This ride starts in Airolo, in Ticino, the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland at an elevation of 1175 m.
A long and sunny climb up the Nufenenpass to nearly 2500 m is rewarded with great views and a beautiful 1000 m vertical descent to Ulrichen in the Swiss canton of Valais. From here, following the Rhone river upstream, we are initially on flat grounds enjoying a perfect summer day, until the road rises and we climb about 500 m to the village Gletsch. From here, one can access the Grimselpass as well as the Furkapass. We choose the Furkapass, made famous by the car chase scene in the 1964 movie ‘Goldfinger’ as James Bond stalked Goldfinger's Rolls Royce through the Swiss Alps.
On our way to the top, we pass the famous Hotel Belvédère and the Rhone glacier visitor area.
Finally, this ride ends at the top of Furka, at 2436m.