The Gerlos Pass is a handsome, civilised crossing between the Zillertal in Tyrol and the Pinzgau in Salzburg province, and at 1,507 metres it is low enough to be open for most of the year, though not low enough to ignore. It is a toll road, a fact that the locals accept with a shrug, and the money pays for a surface that is smooth, wide and well marked, and for snow clearing that begins early in the winter.
The road was opened in the early 1960s and replaced an old track that was nothing like as friendly. It runs from Zell am Ziller up the Gerlos valley, passes the small ski village of Gerlos, climbs gently to the summit and then drops to Krimml in a succession of tight hairpins above the waterfall valley. The hairpins on the Salzburg side are the best part, with a steep fall away to one side and views of the Krimml falls on a good day. Take them slowly, because gravel washes down in the rain and coach traffic is common in summer.
A reservoir lies close to the summit, the Gerlos lake, dammed for hydroelectric power in the Zillertal scheme. In the morning it can be as still as glass, with the mountains reflected perfectly, and on windy afternoons it takes on a hard blue-grey texture. It is a pleasant place to pause, with a short footpath along the shore and space to park a few bikes. Anglers appear along the shore, patiently, in all weathers.
The Zillertal is a classic Tyrolean valley, with flower-decked farmhouses, brass bands and a local accent that is among the most distinctive in Austria. The Zillertal Tuxer cattle, a small, dark breed, still graze the meadows, and you will often see the farm shops selling smoked ham, hard cheese and schnapps that taste of the mountain. The Zillertal Alps rise to the south, with the glaciers of the Hintertux region standing above the tree line.
Fuel can be found in Gerlos village, though it is small, and the larger services are in Zell am Ziller and Wörgl, which is about twenty-eight kilometres away on the Inn river. Wind can be sharp on the summit, and the temperature feels very different once you are out of the trees, so keep a layer in the pannier even if the valley is warm.