Switzerland - The Mountain Passes

Think of Switzerland and your thoughts inevitably contain images of steep snow capped mountains and clean deep green lakes. Many of those mountains have been traversed by man and beast for centuries with the high passes growing from foot trails to paved roads. In more recent times the industrious Swiss have tunneled through the mountains to reduce travel times thus leaving the high mountain passes to motorcyclists and their lycra clad cycling cousins. This is motorcycling nirvana at its best.

We had come to Switzerland to bag some of those passes. We set out early on a clear mild morning heading east to Innertkirchen at the junction of the Susten and Grimsel Pass roads. We chose the Grimsel as it heads south thus avoiding the rising sun. Before long we are climbing on a series of switchback roads with virtually no traffic. You get into a groove and the corners just flow. Towards the top of the pass we enter into cloud but when we reach the summit it begins to dissipate. One pass bagged, Grimsel 2164 metres. All the time Jane has been snapping away with the camera at snow covered peaks, twisting roads and pristine lakes. There is still plenty of ice up at the summit as well as a part frozen lake. In spite of this the temperature for riding is near perfect. The descent is just as much fun as the ascent as we flow through the corners with the motor just purring. Some sections of the road are seemingly suspended in mid air out from the mountain face - testament to man's ability to form concrete to whatever shape he requires.

We hit a junction and turn north-east to Furkapass which at 2436 metres is the highest in the immediate region. Can this be better than Grimsel - seemingly yes but the corners have now become a blur and you are laughing inside your helmet at the sheer unadulterated pleasure of it all. The traffic has remained light as if we have been blessed on this day. We cruise into Andermatt exhilarated and satiated - it is only 8.15am and we need a caffeine hit.

Andermatt is at the epicenter of the Susten, Grimsel, Furka, St Gotthard and Oberalp Passes and is rightly a home base for many international bikers and bike tour companies. On this day many groups are just getting readied for the days endeavors. As we sip our coffees we can smirk with satisfaction that we have already plundered some of these roads while others dallied over morning chores.

We head south again out of town and bypass the turning to Furkapass in pursuit of St Gotthard Pass and the road south to Italy. At 2091metres it is one of the lower passes but it presents a spectacular vista down the valley to the town of Airolo from a viewing point just below the summit. From this point south the (German) Switzerland we had been enjoying becomes (Italian) Switzerland as if a giant hard had just drawn down a curtain across the countryside. The Architecture, language and signage is all Italian. Later in the week we will experience more of the (French) Switzerland which all adds so much interest to this country. We descend to Airolo then choose the old cobblestoned road to ascend the pass back to the north. Surprisingly we find cyclists using this rough cobblestoned road which is masochistic on an unsprung cycle. Roadworks put paid to our fun about one third up so we cross to the newer paved road and head back over the top returning to Andermatt for another well earned coffee. This time we swing East after Andermatt across the Oberalp Pass and are treated to expansive views over Andermatt as we ascend. This is another great ascent rewarded with the spectacle of a Lighthouse at its summit. This is the World's highest lighthouse and has been put here by the Swiss as a way of marking this area as the headwaters of the river Rhine. At 2046 metres there is little ice remaining up here.

After the descent we again turn south over the lowest of the passes, Lukmanier at 1920 Metres. The descent from this pass takes us to within 30 kms of the Italian border before we turn north again over St Gotthard pass (for the third time) over the new road and through Andermatt in the direction of home via the last pass of the day, Susten pass. At this time our glorious day starts to turn sour as the rain sets in. Susten pass is at 2224 metres and it still has some deep snow and ice drifts so we rug up against the chill. The rain has its side benefit however as most traffic has diverted to the motorway and we are left to play on our own. The approach to Susten pass from the east along the valley wall is via a long section of free flowing S bends with good viewing lines and even with the wet roads it is an absolute joy to ride. We will have the pleasure of doing this section later in the week in the dry and it is arguably one of the best 'high speed' sections of any of the passes we covered.

We arrived home wet, tired but very happy. We have 'bagged' six passes and crossed eight in total. This was the best riding day we have had on the trip and I would defy anyone to come up with a better days riding anywhere in the world.