Bärenluegscharte

Overview

Bärenluegscharte is a hors catégorie ascent that earns its rank the honest way: length and steepness stacked on top of each other with almost no relief. Across 17.3 km the road averages 7.83%, hauling you from a valley floor at 867 m all the way to a summit at 2219 m. That is a net elevation gain of 1352 m, and with the small dips and rolls factored in you actually pedal through 1315 m of total ascent — a figure that tells you the road climbs relentlessly rather than giving back what it takes. There is nowhere to hide on a climb like this, and the HC label is not decoration.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 7.83% is already demanding, but averages flatten out the story. The defining number here is the 19% maximum gradient — a pitch steep enough to force you out of the saddle and change the shape of the whole effort around it. On a climb this long, the danger is treating the early kilometres like the middle ones. With 17.3 km to cover and a summit 1352 m above the start, the smart read is to assume the gradient will keep leaning on you and to leave a margin for that 19% ramp rather than spending everything before you meet it. Expect the road to sit consistently near its 7.83% average, with the steepest sections punching well above it.

Pacing Notes

The single most useful lever on a 17.3 km HC climb is discipline in the first third. This is a sustained-power effort, so anchor your pacing to your FTP rather than to how fresh your legs feel at 867 m. A climb of this length rewards riders who settle just below threshold and hold it, letting the 19% ramps spike briefly without blowing the whole ascent apart. If you are unsure where your threshold sits today, run the numbers first with the FTP estimator and set a ceiling you can defend for the full 1352 m of climbing. Riders who go out hot on the lower slopes almost always pay for it before the summit.

Gearing

At 7.83% average over 17.3 km with pitches to 19%, gear for the steep sections, not the mellow ones. A compact 34-tooth inner ring paired with a 34×32 low will get most strong climbers over the top, but on the 19% ramps — especially deep into the climb as fatigue accumulates toward 2219 m — a 34×34 gives you the extra spin to keep your cadence up and your knees happy. If your legs or your day are in doubt, choose the 34×34: on an HC climb this long, the lower gear costs you nothing and buys you a working escape hatch when the road tilts hardest.

Summary

Bärenluegscharte is a pure hors catégorie challenge — long, steep, and unrelenting, with a 19% sting to respect and 1352 m of vertical to conquer. Pace it to your threshold, gear it for the steepest pitch, and let the summit come to you.

Length: 17.3 km
Average gradient: 7.83%
Max gradient: 19%
Start: 867 m
Summit: 2219 m
Net gain: 1352 m
Total ascent: 1315 m
Category: HC