Julier Pass, Switzerland

The Julier Pass, in eastern Switzerland, links Tiefencastel (851 m) in the Albulatal valley with Silvaplana (1815 m) in the Upper Engadin, passing through Savognin and Bivio from where these photos were taken. It is of considerable economic significance as it forms the main link between the Engadin and the rest of Switzerland. Whilst the parallel-running Albula and Flüela Passes are closed for long periods during winter, the Julier Pass remains open throughout the year. The road, initially built in the 1820s, is well maintained in order to cope with its use by a substantial amount of traffic. The pass rolls through high-Alpine grassland, strewn with scree and is the habitat of marmots. Though perhaps not the most picturesque of passes, the Julier is not as bleak as sometimes portrayed. The pass head with 3000-metre-high, snow-capped mountains to right and left, is the watershed between the basins of the Rivers Rhine and Danube.