

Also remember that even in the height of summer its cold at the summit (snow all year around, i think), and at the ski resort town on the north side on approach from Granada.

spoke to a german guy recently who had a friend - i know sounds a little far fetched - who drove up to the peak of Pico Veleta and had no problems although obviously it is not allowed there are roads going to the peak as there is a restaurant (not sure if its open in summer) and an observatory at the peak.

never saw any 'officials' and rode up and down without any trouble or angry looks from walkers

Highest pass in europe
 

See attacments La Bonnette at 2802M Also Mont Ventoux, the windiest place on earth I believe? We did the Liseran then found the Bonnette was higher so you have to go and do it eh!:scooter::scooter:
Attachment 2440

Attachment 2441

impressions of the col de la bonette
 

freunde landstrassen und schotterpisten,

i was up the bonette 2 weeks ago. it was a beautiful day.
a few cars, a few more bikes, hikers, runners, bicyclists and strange enough summer skiing tourists.

here some impressions:
YouTube - impressions of col de bonette

Stelvio via Gavia
 

I was up Stelvio the other week and after reading a lot about how cold it would be I made sure I had a jumper to go over the leathers and a waterproof over that at hand and didn't need either. I was certainly fresh, but after being down in the valley for a while it was a welcome relief.

We rode to Stelvio via Gavia as we were down that direction to begin with. It was a lovely ride and gave some great views over the surrounding valleys.

Grossglockner, though a better quality surface, did not seem as much fun as some of the other passes. Probably because of the simplicity of over taking and the smoothness of the tarmac. But still worth the time to ride, if not the €18! :eek3:

Earlier in the day we found ourselves on Passa della Foppa (or Mortirolo as the locals call it) It is only a tiddler at 1851m but the road was great fun to ride with 35 hairpins (tornante as they were labelled) I'm told it is part of the cycling tour of italy and seeing a 65 year old woman at the top getting a photo next to the plaque with her bike would testify to that. Kind of puts you in your place when you see that :mchappy:

simon

Not a pass, but still the highest OPEN road is Sommeiller. Pics are
from late July this year.

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/9631/p1010207i.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/1748/p1010188h.jpg

Hello!

Ummm, sorry to revive such an old thread, I hope it's not frowned upon.


Could you provide some more details about this Sommellier road? Is is reachable from the French side or from the Italian side? I was looking on google maps and I can't quite figure it out. Is this the lake and buildings you are talking about? If so it means that it is from the french side...

Link to google maps

Thanks a bunch.

check this link for a report and pictures of the 2007 stella alpina.
https://picasaweb.google.com/gshelmu...eat=directlink

Thanks airhead, now colle sommellier made sense to google and I found the place. Great pictures by the way.

My father is quite proud that he ws the first man over one of the swiss-italian passes in the 50's. He had cycled over from the swiss side and the italian customs officials assumed he had sneaked past them and had to turn around when he got to their post. it was only when they saw his swiss exit stamps in his passport that they realised where he hd come from and made him a well needed cup of coffee.

For the record he said a pushbike with properly loaded front and rear panniers is a bit like skiing.

38

Its quite clear on OpenStreetMap.org ... from Bardonecchia the road / track goes north east until the col between Point Sommellier and Rognosa d'Etache

Hi all,
Some of these old resurections are quite interesting, I like them.

I am traveling form Friedrichshafen on the Austrian side of lake Constance, through to Innsbruck.
We will overnight in Innsbruck before heading through Cortina, and then Venice.

How can I make my travel more interesting, bear in mind I have 4 wheels instead of 2.

I was looking at Fern Passe, ----> Innsbruck -----> Brenner Pass ----> Venice.

This is probably the most boring and basic route, so come on, chaps and chapesse'e give me inspiration.

Vette

I still have an old web page on file that I wrote in 2000. The route takes you from the Grossglockner Pass to the Klausen Pass.
Its bout 650 miles. If you did it in reverse and missed out anything that really deviated from your plan, it would still be a cracking ride:D

Just remember it was written 11 years ago and many of the passes have been "improved" to cope with modern traffic.
Its best done in the middle of the week to avoid the weekend warriors:mchappy:

Link here


Cheers,
John