The Grimsel Pass is a notch in the ridge between the Haslital to the north and the upper Rhône valley to the south, at 2,164 metres, and its character is dominated by water. All around are lakes, some natural, some dammed, and the high granite is smooth and grey, polished by ice into long, bare slabs. The Grimsel is among the most beautiful of the Swiss passes, in part because of this stark, rounded shape.
The summit area has a small hospice, a lake and a cluster of buildings, and a little further along is the Totensee, the Lake of the Dead, which takes its name from a battle in 1799 when French and Austrian troops fought across the pass during the Napoleonic wars. Whether or not the name carries all that weight, it makes you think. The pass has long been a trade route, used by traders and pilgrims, and the old stone paving of the mule track can still be seen in places.
Riders will find a good road here. It is wider than the Furka and less hair-raising, with long open bends, and the surface is mostly smooth. On the northern side, the descent goes through a series of fast curves above the Grimsel reservoirs, and the views of the dams and blue water are remarkable. The wind can be strong on the summit, and the cold can bite, so keep a layer in the top box. Fuel is not available at the top, and you need to remember that the last proper stations are in the valleys, Meiringen to the north and the Goms villages to the south.
Hydropower has shaped this landscape; the dams of the Oberhasli are among the largest in Switzerland, and the power lines and cable cars you can see are part of that story. The rock, a hard granite, has also made the region famous among climbers. Late afternoon is lovely, with the low sun lighting the granite a warm gold, and the traffic quieter. Take a few minutes at the lake, just to look. Then ride on, because the descent is a long one.