Santa Caterina Valfurva is a small ski village at about 1,700 metres in the Lombard Alps, at the head of a valley that ends against the glaciers of the Ortler-Cevedale range. It lies inside the Stelvio National Park, and the air has that thin, clean mountain bite, with larch and spruce on the slopes and the peaks of the Gran Zebrù and the Cevedale shining white in the distance. In winter it is a quiet, serious skiing resort. In summer it belongs to walkers, climbers and the riders who come to tackle the road above it, the Gavia Pass.
The Gavia is one of the toughest and most atmospheric paved passes in the Alps. Rising to 2,621 metres, it begins just above the village and climbs in a narrow ribbon, with sections barely wider than a car, steep gradients and stretches without guard rails. The surface is mostly paved and decent but has patches that are rough or broken after winter, and the road is single-lane in places, with passing bays. The descent on the Ponte di Legno side is a long, bumpy, exposed run. The pass is only open from about June to October, and snow can fall in any month, so check conditions before you go. Fog, rain and sudden cold are common, and the temperature at the summit can be a shock after the valley.
The Gavia has a place in cycling history. In 1988, a blizzard struck the riders of the Giro d'Italia on the climb, and the stage became a legend of cold, suffering and heroism. Even in summer, standing at the top and looking at the grey lakes and rock, you can imagine how brutal it must have been. Near the summit, a mountain refuge serves hot food and drinks, and walkers use it as a base for high routes.
In the village, you will find a few hotels, restaurants and shops, with hearty mountain food such as pizzoccheri, buckwheat pasta with cheese, cabbage and potatoes, and bresaola, the air-dried beef of the Valtellina. A warm meal here is a good idea before the climb. As for fuel, the village is small, so it is best to fill in the larger centres down the valley, such as Bormio, before heading up. Tirano, about thirty-four kilometres away, is the bigger town on the way out of the valley.
This is a place for early starts. Ride in the morning, when the air is clear and the road is quiet, and keep a layer in the top box for the summit.