Some call them hairpin turns, corkscrews, twisties, or simply sharp corners. From a distance, the roads connecting them look like zigzag scratch marks on the mountainside. The more rugged the mountain range, the greater the need for switchbacks. The Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, Andes, Himalayas, Pyrenees and Appalachians are all heavenly steps, more or less remote, and more or less traversed by switchbacks. Coming down a series of switchbacks in the Alps can be more than exhilarating.
Snow covers most of the top.
The air is crisp and pure. The slalom descends to spring grass, wild flowers, and finally lush forests in a matter of minutes. But, even hugging the mountain around each switchback does not conceal the shear plunge revealed beyond the road as you lean into each turn. Ltd. I read an ad of theirs in a touring magazine and decided to go on their Alpine Adventure tour. I've gone on their tour six times over a ten year period, and each time has been a different adventure into Motorcycle Heaven.