CyclistClassic climb: San Bernardino Pass, the Swiss climb with an Italian flavourThe concept of nostalgia is attributed to 17th century Swiss medical student Johannes Hofer, who combined the Greek words for homecoming and pain or ache. Less familiar is the related notion of mal du suisse the Swiss illness a diagnosis given to Helvetian mercenaries laid low physically by a deep longing for their mountainous homeland.The idea of homesickness as a medical affliction has fallen out of favour but, when confronted by the landscape of the Swiss Alps, its not hard to imagine how it might shape an identity or form an integral part of the national psyche. The mountains are awesome in the truest sense of the word they inspire awe because they exist on such a mind-altering scale. Related Posts Classic climb: Susten Pass, the supersized Swiss climb Classic climb: Grosse Scheidegg, the Swiss climb with a traffic-free cherry on top Classic climb: Furka Pass, the Swiss climb with the Midas touch To cyclists, they hold their own special magnetism. Nowhere does a ride feel more mythic in its sheer scope. Its not about how hard the riding is, its the special otherworldly quality of the surroundings and the privilege of taking on natures most extravagant display of grandeur.Pass notesPatrik LundinSwitzerland offers countless extraordinary road riding experiences and the San Bernardino pass is up there with the best of them. Situated in the southeast of the country close to the Italian border, the pass runs roughly north-south, joining the cantons of Graubnden and Ticino and bridging the German-Italian language divide at the same time. There are almost too many ways to approach this climb but were focussing on the ascent from the south, beginning in the town of Lostallo. Its a giant of a climb including almost 1,700m of vertical ascent over 30km.The cobbles of Mesocco are smoother than most UK tarmac.Patrik LundinThis is the harder side of the pass and arguably the more interesting, although neither approach is going to disappoint. You could of course ride over the entire San Bernardino and back again if youre truly dedicated.Starting from Lostallo, there are immediately choices to make. You can plug away on the main road, but since youre here for the experience, the lanes to the east of the large highway are the better option unless youre itching to get to the proper climbing as quickly as possible. They offer welcome respite from the traffic, a little up-and-down rollercoaster through pretty farmland, with occasional goats, stone barns and picturesque bridges across the river Moesa, which flows the length of the valley.Patrik LundinThe detour ends at the village of Soazza where youre back on the main road for a steady climb to Mesocco averaging around 6%-7%, passing its eponymous castle on your right. The town has an old-world feel and the main thoroughfare is actually cobbled, although this being Switzerland this is smooth, pleasant pav, not the rim destroyers of the Arenberg.Lush forest covers the lower part of the valley and its sparsely populated for long stretches.Patrik LundinAnother choice comes at this point. By all means stick to the main road if you like it offers a healthy complement of hairpins and classic near-perfect Alpine tarmac but veering right towards the hamlets of Darba and Andergia takes you on a series of narrow lanes that snake their way upwards, twisting and turning with some seriously challenging gradients. Neither option is easy and the standard approach averages around 7% or 8%, with a peak that nudges up towards 12%.The route options come together again adjacent to junction 34 of the E43 highway. The cycling route is again a main road, but motorised traffic levels are kept in check by the tunnel alternative that runs through the mountain.The highway running almost in parallel to our route keeps the worst of the motorised traffic at bay.Patrik LundinProgress can feel slow at this stage as the wide road doesnt give a great sense of forward momentum. Youre soon treated to an entertaining jumble of hairpins however, and these gift you a chunk of elevation all at once, while the views over your shoulder start to get more epic.Near the top, the wide, open roads are very exposed. When you turn around the descending is glorious.Patrik LundinAt this point youre over 20km in and youve barely scratched the surface of what the San Bernardino has to offer. Another long drag follows and then, as if to mock you by needlessly wasting hard-earned potential energy, the road points downwards for a bit, delivering you to the town of San Bernardino itself.Misty mountain-hoSwitzerlands otherworldly infrastructure is at its most impressive in the mountains.Patrik LundinIf youre feeling lazy we wont judge youd be somewhat justified in starting your ride here rather than grinding up from the bottom of the valley. Its from the town onwards that the San Bernardino takes on the character of a high-Alpine pass. The views become more expansive by an order of magnitude and the landscape has a rawness to it thats noticeable after the lushness of the lower reaches.Patrik LundinDense pine forests give way to scrubby, low-lying evergreen bushes pushing out of boggy ground and scattered formations of ageless rock. The atmosphere feels different up here. Even on a sunny summers day theres a crispness to the air and a sense of remoteness. The mountains have weather all of their own and you can picture a blizzard suddenly closing in. Like most of the major passes, the road is impassable through the winter, typically from sometime in November to April or May.The ribbons of tarmac are delightful but the gradients stay mostly under 10% so the run to the finish isnt punishing.Patrik LundinThe final section of the climb is undoubtedly the best, with gloriously expansive views, including a satisfying perspective on the ribbon of tarmac youve traced your way up. A series of hairpins only enhances the sense that youre finally getting somewhere. Here gradients hover around the 5%-7% mark with the usual kick up as you winch around a switchback, but its never unduly steep so its possible to maintain a decent pace.Patrik LundinA near-straight false flat offers the opportunity for some high-speed showboating if theres anything left in your legs and then you skirt your way round a small lake to the finish. Like so many of these climbs the end of the affair can feel anticlimactic: admire the cows, eat some alarmingly expensive salami and bread at the not-quite-a-restaurant, and get back on your bike. Has your longing for the mountains been sated? If the San Bernardino doesnt do it, nothing will. Related Posts Classic climb: Susten Pass, the supersized Swiss climb Classic climb: Grosse Scheidegg, the Swiss climb with a traffic-free cherry on top Classic climb: Furka Pass, the Swiss climb with the Midas touch The post Classic climb: San Bernardino Pass, the Swiss climb with an Italian flavour appeared first on Cyclist.