25.3
PDI
4.2 mi
DISTANCE
2,683 ft
GAINED
12.1 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
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. The climb averages 12.1%. 67% of the climb is at grade 10-15% and 13% at 15-20%. The steepest 500 meters is 15.3%, steepest kilometer 14.4% and steepest 2 km 13.9%.
The first 200 vertical meters (656 ft) average about 9%, then the remaining 600 meters (1,969 ft) average closer to 14%, with short pitches near 20%.
See more details and tools regarding this climb's grade via the “Profile Tool” button above.
Roadway: A narrow two-lane road for the first half, then a one-lane paved road in good condition for the remainder of the climb. In winter, snow can restrict access to the steepest upper section, so check conditions before riding from late autumn through early spring.
Traffic: Minimal. The narrow upper road is infrequently traveled, mostly by residents and hikers heading for the Gridone trails.
Parking: Parking is tough near the climb - we parked at the spot linked here in Brissago, Ticino, 300 meters from the start - Map; Street View. Brissago is also served by bus line 316 from Locarno, so you can arrive without a car.
Gear: Bring your lowest gearing - with a 12.1% average and 500 meters at 15.3%, a compact crankset with a large-range cassette is not overkill. Standard road tires are fine.
Provisions: Fill your bottles and eat in Brissago before you start. The hillside above has very few services - Osteria Borei (Grotto Borei) on Via Ghiridone, partway up the climb, has a panoramic terrace over Lake Maggiore and serves locally sourced meat, but it lists Wednesday and Thursday closures, so check before counting on it. If you need parts or a repair, BikeBrix in Brissago does bike service, sales and rentals, including e-bikes.
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.
Brissago sits at the base of Gridone and is a good base for steep riding: Cortaccio, Mergugno and Bassuno all leave from the same hillside roads. Cortaccio itself is a small hamlet on the marked mountain trail from Brissago to the Rifugio Al Legn hut and on to the Gridone, so the road is also a way to reach the start of that hike. Our Mergugno page covers the Bosco Sacro forest, the botanical islands and the lakeside ferry. If you want one more option nearby, the Bassuno-Cortone road is a dead end that finishes where the asphalt ends.
Because the slopes face south, this is a good early-spring or late-autumn climb when snow may still line the upper roads in the area but the sun keeps the asphalt dry, and with the trees bare the forest sections open up views over the lake. Bus line 316 connects Locarno with Brissago if you want to arrive or leave by public transport.
Use the “Routes in Area” button on the menu bar above to see other bike climbs in this area.
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