Grossglockner Pass / Edelweissspitze from Fusch

HC 20 reviews/stories | Statistics | 50 photos

paved

cobbles

1834

difficulty points

8.3%

avg. gradient

13.8%

steepest 100 meters

21.2km

length

1753m

total ascent

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Grossglockner Pass / Edelweissspitze from Fusch is a climb in the region Salzburg. It is 21.2km long and bridges 1753 vertical meters with an average gradient of 8.3%, resulting in a difficulty score of 1834. The top of the ascent is located at 2571 meters above sea level. Climbfinder users shared 20 reviews/stories of this climb and uploaded 50 photos.

Road name: Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse

by HarroHofman

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch.
Done this climb several times now from Fusch. Tip: start well before 9.00 am. It is still very quiet so you can enjoy the nature and landscapes around you. I myself was already on the bike at 7.00 am and have almost the entire climb without traffic. But what a wonderful gradual climb it is. Great r... read more

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Grossglockner Pass / Edelweissspitze from Fusch

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Statistics

Grossglockner Pass / Edelweissspitze from Fusch This climb	Salzburg 118 climbs	Austrian Alps 547 climbs	Alps 3353 climbs	Austria 572 climbs	Europe 22920 climbs
Difficulty points 1834 HC	rank 1	rank 5 15% easier than Oscheniksee from Ausserfragant	rank 13 39% easier than Pozza San Glisente - Dos dell'Asino from Esine	rank 5 15% easier than Oscheniksee from Ausserfragant	rank 27 39% easier than Pozza San Glisente - Dos dell'Asino from Esine
Average gradient 8.3%	rank 56 41% less steep than Hasberg from Nussdorf am Haunsberg	rank 254 47% less steep than Lammersdorfer Hütte	rank 928 69% less steep than Muro di Cassone	rank 259 47% less steep than Lammersdorfer Hütte	rank 2649 72% less steep than Calçada do Rêgo Lameiro
Length 21.2km	rank 5 32% shorter than Rauriser Tal from Taxenbach	rank 30 48% shorter than Kartitscher Sattel from Kötschach	rank 207 64% shorter than Colle della Maddalena from Borge San Dalmasso / Cuneo	rank 30 48% shorter than Kartitscher Sattel from Kötschach	rank 525 66% shorter than Transfăgărășan from Căpățânenii Pământeni
Total ascent 1753m	rank 1	rank 3 7% less ascent than Kaunertaler Gletscherstrasse from Prutz	rank 24 18% less ascent than Colle del Nivolet	rank 3 7% less ascent than Kaunertaler Gletscherstrasse from Prutz	rank 57 36% less ascent than Pico Veleta

Classification

Famous climb

Beautiful scenery

Hidden gem

0 hairpin turns

Road surface condition

82% 14% 5%

Based on 22 votes

Share your knowledge. What was the road condition during your ascent?

Traffic

10% 52% 38%

Based on 21 votes

Your experience counts. How much traffic did you encounter during the climb?

Climbing times

7 km/h	03:01:25
11 km/h	01:55:27
15 km/h	01:24:40
19 km/h	01:06:50

Reviews/stories (20)

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Kevinja

2 w 02:00:41 (10.5km/h)

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Show original

Wow! What a great climb that was!
This climb is not to be missed!
Beautiful but tough climb! The satisfaction of reaching the top is great!
Panorama's are great - take your time to enjoy this experience and views.
As advised here, we left at 6am in Zell-am-Zee except for a few cars's, it was very quiet during the climb.
Minus point it was very foggy so I could not enjoy all the landscapes during the climb.
Time ascent : 2h - time descent : 30min :-) - ridden on 22.07.2022

TIP: be sure to visit the observation platform Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Höhe afterwards (attention: that's 45km extra of which 19km climbing and 1440hm)

Rob-Driessen

2 w 02:36:00 (8.1km/h)

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Show original

We are doing the 10 highest cols in Europe and this year the programme included Grossglockner with Edelweiszspitze from Fusch, the Gavia from Bormio, the Stilfserjoch from Prad and the Timmelsjoch from Sankt Leonhard. I have done 8 of the 10 now and the Grossglockner is mi the toughest. What a beast, the Iseran from Val d' Isère was the easiest to do. Remains next year the Fauniera and the Bonette.

