Alps by motorcycle 2023 – part 1, Swiss Alps around Andermatt
For a motorcyclist, Alps offer the ultimate riding experience. When you go there once, you always want to return. In June 2023, after five long years, I was finally back.
This time I wanted to reverse my first trip. I choose highways right to Zurich. And then, I was at the doorsteps of Andermatt and all the passes around it.
Part 1, Swiss Alps around Andermatt
I’ve took a longer route to climb Klausenpass (1,948m) on my way towards Andermatt. I stayed for the night in Göscheneralp, where I climbed to the dam.
On the next day Furkapass (2,429m), made famous by the Goldfinger movie, was my first goal. That was my first pass above 2,000m on this trip. It is easy to notice when you pass that elevation. Two kilometers above mean sea level there are no more trees, just rocks and snow. And the weather can quickly change from cozy warmth, to freezing cold.
My original plan was to make a circle through Grimselpass (2,165m) and Sustenpass, but the second one was still closed after winter. So I turned back through Grimselpass again and this time towards Nufenenpass (2,478m).
It was late afternoon already and weather was changing. Clouds began to cover the road and soon first drops of rain could be seen on the windshield.
I’ve put on the rain jacket and decided to go towards France, through Milan in Italy.
In the valley the weather changed rapidly, there were no more clouds and it was much, much warmer. That was sure sign that I was in Ticino, Italian part of Switzerland. I’ve took the highway towards Lugano and in the evening stopped for the night in Sant’Antonino.
Usually I avoid highways, but highway “2” is not typical. It goes high above valley, between two mountain ranges, offering picturesque views.
To be continued…
12-13 June 2023