Passo Gardena, at 2,121 metres, links Val Gardena with Alta Badia, and it is one of the four passes that circle the Sella massif. It does not have the drama of the Stelvio or the fame of the Pordoi, but it has a distinctive character: a wide, open crossing of grass and scree between the Sella on one side and the jagged Cir peaks on the other, with the road threading through a landscape that feels more intimate than grand. The Italian name is Passo Gardena, the German Grödner Joch, and in Ladin it is Jëuf de Frara.
The riding is superb. From the Selva side, the road climbs in a series of gentle bends and a few hairpins through spruce and then open pasture, and the surface is smooth and the gradient moderate. At the top, the road turns across a broad plateau before descending towards Corvara in a long series of bends with views across the Alta Badia valley. It is a pass that rewards a relaxed pace, so you can look around as well as at the road. In the morning, the light on the east-facing rock walls is warm and golden, and in the evening the shadows come early.
At the pass itself there is a handful of hotels and refuges, with a car park and terraces overlooking the meadows. Coffee, strudel and a view are the usual order of business. Cattle graze on the high pastures in summer, and sometimes wander onto the road, so keep an eye out. Walkers can follow trails from the car park into the high country, with rock formations and views in all directions.
Fuel is not available on the pass. The nearest options are down in Selva, about four kilometres away, and Corvara on the other side, so plan accordingly. Bressanone is the bigger town for any major services, but it is a fair distance away.
The Ladin people have lived in these valleys for a very long time, and their language, a Romance tongue related to Romansh in Switzerland, is protected and taught in schools. You will see it on road signs and menus, and it adds a layer of interest to the ride.
The pass closes in winter and usually reopens in spring, and even in summer, a check of the weather is wise.