Pennine Alps
The Pennine Alps (German: Walliser Alpen, French: Alpes valaisannes, Italian: Alpi Pennine, Latin: Alpes Poeninae), also known as the Valais Alps, are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland (Valais) and Italy (Piedmont and the Aosta Valley).
| Pennine Alps | |
|---|---|
| French: Alpes Pennines, Alpes valaisannes, German: Walliser Alpen, Italian: Alpi Pennine, Latin: Alpes Poeninae | |
 View of Pennine Alps from Riederalp | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Dufourspitze |
| Elevation | 4,634 m (15,203 ft) |
| Coordinates | 45°56′12″N 7°52′00″E |
| Geography | |
.png.webp) Pennine Alps (red)
| |
| Countries | Switzerland and Italy |
| Canton/Regions | Valais, Piedmont and Aosta Valley |
| Range coordinates | 46°05′N 7°50′E |
| Parent range | Alps |
| Borders on | Graian Alps, Lepontine Alps, Bernese Alps and Po plain |
Geography
The Italian side is drained by the rivers Dora Baltea, Sesia and Toce, tributaries of the Po. The Swiss side is drained by the Rhône.
The Great St Bernard Tunnel, under the Great St Bernard Pass, leads from Martigny, Switzerland to Aosta.
Morphology
The main chain (watershed between the Mediterranean Sea and Adriatic Sea) runs from west to east on the border between Italy (south) and Switzerland (north). From Mont Vélan, the first high summit east of St Bernard Pass, the chain rarely goes below 3000 metres and contains many four-thousanders such as Matterhorn or Monte Rosa. The valleys are quite similar on both side of the border, being generally oriented perpendicular to the main chain and descending progressively into the Rhône Valley on the north and the Aosta Valley on the south. Unlike many other mountain ranges, the higher peaks are often located outside the main chain and found themselves between the northern valleys (Grand Combin, Weisshorn, Mischabel, Weissmies).
Peaks
Aerial view of the Pennine Alps from a plane above Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco)
Monte Rosa
Matterhorn (Cervino)
The chief peaks of the Pennine Alps are:
| Name | Height |
|---|---|
| Dufourspitze | 4,634 m (15,203 ft) |
| Dunantspitze | 4,632 m (15,197 ft) |
| Grenzgipfel | 4,618 m (15,151 ft) |
| Nordend | 4,609 m (15,121 ft) |
| Zumsteinspitze | 4,563 m (14,970 ft) |
| Signalkuppe | 4,554 m (14,941 ft) |
| Dom | 4,545 m (14,911 ft) |
| Liskamm | 4,538 m (14,888 ft) |
| Weisshorn | 4,506 m (14,783 ft) |
| Täschhorn | 4,491 m (14,734 ft) |
| Matterhorn | 4,478 m (14,692 ft) |
| Parrotspitze | 4,432 m (14,541 ft) |
| Dent Blanche | 4,364 m (14,318 ft) |
| Nadelhorn | 4,327 m (14,196 ft) |
| Grand Combin | 4,314 m (14,154 ft) |
| Lenzspitze | 4,294 m (14,088 ft) |
| Stecknadelhorn | 4,241 m (13,914 ft) |
| Castor | 4,230 m (13,878 ft) |
| Zinalrothorn | 4,223 m (13,855 ft) |
| Hohberghorn | 4,219 m (13,842 ft) |
| Alphubel | 4,206 m (13,799 ft) |
| Rimpfischhorn | 4,199 m (13,776 ft) |
| Strahlhorn | 4,190 m (13,747 ft) |
| Dent d'Hérens | 4,171 m (13,684 ft) |
