homeVorderstocken
Vorderstocken Height Climbing height - length
1799m
1078m - 10.4 km (Erlenbach)
Difficulty Beauty
4 (5) 4 (5)
How to get there

This is a fairly unknown climb in Switzerland from Erlenbach (721m) in Simmental. The road is somewhat constantly steep and averages just above 10% for over 10 km, making it just into the class of the really hard climbs. The road is never really steep though. The road is nice and narrow.

A bit up the road one could go straight through Balzeberg (which I wrongly had thought was the steepest variant) or you could turn left on a more serpentine road up before Balzeberg. The Balzeberg road variation is only about 100m longer though. Above Balzeberg one enters a long wooded section on very long serpentines. Eventually one comes out of the woods to meet the few houses up here and lovely views opens up, which you can enjoy on the return back down. The paved road ends by the last two houses just before the pass, which is reached on an easy path only ca. 100m long and only on the last part you will need to walk to the pass itself, so I regard this as an essentially asphalted pass.

Other comments Just like on the road to Sillerebühl (1973m) you likely will meet people coming down here on so-called trotti-bikes without pedals, telling you there is no respite during this climb. There are great views from the pass itself, so it is worthwhile walking up the last few metres there! Wish it had a real pass name also, but some passes in the area lack obvious pass names. Bring water as I am not sure I saw any water along the road.
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