Passo dello Stelvio
Passo dello Stelvio
With a summit at 2,758 metres above sea level the Stelvio Pass is the highest paved road in the Eastern Alps, located between Stilfs (meaning “Stelvio” in Italian) to the east and Bormio to the west. There’s little wonder why the Stelvio is one of the most photographed roads in the world. No less than 48 hairpin bends on its eastern face make it an icon like no other.
From Prato the ascent is over 24km long, pitching up to 10 per cent gradient and rarely dropping below six per cent. Its series of relentless switchbacks can make you feel as if you’re suspended in time as the summit hangs in space far above. Tackling it from Bormio is equally challenging. Although it’s marginally shorter, at 22km in length, steep ramps up to 14 per cent towards the summit mean you really need to gauge your effort and hold something in reserve to make it to the top. The Stelvio’s height can mean that it’s a wildly unpredictable and somewhat volatile mountain where the weather can turn in an instant, so be prepared.
East from Prato
Length: 24.3km
Average gradient: 7.4 per cent
Maximum gradient: 10 per cent
Start elevation: 950m
End elevation: 2,758m
Elevation gain: 1,808m
West from Bormio
Length: 21.9km
Average gradient: 7.1 per cent
Maximum gradient: 14 per cent
Start elevation: 1,198m
End elevation: 2,758m
Elevation gain: 1,560m
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