The first reference I found for this climb was a comment on Will's Switzerland page.
That eventually lead here https://www.hikr.org/dir/Tguma_-_Parkplatz_46632/, but that was the end of the trail for a while.
When prepariing for this trip I found that google and sbb.ch call the top of this
climb Wergenstein, Tguma, and it is a bus stop as well as a parking lot.
I didn't know that CyclingCols calls this climb Alp Anarosa until the
evening after I climbed it, and I hadn't seen the profile below either.
The road appears to be called Wergenstein locally (also the name of the
main town along the road), Tguma is the bus stop / parking lot at the
top.
This was the first time I bought a day pass for my bike for the trains and buses - 17 chf, a
bargain compared to half fare for the day.
I woke up early, caught 612am 90 minute ride on the Glacier Express back
down to Thusis, and caught the 15 minute bus ride from Thusis to Zillis.
On the train I saw a hunter with a rifle on a large
rock right next to the train tracks...
I found water / springs along the route:
Downtown Casti 1171m
Roadside at 1330m
Roadside at 1650m
The parking lot at the top 2340m
08:48 Switzerland time 00:48 California time
View from Zillis
09:25 Switzerland time 01:25 California time
As I started my ride this morning the first thing I saw
leaving Zillis was a successful hunting party, I saw a deer like
carcass from a distance
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09:31 Switzerland time 01:31 California time
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The start of the double tracks at about 1185m
Never seen anything like it.
Mathon 1486m is ahead, but my route doesn't go there.
10:02 Switzerland time 02:02 California time
Looking west up Tgatscha
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Looking southwest towards Piz deigl Gurschus and Piz Grisch
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1330m
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10:27 Switzerland time 02:27 California time
Busy downtown Wergenstein
10:31 Switzerland time 02:31 California time
Mathon in the distance from Wergenstein
10:32 Switzerland time 02:32 California time
Looking downhill / southeast from Wergenstein
Yes, that's the road I just climbed.
Not sure I've ever seen anywhere quite so green expect perhaps the Dolomites...
The wind was seriously blowing out of the southwest and getting stronger as I got higher on the mountain.
After a while, I noticed I saw a lot of eye floaties in my left eye, but I didn't think anything of it.
10:37 Switzerland time 02:37 California time
A few minutes after leaving Wergenstein I found the intersection to the park above.
10:39 Switzerland time 02:39 California time
Toll booth for the park.
No, I didn't pay.
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11:08 Switzerland time 03:08 California time
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Dumagns
Didn't see anyone inhabiting any of these houses.
Not sure I've seen a community anywhere quite like this...
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PANO - scroll right
Dumagns
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The pavement gets bad, then it gets better, then it gets worse again.
Then the pavement ends at this cattle guard at 2275m between the first and second turns from the top.
The first turn is paved, and there's another small remnant of pavement, but the pavement really ends here at 2275m.
12:10 Switzerland time 04:10 California time
The parking lot at 2340m - the end of the so called paved road.
12:11 Switzerland time 04:11 California time
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12:15 Switzerland time 04:15 California time
The bus turnaround
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Pizzas d' Anarosa 3002m
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PANO - scroll right
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12:26 Switzerland time 04:26 California time
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The top four turns
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PANO - scroll right
13:40 Switzerland time 05:40 California time
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The 212pm bus in Zillis was late
Dusty: This is the first time i put my bike on the rack hanging off the back of the bus, i was a little nervous..
Dusty: onboard the bus (enter in the back door) I finally realized the
driver was addressing me when i heard "velo", when i said "sorry?" she
repeated in English "is the bike ok?" and I replied "i hope so" which
got quite a laugh from the old folks in the front of the bus..
Dusty: (it was)...
Dusty: but since the bus was a couple of minutes late, when i rushed to
catch the hourly connecting train in Thusis i missed it by seconds.....
Dusty: which gave me 57 minutes to hit the quicky mart at train station for a junk food lunch..
Dusty: i am not gaining weight on this trip....
An hour later at 330, train departs...
Dusty: St Moritz at 5, 522 bus to Pontresina to return bike a day early
since i accomplished all my goals here, 617pm train back to St Moritz
6 -1/4 hours of train and bus travel today and bus travel today if you
include the hour I was stuck in Thusis on the return trip.
6am - 8am; 215pm - 630pm
Round trip from St Moritz to Zillis, then round trip from St Moritz to Pontresina.
Not ideal, but worth it for this ride.
21:10 Europe time 12:10 California time
Dusty: 612am 90minute train from St Moritz down Albula to Thusis, then 15minute bus to Zillis 945meters
Dusty: Bike up Wergenstien, a little known paved road to a parking lot and bus stop in a high alp, 2340 meters..
Dusty: unique ride in farm country, solitude factor a 10, saw a handful
of cars, no motorcycles, all protected above about 1600 meters..
Dusty: the town of Wergenstein 1487meters had a hotel, but i saw only farms and homes other than that on the whole ride..
Dusty: nice views of Pizzas d Anarosa (in the selfie) to the south and Biz Beverin to the north
Dusty: Turned out the pavement stopped at 2275 meters vertical before
the final turn, i of course went the final 500 meters or so the parking
lot / bus stop - 2275m makes it the 39th highest paved road in the
alps...
Dusty: Loved the views
Dusty: They got better as the sun moved across the sky..
Dusty: very breezy, which i think is a large part of the reason there's very few trees on this alp..
Dusty: Rick Steves has a decent amount about this area, and all the
local trains, buses, and lifts are all free as part of any hotel stay,
which is huge..
Dusty: tomorrow I'm gonna try to find the best view of Piz Bernina on a few lifts.....
Dusty: easy day....
21:20 Europe time 12:20 California time
Kent: Nice Dusty
Kent: I'm incredibly jealous
Kent: I picked up a couple cement pinecones to ease my pain
Kent: :)
21:21 Europe time 12:21 California time
Dusty: Id love to bring my family here for a couple of weeks, Muerren, Zermatt, Saas Fee, St Moritz..
Dusty: wish you all were here! It doesn't suck.
21:29 Europe time 12:29 California time
Dusty: I hadn't seen a climb profile before today, I believe that's the first climb I've done "blind"
Dusty: I did the southeast more brutal climb...
Dusty: I think I'm glad I didn't see the profile first
21:34 Europe time 12:34 California time
Ray: Neat! I love those country roads
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Tuesday September 7, 2021
Julierpass and Albulapass
