results of my Tour of the Alps 2009

(It should be noted that I fractured my collarbone and hurt my head/leg 5 weeks before starting the tour and had just been able to do 1 training ride in 5 weeks time.)

As posted to the Cent Cols mailing-list:

3 semaine (15 jul - 3 Aug):
1. Bergamo-Cavargna
Bocca del Grassello 1390m IT-BG-1390 (R1-2-S2)
Passo Valbona 1427m IT-LC-1427 (R1/S2)
Forcella d'Olino 1156m IT-LC-1156
Colle di Balisio 723m IT-LC-0723
Alpe Giumello/Monte Croce di Muggio 1536m (mountain)
Passo della Cava 1142m IT-CO-1142a

2. Cavargna-Realp
Passo San Lucio 1542m CH-TI-1542 (R1-2)
Passo Monte Ceneri 554m CH-TI-0554
St. Gotthardpass/Passo del S. Gottardo 2106m CH-TI-2091

3. Realp-Betten
Furkapass 2429m CH-UR-2429c
Grimselpass 2165m CH-BE-2165b
Furgge/Breithorn 2451m CH-VS-2451a (R1-2)

4. Betten-St. Luc
Gopplerlücke 2050m CH-VS-2050 (R1)
Riederfurka 2065m CH-VS-2065b (R1-2)

5. St. Luc-Hte Nendaz(Les Crêtaux)
Illpass 2482m CH-VS-2482 (R1)
Zinal 1683m (cul-de-sac)
Vercorin 1320m (unnamed pass fr. 1469m)
Vernamiège 1558m (high point)
Veysonnaz 1240m (high point)
Hte Nendaz 1517m (high point)

6. Les Crêtaux-Morcles
Col de la Croix de Cœur 2174m CH-VS-2173 (R1)
Trying to find the road to Col des Gentianes (there is no road to this
pass really -- it is a path and then a ski piste (S2-3 in my opinion))
2350m (lost my way and walked around the grassy hills and anyway had
some nice views)
Champex 1498m (unnamed pass)
Rionda 2157m (mountain) (R1)

7. Morcles-Taninges
Portes du Soleil 1950m CH-VS-1950c (R1)
Portes de l'Hiver 2096m CH-VS-2096 (R2)
Pas de Morgins 1371m CH-VS-1369a
Col du Corbier 1237m FR-74-1237a
Col de l’Encrenaz 1432m FR-74-1432
Col de la Savolière 1416m FR-74-1416
Col de la Ramaz 1557m FR-74-1557 (route barrée...)

8. Taninges-Chamonix (with car/train)
Col de Solaizon 1502m FR-74-1502

9. Chamonix-Chamonix (rest day)

10. Rumilly (by train)-Le Bourget-du-Lac
Clermont/Droisy 633m (detour-route barrée)
Golet/Col de la Biche 1310m FR-01-1310
La Selle 1175m FR-01-1175 (par Virieu le Petit ...)
Col du Grand Colombier 1500m FR-01-1500
Col du Chat/Col de Chevelu 633m FR-73-0633

11. Le Bourget-du-Lac-Grenoble (camera stolen)
Le Mont du Chat 1504m (mountain)
Pas du Lièvre 1060m FR-73-1060 (par le route "intercommunale" ;-))
Col de l'Epine 987m FR-73-0987
Col de Couz/Col du Cheval Blanc 624m FR-73-0624
Col des Egaux 958m FR-73-0958a
Col de la Cluse/Passage de la Cochette 1169m FR-73-1169
Col du Cucheron 1215m FR-73-1215
Col du Mollard 1320m FR-73-1320b (R1? hmm)
Col du Granier/Col du Frêne 1134m FR-73-1134
Col du Barioz/Col de Bariot 1041m FR-38-1041a
Col des Ayes 948m FR-38-0948
Col du Lautaret 984m FR-38-0984
Col des Mouilles 1021m FR-38-1021

12. Grenoble-St. Bonnet
Pas des Escaliers 1700m FR-38-1700b
Col de la Morte 1368m FR-38-1360b
Col de Malissol 1153m FR-38-1153
Col de Masserange 930m FR-38-0930
Col de Laye 925m FR-38-0920
Col Saint-Sébastien 983m FR-38-0983
Col du Festre/Col d'Agnières 1441m FR-05-1441a
Col des Rioupes 1429m FR-05-1429
Col du Noyer 1664m FR-05-1664

13. St. Bonnet-Le Bourg-d’Oisans
Col Bayard 1248m FR-05-1248
Col de Gleize/Col de Chaudun 1696m FR-05-1696
Col du Milieu 1738m FR-05-1738 (R1 VTT pas permis, mais velo de route!)
Col des Prés Salés 1554m FR-38-1554
Col de l'Homme 1650m FR-38-1650
N.D. de la Salette 1780m (cul-de-sac)
Col de l'Holme 1207m FR-38-1207
Col de Pierre Grosse 1322m FR-38-1322 (noveaux asphaltée partialement)
Col de Parquetout 1398m FR-38-1398
Col d'Ornon 1367m FR-38-1367

14. Le Bourg-d’Oisans-Le Bourg-d’Oisans
Col de l'Alpe 1652m FR-38-1652
Col des Gourses 2550m FR-38-2550b (R1 apart from one ramp R1-2)
Col du Jandri 3151m FR-38-3151 (R1-R1-2-R2)
Col des Portes 1835m FR-05-1835
Col de Sarenne 1999m FR-38-1999 (& down Alpe d’Huez)

