The inhumane climb to Kitzbuhler Horn with 22% ramps

Kitzbüheler Horn is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 1.967m (6,453ft) above sea level, located in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It’s one of the toughest climbs in international cycling.

Kitzbüheler Horn

Is Kitzbüheler Horn paved?

Tucked away on the western part of the country, the toll road to the summit is totally paved but brutally steep, hitting a 22.4% maximum gradient through some of the ramps, and pretty narrow. It’s called Kitzbühel Horn Alpine Road. The road winds its way in numerous switchback corners up past a few alpine huts.

Is Kitzbüheler Horn open?

Set high in the Kitzbühel Alps, this spectacular twisting road is usually impassable from late October through May (depending on snow). The final 2.2 km of the road are on a privately owned and car-restricted road, owned by the ÖRF (the National Austrian Broadcasting Company). This last section (through a little gate) is probably the most difficult part as it's narrow, steep and has a pretty poor surface.

How steep is Kitzbüheler Horn?

Starting at Kitzbühel, a small Alpine town, the winding and wide panoramic road is 10.7 km (6.64 miles) long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 1.218 meters. It’s said to be the steepest mountain cycle race in Austria. The average gradient is 11.38%. The last kilometre, just above the Goinger Alm, is the most difficult "ramp" with exactly 22.3% slope.

Is Kitzbüheler Horn worth the drive?

The summit hosts a restaurant, a chapel, and a 102-meter-high TV tower, the Kitzbüheler Horn Transmission Tower (Sendeturm Kitzbüheler Horn).
Pic: Benjamin Chan

 

 

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