23.5
PDI
4.8 mi
DISTANCE
2,716 ft
GAINED
10.8 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Mergugno is a 7.7 km (4.8 mi) climb from Brissago, the last Swiss town on the western shore of Lake Maggiore, gaining 828 m (2,716 ft) at a steep 10.8% average. It climbs from the lakeside at about 219 m (719 ft) through the old village of Incella and the hamlet of Rovere to Mergugno, a small group of granite houses - today mostly holiday homes - at about 1047 m (3,434 ft), just short of where the road ends.
This is a climb of three distinct parts. The first quarter winds up through Brissago's hillside villas with the lake opening up beneath you; the middle section dives into forest and brings the hardest kilometer, with sustained pitches of 13-14%; and above Rovere the road breaks into open meadows and a series of tight hairpins between old stone houses, with the Gridone's rock walls overhead and the whole northern basin of Lake Maggiore below. Grades of 12-14% are common all the way up, but that final stretch is the payoff.
Mergugno is one of the two trailheads for the Gridone (2188 m), the highest summit on Lake Maggiore, and sits just below the Bosco Sacro, a 35-hectare forest of alpine laburnum that the people of Brissago have protected since the 13th century. The south-facing slope also makes this one of the region's better winter climbs - the sun keeps most of the road dry even when snow lines the verges.
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. Mergugno climbs 7.7 km (4.8 mi) at a 10.8% average, gaining 828 m (2,716 ft) from about 219 m (719 ft) in Brissago to about 1047 m (3,434 ft) at Mergugno.
There's no warm-up: the first kilometer out of Brissago already averages 11.8%. Kilometers 2 through 4 hold steady at about 10.5% through the upper quarters of Brissago and Incella, and then the climb bites hardest in the forest, where the 5th kilometer averages 13.6%. The grade eases gradually from there - 11.2%, then 9.6%, then about 8% over the final stretch into Mergugno - but the hairpins above Rovere still carry short ramps well into double digits.
The steepest half kilometer averages 15.5%, the steepest kilometer 14.2%, the steepest mile 13.6%, the steepest 2 km 12.9%, and the steepest 5 km 11.7%.
Roadway: Paved the entire way. The lower section through Brissago and Incella is a narrow two-lane residential road; above Incella it becomes a single-lane mountain road that's a little uneven in places through the forest but fine on road tires. Most of the climb faces south and dries quickly, but a few shaded, north-facing stretches in the forest around 700-800 m can hold ice in winter, and the road above Mergugno may not be cleared after snowfall.
Traffic: Very light. Above Brissago this is a dead-end access road for Incella, Rovere and the holiday homes at Mergugno, so traffic is limited to residents and hikers heading for the Gridone trails, mostly on summer weekends.
Parking: Brissago's hillside streets have almost no room to park, so leave the car in town - there's paid public parking in the center near the lakefront, a few hundred meters from the start. Brissago also has a boat landing on Lake Maggiore's regular ferry service, so you can arrive from Locarno or Ascona by boat, or simply ride along the lake from Ascona, about 8 km away.
Gear: Bring your lowest gearing - a compact crankset with a 34-tooth (or larger) low cog is not overkill on a climb that averages 10.8% and spends a full kilometer at 13-14%. Standard road tires are fine.
Provisions: Stock up in Brissago, which has shops, bakeries and cafes along the lake. Incella, about a third of the way up, has a traditional grotto that closes for a winter break; above Incella there's nothing until you're back down, so carry enough water for a steep, sun-exposed effort. The Capanna Al Legn hut above Mergugno is reachable on foot only.
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.
If you ride this in late June or early July, walk the short trail up from Mergugno into the Bosco Sacro - the 35-hectare stand of alpine laburnum (golden chain trees) above the hamlet blooms bright yellow in that window, and experts consider it unique in the entire Alpine arc. The same trail continues to the Capanna Al Legn hut and on to the Gridone (2188 m), on the Swiss-Italian border, a big but classic hike from the top of this climb.
Back at lake level, Brissago's two islands are home to the Brissago Islands Botanical Park, a subtropical garden with around 2000 plant species, reachable by boat from April through November. Brissago itself is a relaxed base with a lakeside promenade, and two more climbs - Cortaccio and Bassuno - start from the same hillside roads, so it's easy to string several steep ascents together in one morning. See other climbs nearby, or build a custom route from here, with our Routes in the Area tool.
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