| Breithorn | 4,164 m (13,661 ft) |
| Bishorn | 4,153 m (13,625 ft) |
| Breithornzwillinge | 4,139 m (13,579 ft) |
| Pollux | 4,092 m (13,425 ft) |
| Ober Gabelhorn | 4,073 m (13,363 ft) |
| Dürrenhorn | 4,035 m (13,238 ft) |
| Allalinhorn | 4,027 m (13,212 ft) |
| Weissmies | 4,031 m (13,225 ft) |
| Lagginhorn | 4,010 m (13,156 ft) |
| Fletschhorn | 3,993 m (13,100 ft) |
| Adlerhorn | 3,988 m (13,084 ft) |
| Schalihorn | 3,974 m (13,038 ft) |
| Jägerhorn | 3,970 m (13,025 ft) |
| Grand Cornier | 3,962 m (12,999 ft) |
| Ulrichshorn | 3,925 m (12,877 ft) |
| Wellenkuppe | 3,903 m (12,805 ft) |
| Feechopf | 3,888 m (12,756 ft) |
| Klein Matterhorn | 3,883 m (12,740 ft) |
| Pointe du Mountet | 3,877 m (12,720 ft) |
| La Ruinette | 3,879 m (12,726 ft) |
| Name | Height |
|---|---|
| Mont Blanc de Cheilon | 3,870 m (12,697 ft) |
| Bouquetins | 3,838 m (12,592 ft) |
| Brunegghorn | 3,833 m (12,575 ft) |
| Tour de Boussine | 3,833 m (12,575 ft) |
| Cima di Jazzi | 3,818 m (12,526 ft) |
| Balfrin | 3,802 m (12,474 ft) |
| Pigne d'Arolla | 3,796 m (12,454 ft) |
| Mont Vélan | 3,765 m (12,352 ft) |
| Kinhorn | 3,750 m (12,303 ft) |
| Tête Blanche | 3,750 m (12,303 ft) |
| L'Évêque | 3,738 m (12,264 ft) |
| Le Pleureur | 3,706 m (12,159 ft) |
| Aiguille de la Tsa | 3,668 m (12,034 ft) |
| Besso | 3,667 m (12,031 ft) |
| Mont Collon | 3,637 m (11,932 ft) |
| Les Diablons | 3,605 m (11,827 ft) |
| Le Ritord | 3,556 m (11,667 ft) |
| Dents de Bertol | 3,547 m (11,637 ft) |
| Mont Gelé | 3,518 m (11,542 ft) |
| Petite Aiguille | 3,517 m (11,539 ft) |
| Becca di Luseney | 3,506 m (11,503 ft) |
| Château des Dames | 3,489 m (11,447 ft) |
| Tällihorn | 3,448 m (11,312 ft) |
| Pigne de la Lé | 3,396 m (11,142 ft) |
| Grand Tournalin | 3,379 m (11,086 ft) |
| Rosablanche | 3,348 m (10,984 ft) |
| Wasuhorn | 3,343 m (10,968 ft) |
| Mont Avril | 3,341 m (10,961 ft) |
| Almagellhorn | 3,327 m (10,915 ft) |
| Grande Rochère | 3,326 m (10,912 ft) |
| Corno Bianco | 3,320 m (10,892 ft) |
| Testa Grigia | 3,315 m (10,876 ft) |
| La Cassorte | 3,301 m (10,830 ft) |
| Böshorn | 3,268 m (10,722 ft) |
| Le Parrain | 3,259 m (10,692 ft) |
| Sasseneire | 3,259 m (10,692 ft) |
| Bösentrift | 3,248 m (10,656 ft) |
| Festihorn | 3,248 m (10,656 ft) |
| Grand Golliat | 3,240 m (10,630 ft) |
| Jazzihorn | 3,227 m (10,587 ft) |
| Pizzo Bianco | 3,216 m (10,551 ft) |
| Mont de la Gouille | 3,212 m (10,538 ft) |
| Latelhorn | 3,207 m (10,522 ft) |
| Jegihorn | 3,206 m (10,518 ft) |
| Name | Height |
|---|---|
| Schwarzhorn | 3,204 m (10,512 ft) |
| Lammenhorn | 3,190 m (10,466 ft) |
| Gornergrat | 3,136 m (10,289 ft) |
| Pointe d'Ar Pitetta | 3,133 m (10,279 ft) |
| Frilihorn | 3,124 m (10,249 ft) |
| Mont Rogneux | 3,084 m (10,118 ft) |
| Le Boudri | 3,070 m (10,072 ft) |
| Mont Néry | 3,070 m (10,072 ft) |
| Seetalhorn | 3,037 m (9,964 ft) |
| Bella Tola | 3,028 m (9,934 ft) |
| Corno Bussola | 3,023 m (9,918 ft) |
| Le Toûno | 3,018 m (9,902 ft) |
