Col de la Croix  

Snowing in June
19.6 kms;  1,380 metres ascent;  Start: Ollon
Last Climbed:  June 2006

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A Riddle: When you are cycling up a 10% slope, its freezing, and it starts to snow, why are hairpin turns good?

Answer: At least some of the time the 25 km wind will be at your back.

Col de la Croix is high above but links Villars and Diablerets Ski resorts in the Swiss Vaudoise Alps. It’s an absolutley beautiful route especially up high, although lower down there is a bit of traffic. Despite being a fairly high col it is dwarfed by extremely high peaks. You can ski at over 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) here. It’s steep at the start, at the end, and in the middle, but between that there are a few easier parts.

I can’t believe it is June and it is this cold. It was cold at the bottom so unlike Wednesday’s climb, I knew climbing over 1,300 metres (+4,300 feet) would require warm clothing and I was prepared. I thought the Col was at 1,700 metres but it is actually 1,778 so I was a little extra exhausted when I reached the top.

This photo is really making me laugh (enlarge it and mock me). I really tried to smile but I was knackered and cold … and it is hard to be cold when you have just climbed for almost 2 hours. But a fantastic ride.

NEXT DAY:

Today was a bit warmer and much sunnier.  I decided to climb Col de la Croix again — starting at Villars - but using mountain bike paths as much as possible.  There is nothing like the Swiss Alps when the sun is shining.  The first half of my route was on a beautiful, tiny, steep path.  I think I somehow missed a turn (snow on the road maybe, and found myself biking across an alpine field to a little farming community below the glacier.   To get to the col I had to join the main road for the last three  10% or so kilometres.  I was pretty tired but decided to go over the top and explore a little.

I passed a restaurant  that Doreen and I had cycled to a couple of years back - we were oblivious as to how close we were to the col.  (the far left of photo below is only a few hundred metres from the col) and only 70 metres of altitude below the summit

I didn’t have enough energy to go all the way down the other side, but explored a few little paths and then started climbing to the Col for the 3rd time in 2 days.  

I am the world’s worst descender, but it is much more enjoyable on a mountain bike than a road bike.