Refuge

The Zuflucht is one of the many roads leading from the west to the Schwarzwald Hochstraße. The climb is also known as Oppenauer Steige. The Zuflucht is one of the steepest climbs in the Black Forest and has a cycling history (the climb has been featured multiple times in the Tour of Germany).

There are three variants:
1) The steepest is the main road L92 from Oppenau. Upon leaving Oppenau, you are already warned by a sign indicating a gradient of 18% for what is to come. Fortunately, this number is incorrect, as the climb does not exceed 15%. However, the ascent is very irregular; you cannot get into a good climbing rhythm anywhere. If you were to descend this road, be careful: the road surface is in excellent condition, but the road is not very wide, very winding, and mostly goes through the forests, which in nice weather continuously leads to an alternation of shade and sun.
2) A beautiful alternative, at least one that is extremely quiet in terms of traffic, is the climb via Maisach and the Werneststraße. Eventually, you will again go over the L92 in the last kilometers. This road is also steep (up to 14%), but less irregular than the aforementioned variant. Additionally, the road climbs through an open valley in the lower part.
3) From the east, the Zuflucht can also be climbed via an asphalted forest road from Baiersbronn-Obertal, a road closed to motor traffic. Since the valley in the east is at a much higher altitude than in the west, the elevation difference is only 370 meters.

Almost at the top of the Zuflucht (applicable to variants 1 and 2), you have a splendid view of the Black Forest from the take-off area for paragliders.

More information (in German) at: http://www.quaeldich.de/paesse/zuflucht/

haroldslegers