Pennine Alps
Not to be confused with Pennines.
| Pennine Alps | |
|---|---|
| French: Alpes Pennines, Alpes valaisannes, German: Walliser Alpen, Italian: Alpi Pennine | |
 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 / 45.93667°N 7.86667°E |
| Geography | |
.png) Pennine Alps (red) | |
| Countries | Switzerland and Italy |
| Canton/Regions | Valais, Piedmont and Aosta Valley |
| Range coordinates | 46°05′N 7°50′E / 46.08°N 7.83°ECoordinates: 46°05′N 7°50′E / 46.08°N 7.83°E |
| Parent range | Alps |
| Borders on | Graian Alps, Lepontine Alps, Bernese Alps and Po plain |
The Pennine Alps (German: Walliser Alpen, French: Alpes Pennines, Italian: Alpi Pennine), also known as the Valais Alps, and formerly called Alpes Poeninae, are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland (Valais) and Italy (Piedmont and the Aosta Valley).
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
See also: List of mountains in Switzerland
Arial view of the Pennine Alps from a plane above the Mont Blanc
Monte Rosa
Matterhorn
The chief peaks of the Pennine Alps are:
| Name | Height (metres) | Height (feet) |
|---|---|---|
| Dufourspitze | 4,634 | 15,217 |
| Dunantspitze | 4,632 | 15,197 |
| Grenzgipfel | 4,618 | 15,151 |
| Nordend | 4,609 | 15,121 |
| Zumsteinspitze | 4,563 | 14,970 |
| Signalkuppe | 4,554 | 14,941 |
| Dom | 4,545 | 14,911 |
| Liskamm | 4,538 | 14,889 |
| Weisshorn | 4,506 | 14,780 |
| Täschhorn | 4,491 | 14,734 |
| Matterhorn | 4,478 | 14,693 |
| Parrotspitze | 4,432 | 14,541 |
| Dent Blanche | 4,364 | 14,318 |
| Nadelhorn | 4,327 | 14,196 |
| Grand Combin | 4,314 | 14,164 |
| Lenzspitze | 4,294 | 14,088 |
| Stecknadelhorn | 4,241 | 13,914 |
| Castor | 4,230 | 13,879 |
| Zinalrothorn | 4,223 | 13,856 |
| Hohberghorn | 4,219 | 13,841 |
| Alphubel | 4,206 | 13,799 |
| Rimpfischhorn | 4,199 | 13,776 |
| Strahlhorn | 4,190 | 13,747 |
| Dent d'Hérens | 4,171 | 13,684 |
| Breithorn | 4,164 | 13,661 |
| Bishorn | 4,153 | 13,625 |
| Pollux | 4,092 | 13,425 |
| Ober Gabelhorn | 4,073 | 13,364 |
| Dürrenhorn | 4,035 | 13,238 |
| Allalinhorn | 4,027 | 13,236 |
| Weissmies | 4,031 | 13,226 |
| Lagginhorn | 4,010 | 13,140 |
| Fletschhorn | 3,993 | 13,110 |
| Adlerhorn | 3,988 | 13,084 |
| Schalihorn | 3,974 | 13,038 |
| Jägerhorn | 3,970 | 13,025 |
| Grand Cornier | 3,962 | 12,999 |
| Ulrichshorn | 3,925 | 12,877 |
| Wellenkuppe | 3,903 | 12,805 |
| Feechopf | 3,888 | 12,756 |
| Klein Matterhorn | 3,883 | 12,740 |
| Pointe du Mountet | 3,877 | 12,720 |
| La Ruinette | 3,879 | 12,727 |
| Name | Height (metres) | Height (feet) |
|---|---|---|
| Mont Blanc de Cheilon | 3,870 | 12,697 |
| Bouquetins | 3,838 | 12,592 |
| Brunegghorn | 3,833 | 12,575 |
| Tour de Boussine | 3,833 | 12,575 |
| Cima di Jazzi | 3,818 | 12,527 |
| Balfrin | 3,802 | 12,474 |
| Pigne d'Arolla | 3,796 | 12,454 |
| Mont Vélan | 3,765 | 12,353 |
| Tête Blanche | 3,750 | 12,304 |
| L'Évêque | 3,738 | 12,264 |
| Le Pleureur | 3,706 | 12,159 |
| Aiguille de la Tsa | 3,668 | 12,034 |
| Besso | 3,667 | 12,031 |
| Mont Collon | 3,637 | 11,932 |
| Les Diablons | 3,605 | 11,828 |
| Mont Gelé | 3,517 | 11,539 |
| Becca di Luseney | 3,506 | 11,503 |
| Château des Dames | 3,489 | 11,447 |
| Grand Tournalin | 3,379 | 11,086 |
| Rosablanche | 3,348 | 10,985 |
| Mont Avril | 3,341 | 10,962 |
| Grande Rochère | 3,326 | 10,913 |
| Corno Bianco | 3,320 | 10,893 |
| Testa Grigia (Tête grise, Grauhaupt) | 3,315 | 10,876 |
| Sasseneire | 3,259 | 10,693 |
| Grand Golliat | 3,240 | 10,630 |
| Pizzo Bianco | 3,216 | 10,552 |
| Latelhorn | 3,207 | 10,523 |
| Schwarzhorn | 3,204 | 10,512 |
| Gornergrat | 3,136 | 10,289 |
| Frilihorn | 3,124 | 10,249 |
| Mont Néry | 3,070 | 10,073 |
| Bella Tola | 3,028 | 9,935 |
| Monte Tagliaferro | 2,964 | 9,725 |
| Riffelhorn | 2,931 | 9,617 |
| Aiguille des Angroniettes | 2,885 | 9,465 |
| Cima di Bo | 2,556 | 8,386 |
Glaciers
Weissmies
Grand Combin
Main glaciers:
- Gorner Glacier
- Corbassière Glacier
- Findel Glacier
- Zmutt Glacier
- Zinal Glacier
- Otemma Glacier
- Allalin Glacier
- Ferpècle Glacier
- Fee Glacier
- Mont Miné Glacier
- Ried Glacier
- Turtmann Glacier
- Moiry Glacier
- Arolla Glacier
- Moming Glacier
- Cheilon Glacier
Passes
Great St Bernard pass
The chief passes of the Pennine Alps are:
| 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 | foot path | 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 | foot path | 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 | foot path | 2,736 | 8,977 |
| Fenêtre de Ferret | Great St Bernard to the Swiss Val Ferret | bridle path | 2,699 | 8,855 |
| Bettaforca Pass[1] (Bättforko) | Ayas to Gressoney-La-Trinité | bridle path | 2,676 | 8,780 |
| Col Serena | Great St Bernard to Morgex | foot path | 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),[2] the Riserva Naturale Mont Mars (390 ha - Aosta Valley, IT) [3] and the Regional park of Binn valley (15,891 ha - Valais,CH),[4] 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
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "article name needed". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- ↑ Hilary Sharp, Tour of Monte Rosa: A Trekker's Guide.
- ↑ Parco Naturale Alta Valsesia site on www.parks.it (accessed on April 2012)
- ↑ Parco del Mont Avic park site on www.parks.it (accessed on April 2012)
- ↑ , Ein regionaler Naturpark, park site on www.landschaftspark-binntal.ch (accessed on April 2012)
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