I rode this climb in combination with the climb to Niederthai. The climb to Kühtai is a well-known one in this part of the Alps. The pass sits just above 2000 meters, making the road to it from Oetz quite long. The climb is also the starting climb in the annual Ötztaler Radmarathon, which covers 4 passes and 5500 meters of altitude. So, it’s a familiar pass for road cyclists, and motorcyclists also know the way to this pass (although I encountered far fewer of them than on the Hahntenjoch). The pass is accessible from two sides, and I start the climb in Oetz. If you come by car, parking is easy at the Cable Car station just after the exit to Kühtai. Some statistics: the climb is 17.5 kilometers long. The starting point in Oetz is at 812 meters, and the pass is at 2017 meters. This means you cover 1205 meters of altitude and an average gradient of 7.5%. The climb is very varied in terms of gradient. Steep sections alternate with longer flat stretches and short descents.
The first part of the climb leads above Oetz and crosses the hamlets of Oetzerau and Mühlau. Just before that, you encounter the first hairpin bends. It’s delightful climbing here, although it’s a bit busier in this section. Stupidly, I forgot my SPD shoes today, so I was forced to do the climb in my sneakers… after some frustration, it actually wasn’t too bad. Despite this setback, I was making good progress and passed a well-groomed Italian in the lower part of the climb. I wonder what he thought seeing this amateur in sneakers. Anyway, no time to lose. I was in a bit of a hurry and tried to keep up the pace.
When you cycle out of Mühlau, you enter the forest. The Stuibenbach to the right of the road guides us. The road also flattens out here, and the climbing becomes easier. Percentages mostly range between four and eight percent. That changes when you see the sign in the photo ‘6 kehren’ (6 hairpin turns) below. A beautiful section follows! Indeed, in 6 hairpin turns, the road quickly climbs up again, and the gradients return to around 10%.
The next landmark that follows is the village of Ochsengarten. You’ve already covered about 9 kilometers by then. Ochsengarten itself is nothing to write home about. On the left side of the road, you’ll find the exit to Silzer Sattel (Haimingerberg), an absolute recommendation (but not today). A flat section follows to pick up some speed. It’s just a matter of not overdoing it because the toughest part comes after a bridge now. Partly through a half-open tunnel (no need for light), it gets really tough with gradients averaging around 15%. It’s a slog here. That section lasts about a kilometer, feeling longer. Immediately followed by another flatter section and a descent. It’s going to get easier now.
You’ll soon see the dam wall of the Speicher Langental ahead of you, and in a few turns, you’ll quickly reach it. The reservoir is certainly beautiful, but the rest of the landscape that follows can’t be said to be the same. We’re approaching the village of Kühtai, and it’s a downright ugly ski resort. Combined with the many construction works carried out by TIWAG for a new power plant, it’s not a place to stop (except for the hidden gem in the form of the climb to the Finstertaler Stausee that also starts here). So, let’s keep going. The final climb to Kühtai is surprisingly tough. A sign with a cow marks the pass. The climb took me exactly an hour and a half altogether.
You’ll soon see the dam wall of the Speicher Langental ahead of you, and in a few turns, you’ll quickly reach it. The reservoir is certainly beautiful, but the rest of the landscape that follows can’t be said to be the same. We’re approaching the village of Kühtai, and it’s a downright ugly ski resort. Combined with the many construction works carried out by TIWAG for a new power plant, it’s not a place to stop (except for the hidden gem in the form of the climb to the Finstertaler Stausee that also starts here). So, let’s keep going. The final climb to Kühtai is surprisingly tough. A sign with a cow marks the pass. The climb took me exactly an hour and a half altogether.
