16.6
PDI
2.9 mi
DISTANCE
1,800 ft
GAINED
11.8 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Brissago has three ways to hurt yourself on the slopes of the Gridone, and Bassuno is the shortest. From a junction in the hillside quarter of Porta, a one-lane road climbs 4.7 km (2.9 mi) at 11.8%, gaining 549 m (1800 ft) through the forest until the asphalt simply runs out at about 949 m (3113 ft).
There's no warm-up and no recovery. The first kilometer is 11.8%, the next two hover around 10.5-11%, and the fourth is the hardest at close to 14%, with ramps near 18%. The road is barely wider than a car, and the trees keep most of it in shade - welcome in July, damp and leafy after rain.
Bassuno itself, around km 4, is a cluster of houses built into the hillside at roughly 850 m, with a wide view over Ascona and the northern end of the lake. The road carries on a little further before it turns into the trail to the Alpe di Naccio. It's a dead end, so you'll see residents and hikers and little else, and the descent back to the lake is steep enough that you'll want brakes you trust.
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. Bassuno climbs 4.7 km (2.9 mi) from about 400 m (1313 ft) to 949 m (3113 ft), gaining 549 m (1800 ft) at an average of 11.8%.
By kilometer: 11.8%, 11.1%, 10.4% and 13.8%, then 11.9% over the last 0.7 km. The fourth kilometer, up to Bassuno, is the one that hurts.
The steepest 500 m averages 14.5% and the steepest 2 km 12.2%. The steepest 100 m is about 18.1%. Ride up from the lakefront in Brissago and you add roughly 200 m of climbing on the town's hillside streets before the junction.
Roadway: Paved to the end on a single-lane hillside road - steep, narrow, and mostly under trees, with leaves, damp patches and a little debris after rain. The asphalt stops at about 949 m; beyond that it's a hiking trail.
Traffic: Almost none - the lane is a dead end that only serves the houses above Porta, so most cars you meet belong to residents. There's no room to pass on the steep sections, so tuck in where the road allows.
Parking: Leave the car in Brissago - the hillside has almost nowhere to park. There's paid public parking near the lakefront, and bus 316 and the lake boats from Locarno and Ascona both stop in town.
Gear: Your lowest gear and then some. A compact crankset with a 34-tooth cog is the minimum we'd bring for close to 14% on a narrow lane, and a 36 or bigger won't go to waste. Check your brake pads before you go - the way down is as steep as the way up.
Provisions: Nothing on the climb. Eat and fill bottles in Brissago, which has shops, bakeries and cafes along the lake. The shade keeps it cooler than the open climbs on this hillside, but it's a short, hard effort, so one bottle is usually enough.
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.
Bassuno is the shortest of Brissago's three steep climbs. Mergugno and Cortaccio start from the same hillside, and riding all three in one morning adds up to more than 2000 m of climbing. Our Mergugno page covers the Bosco Sacro and the Brissago Islands; the Cortaccio page has the grotto partway up.
Back in town, Brissago has a museum dedicated to the composer Ruggero Leoncavallo, best known for Pagliacci, and it was once a tobacco town - by the early 1900s more than 600 people, mostly women, worked in its tobacco factory.
Getting here: Brissago's own municipal council has called the lakeside road toward Ascona unsuitable for cycling, especially the narrow stretch at Moscia, so if you're staying in Ascona or Locarno consider bus 316 or the boat for the first few kilometers. Italy is just south of town, and the lake road carries on to Cannobio.
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