Pennine Alps
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Pennine Alps (also: 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). The Col Ferret and the Dora Baltea valley separate them from the Graian Alps; the Simplon Pass separates them from the Lepontine Alps; the Rhône valley separates them from the Bernese Alps.
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 River.
The Great St Bernard Tunnel, under the Great St. Bernard Pass, leads from Martigny, Switzerland to Aosta.
[edit] Peaks
The chief peaks of the Pennine Alps are:
| Name | metres | feet | Name | metres | feet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) | 4,638 | 15,217 | Tête Blanche | 3,750 | 12,304 | |
| Nordend (Monte Rosa) | 4,609 | 15,121 | L'Évêque | 3,738 | 12,264 | |
| Dom (Mischabelhörner) | 4,554 | 14,942 | Mont Pleureur | 3,706 | 12,159 | |
| Lyskamm | 4,538 | 14,889 | Besso | 3,675 | 12,058 | |
| Weisshorn | 4,506 | 14,780 | Aiguille de la Tsa | 3,668 | 12,034 | |
| Täschhorn | 4,491 | 14,734 | Mont Collon | 3,637 | 11,932 | |
| Matterhorn | 4,478 | 14,693 | Diablons | 3,605 | 11,828 | |
| Dent Blanche | 4,364 | 14,318 | Mont Gelé | 3,517 | 11,539 | |
| Grand Combin | 4,314 | 14,164 | Becca di Luseney | 3,506 | 11,503 | |
| Castor | 4,230 | 13,879 | Château des Dames | 3,489 | 11,447 | |
| Zinalrothorn | 4,223 | 13,856 | Grand Tournalin | 3,379 | 11,086 | |
| Alphubel | 4,207 | 13,803 | Rosablanche | 3,348 | 10,985 | |
| Rimpfischhorn | 4,203 | 13,790 | Mont Avril | 3,341 | 10,962 | |
| Strahlhorn | 4,191 | 13,751 | Grande Rochère | 3,326 | 10,913 | |
| Dent d'Hérens | 4,180 | 13,715 | Corno Bianco | 3,320 | 10,893 | |
| Breithorn | 4,164 | 13,661 | Testa Grigia | 3,315 | 10,876 | |
| Ober Gabelhorn | 4,073 | 13,364 | Sasseneire | 3,259 | 10,693 | |
| Allalinhorn | 4,034 | 13,236 | Grand Golliaz | 3,240 | 10,630 | |
| Weissmies | 4,031 | 13,226 | Pizzo Bianco | 3,216 | 10,552 | |
| Lagginhorn | 4,005 | 13,140 | Latelhorn | 3,207 | 10,523 | |
| Fletschhorn | 4,001 | 13,128 | Schwarzhorn (Augstbord) | 3,204 | 10,512 | |
| Grand Cornier | 3,969 | 13,022 | Gornergrat | 3,136 | 10,289 | |
| Ruinette | 3,879 | 12,727 | Mont Nery | 3,070 | 10,073 | |
| Mont Blanc de Cheilon | 3,871 | 12,700 | Bella Tola | 3,028 | 9,935 | |
| Cima di Jazzi | 3,818 | 12,527 | Monte Tagliaferro | 2,964 | 9,725 | |
| Balfrin | 3,802 | 12,474 | Riffelhorn | 2,931 | 9,617 | |
| Pigne d'Arolla | 3,801 | 12,471 | Cima di Bò | 2,556 | 8,386 | |
| Mont Vélan | 3,765 | 12,353 |
[edit] Passes
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 |
| Lysjoch | Zermatt to Gressoney | 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 Crete Seche | 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 |
| Colle Bettaforca | Ayas to Gressoney | 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 |
| Baranca Pass | Varallo to the Val Anzasca | bridle path | 1,820 | 5,971 |
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
