Other stuff /

Project 2000

Most summers I spend a week or two in the Alps to climb the famous mountain passes of the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia. Over the years, an idea formed in my head that it would be nice to conquer all the high mountain passes in the Alps. So, I made a list of all mountain passes over 2000 meters in height and that are paved on at least one side. I have found 60 of them (see table below). While any list is subjective, I compiled the list with the following rules in mind:

• It has to be a mountain pass, i.e. the lowest points between two mountains. I don’t want to spend my summer holidays cycling to depressing ski resorts ;-) And less depressing, but still not on the list: Ötztaler Gletscherstraße and Kaunertaler Gletscherstraße. Also, the pass height of Col de la Bonette is “only” 2715m: the loop to Cime de la Bonette is not the lowest point between two mountains.
• It is paved on at least one side. I’ve done the Colle delle Finestre from the unpaved side, but on a road bike I need a paved road to descend safely.
• It’s in the Alps, obviously (no Tourmalet!), and the Dolomites are in the Alps.
• If a climb is too “minor”, then I have the discretion to leave it off the list. This applies mainly to mountain passes that are “en route” to other mountain passes without any noticeable descending (for instance, the Esischie and the Vallonetta on the way to the Fauniera). Col du Lautaret is on the list simply because I’ve crossed it on my way from Briançon to Bourg d’Oisans.

The list (with date of completion, if it applies, and link to the location of the mountain pass):