Gantrisch, Bern · Switzerland
Gurnigelpass
Riggisberg to Zollhaus
Switzerland’s oldest hillclimb road, smooth Bernese tarmac to 1,608 m.
From Riggisberg the Gurnigel road climbs through Bernese farmland into the Gantrisch nature park, and from the Dürrbach bridge it becomes something else: the course of the Bergrennen Gurnigel, raced since 1910 and today Switzerland’s most popular hillclimb. The racing stretch to Gurnigelbad is 3.7 km of cambered, beautifully surfaced bends, and above it the road keeps giving all the way over the 1,608 m saddle beneath the Stockhorn chain before dropping to Zollhaus. Open all year for the ski lifts; expect cyclists at weekends, cows on the summer alps, and a full closure on the September race weekend.
Where it runs18.1 mi · point to point
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Character
Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%766 – 1,628 mThe strip below the profile is corner density: taller, warmer ticks mean tighter bends.
Points of interest3 stops
- Dürrbach hillclimb start lineLandmark3.5 mi in
- Gurnigel BerghausFood and drink8.6 mi in
- Gurnigelpass summit panoramaViewpoint8.8 mi in
Hazards
- Very popular with cyclists at weekends
- Closed to through traffic on the September hillclimb weekend
- Bitumen repair strips reduce grip in some bends
- Cattle graze the roadside alps in summer
See the typical season and live conditions for the high passes ›
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