Brunnipass

Overview

Brunnipass is a Category 1 climb in Switzerland, and at 49.8 km it is more of an all-day objective than a single ramp. It starts at 634 m and tops out at a summit elevation of 2,215 m, for a net elevation gain of 1,581 m. On paper that is a long, steady haul — but the profile is not a clean staircase, and the length means you will be working with the terrain, not just against a fixed slope.

The number that reframes this climb is total ascent: 4,806 m against a net gain of only 1,581 m. That is roughly 3,225 m of climbing you do that is later given back through descents and dips along the route. In practical terms, you climb three times more than the net figure suggests. Expect repeated ups and downs rather than one continuous grade, and budget your legs and your food accordingly — the elevation profile hides a lot of hidden work.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 3.18% average gradient is close to meaningless here. Averaged across 49.8 km with 3,225 m of rolling terrain baked in, it masks flat rollout, genuine descents, and short walls that spike well beyond anything the mean implies. The steepest recorded pitch hits 30.83% — a wall, not a slope — so the real difficulty is in the spikes, not the average.

• Flatter and downhill recovery sections where the net gain barely moves and you can eat, drink, and settle your heart rate.
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back — the source of that 3,225 m of extra ascent.
• A savage steepest ramp at 30.83%, short but out of the saddle, where cadence collapses if your gearing is wrong.

Pacing Notes

Pace this by effort, never by speed. On a climb with this much undulation, holding a fixed pace forces you to overcook the steep ramps and coast the flats — exactly backwards. Anchor your effort to your sustainable power output and let your speed swing freely: fast on the descents, slow and controlled on the walls, steady in between. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through our FTP estimator before you go, and keep a ceiling in mind for the short spikes so you do not blow up on a 30% wall at kilometre 40.

Gearing

Gear for the steepest ramp, not the average — 30.83% dictates your setup. A compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette is the minimum sensible choice. Something like 34×32 or 34×34 keeps your cadence alive on the wall; if you spin out easily or carry weight, go wider still. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride — discovering you are undergeared on a 30% pitch, deep into a 49.8 km climb, is not a mistake you recover from.

Summary

• Length: 49.8 km
• Average gradient: 3.18%
• Maximum gradient: 30.83%
• Net elevation gain: 1,581 m
• Total ascent: 4,806 m
• Category: 1

Brunnipass rewards riders who read the profile honestly: a modest net gain wrapped in 4,806 m of real climbing. Pace by effort, gear for the wall, and treat the 3,225 m of hidden ascent with respect.