15. Le Bourg-d’Oisans-St. Etienne-de-Cuines
Col du Solude 1680m FR-38-1680b
Le Collet 1707m FR-38-1700a
Col de la Croix de Fer 2064m FR-73-2064a
Col du Mollard 1638m FR-73-1638
La Cochette 1355m FR-73-1355
Le Collet 1140m FR-73-1150

16. St. Etienne-de-Cuines-Bourg St. Maurice
Col de la Madeleine 1993m FR-73-1993 (via Montgellafrey)
Col du Tra 1308m FR-73-1308a
Col de la Chal 2457m FR-73-2457a (via Nancroix) (R1-R1-2-R1)
Col du Grand Renard 2425m FR-73-2425 (R1 ou R1-2)

17. Bourg St. Maurice-Cerellaz
Col du Petit St. Bernard 2188m FR-73-2188
Colle di Fourclaz 2486m IT-AO-2486c (R1-R1-2 from Petit St. Bernard
only)
Col du Mont Joux 1930m IT-AO-1930 (R1 400m)

18. Cerellaz-Châtillon
Verrogne 1575m (high point on SR41 Aosta)
Col des Bornes/Col de Bornel 1774m IT-AO-1774 (R1 ou R1-2)
Col de St-Pantaléon 1655m IT-AO-1655
Breuil-Cervinia 2013m (cul-de-sac)

19. Châtillon-Pont St. Martin
Colle di/Col d’Arlaz 1031m IT-AO-1031 (fr. Monjovet/Berriaz)
Colle di Zuccore/Col Tse Core/Col du Mont Tseuc 1607m IT-AO-1623 (fr.
Orbeillaz)
Colle di/Col de Joux 1640m IT-AO-1658
La Croix 1700m (unnamed pass on the unfinished road to Colle Ranzola
from Brusson)

20. Pont St. Martin-Bergamo (train Varese-Bergamo)
(Valico di) Croce Serra 845m (Andrate, "rossini col")
(Sella di) Livera 708m ("rossini col")
(Sella di) Banchette 677m ("rossini col")
Colle della Cremosina (tunnel) 535m IT-VC-0535
Amena ca. 530m (lost...)

END
/Jerry

pfffff..respect

"Col de la Croix de Cœur 2174m CH-VS-2173 (R1)
Trying to find the road to Col des Gentianes (there is no road to this
pass really -- it is a path and then a ski piste (S2-3 in my opinion))
2350m (lost my way and walked around the grassy hills and anyway had
some nice views)"

There is a gravel road to Col des Gentianes and it is in very good shape.
For gravel roads you should check the Swiss topo map here:
http://map.veloland.ch/?lang=en&p&route=all
This map is very detailed and usually up-to-date. I never found better topo map in any swiss shop, so I always print this one and take with me :-)

The road to Gentianes is very attractive - the top sections goes very close to glaciers. I cycled it in the summer 2008. The top is at 2904-2908 m a.s.l. because the ski resort is located little higher than the geographical pass. The climb is much easier than Col du Jandri. Maximum gradients are about 15-18%. The other side of Col des Gentianes is a stony path (uncyclable even with full suspension bike).

Very close to Col des Gentianes is another nice climb - Les Attelas. It is 200 m lower but very hard, with several 30% ramps. The view from the top is outstanding, during sunny weather you will be able to see the biggest group of 4000 peaks in the Alps.

It is possible to include Croix de Coeur (2173 m), Les Attelas (2733 m) + Col de Chassoure (2744 m) and Col des Gentianes (2904 m) in one day, because these roads connects each other at Les Ruinettes (2192 m).

michalk wrote:

"Col de la Croix de Cœur 2174m CH-VS-2173 (R1)
Trying to find the road to Col des Gentianes (there is no road to this
pass really -- it is a path and then a ski piste (S2-3 in my opinion))
2350m (lost my way and walked around the grassy hills and anyway had
some nice views)"

There is a gravel road to Col des Gentianes and it is in very good shape.
For gravel roads you should check the Swiss topo map here:
http://map.veloland.ch/?lang=en&p&route=all
This map is very detailed and usually up-to-date. I never found better topo map in any swiss shop, so I always print this one and take with me :-)

Yes, the map is the same (mostly anyway) as the Swissgeo.ch map that I use (but the veloland map seems quicker to navigate, so maybe I should stat and use that too). I printed the map out another time, but thought I knew the road this time and skipped printing it out. Actually when looking again on the map now for the 10th time or so, I might have confused the road to Gentianes with the way up to Mont Fort ... but I am still not sure ... . /Jerry

eyeless wrote:

Yes, the map is the same (mostly anyway) as the Swissgeo.ch map that I use (but the veloland map seems quicker to navigate, so maybe I should stat and use that too).

It looks similar because it is swissgeo.ch but in user-friendly design. About 100 times quicker to navigate, especially when you have 10mb/s internet connection :-)

eyeless wrote:

I printed the map out another time, but thought I knew the road this time and skipped printing it out. Actually when looking again on the map now for the 10th time or so, I might have confused the road to Gentianes with the way up to Mont Fort ... but I am still not sure ... .

I ALWAYS print or buy topo maps when cycling offroad. Never stay on GPS or brain memory data. If you take a look at the map in the link veloland you will easy find that the right road to Col des Gentianes goes from Les Ruinettes through La Chaux (lower road below the "2266" point) and there is a crossroad. Road to the left goes to ski lift and ends, middle road continues to Col des Gentianes, main road drops down the valley to Les Morgnes. During my bike trip I cycled to 2266 point first and had to return to the junction at La Chaux. The lowest possible trail was the right one.

You are correct Michal and make good choices.

My tour report for the Alps is now online (incl. correction of the story about Col des Gentianes ...):
Mon tour est en ligne:
http://cycloclimbing.com/tour2009/
/Jerry