Between the hamlet of Casaccia and the Maloja Pass, about ten tight hairpins climb up the mountainside, linking the Italian-speaking Bregaglia valley to the Swiss Engadine.
A short but spectacular ramp from Casaccia
From Casaccia, at 1,461 m, it’s about 4.8 km for 360 m of elevation gain up to the pass at 1,815 m. The wide but winding road strings together numbered hairpins, with sections around 8 to 10% in the tightest switchbacks.
A historic route between Italy and the Engadine
The Maloja marks the divide between the Mediterranean and Rhine watersheds, and has for centuries been the gateway to the Engadine from neighbouring Italy. The pass village, with its distinctive architecture, still reflects this crossroads position between two alpine worlds.
How to approach the ride
It’s best to keep a light gear ready to restart smoothly out of each switchback, since the gradient consistently steepens at the entry to every hairpin before easing off on the straighter sections in between.
When to climb it
May to October, avoiding the fog that often rolls in on this side of the pass late in the day and sharply cuts visibility in the hairpins.
Good to know
The climb continues naturally toward St. Moritz on a nearly flat road along the Engadine lakes, or toward the neighbouring Julier Pass for a two-pass alpine ride in the same outing.