Klausen Pass

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Klausen Pass
Elevation 1,948 m (6,391 ft)
Traversed by Road
Location Uri, Switzerland
Range Alps
Coordinates 46°52′05″N 08°51′20″E / 46.86806°N 8.85556°E / 46.86806; 8.85556Coordinates: 46°52′05″N 08°51′20″E / 46.86806°N 8.85556°E / 46.86806; 8.85556
Klausen Pass
Location of Klausen Pass

Klausen Pass (German: Klausenpass) (el. 1948 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting the cantons of Uri and Glarus. The pass road from Altdorf leads through the Schächen Valley, the pass and Urnerboden to Linthal in Glarus.

According to legend, the border between Glarus and Uri was determined in 1315, following prolonged disputes. The two cantons agreed that at first cockcrow, two runners would start from Altdorf and Linthal, respectively, and the border would be where they met. The people of Glarus decided to feed their cock well, so that it might be sympathetic to their cause, while the people of Uri gave theirs nothing to eat at all. The result was that the Glarus cock overslept, while the Uri one, driven by hunger, crowed exceptionally early, and the runner of Uri crossed the entire Urnerboden before the Glarus runner even set out. On the pleading of the Glarus runner, the man of Uri agreed to let him carry him back uphill as far as he could, and the present border between Uri and Glarus is where the Glarus runner fell dead.[1]

As well as being a popular route for cyclists and motorcyclists, the Klausenpass also forms part of the Alpine Pass Route, a long-distance hiking trail across Switzerland.

Klausen hill climb

An historic hillclimb, almost 14 miles long, known as the Klausenpassrennen. Whitney Straight finished third in the 1934 event.

1922 Nieth (Hispano Suiza) 21m 42s
1923 Rutzler (Steyr) 20m 24.4s
1924 Merz (Mercedes) 18m 48.6s
1925 Masetti (Sunbeam) 17m 28.8s
1927 Rosenberger (Mercedes) 17m 17s
1929 Chiron (Bugatti) 16m 42.4s
1930 Chiron (Bugatti) 16m 24.6s
1932 Caracciola (Alfa-Romeo) 15m 50s
1934 Caracciola (Mercedes) 15m 22.2s (record) [2]

In 1993 the Klausenrennen memorial run took place, and is now held (nominally) every four years for vintage cars. The most recent event was held on 27th-29th September 2013.

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Academy and literature 42. 1892. p. 27. 
  2. ↑ Motor Sport, September 1934, Pages 511-512.

External links

Media related to Klausenpass at Wikimedia Commons


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