Uinaschlucht – Costainas Pass Tour

Whooo whoo whoooo 🥳! Today we're tackling a long-desired goal: the Uina Gorge. We're finally in the right place at the right time. It's going to be tough, we know, because 80km and 1,900 meters of elevation gain (not to mention the 2,700 meters of drop) are no easy feat for older folks like us, even with a motorized vehicle. But nothing ventured, nothing gained! One after the other... we get a shuttle to Schlinig, from there we head to the Sesvenna Hut. A beautiful forest track with the minor flaw of a very steep section 🥵. But that means we've already gotten the worst part out of the way right from the start. It's cold 🥶, and from the Sesvenna Hut we have to tackle several icy patches – whenever a stream crosses the trail, which is basically every 50 meters. The Schlining Pass, at 2,309 meters, is our highest point today. I can ride all the way up to this point, but after that, it gets more challenging until the entrance to the Uina Gorge. A high-alpine trail with further icy passages that forces me to dismount repeatedly. But the landscape up here is fantastic and makes up for any adversity. Then we head into the gorge. A classic on many Alpine crossings, but usually tackled from bottom to top. It seems more sensible to us the other way round; you have to push either way, but there are several rougher passages and steps over which I'd rather not push the heavy electric bike against gravity. The gorge itself and the path that was blasted into the rock about 100 years ago are truly breathtaking. The pushing section is perhaps a good kilometer long, then it's a brisk descent into the Inn Valley, which we reach at Sur-En. Along the Inn River to Scuol, where we turn into Val Minger and begin the long climb to the Pass da Costainas. The first section is again quite steep, but fortunately easy to manage on tarmac. The route then continues at a moderate pace to S-Charl, passing between enormous steep slopes and scree slopes. S-Charl is a beautifully situated mountain village in the Swiss National Park. It welcomes us with Swiss nut cake with whipped cream, coffee, and a captivating view. We enjoy a rest and then, strengthened, set off on the final climb. Above S-Charl, the wild scree slopes to the right and left of the Clemgia become an idyllic high valley with the quality of a calendar picture. Later, it widens out to Alp Astras, whose hut stands quite solitarily up here. Behind the hut, our path changes once again: there's just under 200 meters of elevation gain left to the pass, and now we're on a super flowing trail – with enough support, we're having a blast here, uphill flow at its finest 🤩. From the Pass da Costainas at 2,151 meters, we enjoy the panoramic view once more before embarking on the "long way down." We race through Val Müstair as fast as we can. We mostly stay on forest and paved roads; that's enough for today, and we'd love to be back at the hotel before dark. Too much time wasted taking photos and looking around 😁. Truly a fantastic day! At the end of the day, we're naturally a little proud that we made it. The gentle Luigi even put everything in eco mode 🏋️‍♀️. If the Uina Gorge was the metaphorical nut cake today, then the upper valley of the Clemgia was the icing on the cake for me.

After 22 hours I was back home 😁 it was great 👍

Nice ride. Thanks to the guys who helped me with the flat tire.

Today the queen's stage, saving battery was the order of the day, 3 modes, switched off, eco or walking, the rest was tapu. Start in Sur En, mountain hiking trail in the direction of Scoul, the branch to S-Carl over the Pass da costaines into the Münstertal. Briefly recharged energy (driver and battery) in St Maria, the one from Lantsch to Schlinig and then over the black wall up to approx. 1500 m. Once at the top, the crossing of the Unia Gorge was waiting, a "must have" for every biker. The gorge was impressive and I followed the recommendation to push the bike. A head for heights is a prerequisite for the crossing. Done, now comes the descent to Sur En, "thanks" to the heavy rainfall there are still two three tricky passages to be mastered. After a long exhausting drive, finally the sign of Sur En in sight, done.

A tremendously beautiful tour starting in S-Charl to a super round to Italy / Vinschgau to get back to Switzerland through the Uina Gorge! What is offered here in terms of experience, impressions and emotions is indescribable...! The coloring of the larch forests to a bright golden yellow is beautiful! Driving through the Uina Gorge after the long tour in the early evening was impressive, exciting and at the end of the gorge you look back and think: Wow, what have we just experienced here!! But back to the beginning! The Val S-Charl is a wide valley. Here you will find the highest pine forest in Europe! We drive to Alp Astras and on to the Pass da Costainas. This is where the descent starts, which takes us to Müstair. About beautiful trails, varied, initially steep, then across meadows in a rooted forest trail. After Lü we have to climb again and then follow the Höhenweg along the Höhenweg until we can finally hit a class trail again that leads to Müstair! Time for cappuccino and Engadin nut cake. After Laatsch, the long, rigorous ascent to Schlinig and the Sesvennahütte begins. You can't do that by driving. The waterfall is so steep that you can only push forward! Once you have done that, you are on a plateau and the strenuous ascent is finally rewarded with a fun trail. We quickly reach the entrance to the Uina Gorge! Here the heart beats a little faster.. on the one hand over the trail, rocky, edgy, snappy: just the way we love it. On the other hand, via the imposing rock path that was blasted into the huge, vertical rock face. For the most part mobile and with the necessary caution sometimes running, we pass the Felsenweg! An indescribable feeling grips us after the crossing and at dusk we drive through the equally spectacular lower Val d'Uina to Sur En.

What an amazing day! If you almost run out of superlatives for a tour description, then it could suit this round. We start in S-Charl and drive through the valley all the way up to then drive over Alp Champatsch and Lü and then along a great trail to Müstair in the Münstertal. This is followed by a fast mandatory route to Laces in Vinschgau. The very demanding, steep ascent via Schlinig up to the Sevenna hut then starts in Schleis. The last part is so steep that it can only be managed by pushing. A plateau leads to the entrance of the d'Unia Gorge. Even the entrance is incredibly impressive and the further you penetrate into the gorge, the more speechless you become at the elemental force of the water in the gorge and the narrow ledge of rock on which you move downwards. And suddenly you are spat out of the gorge over Sur En. The golden larches shine in the last evening light and create an almost unreal sight. At the end of this tour you are simply overwhelmed by the many incredible impressions. Tour description by Daniela: https://www.komoot.de/tour/951523059?ref=wtd