Switzerland Furka, Susten, Grimsel, then Stelvio in Late May
Discussion
Is it possible in 2017? Online a website says open 'June'. Yet I have seen people do the routes in early May.
Worried as we have planned a trip for these Swiss Passes in the last weekend of May 2017, but only realised they could be shut due to winter weather.
Climate change, melt those caps, dry those roads!
Worried as we have planned a trip for these Swiss Passes in the last weekend of May 2017, but only realised they could be shut due to winter weather.
Climate change, melt those caps, dry those roads!
My experience is that the pass above can be open one day and shut the next. There is snow at the roadside and this can be 15-20 feet and not that stable. I think they close it if enough falls across the road. Then they spend a while clearing and re-open.
The picture above was in the morning and the road needed clearing. On my summer tyres, I wasn't sure I'd make it to the top. Any cars I saw were locals in 4x4s.
Try to have some flexibility time-wise and you might help your chances. I'm generally heading a fair way and just have to take the tunnel if the pass is shut when I reach it.
The picture above was in the morning and the road needed clearing. On my summer tyres, I wasn't sure I'd make it to the top. Any cars I saw were locals in 4x4s.
Try to have some flexibility time-wise and you might help your chances. I'm generally heading a fair way and just have to take the tunnel if the pass is shut when I reach it.
The stelvio web cam is your best friend ! Really depends on the winter snow level
http://www.stelvio.net/english/webcam/
http://www.stelvio.net/english/webcam/
The same applies to all of these passes in late May - they may be open, they may not.
If there is a particularly warm spring and the passes become passable (safely!) then they will open them, but until June/July they won't necessarily put extra effort into clearing them if there is overnight snowfall.
For the Andermatt area (Furka, Susten, Grimsel) this website is your friend: https://www.alpen-paesse.ch/en/
Bear in mind that depending on your direction of travel there may be alternative routes.
For example, in my personal opinion the Nufenen pass (aka Passo della Novena) is a better drive than the eastern side of Furka which is narrow and poorly surfaced for the most part - however the eastern side is the famous Bond shot (Tilly Masterson, etc.) and the western side is fast and open and smooth.
Should Furka be closed and Nufenen also be closed you can always take the train (certainly 8am to 9pm at least) between Oberwald and Realp, so you can still traverse this area.
Don't discount St Gotthard either (and i mean the new St Gotthard, not the old cobbled Tremelo).
Susten and Grimsel are amongst my favourite roads in the world - but are best avoided on weekends due to the abundance of local bike traffic... and Swiss bikers are typically arrogant and militant!
The climb up Stelvio from Bormio isn't all that frankly, i prefer the climb up Umbrail which comes out 3/4 of the way up the southern side of Stelvio. Likewise, i prefer going down the northern side than coming up it, as it's simply a set of (numbered) hairpins and short straights. Great on photos, dull as dishwater to drive. There are better roads in the area.
If there is a particularly warm spring and the passes become passable (safely!) then they will open them, but until June/July they won't necessarily put extra effort into clearing them if there is overnight snowfall.
For the Andermatt area (Furka, Susten, Grimsel) this website is your friend: https://www.alpen-paesse.ch/en/
Bear in mind that depending on your direction of travel there may be alternative routes.
For example, in my personal opinion the Nufenen pass (aka Passo della Novena) is a better drive than the eastern side of Furka which is narrow and poorly surfaced for the most part - however the eastern side is the famous Bond shot (Tilly Masterson, etc.) and the western side is fast and open and smooth.
Should Furka be closed and Nufenen also be closed you can always take the train (certainly 8am to 9pm at least) between Oberwald and Realp, so you can still traverse this area.
Don't discount St Gotthard either (and i mean the new St Gotthard, not the old cobbled Tremelo).
Susten and Grimsel are amongst my favourite roads in the world - but are best avoided on weekends due to the abundance of local bike traffic... and Swiss bikers are typically arrogant and militant!
The climb up Stelvio from Bormio isn't all that frankly, i prefer the climb up Umbrail which comes out 3/4 of the way up the southern side of Stelvio. Likewise, i prefer going down the northern side than coming up it, as it's simply a set of (numbered) hairpins and short straights. Great on photos, dull as dishwater to drive. There are better roads in the area.
Re the Furka: time it right (between the end of June and the beginning of October) and you will find on the Gletsch side of the summit something unique among Alpine passes. 
Red Devil said:
Re the Furka: time it right (between the end of June and the beginning of October) and you will find on the Gletsch side of the summit something unique among Alpine passes.
I've been through there at least a dozen times in the last few years, and I know the spot that photo was taken from, but I've not seen that. Oh well, maybe this year....This should explain why you didn't see it and what I meant about getting the timing right. - https://www.dfb.ch/index.php?id=1598&L=3
The crossing is ~650 metres downhill from Muttbach-Belvédère station - https://goo.gl/maps/YCkeTR5cde52
- https://www.dfb.ch/index.php?id=1598&L=3The crossing is ~650 metres downhill from Muttbach-Belvédère station - https://goo.gl/maps/YCkeTR5cde52
To the OP, I found a website a little while ago that gives you the status of the mountain passes in Switzerland. It won't help during the planning stages but may be worth checking whilst you're there, to save unnecessary detours etc. I can't remember the link so have a Google, although I probably have it archived somewhere.
The pictures of our two trips below show the Alps in different lights! Whilst not in pictured in Switzerland, the Boxster trip was in late May and this was a high Alpine pass that was borderline whether it'd be open or not. I would say this might apply to the passes you mention. I took the second pic on the Sustenpass in mid-September. Quite a difference eh?!!
The pictures of our two trips below show the Alps in different lights! Whilst not in pictured in Switzerland, the Boxster trip was in late May and this was a high Alpine pass that was borderline whether it'd be open or not. I would say this might apply to the passes you mention. I took the second pic on the Sustenpass in mid-September. Quite a difference eh?!!
Kyodo said:
To the OP, I found a website a little while ago that gives you the status of the mountain passes in Switzerland. It won't help during the planning stages but may be worth checking whilst you're there, to save unnecessary detours etc. I can't remember the link so have a Google, although I probably have it archived somewhere.
Errr, i put that link in this thread about 5 or 6 posts ago?VerySideways said:
The same applies to all of these passes in late May - they may be open, they may not.
If there is a particularly warm spring and the passes become passable (safely!) then they will open them, but until June/July they won't necessarily put extra effort into clearing them if there is overnight snowfall.
For the Andermatt area (Furka, Susten, Grimsel) this website is your friend: https://www.alpen-paesse.ch/en/
If there is a particularly warm spring and the passes become passable (safely!) then they will open them, but until June/July they won't necessarily put extra effort into clearing them if there is overnight snowfall.
For the Andermatt area (Furka, Susten, Grimsel) this website is your friend: https://www.alpen-paesse.ch/en/
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