Zeinisjoch

The Zeinisjoch sits high on the border between Vorarlberg and Tirol, where the Rhine meets the Danube. It is a mountain pass at 1,838 metres, with the road crest just two metres higher. To the north rise the Verwall peaks, to the south the Silvretta range. Partenen in the Montafon valley lies 787 metres below, while Galtür in the Paznaun valley sits 254 metres higher than Partenen. Water from Tirol is sent down to Vorarlberg’s power stations because the drop is so much greater. Below the pass stands the Kops reservoir, its Zeinis fore-bay holding a fishing lake where the Zeinisjochhaus inn is found. A little way north lies the smaller natural Zeinis lake, close to a campsite. Scattered buildings on the western side carry the Zeinisjoch name and belong to Partenen. The road from Galtür climbs 700 metres through steep ravines, making it a tough but rewarding climb for cyclists. The pass has carried travellers since Roman times, when goods and people moved between the valleys. In the Middle Ages pack trains grew into cart tracks, and a small inn once stood near the summit. Today the route is quiet again, used mostly by walkers and mountain-bikers on long-distance tours. The old road ends at the reservoir, but a higher path continues into the Montafon, offering wide views across the Silvretta glaciers.