The best road cycling routes around Maloja

Morteratsch glacier reached its greatest extent in 1857 AD (after the Little Ice Age 13th/14th century - 19th century) up to 100m from the RhB stop, since then a constant retreat. However, as a tree find from 2018 (C4 + Dendrochronology) of a 10400 year old larch shows, that the glacier after the last ice age, (Pleistocene 20000-14000) at the beginning of the Holocene approx. 10000 years ago, the glacier retreated even further than today. Minimum was around 7000 years ago. Then the glacier grew again until max. 1857. The beginning of measurements was from 1915, since then it has continuously retreated. (around 20000 years ago it had connection to the Bernina and Inn glaciers, around 14000 years ago it reached Pontresina and in 1857 almost to the Rhb Morteratsch stop.

Julier Pass, History (Pass height 2284 m above sea level) The column remnants exactly at the summit of the Julier Pass and the finds of Roman coins nearby point to a very early use of this Alpine crossing. The Septimer Pass, a few kilometers to the west, which was however steeper and more avalanche-prone, can certainly be considered a competitor. What is certain is that both were used intensively in Roman times. The Julier even with two-wheeled carts. In the age of packhorse trains, the Julier increasingly lost importance because the topography at the Septimer Pass was hardly a factor and, moreover, the detour via the Engadin was not necessary. With the construction of a cart track over the Septimer (1387), the Julier was definitively left behind. The Julier remained important for access to the Upper Engadin and the Bernina Pass. The actual road construction over the Julier took place between 1820 and 1826. In this phase of history, the Julier retained "the upper hand" over the Septimer. On the one hand, topographical reasons were decisive, and on the other hand, the canton could not afford to ignore the Engadin. This was the first road construction project in which the canton acted as the client. In the second half of the 19th century, various route adjustments followed, which became necessary due to the increasing feeder traffic for the Upper Engadin health resorts. The opening of the Albula Line of the Rhaetian Railway in 1903 caused car traffic over the Julier to collapse again. When the Federal Council put pressure on the Graubünden government in 1923 for a car-suitable transit route, the canton opted for the Julier route. Between 1935 and 1940, the pass road was renovated and was the first Alpine crossing to receive an asphalt surface. Today, the Julier is the most important, year-round open, northern access to the Engadin. Text / Source: Interessengemeinschaft Alpenpässe IAP, Postfach 11, Realp https://www.alpen-paesse.ch/de/alpenpaesse/julierpass/

Already in the Roman Empire around 2,000 years ago Already in the Roman Empire around 2,000 years ago, the Julier Pass was of great importance. At the pass summit, two columns of a Roman sanctuary still stand today. Today, the pass road over the Julier is the most important road connection to the Engadin and is passable all year round. In the vicinity of the Julier, you will find numerous hiking and biking routes on which the landscape can be ideally explored. From the Julierhospitz (pass summit 2284 m above sea level), the exploration tour or hike to the clear mountain lake Leg Grevasalvas begins. Text / Source: Graubünden Ferien, Alexanderstrasse 24, Chur https://www.graubuenden.ch/de/ausflugsziele/julierpass

Sül Munt Baselgia e fin Lais da Macun

From Morteratsch and from Montebello, the view towards the Bernina massif is excellent.

Both from the Morteratsch valley and from Montebello, you can enjoy a magnificent view of glaciers and the Bernina massif.

Wonderful place of rest, in spring with a partially frozen lake

Wonderful, quiet floodplain landscape, although close to the road