Climbing Hochwurtenspeicher, Austria by bike

Austria Hochwurtenspeicher

Hochwurtenspeicher Bike Climb - PJAMM Cycling

39.5

PDI

12.6 mi

DISTANCE

5,517 ft

GAINED

ELEVATION GAINED

7.5 %

AVG. GRADE

AVG. GRADIENT

FULL CLIMB STATS

Page Contributor(s): Erwan Treguier, Brittany, France.

INTRO

We rode the first portion of this climb as part of the #19 World Climb, Grosser Oscheniksee. Instead of turning right onto the private road up to the Oscheniksee Reservoir at mile 7 / km 11.3, we continued straight up the main road, past the power station at mile 8 / km 12.9, past the Molltaler Gletscherbahnen ski station at mile 8.8 (km 14), to the end of the road at the top of the Molltaler Gletscherexpress gondola line at the base of the ski resort.

This road is one of the so-called "Monsters of Carinthia" - brutally hard paved roads built to access hydroelectric dam projects in the Hohe Tauern range, and by some rankings one of the hardest road-bike-legal climbs in mainland Europe. It's paved the whole way but genuinely rough in spots: two unlit, pothole-strewn tunnels sit partway up, plus avalanche galleries near the top, and the grade rarely lets up past the barrier that closes the upper road to regular traffic.

There's a roadway sign at the start stating cyclist access hours: May 1 - Sept 30, 9am-8pm, and Oct 1-30, 9am-4pm. We've never heard of anyone being stopped here, but consider yourself warned.

Note for 2026: KELAG dam construction has closed the upper section to cyclists since mid-2025, reportedly into autumn 2026 - confirm current access before you go.

PLAN YOUR ROUTE

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The overall average of 7.5% hides a very uneven profile with real altitude losses built in - meaning what feels like a break on the way up becomes an unwelcome extra climb on the way back down. Past the traffic barrier around mile 5, the road settles into four distinct ramps separated by short descents.

The hardest of them gains roughly 460 meters over about 3.5 km at grades mostly at or above 15%, with almost no flat sections anywhere in the final 14 km to break up the effort. Expect double-digit grades to dominate nearly the entire upper two-thirds of this climb.

Roadway: Paved the entire way, though road quality drops noticeably past the traffic barrier - potholes are common, and two unlit tunnels partway up are damp and rough underneath, so ride cautiously through them, especially on the way down. Avalanche galleries appear near the top.

Important 2026 update: KELAG dam construction in the Wurtenboden/Wurtenspeicher area has closed the upper section to cyclists since mid-2025, with reports as recent as August 2026 confirming it remains closed with "no cycling" signage in place. Confirm current access before planning this climb - it may not be rideable to the top this season.

Traffic: A sign at the base of the climb states cyclist access hours of 9:00am-8:00pm from May 1 to September 30, and 9:00am-4:00pm from October 1-30. Beyond the barrier around mile 5, the road is closed to public motor traffic entirely - open only to service vehicles, cyclists, and hikers - so traffic is minimal once you're past that point.

Parking: Park in Flattach or Innerfragant at the base before starting the climb.

Bring your lowest gearing - with long double-digit ramps (one stretch averages 15%+ for 3.5 km) and almost no flat recovery in the upper two-thirds of the climb, a compact crank and a wide-range cassette make a real difference here.

Fill your water bottles at the ski station or Weißseehaus near the top if they're open, both for the remaining climb and for the descent - the potholed, damp tunnels and long braking sections on the way down put real heat into your rims, and topping off water gives you something to cool them with if needed.

This is an exposed, high-altitude road above the treeline for its upper stretches, so pack a layer for wind and temperature swings even on a warm day in the valley.

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.

Base yourself in Flattach or nearby Mallnitz to keep this climb close to home. Given the active 2026 construction closure on the upper road, check current access conditions locally before planning your ride - this is a dead-end road with no alternate route to the top.

If you do get a green light and have a big day in you, this climb shares its first several miles with the neighboring Grosser Oscheniksee, one of the hardest road climbs in the Alps, making it possible to combine both into a single, brutal outing from Flattach.

Conditions can shift quickly above the treeline even when it's warm in the valley, so it's worth checking both ends with our Weather tool before you head out.