snowy mountains in view already on lower half of climb up the east side of the pass
(in winter Sharon + Ken did a ski mountaineering tour in those mountains)
 

48 tight curves on the road up the east side of the Stilfserjoch / Stelvio pass . . (the main language on the east side of the pass which we climbed first is German / on the west side Italian -- so two names)
 

just above the village of Trafoi, where the climbing gets steeper
 

high mountains of the Ortler group (Italian "Ortles") -- still holding lots of snow into late June, after plenty of the white stuff fell this spring
 

switchback curves on the road below this rider
 

Goal:  the pass high above with building in view, stream of snow below. 
Means:  the road with its many switchbacks in center right
 

but not every aspiring climber achieved the same level of conquest -- here's a cyclist walking his bike
 

recent tracks carved into the snow by backcountry skiers who hiked up there in the last couple of days
 

Ken climbing to the last switchback curve
 

Tony coming over the top - - (yesterday he was just assembling his bike after getting off the airplane from New York)