Umbrail is the quiet sister of the Stelvio. At 2,501 metres it is the highest paved pass in Switzerland, and yet most people ride past its turning without noticing. It leaves the Stelvio road just below the summit on the Italian side and drops into Switzerland, down to Santa Maria in the Val Müstair, on a road that is narrower, emptier and a good deal slower than its neighbour. There is a Swiss border post near the top, and you should carry your passport.
The history is the same as that of the Stelvio, since both are part of the old trade and military routes between Lombardy and the upper Adige, but the character is different. The Swiss side has fewer coaches, fewer stalls and a much more local feel, with larch and spruce woods lower down and open pasture higher up. The hairpins are still there, tight and steep, but they come in a quieter setting, and you may meet only a few cars, a cyclist or two and sometimes a cow.
For motorcyclists, Umbrail offers an excellent way of making a loop. Ride up the Stelvio from Bormio, cross over to the Umbrail, drop into the Val Müstair and then return via the Ofen Pass and Livigno, or continue on to the Engadin. Whichever way you go, the surface is generally good, though parts of the upper section can be rough after the winter, with patches of broken tarmac and loose stones. In early summer, check that the pass is open, because snow often keeps it closed until June.
Bormio, about nine kilometres from here according to the map, is the sensible place to fill up on the Italian side. In the Val Müstair, small pumps exist but cannot be counted on, so arrive with at least half a tank. Water is not a problem, because there are springs and streams all the way down.
The views from the top are less theatrical than those from the Stelvio, but they have a different charm. You see a broad sweep of bare ridges, dark in the afternoon, and there is a wonderful sense of space. Wind can be strong, and the temperature can be ten degrees lower than in the valley, so layers matter. In early autumn, when the larches start to turn yellow, the whole slope below the pass glows, and the traffic thins out. It is, for many riders, the better of the two passes.