wingguy wrote:Basilic, how late in the season do those roads tend to stay open?
I'm going to be around Grindelwald for the first two weeks of october and I'm wondering whether it'll be worth taking the bike over - been looking at Grosse Scheidegg, Grimsel, Susten etc...
The roads should be open, but you never know with snow at that time of year. The web site of the TCS has up to date info on mtn passes (you click on "cols")
http://www.tcs.ch/fr/auto-mobilite/inforoute/situation-actuelle.phpThe postal bus schedule over the passes is good up to October 7, so they seem to count on passes being open at least till then.
Off season riding is great - better light, less traffic, etc. Even if a col is closed (say snow at 2000m) why not ride the empty road as far as you can and turn around. If the mountains are in the clouds, just ride at lower elevations, around the lakes of Thun and Brienz, up the Lauterbrunnen valley, etc. Get a regional cycling map (blue/red cover, "la suisse à vélo"), they show the best roads for cyclists. Bring a windbreaker, gloves, hat, booties for the descents. If you run into really bad weather take the train back, they have hooks for bikes (buy a ticket for the bike, 12 frs per day). Have fun!
Mt Dandenong where the picture was taken (hill offering a good mix of 5- 7km climbs ~30km East of Melbourne) does get a very light dusting of snow once every couple of years...
