{"id":1957704,"date":"2026-05-27T09:22:34","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T06:22:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1957704"},"modified":"2026-05-27T09:22:34","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T06:22:34","slug":"the-10-highest-paved-mountain-passes-in-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1957704","title":{"rendered":"The 10 Highest Paved Mountain Passes in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_406798\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-406798\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-406798 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAGrAQMAAABqgLQIAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADhJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T+1tB6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADgDIcbAAEnbF1FAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"427\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3622.jpeg?resize=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3622.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3622.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3622.jpeg?resize=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3622.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3622.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3622.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"427\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-406798\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3622.jpeg?resize=640%2C427&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"427\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-406798\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Clearing the high alpine passes for traffic each summer. | Image: Grossglockner Hochstrasse Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-1\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;display: block;clear: both\">\n<!-- GAM 71161633\/SNWBR_snowbrains\/article_hrec_1 --><\/p>\n<div data-fuse=\"article_hrec_1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Planning a road trip to Europe and looking for some pass roads to drive or possibly even cycle?<\/strong> The spectacular mountain passes in the European Alps attract visitors each summer; some come to travel from A to B while others are just there for the experience. Carved through rock and ice over centuries of engineering ambition, they connect valleys that were once separated by impassable terrain. Today, they draw cyclists, motorcyclists, road-trippers, and the occasional Tour de France peloton. From the Swiss Alps to the Italian Dolomites to the high French Alps above Val-d\u2019Is\u00e8re, these are the 10 highest paved mountain passes on the continent \u2014 ranked from lowest to highest, with the best saved for last.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Related: <\/strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/snowbrains.com\/the-top-9-highest-paved-roads-in-the-united-states\/\"><strong>The Top 9 Highest Paved Roads in the United States<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>#10 \u2014 Furka Pass, Switzerland | 2,429 meters \/ 7,969 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Furka Pass connects the cantons of Uri and Valais across the central Swiss Alps \u2014 connecting Gletsch and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.andermatt-sedrun-disentis.ch\/en\/\">Andermatt<\/a> via Realp \u2014 and is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epikdrives.com\/best-drives\/furka-pass\">considered<\/a> one of the Swiss Alps \u201cBig Three.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0The road was opened to motorized traffic in 1925 and is typically accessible from late June to mid-October before heavy snow forces its closure. The Furka is best known internationally for a single scene: the 1964 James Bond film <em>Goldfinger<\/em>, in which an Aston Martin and a Rolls-Royce play cat and mouse on the road\u2019s sweeping hairpin bends above the Rh\u00f4ne Glacier. The glacier itself, visible from the pass, has retreated dramatically since filming \u2014 a sobering reminder of how much the Alps have changed in six decades. The historic Furka cogwheel steam railway, which ran through the pass from 1926 until 1981 before being revived by volunteers, now operates as one of Switzerland\u2019s most beloved heritage <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dfb.ch\/en\/\">railways<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_406795\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-406795\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-406795 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAGIAQMAAADruMOQAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADVJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T+1vBqAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAN3wIAAGBK7W\/AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"392\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3617.jpeg?resize=640%2C392&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3617.jpeg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3617.jpeg?resize=300%2C184&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3617.jpeg?resize=768%2C470&amp;ssl=1 768w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"392\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-406795\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3617.jpeg?resize=640%2C392&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"392\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-406795\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sean Connery \u2014 aka James Bond \u2014 peering down the Furka slopes. | Image: screenshot movie<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>#9 \u2014 Umbrail Pass, Switzerland\/Italy | 2,503 meters \/ 8,212 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Umbrail Pass is the highest paved road in Switzerland and one of the lesser-known gems of the Alpine pass network.<\/strong> It connects Val M\u00fcstair in the Swiss canton of Graub\u00fcnden with the Italian side near Bormio, joining the Stelvio Pass road at the Swiss-Italian border. The road was built in the early 1900s primarily for military purposes \u2014 Switzerland needed reliable access to its southern border \u2014 and was later opened to civilian traffic. Today it is almost always driven in combination with the Stelvio, forming one of the great back-to-back pass experiences in the Alps. The Umbrail is narrower and quieter than its famous neighbor, with a rougher surface and fewer guardrails in places that keep speeds honest. It is open from approximately June to October and connects directly with the ski resort of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bormioski.eu\/en\/\">Bormio<\/a> \u2014 host of multiple FIS Alpine World Cup downhill and super-G events on the Stelvio race course.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_406796\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-406796\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-406796 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAIlAQMAAAB\/0ts9AAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAEJJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20KP6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAjgattQABWo34DgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"549\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_6994.jpeg?resize=640%2C549&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_6994.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_6994.jpeg?resize=300%2C257&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_6994.jpeg?resize=1200%2C1029&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_6994.jpeg?resize=768%2C658&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_6994.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1317&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_6994.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"549\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-406796\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_6994.jpeg?resize=640%2C549&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"549\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-406796\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Umbrail Pass is popular for cyclists as it is comparably quiet. | Image: SnowBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-2\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;display: block;clear: both\">\n<!-- GAM 71161633\/SNWBR_snowbrains\/article_hrec_2 --><\/p>\n<div data-fuse=\"article_hrec_2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>#8 \u2014 Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria | 2,504 meters \/ 8,215 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.grossglockner.at\/de\">Grossglockner High Alpine Road<\/a> is Austria\u2019s most famous mountain road and one of the great engineering achievements of the 20th century.<\/strong> Built between 1930 and 1935 under the direction of engineer Franz Wallack during Austria\u2019s economic depression \u2014 providing employment for thousands of workers \u2014 it stretches 48 kilometers (30 miles) through the High Tauern range connecting Carinthia (\u201cK\u00e4rnten\u201d) with Salzburg. The road passes beneath Austria\u2019s highest mountain, the Grossglockner at 3,798 meters, and includes the famous Franz-Josefs-H\u00f6he viewpoint at 2,369 meters, from which the Pasterze Glacier \u2014 Austria\u2019s longest \u2014 is visible, though dramatically retreating. From the Franz-Josefs-H\u00f6he car park, there is a panoramic path to the Kaiserstein \u2014 the commemorative stone of when emperor Franz Josef visited in 1856. On the way, you will find the Wilhelm-Swarovski observatory with high-precision optical devices of the Tyrolean company Swarovski. The Grossglockner has hosted its international alpine hillclimb motorsport event since 1938, making it one of Europe\u2019s oldest motorsport venues. It draws approximately one million visitors per year, making it one of Austria\u2019s most visited tourist attractions, and is typically open from May to November.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_406797\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-406797\" style=\"width: 1440px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-406797 size-full lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAJNAQMAAACbdVYKAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAERJREFUeNrtwQEBAAAAgiD\/r25IQAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAcGbpdAAE1GNTNAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"589\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3623-e1779664769892.jpeg?resize=640%2C589&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3623-e1779664769892.jpeg?w=1440&amp;ssl=1 1440w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3623-e1779664769892.jpeg?resize=300%2C276&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3623-e1779664769892.jpeg?resize=1200%2C1104&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3623-e1779664769892.jpeg?resize=768%2C707&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3623-e1779664769892.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"589\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-406797 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3623-e1779664769892.jpeg?resize=640%2C589&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"589\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-406797\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The stunning Grossglockner Hochstrasse \u2014 Austria\u2019s highest toll road. | Image: Grossglockner Hochstrasse Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>#7 \u2014 Timmelsjoch \/ Passo del Rombo, Austria\/Italy | 2,509 meters \/ 8,232 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Timmelsjoch \u2014 known as Passo del Rombo on the Italian side \u2014 connects the \u00d6tztal valley in Austria\u2019s Tyrol with the Passeier valley in South Tyrol, Italy.<\/strong> It is the highest international alpine road pass in Austria and one of the most dramatic cross-border experiences in the Alps. The Austrian side was built and opened in 1969, making it a relative newcomer compared to many passes on this list. The Timmelsjoch sits at the heart of one of the Alps\u2019 most remarkable archaeological discoveries: nearby, in 1991, \u00d6tzi the Iceman \u2014 a 5,300-year-old mummy \u2014 was found frozen in a glacier just a few kilometers from the pass road, perfectly preserved since the Copper Age. Each year, the pass road hosts the toughest cycling marathon of the Alps, stretching 227 kilometers (141 miles) and covering \u00a05,500 meters (18,045 feet) of vertical, with up to 18% inclines across four alpine passes.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_406802\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-406802\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-406802 size-full lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAGqAQMAAACh3GetAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADhJREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T20ON6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD4NobKAAFhB0TLAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"426\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3624.jpeg?resize=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3624.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3624.jpeg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3624.jpeg?resize=1200%2C799&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3624.jpeg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3624.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1022&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3624.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"426\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-406802 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3624.jpeg?resize=640%2C426&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"426\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-406802\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Timmelsjoch alpine road attracts pass drivers each summer. | Image: Timmelsjoch Hochalpenstrasse AG Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-3\" style=\"margin: 8px auto;text-align: center;display: block;clear: both\">\n<!-- GAM 71161633\/SNWBR_snowbrains\/article_hrec_4 --><\/p>\n<div data-fuse=\"article_hrec_4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>#6 \u2014 Passo di Gavia, Italy | 2,621 meters \/ 8,599 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Passo di Gavia is one of the most feared climbs in professional cycling and one of the most dramatic passes in the Italian Alps, connecting Bormio with Ponte di Legno in the Val Camonica.<\/strong> Narrow, steep, and in places barely wide enough for two vehicles, the Gavia is both dangerous and unforgettable. Its legend was cemented by a single stage of the 1988 Giro d\u2019Italia \u2014 Stage 14, ridden in a blizzard with snow falling and temperatures well below zero, during which American cyclist Andy Hampsten attacked on the Gavia\u2019s slopes in near-whiteout conditions and rode into the overall race lead. The images of Hampsten descending the Gavia, soaked and freezing, his face covered in snow, are among the most iconic in cycling history. He won the Giro that year. The Gavia is typically designated the Cima Coppi \u2014 the highest point of the Giro d\u2019Italia \u2014 in years it appears in the race. The pass is open only in summer, typically late June through September, and is subject to violent and rapid weather changes.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_406803\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-406803\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-406803 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAFoAQMAAAD9\/NgSAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADJJREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T+3sARQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN3HoAAEwzlS7AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3626.jpeg?resize=640%2C360&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3626.jpeg?w=1170&amp;ssl=1 1170w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3626.jpeg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3626.jpeg?resize=768%2C432&amp;ssl=1 768w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"360\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-406803\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3626.jpeg?resize=640%2C360&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"360\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-406803\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">American cyclist Hampsten covered in snow during the Giro. | Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/giro-ditalia\/forgotten-story-andy-hampstens-1988-giro-win\/\">Velo<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>#5 \u2014 Col du Galibier, France | 2,642 meters \/ 8,668 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Col du Galibier stands between the Maurienne and Romanche valleys in the heart of the French Alps and has been a fixture of the Tour de France since 1911 \u2014 the very first year it was included in the race.<\/strong> It has appeared in the Tour more times than almost any other climb and is classified hors cat\u00e9gorie in recognition of its length and severity. The road over the summit was completed in the early 20th century, though a tunnel beneath the summit had existed since 1891. Henri Desgrange, the founder of the Tour de France, was so moved by the Galibier that he wrote: \u201cOh Sappey! Oh Laffrey! Oh Col Bayard! Oh Tourmalet! I will not fail in my duty to proclaim that compared with the Galibier, you are mere vulgar babies.\u201d A monument to Desgrange stands near the summit. The Galibier sits directly above some of the most celebrated ski terrain in the French Alps \u2014 Les Deux Alpes and Alpe d\u2019Huez are both within reach, making the surrounding area a genuine four-season mountain destination.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_406805\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-406805\" style=\"width: 520px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-406805 size-full lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAggAAAInAQMAAADHyDPDAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADlJREFUeNrtwQEBAAAAgiD\/r25IQAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPBqODgABAmDhSQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt width=\"520\" height=\"551\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3627.jpeg?resize=520%2C551&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3627.jpeg?w=520&amp;ssl=1 520w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3627.jpeg?resize=283%2C300&amp;ssl=1 283w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"520\" data-eio-rheight=\"551\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-406805 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3627.jpeg?resize=520%2C551&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"520\" height=\"551\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-406805\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A classic car at the Galibier. | Image: Alban Pernet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>#4 \u2014 Col de la Bonette \/ Cime de la Bonette, France | 2,715 meters \/ 8,908 feet (pass) + 2,802 meters \/ 9,193 feet (loop)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Col de la Bonette deserves a special mention because it comes with an asterisk \u2014 and that asterisk is worth understanding.<\/strong> The pass itself sits at 2,715 meters, making it the fourth highest on this list. But a two-kilometer loop road around the summit of the Cime de la Bonette climbs to 2,802 meters, and signs at the base boldly proclaim it \u201cthe highest road in Europe.\u201d That claim is technically accurate for a through road \u2014 but only if you drive the loop. The underlying pass, without the loop, is lower than the Col de l\u2019Iseran and the Stelvio. Consider it a bonus. The Bonette connects the Tin\u00e9e and Ubaye valleys in the Mercantour massif of the southern French Alps, and at 42 kilometers is one of the longer Alpine pass climbs. Built largely for military purposes in the 1880s and improved throughout the 20th century, it offers one of the most dramatic summit environments in Europe \u2014 a barren, lunar landscape above the treeline where the road appears to float between sky and stone. It is hors cat\u00e9gorie in the Tour de France and the surrounding Mercantour National Park is home to wolves, chamois, ibex, and golden eagles.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_407112\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-407112\" style=\"width: 1080px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-407112 size-full lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAHaAQMAAACq\/mpsAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADxJREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T20PBxQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADAmwGV+gABBt23XgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"474\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3647-e1779871420680.jpeg?resize=640%2C474&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3647-e1779871420680.jpeg?w=1080&amp;ssl=1 1080w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3647-e1779871420680.jpeg?resize=300%2C222&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3647-e1779871420680.jpeg?resize=768%2C569&amp;ssl=1 768w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"474\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"wp-image-407112 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3647-e1779871420680.jpeg?resize=640%2C474&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"474\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-407112\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Col de la Bonette | Image: La Route de La Bonette Facebook<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>#3 \u2014 Col Agnel \/ Colle dell\u2019Agnello, France\/Italy | 2,744 meters \/ 9,003 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Col Agnel sits on the border between France and Italy in the Cottian Alps, connecting the Queyras region of the French Hautes-Alpes with the Varaita valley in Italian Piedmont.<\/strong> At 2,744 meters it is the highest international paved pass in Europe \u2014 higher than any other pass that crosses a national border. It is also one of the least-known passes of its stature, carrying relatively little traffic compared to the Stelvio or the Galibier. The pass has a remarkable historical connection: it is one of several routes suggested as the path taken by Hannibal and his elephants during the Second Punic War in 218 BC on the march to attack Rome, and a commemorative plaque on the French side marks the claim. In cycling, it is a hors cat\u00e9gorie climb that has served as the Cima Coppi of the Giro d\u2019Italia three times \u2014 in 1994, 2000, and 2007 \u2014 and appeared in the Tour de France for the first time in 2008. The Italian ascent from Casteldelfino is particularly brutal: the final nine kilometers average above 10% gradient through a landscape consistently described by cyclists as lunar and otherworldly. It is one of the great undiscovered drives in the Alps.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_407371\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-407371\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-407371 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAFAAQMAAAAWA19JAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADBJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20MH6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPgZlQAABOGKJ6gAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"320\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3662.jpeg?resize=640%2C320&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3662.jpeg?w=1600&amp;ssl=1 1600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3662.jpeg?resize=300%2C150&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3662.jpeg?resize=1200%2C600&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3662.jpeg?resize=768%2C384&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3662.jpeg?resize=1536%2C768&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3662.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"320\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-407371\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3662.jpeg?resize=640%2C320&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"320\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-407371\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Colle Agnello in summer. | Image: Cycleworld<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>#2 \u2014 Passo dello Stelvio\/Stilfserjoch, Italy | 2,757 meters \/ 9,045 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Stelvio Pass\/Stilfserjoch is the most famous mountain road in Europe and by most accounts one of the greatest roads on Earth.<\/strong> It connects the Valtellina valley near Bormio in Lombardy with the Val Venosta in South Tyrol, and was built between 1820 and 1825 by the Austrian Empire \u2014 which controlled the region at the time \u2014 as a strategic military and commercial route. The architect was Carlo Donegani, and the construction was considered an engineering marvel of its era. The eastern approach from Bormio climbs through 48 numbered hairpin bends, each visible from the next, stacked above one another in a sequence that from a distance looks almost impossible. The BBC\u2019s <em>Top Gear <\/em>named it the greatest driving road in the world in 2008, a verdict that has driven an enormous increase in motorcycle and sports car tourism ever since. In cycling, the Stelvio is the Cima Coppi par excellence \u2014 the highest point the Giro d\u2019Italia has ever reached \u2014 appearing in eight editions including 1972, 1975, 1980, 1994, 2005, 2012, 2014, and 2017. From the pass road, you can access the summer-only ski resort Passo Stelvio\/Stilfserjoch.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_407373\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-407373\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-407373 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAGvAQMAAADxEfYeAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADlJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20JT6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAswGIXwABKu6cYQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"431\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0266.jpeg?resize=640%2C431&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0266.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0266.jpeg?resize=300%2C202&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0266.jpeg?resize=1200%2C809&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0266.jpeg?resize=768%2C518&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0266.jpeg?resize=1536%2C1035&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0266.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"431\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-407373\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0266.jpeg?resize=640%2C431&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"431\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-407373\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Stilfserjoch\/Passo Stelvio near the Swiss-Italian border is one of the most popular pass drives. | Image: Julia Schneemann<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>#1 \u2014 Col de l\u2019Iseran, France | 2,770 meters \/ 9,088 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Col de l\u2019Iseran is the highest paved mountain pass in Europe \u2014 not a loop, not a dead end, not a glacier access road, but a genuine through route connecting two inhabited valleys across the highest point any true public pass road reaches on the continent.<\/strong> It links Val-d\u2019Is\u00e8re in the Tarentaise with Bonneval-sur-Arc in the Maurienne, in the heart of the French Graian Alps. Construction began in 1928 and the road was completed in 1937 \u2014 a nine-year project of considerable ambition given the altitude and complexity of the terrain. At the summit the landscape is stripped to bare rock and sky, with none of the vegetation visible at lower elevations, and views extend across the Vanoise massif toward the Italian border. The Iseran provided one of the most dramatic moments in recent Tour de France history: in 2019, Colombian climber Egan Bernal attacked on the Iseran in Stage 19 to take the virtual race lead, only for the stage to be stopped due to a landslide lower on the course \u2014 a result that effectively handed Bernal the overall victory, the first by a Colombian rider. The pass sits directly above Val-d\u2019Is\u00e8re, one of the most celebrated ski resorts in the world and home to the Face de Bellevarde \u2014 which hosted the 1992 Albertville Olympic men\u2019s downhill and hosts the FIS Alpine World Cup Crit\u00e9rium de la Premi\u00e8re Neige each December. In winter, the Iseran disappears under several meters of snow \u2014 the same snow that makes Val-d\u2019Is\u00e8re one of the most reliable ski destinations in the Alps. Typically open from mid-June to late October.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_407374\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-407374\" style=\"width: 765px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-407374 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAGnAQMAAAAdQnRzAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAADhJREFUeNrtwQENAAAAwqD3T20PBxQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMCVAYXXAAGeNbcxAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"423\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3664.jpeg?resize=640%2C423&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3664.jpeg?w=765&amp;ssl=1 765w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3664.jpeg?resize=300%2C198&amp;ssl=1 300w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"423\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-407374\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_3664.jpeg?resize=640%2C423&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"423\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-407374\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Col de l\u2019Iseran in France. | Image: Wikipedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>A note on methodology: the above list focuses on mountain passes \u2014 roads that cross a col or saddle connecting two valleys \u2014 rather than dead-end glacier access roads, which reach higher elevations but terminate at ski stations rather than connecting through to the other side.<\/strong> The three highest of those glacier roads are listed separately below \u2014 and they are extraordinary in their own right.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Honorable Mention: The 3 Highest Glacier Access Roads in Europe<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>These dead-end roads serve ski areas rather than connecting through to other valleys.<\/strong> They are excluded from the main ranking for that reason \u2014 but they deserve recognition, not least because two of them are deeply familiar to World Cup ski fans.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Veleta Road, Sierra Nevada, Spain \u2014 ~3,300 meters \/ ~10,827 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The highest paved road in Europe by a significant margin, climbing into the Sierra Nevada above Granada to just below the summit of Veleta.<\/strong> Free access to 2,526 meters, after which a restricted section continues to approximately 3,300 meters. The Sierra Nevada ski resort sits at its base and hosted the 1996 Alpine Ski World Championships.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>\u00d6tztal Glacier Road, Austria \u2014 2,830 meters \/ 9,285 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Built in 1972 from S\u00f6lden to the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers in the \u00d6tztal Alps.<\/strong> At the top of the Rettenbach section, a sign declares it \u201cthe highest road in the EU\u201d \u2014 a claim that is accurate but slightly confusing for those who don\u2019t understand the difference of the European Union and Europe. The road serves the glacier ski area above S\u00f6lden that hosts the FIS Alpine World Cup season opener each October on the Rettenbach Glacier, making this one of the most significant pieces of tarmac in ski racing. Jan Ulrich memorably called the climb \u201ccruelty to animals.\u201d Cyclists and skiers with a valid ski pass use it for free.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center\"><strong>Kaunertal Glacier Road, Austria \u2014 2,750 meters \/ 9,022 feet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Built in 1980 to provide access to the Kaunertal Glacier ski area in Tyrol, this 26-kilometer road with 29 hairpin bends and 1,500 meters of elevation gain is one of the longest and most dramatic glacier access roads in the Alps.<\/strong> It serves a small but dedicated ski area that operates year-round on the Wei\u00dfseeferner glacier.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_375158\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-375158\" style=\"width: 1897px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-375158 lazyload\" src=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAoAAAAKIAQMAAADaUNkNAAAABlBMVEUAAAD\/\/\/+l2Z\/dAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAAlwSFlzAAAOxAAADsQBlSsOGwAAAEpJREFUeNrtwTEBAAAAwqD1T20LL6AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIC3Ac0IAAFnawbiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"648\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_9153-min.jpeg?resize=640%2C648&amp;ssl=1\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_9153-min.jpeg?w=1897&amp;ssl=1 1897w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_9153-min.jpeg?resize=296%2C300&amp;ssl=1 296w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_9153-min.jpeg?resize=1186%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 1186w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_9153-min.jpeg?resize=768%2C777&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_9153-min.jpeg?resize=1518%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1518w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_9153-min.jpeg?resize=600%2C607&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_9153-min.jpeg?resize=100%2C100&amp;ssl=1 100w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_9153-min.jpeg?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-eio-rwidth=\"640\" data-eio-rheight=\"648\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-375158\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/snowbrains.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/IMG_9153-min.jpeg?resize=640%2C648&amp;ssl=1\" alt width=\"640\" height=\"648\" data-eio=\"l\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-375158\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Wei\u00dfseeferner glacier can be seen in the distance as you drive up. | Image: Julia Schneemann<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><code><\/code><\/p>\n<p><!-- CONTENT END 1 -->\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Clearing the high alpine passes for traffic each summer. | Image: Grossglockner Hochstrasse Facebook Planning a road trip to Europe and looking for some pass roads to drive or possibly even cycle? The spectacular mountain passes in the European Alps attract visitors each summer; some come to travel from A to B while others are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,267],"class_list":["post-1957704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-snowbrains-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957704","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1957704"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1957704\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1957704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1957704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1957704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}