The Challenge of Passo Stelvio

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We leave the Dolomites having achieved our mission. The highlight of our stay in Corvara has been the alpine plants, especially the gentian. The other memories we’ll take away with us are the stunning scenery and our wonderful accommodation. In a week from now this area will be open for the Summer holidays. We found last night that some restaurants won’t open until next week. Instead of skiers the cyclists and hikers will arrive. After reading our blogs the botanists will arrive as well. After last night’s thunderstorm somewhere in the mountains it is blue skies and sunshine.

Our first challenge today is negotiating one more pass, Passo Gardena. Once over this pass we leave the Badia area and head for Bolzano. The descent out of the Dolomites has us following river valleys. We continue to share the road with cyclists and motorcyclists. As we get closer to Bolzano the roads get wider and busier. New roads are being constructed to cater for the increase in traffic. We are now sharing the roads with trucks.

All available land is planted out in apple orchards. This is obviously the apple growing area of Italy. The trees are planted close together and not given the opportunity to spread out. Rows and rows are planted in such a way they get maximum sunshine. Today there is plenty. The thermometer in the car is reading in the low 30s.

We are driving towards Tirano, tonight’s one night stop. To get there we are following SS38 which will take us over the Stelvio Pass. We have read a number of descriptions of this drive and viewed a few You Tube clips. If we take our time, drive carefully, and watch out for those who think they are in an episode from Top Gear we should be fine. Before we tackle the Pass we find a shady spot for our picnic lunch in the air conditioned car. It is hot. Cyclists ride past on the way to their next challenge.

The early part of the journey takes us through a river valley with the hills covered in conifers. The water is tumbling over rocks, we think of the rivers through the New Zealand alpine passes. There is the occasional mountain meadow. We ask ourselves the question, “In NZ the mountain meadows are covered in snow tussocks, here in the mountains it is grass ready for hay making. Why the difference? We are at a higher altitude than in NZ. Is it the climate or temperature? We are not sure”.

We reach the first hairpin bend. Here we go. First and second gear get a real work out. The on board photographer is busy with the video and still photos, or just hanging on. We negotiate cyclists, motorcyclists, oncoming cars, buses, campervans and a truck. The climb is ever upwards. Bend after bend. Rounding a corner we see the road climb a vertical face of the mountain. This stuff is not for the faint hearted. Each hairpin is numbered. A convoy of performance cars approach. We look in the rear view mirror as one low slung model gets caught on a corner. Ouch!

After forty-eight hairpins we reach the summit, 2765 metres above sea level, one of the highest paved roads in the world. Large lumps of frozen snow are all around. Lining the road is “tourist alley” with stalls offering souvenirs. Parking is at a premium with hundreds of motorbikes parked up. Perhaps they are discussing their encounter with the mad French driver in his Peugeot 308 GT. That power came in handy at times. Exhausted cyclists arrive and collapse in a heap. This pass was used in the Italian version of the Tour de France this year.

So far everything about this road is true. Spectacular, breathtaking, scary, exhilarating, an achievement. Now down the other side. The road seems wider but has fewer protective barriers. As we edge close to the Swiss border, only a few hundred metres away there is a sudden shout, “Stop the car!” The co-pilot leaps from the car and heads for Switzerland. Where is she off to? Swiss chocolate perhaps, car sickness, who knows. When the pilot catches up, there on the grassy slopes are more alpine gentians. This time a smaller blue star shaped flower. The relief. For a moment we thought a tour member would be arrested and have to spend time in a Swiss prison. This was a great opportunity to photograph the car and later send it to our proud sponsors, Peugeot Eurolease, for their Facebook page.

As we approach Bormio we drive through long tunnels and galleries. There are more hairpins to negotiate. We stop briefly and read an information board detailing the history of the road. It was a link between the Austro Hungarian Empire and its territory around Milan in the early 19th century. The thirty-four hairpins on the Bormio side appear less frightening but we still feel the need for a rest and a gelato.

Our arrival time in Tirano is still a long way off but we have instructions on where to pick up the key for the apartment and let ourselves in. Jessica will catch up later to check our passports and collect her money. So we head straight to the apartment, put our feet up, let Jessica know we have arrived and wait. A text message comes back in Italian. We have no way of translating because tonight there is no Internet. A quick text to our daughter in England and we soon have a translation. Jessica will be late.

We finally get a chance to meet this friendly bubbly young woman who apologises for her lack of English. She doesn’t need to. She is an Italian in her own country. We are the ones to do the apologizing. We talk and talk. Eventually we carry out the formalities of passport registration (a quick photo of the important page), pay the agreed sum, and discuss our departure time next morning. And the key, leave it under the red mat. All will be well, the grandmothers will watch over the place.

We settle down for the night after a very exciting day. In the distance we can hear thunder in the mountains, a few drops of rain fall outside. It will be fine and hot again tomorrow.

A footnote: For those wanting to see video footage of the drive over Stelvio Pass log in to You Tube for a collection of clips. Seeing it on the big screen would be an advantage.

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Photos

Stelvio Pass
The northern side.

Stelvio Pass
Near the summit.

Stelvio Pass
The Summit

Stelvio Pass
Starting the descent.

Stelvio Pass
Looking down towards Bormio.

Stelvio Pass
More gentians.

Stelvio Pass
The car that can.