Roadtrip: Davos-Stelvio, "The Greatest Driving Road In The World"

Excellent pics - I want to do this road too - a friend did it earlier this year in his Audi Coupe but didn't manage many photos...

I did do one swiss pass once - the Grimsel pass from N > S. That was pretty good too.

Hoping I can get a 120d as my next car. My dad just got one (albeit an auto) and I'm really impressed.
 
My friends and I are going to be making a pilgrimage to this area in January.

Does anyone have it mapped out in terms of the exact roads to drive, where to start and where to finish? Also, for anyone who has done this stretch of road before, about how long did it take?

We're going to be coming from Innsbruck, Austria, so I initially thought we'd do it in reverse, but given that I don't think the Stelvio pass would be nearly as good going downhill, I think we will try to loop out and around in order to come in from the Davos end.

Any information would be appreciated!
 
My friends and I are going to be making a pilgrimage to this area in January.

Does anyone have it mapped out in terms of the exact roads to drive, where to start and where to finish? Also, for anyone who has done this stretch of road before, about how long did it take?

We're going to be coming from Innsbruck, Austria, so I initially thought we'd do it in reverse, but given that I don't think the Stelvio pass would be nearly as good going downhill, I think we will try to loop out and around in order to come in from the Davos end.

Any information would be appreciated!
Are you sure it's open in January? If you go to http://www.passostelvio.net/ and check the webcam pics, it's totally covered in snow.

I went there in July this year (there was snow at that time too), there were some signs saying on which time the road is open, and if I remember right, it was closed for winter months (don't remember which months exactly).

Anyway, if you want to experience the Top Gear run of Stelvio Pass, here's some interesting points. Even though you get the impression from the show that the epic run clip in Stelvio Pass is done from Davos -> Stelvio, actually they drive it starting from Stelvio and running it up to Bormio. So, when the guys are standing at the mountain viewing the road and Jezz saying "Should we do it?", they have actually already done it, or then went down to Stelvio and climbed back up.

I would suggest the same, starting from Stelvio and going to Bormio (it's a "straight" road), it's very great run up to Pass point, from there to Bormio it's a little more relaxed, but still oh so full of win. So if you're coming there straight from Innsbruck, you're doing it the right way. I video'd the run up and down, took around 200 photos and it was alot of fun. In total it took around 6 hours for us, but it includes enjoying alot of the scenery, stopping to eat and goofing around at the mountains.

My suggestion to experience the area would be in following order: Stelvio - Bormio - Valdidentro - Livigno - Zernez - Susch - Davos.
 
Right do the run in a Lamborghini Miura P400 SV, some Matt Munroe on the audio would be nice. ...

[YOUTUBE]vpq1_AphUSY[/YOUTUBE]

Do not upset the Mafia before hand. ...
 
I doubt its open in January - lots of the alpine passes are closed from like the end of October to April. When I did the Grimsel there was snow around at the top, and that was late August IIRC
 
Thanks for the info, guys.

If the Stelvio pass is closed then we'll have to skip it. We're over there in January so it's either then or never.

But I'm sure if the pass itself is closed we'll still be able to have fun on the rest of it. Keep the info coming, this is all great!
 
OK with less than a week to go I'm wondering if anyone has the actual route mapped out.

We're obvioulsy skipping the Stelvio pass itself as it will almost certainly be closed but we're going to try to attempt the rest of the route, again, coming in from Innsbruck and doing it in reverse.
 
I wouldn't recommend that. The temperature is waaaay below zero all over Europe, snow storms, traffic is chaos!
Check out the news and weather reports first.

We've got Audis; we can't be bothered to notice things like traffic and certainly not weather.
 
We've got Audis; we can't be bothered to notice things like traffic and certainly not weather.
And this folks, is how white Europeans came to be in the west! Appalachians? Meh. Rockies? Meh. Cascades? Double meh.

We've got wagons! Crap, my Ox has been bitten by a snake and has died.
 
You should be aware, that most of those mountain passes are only alternatives to tunnels, so much likely they will be closed in the winter.
 
Stelvio will definately be closed.

Here are some great roads in an area I know quite well, those passes are normaly open in wintertime, but there's always a risk.

If you're interested I can try to find out about the current state. I can also post some pictures.

route02.jpg


route01.jpg


Green is a basic route, blue are possible detours.
 
passes.jpg


passo pordoi

passopordoi.jpg


passopordoi2.jpg


passo giau

Lacets_Giau2.jpg


giau.jpg


Ra_Gusella2.jpg


passo fedaia

1878-PassoFedaia.jpg


fedaia2.jpg


passo gardena (gr?dnerjoch)

10003773tp.jpg


VFR_Passo_Gardena.jpg


passo falzarego

falzarego.jpg


passo valparola

DSC_0858.jpg
 
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Damn, those pictures, makes me wish I was there (well, provided those aren't under snow right now).
 
Stelvio will definately be closed.

Here are some great roads in an area I know quite well, those passes are normaly open in wintertime, but there's always a risk.

If you're interested I can try to find out about the current state. I can also post some pictures.

Those photos you posted look amazing. I've been over the Brennerpass before, so I have some idea of how we'd get there from Innsbruck (pretty simple). If you're in the area and feel like checking out those roads to see if they're open or covered in snow or whatever, that would be great!

My friends and I are prepared for an adventure either way, so in the end we're not too worried about not being able to do specific things as long as we find some good roads and have a fun time. And if everything goes horribly horribly wrong, that's also just part of the adventure. ;)
 
What sort of Audis you got?
 
3 or 5 door? (*sniff* we don't get the 3-door here in 'merica.)
 
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