The Furkajoch is the highest paved pass in Vorarlberg, at 1,761 metres, and it is quiet in a way few Alpine passes are. The road, number L193, runs from Damüls on the east to Laterns on the west, a narrow, winding strip of tarmac that follows the contours of the mountain. It rises through spruce forest and then through open alpine pasture, with steep drops on one side and rock on the other. On the western side, the view stretches out across the Rhine Valley toward Switzerland, and on a clear day, you can see the peaks of the Säntis.
This is a road that demands attention. It is narrow, with tight hairpins, short straights and few barriers, and it is only open in the warmer months, usually from late spring until the first snow in autumn. A winter closure is standard, so check before heading up in early or late season. Surfaces are generally good, but there are patches of gravel after rain, and cattle sometimes wander across the road. Meet a bus at a hairpin and you will quickly learn the value of a patient mind.
The pass is called Furka after the Latin for fork, a common name in the Alps for a place where paths divide. For centuries, it was a route for herders and traders, who moved cattle and cheese between the valleys. Today, the pastures at the top are still grazed in summer, and the tinkle of cowbells is the usual soundtrack. In the alpine meadows, you may spot marmots, chamois and, with luck, an eagle overhead.
In late June, the meadows are full of gentians, orchids and alpine roses, and in September the air is clean and crisp, with sharp light on the peaks. Fog, however, can roll over the pass in minutes, so be ready to slow down and use your lights.
Nothing at all is sold on the summit itself beyond a small alpine hut or two that may serve a drink in season, so fill up before the ascent. Laterns and Damüls have a few guesthouses, but the nearest proper fuel stops are in Hohenems and the Rhine Valley, some fourteen kilometres away, or in the villages of the Bregenzerwald. Pack a jacket and take it easy on the descent.