Kaunertaler Gletscherstrasse - Austria
What makes this ride so special it that it takes you on a time ride through evolution.
Starting in a lush valley with meadows and cow bells ringing and ending in a moon like landscape of rock and ice at an altitude of 2749m. Like a ride through the evolution of time.
Ride into rock and ice
Cycling the Kaunertaler Gletscherstraße is a long, steadily rising ascent into stark, high-alpine terrain. Starting deep in the Kaunertal Valley, the road climbs relentlessly past a reservoir and across open mountain slopes, with smooth tarmac and consistent gradients that reward patient pacing. As you gain height, vegetation gradually disappears, the air cools, and the scenery becomes increasingly dramatic and barren. The climb finishes high above the valley at over 2,700 m near the glacier, where the cold, silence, and vast views create the feeling of having ridden to the very edge of the Alps.
This was my first experience of such long, high-altitude climbs, and I learned a great deal—above all, the importance of pacing and the discovery of reserves I did not know I had.
The 39 km route to the summit at 2,743 m can be divided into four sections.
Start of the push into the upper part of the valley
Switchbacks, ramps, water, rock and ice awaits.
Kaunertaler Gletschstrasse from Prutz - 2749m
The Kaunertaler Gletscherstraße leads to nowhere in particular, yet takes you through a striking progression of ecosystems, all on a narrow, slightly rugged road with minimal traffic. Its length, high altitude, and the dramatic shift in scenery make it a truly unforgettable ride, with many beautiful sections along the way.
Valley and water
The first section follows the lush valley, rising gently past the toll station towards the hydroelectric dam, where the first switchbacks begin. This is a lovely section of road, especially in the morning when th eair is still cool and there is little traffic.
At the lake, the road then continues along a flatter section beside the reservoir and deeper into the valley, offering a chance to recover. Here, it is narrow and slightly twisty, nestled between the lake and the hillside, with water all around—small waterfalls cascading down the slopes and the reservoir stretching alongside the road.
Amazing switchbacks
Once you leave the lake, the climbing begins in earnest. At the end of the valley, after passing through alpine meadows, a series of tight switchbacks lifts the road high above the lake. This is a particularly beautiful part of the climb.
Each bend is numbered and marked with its altitude, along with information about the vegetation zone and ecosystem you are passing through—a welcome distraction from the effort.
The switchbacks come in quick succession and are a real pleasure to ride.
Once the hairpins are left behind, the ride heads deep into the valley along long, steep ramps.
Rock-Ice-Water
As this was once a glacier valley, the vegetation quickly recedes and the landscape becomes increasingly rocky. The gradients are typically Austrian—steep. The road was built to serve a ski area, and ski lifts dotted along the route provide useful markers of how far remains to the summit.
A glacial lake offers a welcome excuse to stop before the final push to the top, where the scenery becomes ever more dramatic.
The road winds its way through scree fields and eventually ends at a cable car station, meaning the descent follows the same route back down.
Seeing the glaciers of the Alps in such retreat is saddening, and it is worth visiting them while we still can.
Kaunertal from Prutz
Length: 38.6km
Altitude gain: 1888 m
Max altitude: 2749 m
Average gradient: 4.9%
Max gradient: 12.3%
Route Tip: The Kaunertaler Glacier is a dead end and starting from Prutz. There really is only one way up and down, altogether just over 80km, 2090m climbing.
There are a couple of smaller climbs around Prutz and specifically the Piller Höhe (1570m) would be worth to tackle. From Prutz, this is a 10km climb covering 736m altitude gain but this is no slouch with about 4km above 10%.
