Tour of the Alps 2019 – Friday July 19th

Haag — Buchs-Malbun/Obersäss — Walenstadt — Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg — Gräpplang — Flumserberg/Prodalp — Flumserberg/Tannenbodenalp (107.33 km, 3587m)

Buchs-Malbun/Obersäss

After breakfast in the morning in Haag (439m), I once again took the same road as yesterday up to Buchs (451m). The first climb for the day was very local and the reason I did not try to go further the evening before. Buchs-Malbun/Obersäss (1744m) is situated far above Buchs, this is also a BIG climb, but for some reason they have decided that the climb ends at Malbunalp (1411m), but the interesting part really starts just there.

I had to stop for some cows on the way up and by mistake I thought the relevant road went via the Berghaus Malbun, so had to turn around there also. This photo is from the end of the road at Obersäss. Very nice up here on this day.


Buchs-Malbun/Obersäss

Totally open views up here down over the Rhine/Rhein river going to the Bodensee.


Buchs-Malbun/Obersäss

The last serpentine and clear traces of the cows on the road.


Buchs-Malbun/Obersäss

A family came up continuing up on the track here. Next to the bike was a big dangerous-looking spider sitting on his net … watched carefully so he did not walk over to the bike.


Buchs-Malbun/Obersäss

This is just above Malbunalp looking down on the Berghaus Malbun and across to Liechtenstein, where the Kulmstrasse goes over the ridge around the same height I am on here. It is confusing because in Google Street view the road to Berghaus Malbun looks like taking off the main road, but when I was there it was the other way around (6 yrs later than Google), which is likely why I went in there at first.

I took some curious local roads down in Buchs to enter the main road a bit outside the village. Then easy and flat to Sargans (482m) where I stopped to eat something at a café. It was warm, but not so bad today. I continued in the direction of Walensee to see the other side of the lake from where I started. I got a little company shortly by another cyclist until he took off on a local road, just to come back after me on the main road again. I think I had a coca-cola in Walenstadt (425m) before I started out on the next climb from there.


Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg

I was on the way to my second BIG climb for the day, which is the Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg (1436m). This climb is almost exactly 1000hm on asphalt and a bit higher if continuing to the end on gravel, but this is a much harder climb than one might have guessed. It is a bit similar to the second BIG climb the day before (Millrütte), but longer. Very steep from start, esp. if taking the second turn-off (and that was the only one open this time).

Here I am at the end at Schwaldis (1436m) after 645m of gravel (the gravel road continues a bit, but it goes down from here and seemingly in less good quality). Very nice up here!


Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg

It had been a quite warm climb, so grapefruit soda was a good idea (maybe a bit too much, but I drank it all up).


Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg

A better view and without the cars.


Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg

Looking back to where I turned around. There are only paths on this side of the Walensee and the one from here is one of only two.


Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg

Looking forward from the end of the asphalt climb.


Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg

Looking back a last time from the same place (close by).


Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg

From Hochrugg (1289m) and ahead (from where the asphalt road becomes even more narrow going up).


Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg

Looking up at Hochrugg.


Schwaldis/Schrina-Hochrugg

Maybe the only place where you actually see the Walensee along the road – not much views over the sea unfortunately.


Walenstadt

Had to stop at Hotel Churfirsten for a coffee (and toilet visit) as it looked so relaxing (even if just by the main road). Very nice that they have a place like this so centrally located! You can glimpse the Walenstadtberg that I had climbed up to the right.


Gräpplang

Then I found the little road to Gräpplang (where I had initially planned to stay a night) near Flums on the other side of the valley. This is the nice way up to Flumserberg and one soon passes through a nice narrow tunnel seen here. The road is then quite steep up via Fäsch. One follows the main road and as it enters the wood it becomes flat. Then comes a camping site and at the end a road goes up and I was starting up on it before I (immediately) realised this could not be right. That road continues to Ackerwiese (1073m) (and unnamed pass), but there is no connection up to Tannenbodenalp (only a grassy track). I continued on to the big road just a 100m ahead or so and then climbed on up the mountain.


Flumserberg/Tannenbodenalp

I had originally planned to try and climb directly up to Prodalp from Tannenheim, but luckily I did not do that as it was only a track there. I continued to the end (steep ramp near the end with a big parking for the Winter skiers) at Flumserberg/Tannenbodenalp (Untersäss) (1394m). From memory I had thought the normal asphalted road continued from there to Prodalp, but the road turned to gravel, so had to go back down the steep ramp again to go up the next road. Photo here is from the end of the main road (Untersäss).


Flumserberg/Prodalp

The last part of the road to Prodalp was quite nice. After Prodalp the road turns to gravel though, but I believe it is partly asphalted up to Panüöl (1804m), but the gravel was not very inviting and it was getting late, so this was fine enough for me on this day.


Flumserberg/Prodalp

The views were best a little below Prodalp as seen here. Very nice in the evening and perfect temperature now.


Flumserberg/Prodalp

Looking back up the Schilstal valley, the side of which the Prodalp road continues along.


Flumserberg/Prodalp

Another photo ahead just because the view was so good. To the right in the photo one sees the Chamm (Gonzen/Palfries) (1712m) saddle to which a hard climb goes from the other side north of Sargans and where I went up in 2008.


Flumserberg/Prodalp

Here you see the the road coming up from the left in the photo and I went back there and decided to stay at the hotel in Flumserberg Tannenbodenalp (1339m) by the main road. It was old style and quite nice and not so expensive. The food was more expensive however.


Flumserberg/Tannenbodenalp

Here is the view from the dinner table. A nice hotel.


Flumserberg/Tannenbodenalp

Yes, it might not be so cheap when ordering both sparkling water and special beer, but it was a good dinner. 3 BIGs climbed today as well, but now I was running out of these previously overlooked BIG climbs and the next day would mean other climbs.



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