| Sparruhorn | 2,988 m (9,803 ft) |
| Monte Tagliaferro | 2,964 m (9,724 ft) |
| Pointe de Barasson | 2,963 m (9,721 ft) |
| Riffelhorn | 2,931 m (9,616 ft) |
| Palanche de la Cretta | 2,927 m (9,603 ft) |
| Bec de la Montau | 2,922 m (9,587 ft) |
| Ochsehorn | 2,912 m (9,554 ft) |
| Signalhorn | 2,911 m (9,551 ft) |
| Sex de Marinda | 2,906 m (9,534 ft) |
| Aiguille des Angroniettes | 2,885 m (9,465 ft) |
| Balmahorn | 2,870 m (9,416 ft) |
| Roc d'Orzival | 2,853 m (9,360 ft) |
| Le Mourin | 2,766 m (9,075 ft) |
| Pletschuhorn | 2,751 m (9,026 ft) |
| Becca de Corbassière | 2,749 m (9,019 ft) |
| Cima del Rosso | 2,624 m (8,609 ft) |
| Wenghorn | 2,587 m (8,488 ft) |
| Cima di Bo | 2,556 m (8,386 ft) |
| Ergischhorn | 2,526 m (8,287 ft) |
| Glishorn | 2,525 m (8,284 ft) |
| Crêta de Vella | 2,519 m (8,264 ft) |
| Six Blanc | 2,445 m (8,022 ft) |
| Cima Verosso | 2,444 m (8,018 ft) |
| Guggilihorn | 2,351 m (7,713 ft) |
| Testa di Comagna | 2,106 m (6,909 ft) |
Passes
Great St Bernard pass
The chief passes of the Pennine Alps are:[1]
| Mountain pass | location | type | elevation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sesiajoch | Zermatt to Alagna | snow | 4,424 | 14,515 |
| Domjoch | Randa to Saas-Fee | snow | 4,286 | 14,062 |
| Lisjoch | Zermatt to Gressoney-La-Trinité | snow | 4,277 | 14,033 |
| Mischabeljoch | Zermatt to Saas-Fee | snow | 3,856 | 12,651 |
| Alphubel Pass | Zermatt to Saas-Fee | snow | 3,802 | 12,474 |
| Adler Pass | Zermatt to Saas-Fee | snow | 3,798 | 12,461 |
| Moming Pass | Zermatt to Zinal | snow | 3,745 | 12,287 |
| Schwarztor | Zermatt to Ayas | snow | 3,741 | 12,274 |
| Ried Pass | Sankt-Niklaus to Saas-Fee | snow | 3,597 | 11,800 |
| Neues Weisstor | Zermatt to Macugnaga | snow | 3,580 | 11,746 |
| Allalin Pass | Zermatt to Saas-Fee | snow | 3,570 | 11,713 |
| Col de Valpelline | Zermatt to Aosta | snow | 3,562 | 11,687 |
| Biesjoch | Randa to Turtmann | snow | 3,549 | 11,644 |
| Triftjoch | Zermatt to Zinal | snow | 3,540 | 11,615 |
| Col du Sonadon | Bourg-Saint-Pierre to the Val de Bagnes | snow | 3,489 | 11,447 |
| Col d'Herens | Zermatt to Evolène | snow | 3,480 | 11,418 |
| Col Durand | Zermatt to Zinal | snow | 3,474 | 11,398 |
| Col des Maisons Blanches | Bourg-Saint-Pierre to the Val de Bagnes | snow | 3,426 | 11,241 |
| Col de Bertol | Arolla to the Col d'Herens | snow | 3,414 | 11,200 |
| Col du Mont Rouge | Val de Bagnes to the Val d'Hérémence | snow | 3,341 | 10,962 |
| Theodulpass | Zermatt to Valtournenche | snow | 3,322 | 10,899 |
| Col de Tracuit | Zinal to Turtmann | snow | 3,252 | 10,670 |
| Zwischbergen Pass | Saas-Fee to Gondo | snow | 3,248 | 10,657 |
| Col d'Oren | Val de Bagnes to the Valpelline | snow | 3,242 | 10,637 |
| Col de Seilon | Val de Bagnes to the Val d'Hérémence | snow | 3,200 | 10,499 |
| Col du Cret | Val de Bagnes to the Val d'Hérémence | snow | 3,148 | 10,329 |
| Col de Valcournera | Valtournenche to the Valpelline | snow | 3,147 | 10,325 |
