Fuorn Pass
Encyclopedia
Fuorn Pass or Ofen Pass (el. 2149 m.) is a high alpine
mountain pass
in the canton
of Graubünden
in Switzerland
. The name is based on the ovens that were used in ironworks
in the area. The ruins of these ovens can still be seen from nearby trails.
It connects Zernez
in the Engadin
valley with Val Müstair
, crossing the (only) Swiss National Park
in Switzerland.
It was here that a brown bear
(Ursus arctos) was seen and photographed in July 2005 - the first sighting of a wild bear in Switzerland since 1923
In 2004, the biggest Honey fungus
spotted in Europe was found near the Pass. The fungus is about 1,000 years old and its diameter is estimated at 500 to 800 meters.
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
mountain pass
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
in the canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The name is based on the ovens that were used in ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
in the area. The ruins of these ovens can still be seen from nearby trails.
It connects Zernez
Zernez
Zernez is a municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.Zernez is a major node in the regional road network, with roads leading into the Upper Engadin and towards Italy, the Lower Engadin and towards Austria, over the Fuorn Pass into the Val Mustair and over the Flüela Pass...
in the Engadin
Engadin
The Engadin or Engadine is a long valley in the Swiss Alps located in the canton of Graubünden in southeast Switzerland. It follows the route of the Inn River from its headwaters at Maloja Pass running northeast until the Inn flows into Austria one hundred kilometers downstream...
valley with Val Müstair
Val Müstair
Val Müstair is a municipality in the district of Inn in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It was formed on 1 January 2009 through the merger of Tschierv, Fuldera, Lü, Valchava, Santa Maria Val Müstair and Müstair.-Demographics:...
, crossing the (only) Swiss National Park
Swiss National Park
The Swiss National Park is located in the canton of Graubünden in the east of Switzerland between Zernez, S-chanf, Scuol and the Fuorn Pass in the Engadin valley on the border with Italy....
in Switzerland.
It was here that a brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
(Ursus arctos) was seen and photographed in July 2005 - the first sighting of a wild bear in Switzerland since 1923
In 2004, the biggest Honey fungus
Honey fungus
Honey fungus, or Armillaria or оpenky , is a genus of parasitic fungi that live on trees and woody shrubs. It includes about 10 species formerly lumped together as A. mellea. Armillarias are long lived and form some of the largest living organisms in the world...
spotted in Europe was found near the Pass. The fungus is about 1,000 years old and its diameter is estimated at 500 to 800 meters.
See also
- List of highest paved roads in Europe
- List of mountain passes
- List of the highest Swiss passes
External links
- Profile on climbbybike.com
- Hike:Fuorn Hike Switzerland, Graubünden