Three mountain passes; Gottardo (20??m), Furka (24??m), Novena (24??m)

Saturday September 22, 2007.

The day has come for my first-ever trittico in Ticino. The meteo is perfect. Romano accepted to accompany me, at the only condition that we should leave at 6:00am and be home at 2:00pm. Not much time for photos, but I accepted. 100 kms and just above 3000 meters of vertical climb.

7.11am. Airolo (1170 m).
Too early to sprint off the first mountain pass we started easy, and got to the top of the Via Tremola without even noticing.

A short stop to dress up at the top of Gottardo Pass (2108 m).

Too cold for photos going down 700 meters of vertical, in the early morning, in the shade.
We get to Hospental (1450 m), chilled to the bones.

Furka Pass (2231 m). Our second pass of the day.

Smiles are back on our faces after a warm coffee. Top left is the Galenstock (3597 m).

We leave the Uri Canton with the road we just climbed... and cross over to the Vallese Canton.

The switchbacks take us down to Gletsch, where bikers can also climb the Grimsel Pass (2172 m) on the right. We will instead continue the descent to Ulrichen.

That little stream of water at the bottom is the Rhone River, on its way to the Mediterranean sea. In the far left horizon are the Alphubel (4207 m), Dom (4554 m), Matterhorn (4482 m) and Weisshorn 4512 m)

Romano, already racing down the road...

The top stretch of road to Grimsel Pass and the Finsteraarhorn (4272 m)

Hotel Belvedere.

The source of the Rhone River, with its disappearing glacier.

Ulrichen (1400m). We stripped off our clothes, before the third and toughest climb of the morning. Getting to the top of the Novena Pass (highest road pass in Switzerland) will be a tough 13kms of climb.

A last sight at Ulrichen where it would be nice stopping for a beer. But the boss says we must go on...

The boss. Smiling because I did not slow him down on the climb and we will get home on time.

View of baettelmatthorn (3043 m), Rothorn (3287 m) and Blinnenhorn (3374 m)

The top mountains of the Berner Oberland.

Finsteraarhorn (4272 m)

We've done it. My first ever tour of the 3 mountain passes. A must for any serious biker.

All dressed up again for the 23 kilometers of downhill back to the car.

Others have commented on the trip. See here for comments in Italian, a road map, and the altimetry:

"NonSonoMicronautaDay"

7.11am. Airolo (1170 m). Too early to sprint off the first mountain pass we started easy, and got to the top of the Via Tremola without even noticing.	A short stop to dress up at the top of Gottardo Pass (2108 m).	Too cold for photos going down 700 meters of vertical, in the early morning, in the shade. We get to Hospental (1450 m), chilled to the bones.	Furka Pass (2231 m). Our second pass of the day.	Smiles are back on our faces after a warm coffee. Top left is the Galenstock (3597 m).
We leave the Uri Canton with the road we just climbed... and cross over to the Vallese Canton.	The switchbacks take us down to Gletsch, where bikers can also climb the Grimsel Pass (2172 m) on the right. We will instead continue the descent to Ulrichen.	That little stream of water at the bottom is the Rhone River, on its way to the Mediterranean sea. In the far left horizon are the Alphubel (4207 m), Dom (4554 m), Matterhorn (4482 m) and Weisshorn 4512 m)	Romano, already racing down the road...	The top stretch of road to Grimsel Pass and the Finsteraarhorn (4272 m)
Hotel Belvedere.	The source of the Rhone River, with its disappearing glacier.	Ulrichen (1400m). We stripped off our clothes, before the third and toughest climb of the morning. Getting to the top of the Novena Pass (highest road pass in Switzerland) will be a tough 13kms of climb.	A last sight at Ulrichen where it would be nice stopping for a beer. But the boss says we must go on...	The boss. Smiling because I did not slow him down on the climb and we will get home on time.
View of baettelmatthorn (3043 m), Rothorn (3287 m) and Blinnenhorn (3374 m)	The top mountains of the Berner Oberland.	Finsteraarhorn (4272 m)	We've done it. My first ever tour of the 3 mountain passes. A must for any serious biker.	All dressed up again for the 23 kilometers of downhill back to the car.