2020 Road trip top tips

[JB65]

Good morning all!

After our an awesome first roadtrip last year we are looking for the sequel. Last years was a 5 day trip that included Blackforest, Furka, and Gorge de Verdon/Route Napoleon. This year we are now looking for 2 Options, one being centered around Austria and the Dolomites and another one around the great French Alpine road. Appr. 3000 km over 6 days.

Option 1 - Austria and Dolomites 2995 KM

https://mydrive.tomtom.com/gor-webapp/share/itiner...

1. Rhine Route
2. Part German Alpine Road (partly)
3. Rossfeld Panorama Strasse
4. Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse
5. Great Dolomites Road
6. Stelvio
7. San Bernardino Pass
8. Como Lake
9. Gothard
10. Furka & Grimsel
12. Black Forest

Option 2 - great French alpine route. 2853 KM

https://mydrive.tomtom.com/gor-webapp/share/itiner...

1. Rhine Route
2. Grimsel & Furka
4. Great Alpine route
6. Gothard
7. Black Forest

Appreciate your thoughts on either of the 2 options - thanks a lot!

[mr pg]

First point is it's a lot of miles in very few days!
We're doing quite a bit in Austria and then through Dolomites down Lake Garda this year. On the Grossglockner make sure you include the dead end limb up to the glacier. I don't know the area below Cortina but the road west from Cortina is spectacular.
Stelvio is great to look at, but not to drive. Wouldn't go again personally.
At the Andermatt loop I'd recommend the Nufenen Pass (east to west is my preference) if you can get it in, maybe instead of the Furka.
We did some of the grand alpine route through the Alps a couple of years ago, and of the 2 routes you have I'd go with the Austria/Dolomites choice.
Paul.

[JB65]

mr pg said:

First point is it's a lot of miles in very few days!
We're doing quite a bit in Austria and then through Dolomites down Lake Garda this year. On the Grossglockner make sure you include the dead end limb up to the glacier. I don't know the area below Cortina but the road west from Cortina is spectacular.
Stelvio is great to look at, but not to drive. Wouldn't go again personally.
At the Andermatt loop I'd recommend the Nufenen Pass (east to west is my preference) if you can get it in, maybe instead of the Furka.
We did some of the grand alpine route through the Alps a couple of years ago, and of the 2 routes you have I'd go with the Austria/Dolomites choice.
Paul.

Thanks for your thoughts. Appreciate Stelvio sentiment but it's an itch we need to scratch if only once... trip is September time so hopefully that will make it not too bad! We've covered Furka last year so Nufenen is a nice adjustment that I will ad it in and make sure we take the detour on the Grossglockner.

Distance is indeed a challenge - last year we covered 3500 in 5 days last year so already slightly better ;-)
Thanks again!

[Zed 44]

I tend to agree with mr.pg. It's not an itch I would want to scratch anymore.

[mr pg]

The time we did it we ended up in a queue following a police car that was at the back of a cycle event (not a race). Road was closed to traffic coming down, but we spent the whole ascent in 1st, occasionally 2nd, gear. Was actually glad it was closed coming down as it meant we could use all of the width of the hairpins to get round. Not something you could with traffic in both directions. From the top we took the Umbrail pass into Switzderland so can't comment on what the rest of the Stelvio is like (I've read it's better that side).

[JB65]

mr pg said:

The time we did it we ended up in a queue following a police car that was at the back of a cycle event (not a race). Road was closed to traffic coming down, but we spent the whole ascent in 1st, occasionally 2nd, gear. Was actually glad it was closed coming down as it meant we could use all of the width of the hairpins to get round. Not something you could with traffic in both directions. From the top we took the Umbrail pass into Switzderland so can't comment on what the rest of the Stelvio is like (I've read it's better that side).

Thanks for the feedback gents. Made some alterations to skip Como lake as well, as it also seems to be one big traffic jam most of the time..
Re Stelvios -alternative seems to be to continue west on the ss301 towards Valdidentro, next stop will be Sankt Moritz - any experience with that route?

https://mydrive.tomtom.com/gor-webapp/share/itiner...

[dimmy]

HI when are you looking to do this trip?

[Zed 44]

JB65 said:

Thanks for the feedback gents. Made some alterations to skip Como lake as well, as it also seems to be one big traffic jam most of the time..
Re Stelvios -alternative seems to be to continue west on the ss301 towards Valdidentro, next stop will be Sankt Moritz - any experience with that route?

https://mydrive.tomtom.com/gor-webapp/share/itiner...

If you were leaving from London and going for 6 days, I make that 395 miles a day or have I missed something?

[JB65]

dimmy said:

HI when are you looking to do this trip?

Current planning is Mid september - to avoid heaviest traffic and still have some decent weather

[JB65]

Zed 44 said:

If you were leaving from London and going for 6 days, I make that 395 miles a day or have I missed something?

Yes, that is what i calculated as well. Should be doable i think.

[Pericoloso]

Zed 44 said:

I tend to agree with mr.pg. It's not an itch I would want to scratch anymore.

that is nothing like I experienced Stelvio last September.

I saw next to nothing going up from Spondigna at the north point and going back down the same way about 6pm on a weekday.

Done it once ,don't need to go back.

[mr pg]

JB65 said:

Yes, that is what i calculated as well. Should be doable i think.

That is a lot of miles in the twisty bits. Will be long days, very little time for stops.

[D7MMY]

JB65 said:

Current planning is Mid september - to avoid heaviest traffic and still have some decent weather

is it a close group of friends, im basically trying to find a group who is doing a road trip from uk.. be good to find some like minded peeps to tag along with,

[VTECMatt]

We are leaving U.K. 1st September, travelling from the Lakes over 9 days, last year a number of passes were closed early September due to snow, just something to bare in mind.

Edited by VTECMatt on Friday 6th March 19:27

[JB65]

D7MMY said:

is it a close group of friends, im basically trying to find a group who is doing a road trip from uk.. be good to find some like minded peeps to tag along with,

We”re a group of Dutch friends trying to tick of our bucket list ;-)

[roygarth]

Zed 44 said:

I tend to agree with mr.pg. It's not an itch I would want to scratch anymore.

I'm going late September to Stelio as part of 8 day Dolomites/Alps tour. If we hit Stelvio at 5.30am will it be empty?

[roygarth]

VTECMatt said:

last year a number of passes were closed early September due to snow, just something to bare in mind.

Edited by VTECMatt on Friday 6th March 19:27

Wow were going end of September. Is it normal for high passes to have snow in September?

[Pericoloso]

roygarth said:

I'm going late September to Stelio as part of 8 day Dolomites/Alps tour. If we hit Stelvio at 5.30am will it be empty?

I doubt it will be busy at that hour.

[VTECMatt]

roygarth said:

VTECMatt said:

last year a number of passes were closed early September due to snow, just something to bare in mind.

Edited by VTECMatt on Friday 6th March 19:27

Wow were going end of September. Is it normal for high passes to have snow in September?

Potentially yes, they do a good job of clearing them but something to be mindful of. Personally I wouldn't leave it that late.

[JB65]

We try to avoid tourist season as much as possible and are going for 2nd week of September which worked brilliantly last year. We will review closer to the day and have an alternative route ready around south of France in case Italy gets bombed with snow. Biggest turn off are congested roads...