Passo dello Stelvio
Up the Bormio side, down the Umbrail into Switzerland
Overview
The Stelvio needs little introduction — it's one of the climbs everyone has on a list somewhere. We took the Bormio side: 21 km at a steady 7% to 2,758 m, the second-highest paved pass in the Alps. My one bit of advice is to start early. We rolled out at sunrise, which in August meant 6am, and had the road largely to ourselves — climbing in shade most of the way, then the sun popped over the ridge and lit everything up. The road is open to traffic in both directions and narrow enough in places that I struggle to see how two cars pass; there are also a few tunnels and galleries, so bring lights. Early morning solves most of that.
Key info:
- Total distance: 21.4 km
- Area: Bormio (IT) – Umbrail – Val Müstair (CH)
- Recommended for: Advanced
- Appeal: One of the great Alpine climbs — 21 km of steady switchbacks from Bormio to 2,758 m, ridden best at first light, with the option to drop into Switzerland over the technical Umbrail
- Water & fuel: Fill up in Bormio — there is nothing until the top. One cow trough on the way up fed by a stream (I'd only use it in an emergency). Café and food at the summit; plenty of fountains once you're down in Val Müstair
- Time of year: June–September (closed/snowbound in winter)
- Road: Open to traffic both ways and narrow enough in places that you wonder how two cars pass; a few tunnels and galleries, so bring lights. All the more reason to go early
Ascent
From Bormio the road settles into its rhythm almost straight away and barely lets go: 1,543 m of gain over 21.4 km at a steady 7%, ramping to around 14% on the odd steeper pitch but never really biting. It's a long, honest grind rather than a wall. Bring enough water and food — the next reliable stop is the top. There's one cow trough part way up, but it's fed by a stream with cows grazing around it, so I'd only touch it in an emergency. I counted 34 numbered hairpins on the way up; the internet reckons 40, so see what you get. The top is worth lingering at: we sat on the benches with a coffee cheering the riders coming up the other side from Prato.
Stats:
- Level: Advanced
- Distance: 21.4 km
- Elevation gain: 1,543 m
- Maximum gradient: 14%
- Average gradient: 7.2%
- Estimated time (at level): 95 min
Descent
Rather than drop back down the far side of the Stelvio, we took the Umbrail into Switzerland — losing about 1,280 m over 16 km at an average near 8%, touching 11% on the steeper sections. It is not for the faint-hearted: because we dropped a little way down the Stelvio's own switchbacks before peeling off onto the Umbrail, the whole descent stacks up around 41 hairpins — the Umbrail itself accounts for about 35 of them. It demands your full attention the whole way. If you enjoy technical descending you'll love it; I'm sure the views are lovely, but I was staring at the road. Once you're down into Val Müstair there are plenty of fountains to fill up again.
Stats:
- Level: Advanced
- Hairpins: 41 (≈35 on the Umbrail itself)
- Maximum gradient: 11%
- Average gradient: 8.1%
Climb Profile
A steady grind from Bormio at 1,211 m, 6–9% almost the whole way with a brief easing around 15 km, then the final ramps to the 2,758 m col — 1,543 m of gain over 21.4 km.
