homeAlpe di Cadinello (Alpe di Gesero)
Alpe di Cadinello (Alpe di Gesero) Height Climbing height - length
1828m (1774m) (road height 1833m) 1633m - 18.47 km - 8.9% (Arbedo south)
1538m - 16.75 km - 9.2% (Alpe di Gesero) (Arbedo south)
1619m - 17.92 km - 9.1% (Arbedo north)
1524m - 16.20 km - 9.4% (Alpe di Gesero) (Arbedo north)
1536m - 15.43 km - 10.0% (Roveredo)
Difficulty Beauty
4-5 (5) 4-5 (5)
How to get there

This is a climb that starts near Bellinzona in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland. The hardest and most interesting climb is from Arbedo (236m or 250m), just north of Bellinzona. This is where one could start the climb up to Passo del San Bernardino/St. Bernhardinpass/Pass dal S. Bernardin (2067m) to the northeast or go straight up to Biasca for the start of the climbs up to Passo del Lucomagno/Cuolm Lucmagn/Lukmanierpass (1917m), Passo del San Gottardo/St. Gotthardpass/Son Gottard (2107m) and Nufenenpass/Passo della Novena/Pass da Nueinas (2480m).

If you go inside the village and keep to the left you will eventually (I came from the south) find the forest road going up to Alpe di Gesero (1725m). This is a long and winding road that only becomes really steep near the end (up to 20%). Soon after this very steep stretch there is an almost flat gravel section (ca. 500m) that is possible to navigate with a road bike and then follows good asphalt to Capanna Gesero (1774m) – 9.4% on average to this spot. Here you turn left on a dirt road that is not difficult to use (in dry conditions). After 1.74 km you then arrive at Alpe di Cadinello (1828m) from where you have a wonderful view of the Monte Rosa mountains in the distance. Here is a tunnel (250m unlit gravel) that was built during the 2nd world war (finished in 1941), making movement between Ticino and Graubünden possible without being seen down at the junction at Arbedo-Castione. The other side, up from Roveredo (292m) via Laura, is fully asphalted and evenly steep. The road is fine and only the slightly wide concrete drainage gullies makes you have reason to slow down on the way down the Laura road.

Other comments There are nice views on both sides, but especially on the more varied Arbedo side. Water can be found at a few places on the climb. Here is a photo of the tunnel. The tunnel may have been asphalted since I was there as I see asphalt at the parking on the Cadinello side of the tunnel now on satellite images, which I cannot remember from 2008. The passage above the tunnel is on a path at 1847m passing between Cadolcia (1939m) and Corno di Gesero (2227m).
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