- Ascent
- 1196 hm
- Distance Ascent
- 19 km
- max. gradient
- 16 %
- ø gradient
- 6.3 %
The Gampenpass (Passo delle Palade) from Lana is an HC climb of 19 km with 1,196 m of elevation gain at an average of 6.3 %, peaking at 16 %. The road climbs out of the Adige valley near Merano to 1,512 m and drops on the far side into the Val di Non towards Fondo. The gradient stays remarkably even, and the last three kilometres are the steepest.
The Gampenpass, Passo delle Palade in Italian, starts low down in the Adige valley near Merano. From Lana it is 19 kilometres and 1,196 metres of climbing up to 1,512 metres. The pass itself is not high, but the low start makes for plenty of elevation gain. The profile is remarkably even from bottom to top.
The Gampenpass at a glance
The key figures from Lana: category HC, 19 km, 1,196 m of climbing, 6.3 % on average and 16 % at its steepest. The road leaves Lana and climbs out of the Adige valley to the pass at 1,512 m. On the far side it runs down into the Val di Non towards Fondo. In our list the Gampenpass belongs to the Eastern Alps region.
The climb from Lana
Over most of the climb the gradient sits between 5 and 8 %, and on kilometre level it never really drops below 4 %. There are no flat pieces and no long steep walls, just a steady rhythm. One kilometre in the middle part goes a little above 9 %, otherwise the values stay close together. That makes the Gampen a climb you can ride at one pace for a long time.
The last three kilometres are the steepest of the whole climb and average a little over 8 %. So the hardest part comes right at the end, when the legs have already done more than 1,000 metres of climbing. The 16 % in the fact box does not show up at kilometre level, so it must be a short spot. Keep something in reserve for the finish.
How it compares to our 100 climbs
At 1,512 m the Gampen has one of the lower finishing points in the list, only one Eastern Alps climb ends lower. With 1,196 m of climbing, on the other hand, it is right in the middle, 53 climbs have more. The comparison with the Col d’Izoard is striking: 19.2 km, 1,211 m of climbing, 6.3 % on average and 16 % at the steepest, almost exactly the same figures. The difference is the height, the Izoard ends almost 850 metres higher.
Practical tips
The Gampen suits a steady pace, a compact gearing is enough for the short 16 % spot. The start in the Adige valley is low and can be warm, so bring enough to drink. At 1,512 m the top is only moderately high, a windproof layer for the descent is usually enough. Carry on over the pass and you roll down into the Val di Non towards Fondo, the way back to Lana is the same road.
