Albulapass, Switzerland

The Albulapass between Chur and St. Moritz in southeastern Switzerland is usually one of the last to open in early summer. It does not connect any major towns and does not allow for buses or trucks to traverse it, and most years it remains covered in snow well into July. At times no wider than an Edinburgh alley, it runs through largely untouched and undeveloped valleys. On weekdays it's not unusual to cross the entire pass between Bergün and Chamues while meeting no more than a half-dozen other vehicles.

Quiet and unassuming the old Roman trade route nevertheless holds great secrets. Turquoise lakes reflect the jagged peaks above, surrounded by the ancient remains of awe-inspiring rockslides. Cowbells sound in the distance, while the road winds achingly through glittering gorges and ravines. Hairpin turns alternate between silky-smooth tarmac and gravel-strewn madness. Dreamy hilltop villages flying the ever-present white cross overlook the lower meadows, while the little red trains of the Rhätische Bahn snake their way up the northern half of the valley, and then into the Albula railway tunnel.