Hoping for some advice on a trip I'm planning in June 2016, hopefully taking in the Stelvio and the Grossglockner passes amongst others. I only have a week to fit it in and wondered if anyone has done something similar. I've done a few trips to France, Spain etc a few years ago but this is a 50th birthday treat to check I'm still able
Any words of wisdom greatly appreciated, oh and it would appear to be a solo effort unless anyone here fancies a jaunt

Firstly, welcome to the HUBB. That bit I've quoted above did make me smile as there are many of us here for whom 50 is but a distant memory, so unless some other health issues are getting in the way you can forget about age being an issue.

There and back in a week won't really be a problem (depending on what you're riding) but what might be, particularly if you're going in early June, is that some of the passes might still be snowbound. Differing levels of snowfall each year means it's hard to predict when they'll open but in a bad year it might not be until mid June.

It might be worth keeping an eye on this site - "www.AlpineRoads.com - The Best Biking Roads In The Alps" as you'll be able to get up to date info how the passes are doing.

I did a trip to Switzerland lasting just over a week a few years back. I headed down to Andermatt as quick as I could and made it my base for three days to explore several of the passes in the area.

I would aim to not extend the riding into a "pass bashing" effort.
A week is little enough time, especially if you wish to ride the passes in both directions - for me, that is recommended.
Also, most of us underestimate how long it takes to ride these roads - impeding traffic has been mentioned but the nature of the highways and the urge to stop, admire the views, drink lots on the summits etc etc consume your daylight hours.


Andermatt is popular for good reason; the local businesses know this and, therefore, it is as expensive as anywhere in Switzerland - a bit like York really, but more so.

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Dave

My first motorcycle was my 50th birthday present to myself. I've ridden every county of England, every country of Europe except Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus and Brazil, Death Valley USA, the dunes of UAE, Malaysia, Japan, Morocco, Iceland, Siberia, Mongolia and Central Asia since then.

You're still able.

Enjoy the Alps.

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Paul "Every county of England, every country of Europe and every (part of every inhabited) continent of the Earth" 94% done! What's left? Central America, East, Central and West Africa, Australia & New Zealand

Sorry backofbeyond, forgot to say hello prior to asking for advice. Thank you for the welcome.
Glad to hear that the prospect of only a week to do the passes is feasible and I have duly gleaned the info about when the passes open. Looks like the end of June it is which hopefully will get me back for the National Road Rally at the beginning of July

I have a Honda Blackbird, so no problem on the capability to get there.

Thanks to Tourider and Wildman for reassurance that an old giffer doesn't need to hang up his panniers just yet

We don't stand on ceremony all that much here but I did happen to notice it was your first post so a quick "Hi" seemed appropriate.

This is what I used last summer for 10 days in the French / Italian alps so a Blackbird should get you there and back easily enough

Now that would be a challenge, but looks in exceptional condition

Yes Grossglock.er and stilvio can easily be done in one week but swiss has much more to offer such as grimsel and furka
Urlaub in der Schweiz - Motorradtouren und wandern in Europa

Susten, Grimsel, Furka, Gotthard, Nufenen and then back to the Grimsel makes a nice one day round trip. Flüela, Ofen, Stelvio, and then off to either the Italian Alps or back to Switzerland (e.g. Julier) is another nice route. It depends what you want. You easily can spend a week without leaving Switzerland and never drive a pass twice. But the Italian and Austrian alps are nice too (Dolomites are a completely different type of mountain).

Don't forget to visit the new Ace Cafe in Lucerne.

And don't go before July as the higher roads will still be closed.

I thought most were open by June, at least that what I'm hoping as I've booked off middle of June.

Thank you so much Ta-rider, marc-s and Michael. This is exactly what I was looking for to help my planning, Looks like 19th of June for leaving so fingers crossed I'll be ok for the high passes. I'll be looking towards factoring in the Furka, Grimsel and Sustenpass then.

I think you should not have any problems riding the 'best' passes at that time of year. Perhaps a small number of the very high ones might still be closed, but in my experience (I've ridden just about all of them over the past 15 years), the really high passes can sometimes be the most boring passes - not much vegetation, not much human settlement, just rocks and scree and (it never fails) someone towing a large caravan attached to a small car with a Dutch licence plate, plugging up the whole pass for everyone else.

In the week before you leave, study the Swiss weather reports to learn what the temperatures are at the various elevations in the mountains. The Swiss meteo office does a good job of publishing temperature and moisture (rain, fog, snow, etc.) info for various elevations in the mountains. With that information, you can then pack appropriately. FOR SURE, you will want to be able to layer clothing on and off as you go up from the 'mittleland' (average elevation about 1,400 feet) into the passes, which can be as high as 6,000+ feet.

You will get a temperature drop of 2°C per 1,000 feet just as a 'standard, baseline' temperature drop, but frequently you will encounter katabatic airflows down the mountain valleys that come from snow-covered areas higher up, and the combined result of all this can be 10°C temperatures up in the passes when it is 25°C at the start and end of the pass.

Michael

Hi
May I suggest you buy, blag or look at this month's bike magazine as there is an article in it by a Swiss tour leader giving you some of her best routes