30.6
PDI
17.3 mi
DISTANCE
5,321 ft
GAINED
5.7 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Susten Pass connects Innertkirchen, in the canton of Bern, with Wassen, in the canton of Uri, through the Urner Alps - and this is the classic way onto it from the Bernese side. The climb runs 17.3 miles and gains 5,321 feet at a 5.7% average grade, finishing at 7,289 feet (2,224 meters) at the short tunnel that crosses the pass.
What sets Susten apart from most other big Swiss passes is how it was built. The modern road wasn't finished until 1938-1946, deliberately engineered as a full national highway rather than upgraded from an old mule track piece by piece - so instead of the tight switchbacks you'll find on passes like the Stelvio or the Grossglockner, Susten climbs in long, wide, sweeping curves across 46 kilometers and 26 bridges and tunnels between the two valleys. Near the top, the road runs right past the Stein Glacier, a 4-kilometer glacier that's one of the most photographed views from any paved road in the Alps. The route also passes through Gadmen, a village that was its own municipality until merging into Innertkirchen in 2014.
A mule track has crossed here since at least the 17th century, and the pass briefly mattered strategically during the French Revolutionary Wars in 1798-99, before being widened into a carriage road in the early 1800s and finally paved and modernized on the eve of World War II. Like most high Swiss passes, it's seasonal - typically closed to traffic through the winter and into late spring depending on snowfall - so check current status before an early or late-season ride.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. This climb averages 5.7%, with the steepest pitches concentrated in the lower miles. The steepest 100 yards hit 18.9%, the steepest quarter-mile averages 15.3%, and the steepest half-mile still averages 11.6%. The steepest full mile comes in at 10.9%, matching the steepest kilometer, also at 10.9%. The upper half of the climb, through Gadmen and up toward the Stein Glacier, is noticeably gentler, which is what brings the overall average down to 5.7%.
Roadway: Paved the entire way, and unusually smooth and consistent for an Alpine pass road - because it was engineered as one deliberate project in the 1930s-40s rather than pieced together from an old mule track, Susten climbs in long, wide, sweeping curves instead of the tight hairpins you get on older passes. A roughly 300-meter tunnel crosses just below the true summit. The road is seasonal and typically closed from late autumn through late spring depending on snowfall - check current status before an early or late-season attempt.
Traffic: Generally light to moderate - Susten sees real tourist and motorcycle traffic in summer, including scheduled PostBus alpine routes, but noticeably less than higher-profile passes like the Grimsel or the Furka. Traffic is heaviest around midday in July and August.
Parking: Innertkirchen, at the base, has roadside and public parking throughout the village. Gadmen, roughly the halfway point, is a smaller option if you want to split the climb or start higher up.
Innertkirchen, at the base, has shops, restaurants, and hotels for a full resupply before you start. Gadmen, about halfway up, has some services as well. Near the top, right along the road by the Stein Glacier, the Alpin Center Sustenpass runs a restaurant and mountain hotel (Berghotel Steingletscher) - a genuine, reliable food and drink stop close to the summit, not just a seasonal kiosk.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Innertkirchen sits in the Haslital valley of the Bernese Oberland, which is boxed in by four passes - Brünig, Grosse Scheidegg, Susten, and Grimsel - so it's a good multi-day base if you want to string together more than one big climb. The Grimsel Pass climb also starts nearby, in a different valley out of the same general area.
If you'd rather see the pass from a bus window first, the regional PostBus alpine routes ("Pässefahrten") run over Susten in summer and are a good way to scout the road before riding it.
Susten is one of several passes worth combining in this corner of Switzerland - see our Routes in the Area tool for other nearby climbs to plan a multi-day trip around Innertkirchen.
ROUTE MAP
MEMBER RATING
CURRENT WEATHER
PJAMM TRIPS ADVENTURE STARTER BUNDLES
Check out PJAMM Adventure's prepackaged (self-guided) cycling trips. They will help you plan, document and conquer your next adventure.
NEARBY CLIMBS (0) RADIAL PROXIMITY
FROM No Climbs Found
MEMBER REVIEWS & COMMENTS
Let us know what you thought of this climb. Signup for our FREE membership to write a review or post a comment.
Already have an account?
LOG IN HERE