| Col de Collon | Arolla to Aosta | snow | 3,130 | 10,270 |
| Col de Valsorey | Bourg-Saint-Pierre to Aosta | snow | 3,113 | 10'214 |
| Col de Chermontane | Val de Bagnes to Arolla | snow | 3084 | 10,119 |
| Cimes Blanches | Valtournenche to Ayas | bridle path | 2,980 | 9,777 |
| Col de Torrent | Evolène to the Val de Torrent | bridle path | 2,924 | 9,593 |
| Augstbord Pass | Sankt-Niklaus to Turtmann | bridle path | 2,893 | 9,492 |
| Col de Crête Sèche | Val de Bagnes to the Valpelline | snow | 2,888 | 9,475 |
| Col d'Olen | Alagna to Gressoney | bridle path | 2,871 | 9,420 |
| Monte Moro | Saas-Fee to Macugnaga | bridle path | 2,862 | 9,390 |
| Pas de Chevres | Arolla to the Val d'Hérémence | footpath | 2,851 | 9,354 |
| Antrona Pass | Saas-Fee to Antrona | bridle path | 2,844 | 9,331 |
| Col de Sorebois | Zinal to the Val de Torrent | bridle path | 2,825 | 9,269 |
| Col de Vessona | Valpelline to Nus | footpath | 2,794 | 9,167 |
| Fenêtre de Durand | Val de Bagnes to Aosta | bridle path | 2,786 | 9,141 |
| Z'Meiden Pass | Zinal to Turtmann | bridle path | 2,772 | 9,095 |
| Turlo Pass | Alagna to Macugnaga | footpath | 2,736 | 8,977 |
| Fenêtre de Ferret | Great St Bernard to the Swiss Val Ferret | bridle path | 2,699 | 8,855 |
| Bettaforca Pass[2] (Bättforko) | Ayas to Gressoney-La-Trinité | bridle path | 2,676 | 8,780 |
| Col Serena | Great St Bernard to Morgex | footpath | 2,538 | 8,327 |
| Col Ferret | Courmayeur to Orsières | bridle path | 2,533 | 8,311 |
| Col de Valdobbia | Gressoney to the Val Sesia | bridle path | 2,479 | 8,134 |
| Great St Bernard | Martigny to Aosta | road | 2,472 | 8,111 |
| Col de Moud | Alagna to Rima | bridle path | 2,323 | 7,622 |
| Col d'Egua | Rima to the Valle Anzasca | bridle path | 2,236 | 7,336 |
| Simplon Pass | Brig to Domodossola | road | 2,009 | 6,592 |
| Bocchetta del Croso | Piedicavallo to Valsesia | bridle path | 1,941 | 6,374 |
| Baranca Pass | Varallo to the Val Anzasca | bridle path | 1,820 | 5,971 |
Nature conservation
Some regional nature parks, like the Parco Naturale Alta Valsesia (6,511 ha - Piedmont, IT),[3] the Riserva Naturale Mont Mars (390 ha - Aosta Valley, IT) [4] and the Regional park of Binn valley (15,891 ha - Valais, CH),[5] have been established on both sides of the main water divide.
See also
Maps
- Swiss official cartography (Swiss Federal Office of Topography - Swisstopo); on-line version: map.geo.admin.ch
- Italian official cartography (Istituto Geografico Militare - IGM); on-line version: www.pcn.minambiente.it
References
- Coolidge, William Augustus Brevoort (1911). . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 743.
- Hilary Sharp, Tour of Monte Rosa: A Trekker's Guide.
- Parco Naturale Alta Valsesia site on www.parks.it (accessed in April 2012)
- Parco del Mont Avic park site on www.parks.it (accessed in April 2012)
- Ein regionaler Naturpark, park site on www.landschaftspark-binntal.ch (accessed in April 2012)
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