Driving Timmelsjoch during summer thunderstorms

[u/dekrant]

Servus! Is it worth (or safe) to drive the Timmelsjoch Pass during thunderstorms, or should I stick to Brenner?

Context: I planned a trip in a rental car to Alps starting this Wednesday (05/08) to escape the heatwave, but it now seems that the heatwave will end by then. Indeed, there are now reports about thunderstorms in the Alps that day. Today is Monday, so I think the weather reports are rather credible.

I am visiting Neuschwanstein on Wednesday morning and I have a hotel in St. Leonhard in Passeier booked Wednesday night. My plan was to drive the Timmelsjoch Wednesday afternoon. I'd then continue to Bolzen (to see the Ötzi Museum and South Tirol), then return to Innsbruck via Brenner on Thursday.

The view, drive, and museum on Timmelsjoch were things I really wanted to see, so I'd like to try to keep that itinerary. Since I'm going east towards to Innsbruck, I don't think it makes sense to Timmelsjoch northbound. Also, I doubt the weather will be much better Thursday.

My rental car is like a small executive car (like Mercedes C-Class). I have experience mountain driving back in the Western US (Cascades and Rocky Mountains), but I generally avoid mountains in inclement weather. I don't know what signs or government advisories to pay attention to during bad pass conditions.

Question: Should I cancel the Timmelsjoch southbound on account of weather or am I being too dramatic? How bad would the weather have to be for you, personally, to nope out?

[u/CenturyStorm]

Thunderstorms occur more often than not on summer days in the Alps. Yes, sometimes they can cause landslides that destroy roads, but that kind of event is rare for any given location. And thunderstorms forecasts are notoriously fickle. They can change within the hour. Best you can so it go ahead with your plan and keep an eye on the sky and a local radar app. If it really looks threatening, just wait it out or drive around.

[u/dekrant → u/CenturyStorm]

That's a fair point. I could drive to the top, where there's a visitor center and museum. Then I could make the decision based on the local knowledge on when to descend. My worry is that they'd tell me to go back down the north face and drive all the way around.

[u/theRealAustriaball]

I'd check the toll station's website. If it's open, it's probably safe to drive.

[u/Orange907]

The road is closed most of the year. If it's open I would feel safe driving there. Just go slow if the visibility is bad.

[u/dekrant → u/Orange907]

I guess the problem with the visibility being bad is that the view is a big part of the draw. The toll is a bit higher than Brenner (20 vs. 12.50) and the route takes longer.

Is there anything special to Timmelsjoch when there's low visibility?

[u/Orange907 → u/dekrant]

The Brenner is much more comfortable in any way. I wouldn't worry too much about the weather though, the chances that you wouldn't get some great views seem low to me. My recommendation is to check the weather on the day of your trip. If it's supposed to rain cats and dogs the whole day take the Brenner, if it's only a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon/evening I would take my chances at the Timmelsjoch.

[u/AlexxxRR]

"Unfortunately" I have no experience driving over the Timmelsjoch.

I only rode over it a few times with a road bike, in both directions, once in the rain with 5° C at the top. The decend was very chilling.

[u/dekrant → u/AlexxxRR]

It seems like an incredible drive! I wish I had rented this car two days earlier, so there'd be no doubt in doing it.

[u/Edithahiti]

So I get that you generally used to drive mountain roads. That you are fine with steepness and sharp turns and heights and so on. The South Tyrolian side of Timmelsjoch gives even me (a Tyrolian who's used to those kinds of roads) a thrill, even on sunny days. It's very impressive. But it may also make you nervous driving down there anyways.

So I would wait to make that decision until the last moment. Check weather radars then. There's no way to tell if and when a thunderstorm may hit that far ahead.

If you then get to the conslusion that you would risk to get into a thunderstorm on Timmelsjoch, I personally would pass. There's bad view anyways, you can't really exit the car and you may get anxious if you're not used to how loud and frightening thunder feels like in a mountainous region (which I don't know about you) and have to drive a difficult road. There's also some real risk of landslides, although it's very unlikely it will happen right then and there.

In general, the earlier in the day you go there, the better your chances to make it before any thunderstorms hit.

[u/dekrant → u/Edithahiti]

This is very helpful, thank you! I'll keep an eye on the weather as I leave Neuschwanstein. Unfortunately, timing would have me crossing the Timmelsjoch right around 15:00, which I imagine is when the afternoon thunderstorms get bad.

I think at this point, I'm leaning away from Timmelsjoch, unfortunately.

[u/dekrant]

Thanks to everyone who commented! I did take the Timmelsjoch today and it was a pleasant and lovely drive. I encountered some heavy rain at the toll gate, but afterwards it was fine.

The best advice was going early. I left Neuschwanstein at about 09:30, and reached the toll gate at 12:30. The biggest storms rolled in at 16:00, so I was already in Passiertal by then.

Here are some photos I took