Teppen108

3 w 01:50:08 (11.5km/h)

The hardest climb i've done so far, with Telegraphe-Galibier, Croix de fer and col de la Madeleine already on the list so its a brutal climb. The start is already quite steep, than a kilometer or so better and after the toll-ports where you can pass for free with bike it starts and will never stop. My garmin showed constant gradients of 10-12％ apart from the hairpins, wich is nice so you can recover a bit. So dont actually believe the gradient the graph shows there are no kilometers where it feels 8％, average probably but it doesnt feel like it because of the corners. Most of them are not steep the avg gradient drops but most of the time it will still be steep apart from the corners . Than the edelweisspitze, my garmin said 15-17％ a couple of times but it probably wasnt long enough to be the steepest 100m's of the climb. My strava file said there were peaks of 16-18 and one of 22％ but i wouldnt say it is 22, its more like my garmin said. Than the decent back, it was an awsome decent. Great roads, some parts a bit meh mostly when you have passed the toll. Hit speeds of 88 kph, on the part before passing the toll its a nice straight there. The corners are mostly wide and not sharp, you can see the end of the corners for all of them apart from a few light bends but you can mostly see if there is traffic coming or not. Got stuck behind a car for most of the decent, i hope you can ride a decent without any traffic in front.

HarroHofman +

6 Mo 01:52:12 (11.3km/h)

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Done this climb several times now from Fusch. Tip: start well before 9.00 am. It is still very quiet so you can enjoy the nature and landscapes around you. I myself was already on the bike at 7.00 am and have almost the entire climb without traffic. But what a wonderful gradual climb it is. Great road surface and a constant gradient of 9-10％. It allows you to pick up your rhythm well. And despite the fact that it is numerically a climb of the outer category, it is emotionally not so bad. And don't forget to enjoy the surroundings! It is really fantastic.

bastiaanverrips

7 Mo 01:48:13 (11.7km/h)

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Show original

Just to tie in with everyone else: In the summer you should leave early! Just a little after 7 am you can still get on the train from Fusch, but if you plan to take it easy I would go even earlier.

Anyway, this is by far the most impressive climb I've ever done. In the beginning, the road is still sheltered between the trees and waterfalls splashing down, but it is already firmly climbing ... Especially for this climb I had put a 28 on the back, but also on 34x28 it was stumbling on a low cadence on most of the climb. Just go that last piece to the Edelweisspitze, because although the cobblestones are bad, it is a unique experience! The views and satisfaction at the top then make up for everything. :)

VincentA97

10 Mo

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I did this climb on the last Friday in September and the traffic was not too bad. It was nice and quiet cycling. The tarmac is perfect, the cobblestone is obviously different but more than worth it!

Buxert

10 Mo

Really great climb. Amazing views. We did this during the third week of September with luggage. It was really quiet and relaxing. Almost no cars and only a few road cyclists. It was freezing (-3) on the Edelweißspitze, so bring some warm clothes.

Fietsmaatje

11 Mo

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Show original

The profile leaves little to guess. Instinctively the toughest climb I have ever done. But on a beautiful day, you get a lot in return. You cycle in a fairytale setting. Be prepared if you start this climb. From what I've seen, it could be a long battle with yourself. The first sight of the cobbled road to the Edelweißspitze makes you fear the worst. There you may go up for more than one and a half kilometers on character. At the top waits a 'mighty feeling' :-)

RoyL +

1 y 01:40:28 (12.6km/h)

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Tough climb with beautiful views but make sure you leave early. At 6:15 got up in Fusch and on a few fellow cyclists and cars after an empty road drove up. Also in the descent so an empty road with crowds on the other side. Take certainly the piece on the cobblestones along, which makes the experience complete and the view above all the more deserved!

