WOSSA: The Lifeblood of the Alps
Words by Max Reise / Photos by David Robinson
A brand new bikepacking adventure exploring the vital, life defining journeys taken by water in its various formats across the Alps.
More than two thirds of Earth’s surface is covered by water. But only 3% of it is freshwater, and only one hundredth of freshwater on our planet is found in rivers, lakes and the atmosphere. Our cells too are composed of about two thirds water. Most scientists agree that life began in water. It’s all around us – the reason life itself exists.
In the European Alps, from season to season, it takes various forms, its cycle defining daily life, shaping landscapes and ecosystems, supporting economies and providing drinking water for much of mainland Europe.
Here, we can literally step outside our door and explore water from the source all the way to the large rivers that transport it to the sea. We can marvel at majestic alpine lakes, glaciers, peatlands, waterfalls and its many forms along the way.
In both Austrian and Bavarian dialect, WOSSA is the word for water, which feels like the perfect name for this new bikepacking adventure.
Starting in the vibrant city of Salzburg, the route takes riders out to Blaueisgletscher, the northernmost glacier in the Alps, over Frillensee, the coldest lake in Germany and all the way to Rosenheim and lake Chiemsee. Creating a figure of eight, on the second leg, the route explores the mighty Tennengau mountains, the Dachstein Glacier and the Salzkammergut lakes.
Designed specifically for gravel bikes, the route is just over 560 kilometres in length and a tad more than 8000 meters of climbing, making for a great challenge. Designed to be completed between five and seven days with a great variety of terrain and landscapes only the Alps can provide.
Supported through a brevet card to enhance your riding experience and extended by additional digital material the route will give you an educational experience and a real bikepacking adventure all in one!
If we talk about water, glaciers and the use of water, we can’t ignore climate change. We worked together with scientists to compile a resource of facts and data to provide with the route which we hope will help inform your own opinions. We’ll be monitoring the use of the route to estimate emissions and general impact which we hope to be as minimal as possible.
The route will be public and ready to ride by May 2025 or when snow has vanished and spring has sprung here in the Alps. For now be sure to keep an eye on GravGrav.cc and sign up to the newsletter for updates.
Wossa was created across the borders of Germany and Austria with the help of European EUREGIO funding and with the help of the combined knowledge and expertise of nine tourism boards to create a unique project.
A big thank you goes to our partner regions Bad Reichenhall, Berchtesgaden, Chiemgau. Chiemsee Alpenland, Eugendorf, Inneres Salzkammergut, Fuschlsee, Wolfgangsee and Tennengau.