28.7
PDI
4.5 mi
DISTANCE
2,896 ft
GAINED
12.3 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Steinplatte climbs 7.7 km (4.8 mi) out of Waidring in the Tirolean district of Kitzbühel, gaining 832 m (2,731 ft) at a brutal average grade of 10.9% - one of the steepest sustained paved climbs in the Alps. The road tops out near 1,570 m (5,150 ft) at the Steinplatte's mountain station and viewing platforms, right on the border where Tirol, Salzburg, and Bavaria meet.
This isn't a climb with a gentle warm-up. The road is a tolled mountain road (Mautstraße) built to serve the Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm ski area, and it rarely lets up - PJAMM's own data clocks the steepest sustained kilometer at 14.4% and the steepest 100-yard stretch at nearly 16%, and riders who've done it describe sections well into the 20s on the tightest hairpins. Bring gearing you'd normally save for something much longer.
At the top, a short walk from the gondola's mountain station leads to a striking coral-shaped viewing platform cantilevered nearly 70 m over the cliffs below, with the cross-border Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm ski area spread out beneath it. It's a serious effort for a short, sharp payoff rather than a long alpine grind.
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. Steinplatte climbs 7.7 km (4.8 mi) from Waidring at an average grade of 10.9%, gaining 832 m (2,731 ft) to the mountain station near 1,570 m (5,150 ft).
The average alone undersells it - this is one of the steeper sustained climbs in the Alps, with the toughest kilometer averaging 14.4% and the steepest 100 yards nearly 16%. There's no flat or downhill section to recover on; it's a near-constant grind from the gondola's valley station to the top, with hairpins in the upper section pushing well beyond the average.
Roadway: The road is paved the entire way to the mountain station and generally in good condition - it's a maintained toll road (Mautstraße) built wide enough for motorhomes and buses, not just cyclists, so the surface itself isn't the challenge here.
Traffic: Traffic is light to moderate and mostly tourist and ski-resort related - cars headed up to the gondola station and Triassic Park. Bicycles are not charged the toll (cars pay a flat fee), and the road stays open outside of winter snow events, so most riders see a manageable trickle of vehicles rather than anything congested.
Parking: There's a large gravel car park, free of charge, at the Steinplatte-Waidring gondola valley station right at the base of the climb - the obvious and easiest place to start from.
Gear this one for the steepest, not the average. A compact or even a sub-compact crankset with a wide low gear is worth having - sustained double-digit grades with ramps into the 20s reward an easy gear far more than they punish the extra weight of carrying one. Standard road tires are fine; the road is fully paved.
There's no reliable food or water source on the climb itself, so stock up in Waidring beforehand. Given the short distance, most riders don't need much on-bike nutrition, but bring enough water for a hard 45 minutes to an hour of steady effort.
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.
Waidring is a small Tirolean village with the basics covered - lodging, cafés, and a grocery store - and its location right on the Austria-Germany border makes it an easy add-on if you're already riding in the Chiemgau or Kitzbüheler Alpen area. The nearby Kitzbüheler Horn, one of the region's other legendary steep climbs, is a worthwhile pairing if you're making a trip of it.
Because the Steinplatte gondola carries bikes, some riders ride up and take the lift back down rather than descending a road this steep - worth considering if the descent looks like more than you'd enjoy.
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