JamieM +

1 y

A very long climb that you should tick off the bucket list, but not the most enjoyable climb. It's a long drag up a pretty descent road surface, but I was expected amazing views on one of the highest passes around, and just didn't deliver.

When you get to the top, it does become a bit more interesting, and you can see the Edelweissspitze ahead of you - a short, steep and cobbled little section that does make the climb worthwhile.

GJK

1 y

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Biljartlaken of Europe, what a beautiful tarmac and gradual rise. Heavy, but doable, especially because you can recover every bit in the hairpin bends.
Last part of Edelweissspitze was hard, but so worth it: brilliant views.

Timo

1 y 02:23:00 (8.9km/h)

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One of the toughest but also one of the most beautiful climbs I have done. It is busy, I left at 7.30 and much later is not recommended. You can park your car at the toll booth, there is a free parking lot. But if you start from there you skip a small part of the climb (the first 3 km). Leave early or leave after 15.00 and enjoy! Btw those last two kilometers on the cobblestones are really exhausting. They are not in a good shape and it's pretty steep.

Marijn

1 y

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Show original

Tough and grueling climb, the headwind and cold can break you down the last 6km. But if you leave that out it's a fantastic experience. Cobblestones however are very bad and terribly heavy at the end of such a climb.

Zwareklimmer

1 y

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Show original

I did this one to the Hochtor. There it is nice and quiet. Would like to do it again up to Franz-Josefshöhe.

BianchiPeter +

1 y

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Probably the toughest climb I have ever done (= tougher than Mt Ventoux and Stelvio, for example). Last 15 km at almost 10％ average. It is very even, so once you are in rhythm, you can just keep going and enjoy the landscape.

RobertS +

1 y

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What a view! I had to suppress the urge not to take a picture every kilometer. I counted at least 8 glaciers along the way. This is a great climb to look around the whole time. And then you come to the cobblestones of the last 1.5 km to the Edelweissspitze. This part is even steeper, and they are not Swiss cobblestones (not as neat as the Gotthard/Tremola). Without a doubt the toughest part, but a nice challenge.
Thanks to the golden tip of Martino below, I left around 06:00 and it was deserted, even on a day in the middle of the summer holidays (6 August); two cyclists and maybe twenty cars, nothing more. When I took the road down around 09:00, it was extremely busy on the other side of the road. Dozens of cyclists, cars and motorcycles in a traffic jam uphill. You have at that time your half of the road for yourself for the descent. Another tip: I had the car parked for free before the toll gates at Ferleiten. That saves 4 kilometers and 400 altimeters through a rather boring forest on a not very interesting road. You pass the toll booths for free by walking your bike to the right of the toll building through a sort of 'bicycle lock'.
If you ever want to do a climb in Austria, do this one!

Kevin

1 y

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Show original

Heavy and seemingly endless climb on a wide road with perfect asphalt. The climb only starts to show steep percentages from the toll gates. Hereafter follow about 13 kilometers where you very often see double percentages appear. At the top you choose the road straight ahead towards Hochtor or left towards Edelweissspitze. Especially the latter is fantastic. A very steep kilometer on narrow cobblestones and full of hairpin bends paves its way to the top, where you will be treated to a phenomenal view. This one you should not miss!

KarelJan +

1 y

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Nice climb, just a shame about the traffic, it looks like a combination of the TT of Assen and a DTM race.

Martino

2 y

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The climb indeed goes through beautiful scenery and is extremely busy. The Glocknerstraße is Austria's second busiest attraction. Here not the smell of alpine meadows, but burnt brake disks. Last part to the Edelweißspitze is beautifully paved. Where do you still have that? Departure before 8h00 or after 17h00, then it is relatively quiet.

Martijn85 +

2 y

This is an automatic translation, the original language is: Dutch. Show original

Beautiful climb. Take a jacket, because it can be cold on top. After the Edelweissspitze you can continue to Hochtor. The road is very good, only busy with cars's motorcycles and other cyclists.