Kunkelspass

Kunkelspass
The top of the pass road seen from SE, on the far left Crap Mats
Compass direction	north	south
Pass height	1347  m above sea level M.
Canton / State	Graubünden Switzerland
Watershed	Tamina	Rhine
Valley locations	Vattis	Tamins
expansion	Driveway (driving ban for motor vehicles)
Built	in the First World War
Winter closure	November – April
Mountains	Glarus Alps
profile
Ø pitch	5.2% (410 m / 7.9 km)	10.9% (689 m / 6.3 km)
Max. Incline	12%	19%
map
Coordinates	750 400  /  191.28 thousand coordinates: 46 ° 51 '20 "  N , 9 ° 24' 40"  O ; CH1903:  seven hundred fifty thousand four hundred  /  one hundred and ninety-one thousand two hundred eighty

The Kunkelspass ( 1347  m above sea level ) is a mountain pass in the Glarus Alps south of the hamlet of Kunkels in the Swiss canton of Graubünden . It lies between the Crap Mats (2947 m) and the Calanda (2806 m). A subordinate watershed runs over it , between the Tamina in the north and the brook that flows south into the Alpine Rhine . The connection leads from Vättis in the Tamina valley in the north to Tamins in the Graubünden Rhine Valley and has a peak height of 1,358  m above sea level. M. , where there is a mountain restaurant.

geography

The Kunkelspass geologically marks the eastern edge of the Aar massif , which is opened up again at Vättis. It lies between the steeply sloping walls of the Calanda in the east and the mountain range around the Ringelspitz in the west. There are indications that the Kunkelspass should correspond to the prehistoric course of the Rhine. At the top of the pass is the Alp Überuf with a mountain inn.

history

Finds suggest that the mule track over the Kunkelspass was already crossed in Roman times. The name comes from the Latin concha , which means shell .

In later times it became important for the Pfäfers monastery , which owned numerous possessions in Graubünden. The Kunkel served as an alternative route when the Rhine Valley was not accessible during floods, or to bypass the customs stations there. The mule track also served as access to the Taminser's Maiensässen and for driving cattle to the southern markets.

Today's narrow driveway with the promising tunnel on the Taminser side was built during the First World War.

traffic

The Kunkelspass is not cleared in winter, the drivable road, which is not covered with black pavement, leads on the south side through steep landslides and rubble. Driving with motor vehicles is only permitted with official approval.

tourism

Today the Kunkel is a popular hiking and biking destination. The round tour from Chur over the Kunkelspass is a classic bike ride with its beautiful viewpoints.

literature

• Elmar Good, Pier Hänni: Magical Graubünden. Hikes to places of power. AT-Verlag 2005, ISBN 3-85502-972-5 .
• Kunkels - a world of its own. The work and life of our ancestors on the Maiensäss. Local history work by Christian Jörimann, Tamins 1995.
• Jürg Simonett: Kunkelspass. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland . 2008 .

Web links

Commons : Kunkelspass  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Kunkelspass on the ETHorama platform
• Tourist website Kunkelspass
• Hike over the Kunkelspass

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  View over the Rhine valley to the Kunkelspass

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  Kunkelspass

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  Kunkelspass tunnel

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  Kunkelspass

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Maps of Switzerland (SwissTopo)
2. ↑ Driving permits on Kunkelspassstrasse on tamins.ch