Timmelsjoch — 2,509 metres on the Italy–Austria border

The Timmelsjoch, Passo del Rombo on the Italian side, crosses the main alpine chain at 2,509 metres, connecting Ötztal in Austria with the Passeier valley in South Tyrol. It is one of the least crowded high passes in the Alps, partly because the road doesn't fully open until mid-May, and partly because there are no famous race histories to pull people in.

History

The road was finished in 1968, later than most of its neighbours: the border agreements held it up for a century. Before that there was a mule track used for cross-border trade and occasional smuggling. A small open-air museum sits on the summit, detailing that history, and it's worth the ten minutes out of the saddle.

Riding it

The Austrian side from Sölden is longer and more forgiving: 28 km of mostly steady gradient through the Ötztal's wide U-shaped valley. The Italian descent to Moso in Passeier is the keeper: 12 km of tight, technical switchbacks dropping over 1,700 metres. Pack a jacket; even in August the summit can sit at five degrees.

Along the way

• Timmelsjoch Experience — A series of five sculptural architecture installations along the road, each housing a small exhibition on the history, nature, and culture of the pass crossing.
• Top Mountain Motorcycle Museum — A large motorcycle museum at the Austrian toll station in Hochgurgl, displaying over 230 historic motorcycles and vintage cars.
• Obergurgl — The highest parish village in Austria at 1,930 m, a quiet base in the upper Ötztal with year-round glacier access and alpine walking trails.
• Grossglockner — The eastern companion to the Timmelsjoch and the other great Austrian high-alpine road, usually paired on longer tours.
• High Alpine Crossing — The multi-day route across the Austrian Alps via the Timmelsjoch and its neighbours.