Alps climbs, first week of June '08. Any experience??

[jonathanirwin]

I'm heading to Europe for a wedding, next May 29th, and I'm hoping to get some big climbs in the first week of June, 2008. Thought it would be great to preview a Giro stage, and a Tour stage, so I've been planning...

- Passo dello Stelvio (Italy)
- Col du Galibier
- Col de la Croix de Fer
- l'Alpe d'Huez

But I just realized, it'll likely be cold as hell in the Alps, and the roads might not even be open yet. I know the Giro is rumored to be doing the Passo dello Stelvio the day after I'm planning to do it.

Anyone have any experience in these areas, during the first weeks of June? Will roads be passable??

Thanks in advance all!

[saab2000]

By the end of May most of the passes should be open. Maybe not all, but most.

[stevep]

be prepared and bring plenty clothing up with you for the trip down.
last time up the stelvio. 90 degrees f at the bottom ( mid july
45 at the top w/ a 35 mp[h wind... f'in freezin...and needless to say you are pretty warm from the climb...
so its like ice up there.

the others will be/ can be the same..
great rides though.
enjoy them...
i've also had snow on the top of mt ventoux in july...
so, cold and wet...perfect...

galibier...85 degrees in briancon
65 at lauteret
55 on top of galibier

something like that

[93legendti]

Passo dello Stelvio (Italy)
- Col du Galibier
- Col de la Croix de Fer
- l'Alpe d'Huez

I've done them all. The Stelvio in June, when they were still skiing at the top (which is higher than the pass, the base of the ski station , iirc). Every otehr day it was 50 degrees and usually rained. That was miserable.

The Alps I did in August, during a record heat wave. Our tour director kept begging us to bring rain coats for the top, saying: "I know I told you yesterday to bring rain coats because it would be cold and rainy at the top and it wasn't, but today it really will be cold and rainy at the top!" It didn't rain at all and it was at least 80 degrees at the top of every pass and that was a record.

Be prepared for rain and cold and hope to be surprised. If in doubt, check out the TdF tapes from '96 and '98 when it rained and snowed in the Alps.

[jonathanirwin]

Thanks everyone. I'll post some journal entries and photos after the rides...in six months ;)

[velotel]

Alpe d'Huez is always open; it's a major ski area. Whether Galibier and Croix de Fer are open is always a good question, with the response frequently coming up negative. The last few years the winters seem to have been arriving quite late after a winter of little snow resulting in late openings. I know nothing about the Stelvio other than as a rule the italian side of the Alps receives considerably less snow. Hence I would suggest you plan in lots of flexibility to your trip. But if they aren't open, you'll still have lots of excellent options that will keep you fully occupied and amused.