- Ascent
- 1534 hm
- Distance Ascent
- 26.3 km
- max. gradient
- 9 %
- ø gradient
- 5.8 %
The Grimselpass from Innertkirchen is an HC climb of 26.3 km with 1,534 m of elevation gain at an average of 5.8 %, peaking at 9 %. The road climbs through the Haslital to 2,165 m and drops on the south side into the Goms to Ulrichen. The gradient changes often, but it never gets really steep.
The Grimselpass links the Bernese Oberland with the Upper Valais. From Innertkirchen it is 26.3 kilometres and 1,534 metres of climbing up to 2,165 metres. It never gets really steep, the fact box shows 9 % as the maximum. What makes the Grimsel hard is its length and its constantly changing rhythm.
The Grimselpass at a glance
The key figures from Innertkirchen: category HC, 26.3 km, 1,534 m of climbing, 5.8 % on average and 9 % at its steepest. The road climbs through the Haslital past the reservoirs up to the pass at 2,165 m. On the south side it drops into the Goms to Ulrichen. In our list the Grimsel belongs to the Western Alps region.
The climb from Innertkirchen
The first half is restless: steeper kilometres at 6 to 8 % keep alternating with flatter ones around 3 to 4 %. That makes it hard to find a steady rhythm, but it also gives the legs regular breaks. Nothing here is steep enough to force you into your lowest gear. The climbing piles up slowly.
In the second half the steeper stretches get longer, several kilometres in a row sit at 7 to 8 %. About six kilometres below the pass there is one almost flat kilometre, the last real breather. It is followed by one steep kilometre, and after that the gradient stays at around 6 to 7 % until shortly before the top. The final kilometre is much gentler again.
How it compares to our 100 climbs
With 1,534 m of climbing the Grimsel is one of the bigger climbs in the list: only 20 have more, ten in the Western Alps. At 26.3 km it is also long, only 16 climbs are longer. The 9 % peak, on the other hand, is among the lowest, only two climbs stay below it. The Sustenpass also starts in Innertkirchen and is very similar with 27.7 km, 1,628 m of climbing and the same 9 % peak. On the south side the Grimsel ends in Ulrichen, where the Nufenenpass begins.
Practical tips
The Grimsel needs no special gearing, 9 % can be handled on a normal compact chainset. More important is steady pacing and enough food for a climb of well over an hour. At 2,165 m it is noticeably colder than in the Haslital, so bring a jacket for the descent. Heading south you roll into the Goms to Ulrichen, the way back to Innertkirchen is the same road.
