16 years ago, mountain guide Andi Heckmair packed his rucksack and set off from his front door in Oberstdorf. He was the first mountain biker to cross the Alps on old mule tracks and reach Lake Garda after seven days. The original crossing of the Alps for mountain bikers, which is still ridden today!
389 km/11 000 m elevation gain - 7 stages - difficulty: ******
(max. 6 stars)
The route is suitable for very good riding technicians with alpine experience who are also prepared to put up with four-hour push sections
The highlights: Schrofenpass, Schlappiner Joch, Scaletta Pass, Passo Alpisella, Adamello Mountains, Tremalzo
As a true Alpine crosser, you simply have to have ridden it: the original route from Oberstdorf to Lake Garda. Thousands of mountain bikers have already followed in the footsteps of Transalp pioneer Andi Heckmair. Even the Bayerischer Rundfunk radio station got on the saddle three years ago to film Heckmair on his original route.
Not an Alpine cross route for beginners
"The idea of cycling through the Alps wasn't new. But I wanted to cross them on old mule tracks and as directly as possible." The pioneer himself has to smile when he thinks about his first journey. Because it is more of a high alpine adventure by bike. While other Transalp routes manage with just one carrying or pushing passage (main Alpine ridge), you'd better pad your frame triangle and get comfortable bike shoes with treaded soles for this tour. "But this unique landscape is worth the effort" - promises the Transalp pioneer.
Even the first stage is not for the faint-hearted: just a few kilometres after Oberstdorf, the one-hour climb over the Schrofenpass, which is secured with wire ropes and iron bridges, awaits.
You can look forward to the next day if you are an excellent downhill rider, because the trail down to Dalaas demands all the stops. And if you have to push for the first 600 metres in altitude, you can console yourself with the fact that you can enjoy the panorama for longer.
At the Schlappiner Joch, the next carrying section awaits, but at the top you can enjoy a magnificent view of the Swiss mountains and the following serpentine trail. This scenic descent is topped the next day by the Scaletta Pass.
The highlights of stage 4: the Chaschauna Pass - its carrying passage is followed by a gravel descent with a sensational panorama of the Ortler massif - and the Passo Alpisella. Here you roll over 30 kilometres on an almost flat high-altitude gravel road through breathtaking landscapes.
Just like on the Passo di Campo in the Adamello mountains, except that here you don't roll, but push up and down for four hours. But then the grand finale on the seventh day: the marvellous military road descent from the Tremalzo Pass down to Lake Garda!
It can also be easier: other Transalp routes
Critics claim that the Heckmair route contains too many carrying and pushing passages, but also too long tarmac sections in between.
You could argue about that. After all, adventurous Alpine crossers are happy to carry their bikes if they are rewarded with a fantastic view and an exciting descent. The Passo di Campo (stage 6) is more difficult to justify: Four hours of uphill and downhill pushing - it makes you wonder why you have your bike with you. Transalp guru Uli Stanciu recommends bypassing the Adamello mountains: So on day 4, don't descend to Bormio, but continue to Anorga and over the Passo di Verva, Passo della Foppa, Passo del Tonale and Madonna di Campiglio, then rejoin the original route in Pieve di Bono. Info: www.traumtouren-transalp.de
Tour information on the Heckmair route
The Original Heckmair route:
Stage 1: Oberstdorf - Rappenalptal - Schrofenpass (1,687 m) - Warth - Lech - Rauhes Joch (1,918 m). Overnight stay: Freiburger Hütte (1 931 m Tel. 0043/5556/73540).
Stage 2: Freiburger Hütte - Dalaas - Bludenz - St. Gallenkirch - Gargellen - Schlappiner Joch (2 203 m) - overnight stay in Klosters (FVA, tel. 0041/81/4102020).
Stage 3: Klosters - Davos - Gasthof Dürrboden - Scaletta Pass (2,606 m) - overnight stay: S-chanf (FVA, tel. 0041/81/8542255).
Stage 4: S-chanf - Passo Chaschauna (2,694 m) - Livigno - Passo Alpisella (2,268 m). Overnight stay: Bormio (FVA, tel. 0039/0342/902424).
Stage 5: Bormio - St. Caterina - Gavia Pass (2,621 m) - Ponte Legno - overnight stay: Edolo (FVA, tel. 0039/030/43418).
Stage 6: Edolo - Cedegolo - Passo di Campo (2,288 m) - Overnight stay: Pieve di Bono (FVA, tel. 0039/0465/685033).
Stage 7: Pieve di Bono - Storo - Passo Ampolo (727 m) - Tremalzo Pass (1,974 m) - Riva del Garda.
Maps: Compass maps (scale 1:50 000), No. 3 "Allgäu Alps", No. 32 "Bludenz", No. 71 "Adamello", No. 72 "Ortler", No. 102 "Lago di Garda", No. 103 "Brescina". National maps of Switzerland (scale 1:50 000) No. 5002 and No. 5013.
Literature/Info: BIKE magazine 8/91, Heckmair describes his route for the first time in the report "Über alle Berge" (Over all the mountains). On the Internet, the pioneer summarises the tour in five stages: www.heckmair.de/transalp
GPS data of the route: www.gps-tour.info
If you want to watch the tour from your sofa and see the master himself sweating, order the DVD: "In Heckmair's Footsteps", price: 17.95 euros, www.br-shop.de
The route is available as a guided tour from the following tour operators:
