Umbrail Pass

{{Short description|Mountain pass on the Swiss-Italian border}} {{More citations needed|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox mountain pass | name = Umbrail Pass | photo = Umbrail.jpg | photo_caption = Umbrail pass through Val Müstair | elevation_m = 2501 | elevation_ref = | traversed = road | map = Alps | map_caption = Location of Umbrail Pass | map_size = | label = Umbrail Pass | coords = {{coord|46|32|35|N|10|26|02|E|type:pass_region:CH-GR|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | location = Italy–Switzerland border | range = Alps | topo = }}

'''Umbrail Pass''' ({{langx|de|Umbrailpass}} or {{lang|de|Wormserjoch}}, {{langx|it|Giogo di Santa Maria}}) is a high mountain pass on the Italy–Switzerland border, connecting Santa Maria in Val Müstair with Bormio<ref name="ryan"/><ref name="bundi"/><ref name="freshfield"/> in the Adda valley. On the Italian side, it connects to the Stelvio Pass road and the Valtellina. It is currently the highest paved road in Switzerland.

The sign at the top of the pass gives its elevation as {{convert|2503|m|0}} above sea level, but the reference level for Swiss elevation measurements has changed since the sign was erected, leaving {{convert|2501|m|0}} as the correct value according to current elevation.<ref name="bundi"/>

The pass is named after the "Piz Umbrail", a nearby mountain peak.

== History == The pass, which in medieval times was the primary route through the region, was initially known as the ''Stelvio Pass'', ''Juga Rætica'', or ''mons Braulius'' (after Braulio of Zaragoza). It was formerly used to connect Tyrol with Lake Como, which allowed a link between the Habsburg domains in the County of Tyrol and those in the Duchy of Milan; this role was superseded by the modern Stelvio Pass which opened in 1820.<ref name="freshfield"/><ref name="coolidge"/> In 1901, the modern road was built, and automobile transit began in 1925.<ref name="bundi"/>

The road has been entirely asphalted since 2015. The last unpaved section was a 1.5 km stretch on the Swiss side, running between elevations of {{convert|1883 and 2012|m|0}}. During the 2017 Giro d'Italia, Umbrail Pass was reached during the stage from Rovetta to Bormio.

== References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="bundi">{{cite web |last1=Bundi |first1=Martin |title=Umbrailpass |url=https://hls-dhs-dss.ch/de/articles/008821/2013-01-25/ |website=Historical Dictionary of Switzerland |publisher=Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences |access-date=10 March 2025 |language=de}}</ref> <ref name="ryan">{{cite news |last1=Ryan |first1=Barry |title=Risk of avalanches forces Giro d'Italia to cut the Stelvio Pass from stage 16 |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/risk-of-avalanches-forces-giro-ditalia-to-avoid-the-stelvio-pass-on-stage-16/ |access-date=10 March 2025 |work=cyclingnews.com |date=14 May 2024 |language=en}}</ref> <ref name="freshfield">{{cite journal |last1=Freshfield |first1=Douglas W. |title=The Great Passes of the Western and Central Alps |journal=The Geographical Journal |date=1917 |volume=49 |issue=1 |pages=2–22 |doi=10.2307/1779776}}</ref> <ref name="coolidge">{{cite book |last1=Coolidge |first1=William Augustus Brevoort |title=The Alps in Nature and History |publisher=Methuen |language=en |date=1908|chapter=The great historical passes|pages=185-187}}</ref> }}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Umbrailpass}} *[http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Passo%20dellUmbrail%20&qryMountainID=5513 Profile on climbbybike.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120204233327/http://www.climbbybike.com/climb.asp?Col=Passo%20dellUmbrail%20&qryMountainID=5513 |date=2012-02-04 }} *[http://www.miscellanea.ro/2010/09/land-der-berge-umbrailpass-2505m.html Pictures from a crossing in August 2010] {{in lang|ro}} *[http://cyclingup.eu/english/Switzerland/Umbrailpass-Stelvio.php Cycling up to the Umbrailpass: data, profile, map, photos and description]

Category:Mountain passes of the Alps Category:Mountain passes of the Grisons Category:Mountain passes of Italy Category:Italy–Switzerland border crossings