Umbrail Pass – 2,503m

 

Route: Via Umbrail Santa Maria im Mustair to Passo dello Stelvio - 10 miles

 

Ridden: 15/06/2009

 

This gets a star rating simply because of its quirkiness. How many passes are there where you have a mile or more of unpaved hard packed earth in the middle. Starting in Santa Maria you are quickly into a series of 14 hairpins before you move onto the non-tarmac section. There are two hairpins in this section both covered in loose gravel etc so a lot of care is needed. Over a bridge and back onto the tarmac and the road opens up still with a few hairpins before reaching the summit, just above the junction with the upper end of the western ramp of the Stelvio. We rode this pass both ways. Great fun.