Oberalp Pass ( rm, Alpsu or ''Cuolm d'Ursera''; german: Oberalppass) (2044 meters above sea level) is a high

mountain pass A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since many of the world's mountain ranges have presented formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human a ...

in the

Swiss Alps The Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps (german: Schweizer Alpen, french: Alpes suisses, it, Alpi svizzere, rm, Alps svizras), represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with the Swiss ...

connecting the

cantons A canton is a type of administrative division of a country. In general, cantons are relatively small in terms of area and population when compared with other administrative divisions such as counties, departments, or provinces. Internationally, t ...

of Graubünden and

Uri Uri may refer to: Places * Canton of Uri, a canton in Switzerland * Úri, a village and commune in Hungary * Uri, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province * Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, a town in India * Uri (island), an island off Malakula Islan ...

between

Disentis/Mustér Disentis (German) or Mustér (, Romansh), with its official name Disentis/Mustér is a village and a municipality in the Surselva Region in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The skiing and summer tourism resort high up in the Rhine valley is th ...

and

Andermatt Andermatt ( rm, ) is a mountain village and municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. At an elevation of above sea level, Andermatt is located at the center of the Saint-Gotthard Massif and the historical ce ...

Winter closure

The public road that crosses the pass is closed in winter, but the Furka-Oberalp railway line, now part of the

Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn is a narrow gauge railway line and a railway company (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn AG, MGB) in Switzerland. The track width is . It was created in 2003 through an amalgamation of Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO) and BVZ Zermatt-B ...

, runs year round and provides a limited shuttle for cars in winter (reservation required). When the road closes depends on snowfall and varies between the end of October and the beginning of December. The road opens again in spring, usually by the end of April but sometimes not until mid May. In winter, a ski area extends to the Graubünden side, connecting the pass well into the

Tujetsch Tujetsch (; german: Tavetsch) is a municipality in the Surselva Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is the westernmost municipality of the canton, connected to Urseren ( canton of Uri) by the Oberalp Pass. History The uppe ...

territory to Dieni, near Rueras.

Source of the Rhine river

The

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...

springs from a source nearby (

Tomasee The Tomasee ( rm, Lai da Tuma or ) is a lake at the northern face of Piz Badus, above the village of Tschamut in Grisons, Switzerland. Its surface area is . It is the source of the Anterior Rhine and is deemed to be the official source of the Rh ...

), which can be accessed by hiking two hours from Oberalp Pass. A multiday trekking route is signposted across Oberalp pass and along the young Rhine called ''Senda Sursilvana''.Hiking Switzerland on Senda Sursilvana across the pass
Oberalpsee is located 20 m below, in the direction of Andermatt.

Railway station

A railway station is located next to the Oberalppass road. It is at the base of the Oberalp ski area. The station is owned and run by the

. It has 3 platforms, one of which is a bay platform from

, and is often closed during the winter. The railway on both sides of the station is a single line, so Oberalppass is an important passing place. The station is the highest point on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn network.

Ski Area

The Oberalp Pass passes the Oberalp ski area, which is part of the Gotthard Oberalp Arena. There are currently plans for the ski area to be linked up with

Nätschen Nätschen is a mountain location and ski area above Andermatt, in the Canton of Uri, Switzerland. Higher up on Nätschen the mountain is known as Gütsch. Its highest point is . It is one of the mountains in the Gotthard Oberalp Arena, as is Gemss ...

, the neighbouring mountain, which is also part of the Gotthard Oberalp Arena.

Gallery

File:Galeriestraße cropped.jpg, Oberalp Pass File:Oberalpsee, September.JPG, Oberalpsee and railway/road protection tunnel File:MGB Deh 4-4 I bei Oberalppasshöhe.jpg, Summit of the road (railway uses short tunnel) File:Tomasee.jpg,

File:Switzerland ski resort and lighthouse on Oberalp Pass.jpg, Oberalp in the winter

References

External links

Profile on climbbybike.comMap, photos, cycing elevation chart - both sides
{{Authority control Mountain passes of Switzerland Mountain passes of the Alps Mountain passes of Graubünden Mountain passes of the canton of Uri Ski areas and resorts in Switzerland Graubünden–Uri border Rail mountain passes of Switzerland Andermatt Tujetsch