Timmelsjoch/Passo di Rombo
	Height	Climbing height
	2474m Sign 2509m Michelin 2478m; TCI 2491m	1804m (St. Leonardo) 1662m (Oetz)
	Difficulty	Beauty
	4-5 (5) South; 4 (5) North	3-4 (5)
How to get there	From St. Leonardo in Passira (670m) in Italy this is a long and hard climb. (One could start the climb even further down at Merano (323m).) Between Moos in Pass. (1007m) and Schönau/Belprato (1759m) one will find a steep section, but first after Schönau the serpentine pass road starts. They close the road at Schönau and at Obergurgl (1850m) on the other side at 8 p.m. each day, which is relatively early for the passes that closes at night. It is however possible to get under the turnpike with your bicycle and enjoy the pass without cars (or almost – I saw one (probably a local)). From deep down in the Ötztal you get up from Oetz (812m) via Sölden (1368m) on a more evenly steep road, which is not as steep as on the south side. Note that there is a long tunnel near the top on the Italy side that is not lit, but which is not a big problem as it is straight and flat. On the Austrian side of the pass the road goes down and then up again for some time before it descends to Obergurgl.
Other comments	This pass is especially beautiful on the Italian side up from Schönau. You will get a similar feel as when approaching the Stelvio pass from Prato when you close in on Schönau and notice that the serpentines are so long and many that you cannot even makes sense of where they lead (which you can at Stelvio though). There are places to stop at along the way if you should need to. But on the section between Schönau and Obergurgl you are left to rely on your own resources. There is plenty of accomodation down at Obergurgl and at most other villages on either side. [AT-TI-2474;o717]