History
The Ofen pass is also known as the Fuorn Pass or Passo del Forno. "Fuorn" is the Romansh word for "oven", Ofen or Forno also mean oven and this comes not from cooking but from furnaces to smelt iron. The hotel at the top of the pass was built in 1489, no doubt for the miners and blacksmiths. This area is now Switzerlands only National Park. The pass connects Zernez in the Engadin valley with Müstair.
Notes
After leaving Italy and crossing the border into Switzerland at Müstair it is a steady climb up the pass with a set of hairpins bringing you into the Swiss National Park. The road opens out into pine forests as it descends through fantastic scenery past the Il Fuorn hotel before arriving at Zernez.
Statistics
Summit Location | 46°38’23.0”N, 10°17’32.0”E |
---|---|
Summit Altitude | 2149 metres |
Distance | 31 Kilometres |
Start | Zernez 1474 metres |
End | Santa Maria Val Mustair 1375 metres |
Opens | June to mid-October |