Schrina - Hochrugg Cycling Climb from Walenstadt | 8.8 km at 11.1%

Switzerland Schrina - Hochrugg Southeast

Schrina - Hochrugg Southeast Bike Climb - PJAMM Cycling

28.3

PDI

5.5 mi

DISTANCE

3,173 ft

GAINED

ELEVATION GAINED

11.1 %

AVG. GRADE

AVG. GRADIENT

FULL CLIMB STATS

Page Contributor(s): Helmuth Dekkers, Nehterlands.

INTRO

Schrina - Hochrugg climbs 8.8 km (5.5 mi) from Walenstadt, on the shore of the Walensee, gaining 967 m (3,173 ft) at a relentless 11.1% average grade up the Walenstadtberg. There's almost no flat ground anywhere on the route - the steepest kilometer averages 14.1%, and the grade rarely dips below double digits from the first pitch out of town to the finish near Hochrugg.

The road climbs through the working dairy farms of Alp Schrina, still home to alpine cheese, yogurt, and butter production each summer, with sweeping views across the Walensee and up at the jagged Churfirsten ridge to the north. A worthwhile stop partway up is the Paxmal, a peace monument carved into the mountainside by the Swiss artist Karl Bickel over 25 years (1924-1949) while he recovered from tuberculosis in the area.

This is a quiet, little-known farm road rather than a signed alpine pass, and the pavement narrows noticeably in the final 2-3 km toward Hochrugg - a fitting, low-traffic finish to one of the steeper sustained climbs in this part of Switzerland.

PLAN YOUR ROUTE

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The climb averages 11.1% over 8.8 km (5.5 mi), gaining 967 m (3,173 ft) - one of the more sustained steep grades in the region, with barely a flat meter anywhere on the route. The steepest kilometer averages 14.1%, the steepest 500 meters averages 14.5%, and the single steepest 100-yard (91 m) stretch hits 15.3%.

Roadway: Paved the entire way (Bergstrasse, becoming Ruggstrasse higher up) and in good condition, though the road narrows noticeably in the final 2-3 km before Hochrugg - budget extra care if you meet a car coming down, since there's little room to pass on the upper switchbacks.

Traffic: Very light - this is a working farm road serving Alp Schrina rather than a through route, so traffic is mostly limited to the occasional local vehicle or alp visitor.

Parking: Walenstadt, at the base on the Walensee shore, has public parking near the town center and lakefront. There's also a small lot near the Paxmal partway up if you'd rather split the climb, though space there is limited.

Provisions: Restaurant Stauffacher, partway up around the 3 km mark, and the Alpbeizli Alp Schrina, a working alp restaurant higher up, both serve food and drinks in season - worth checking current hours before relying on either. Walenstadt has the fuller range of shops and cafes at the base.

Gear: Nothing technical needed beyond low gearing for the sustained double-digit grades - a wide-range cassette or compact crank makes a real difference here.

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.

Walenstadt sits on the eastern shore of the Walensee, a turquoise lake framed by the Churfirsten peaks, and makes a quiet, uncrowded base compared to bigger Swiss lake towns - it's a good stop for swimming or a lakeside walk before or after the ride.

The Paxmal peace monument partway up the climb is worth the short detour on foot if you have time - it's one of the more unusual pieces of folk art in the Swiss Alps, built single-handedly over 25 years by a local artist recovering from illness.

See our Routes in the Area tool for other climbs around the Walensee and Sarganserland worth combining with this one.