The most beautiful climbs in the Ötztal Alps: The Kaunertal Glacier Road - "Glacier Emperor": Austria's second highest pass
Grandiose dead end: after the Gepatsch reservoir, there are still a good ten kilometres to the end of the road
The Kaunertal Glacier Road ends as a grandiose cul-de-sac at the Weißseeferner in front of the Ötztal Alps. Its end point lies in thin air at an altitude of 2,750 metres.
The Kaunertal Glacier Road is eight metres short of the Stelvio Pass, the second highest road pass in the Alps. Cyclists owe the private road of the Kaunertal glacier lifts to the ski resort, which opened on the glacier in 1980. Twice, in 1996 and 1999, the Tour of Austria spanned the finish line up there, but the route was later ousted from the stage plan by the steeper Kitzbüheler Horn. Today, every year at the end of June, amateur cyclists determine the "Kaunertal Glacier Emperor" (www.gletscherkaiser.at).
You can find the entire passport profile as a PDF download below.
