San Bernardino Pass, Mountain pass in Grisons, Switzerland.
San Bernardino Pass is a mountain crossing in the Swiss Alps at 2065 meters (about 6775 feet), linking the Hinterrhein valley with Mesolcina. The road climbs in switchbacks between steep rock faces and open slopes, with views of ridges and surrounding peaks.
The route became known as a mule track in the 15th century and gained importance for trade across the Alps. Between 1821 and 1823 the Kingdom of Sardinia funded improvements to the road, making travel easier with more modern paths.
The name comes from an old chapel and hospice that once offered shelter to travelers when the route was crossed on foot or by mule. Today this crossing connects valleys where German and Italian are spoken, showing the linguistic diversity of the Swiss Alps in a single journey.
The pass road is usually open from May to November, depending on snow conditions and weather. The San Bernardino tunnel offers a year-round alternative when the high road is closed.
The pass top marks the divide between the Rhine and Po basins, not the North Sea and Adriatic: water on the north side drains toward the Rhine, water on the south toward the Po. The same saddle is also the German-Italian language boundary. Just below the summit lies the small Marscholsee at 2,053 m.
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