| Monte Rosa | |
|---|---|
| Monte Rosa massif | |
_and_Monte_Rosa_Glacier_as_seen_from_Gornergrat%2c_Wallis%2c_Switzerland%2c_2012_August.jpg) Central Monte Rosa massif, withDufourspitze to the south (right) andNordend to the north (left), the Monte Rosa Glacier right below on its western wing, the upperGorner Glacier on the left, and theGrenzgletscher to the right. The nearly vertical eastern wall (behind, not visible) has a height greater than the visible part in front. | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Dufourspitze |
| Elevation | 4,634 m (15,203 ft) |
| Listing | Country high point Canton high point Ultra |
| Coordinates | 45°56′13″N07°52′00″E / 45.93694°N 7.86667°E /45.93694; 7.86667 |
| Naming | |
| Native name | |
| Geography | |
  Location in Switzerland/Italy | |
Location of Mont Rosa   12km 7.5miles M a t t e r t a l V a l d ' H é r e n s V a l t o u r n e n c h e  Valpelline  Italy  Switzerland  Hörnlihütte Rifugio Jean-Antoine Carrel Rifugio Campanna Aosta    Monte Rosa Location in Switzerland/Italy | |
| Countries | |
| Canton, Regions | |
| Parent range | Pennine Alps,Western Alps |
| Topo map | swisstopo: 3 – Suisse sud-ouest[1] |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1 August 1855 by Matthäus and Johannes Zumtaugwald, Ulrich Lauener, Christopher and James Smyth,Charles Hudson,John Birkbeck and Edward Stephenson. |
| Easiest route | rock/snow/ice climb |
Monte Rosa[a] is amountain massif in the eastern part of thePennine Alps, on the border betweenItaly (Piedmont andAosta Valley) andSwitzerland (Valais). The highest peak of the massif, amongst several peaks of over 4,000 m (13,000 ft), is theDufourspitze (4,634 m, 15,203 ft), the second highest mountain in the Alps and western Europe, afterMont Blanc.[2] The east face of the Monte Rosa towards Italy has a height of about 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) and is the highest mountain wall of the Alps.
The group is on thewatershed between theRhône andPo basins and has atopographic prominence of 2,165 metres (7,103 ft) which is ranked fifth in the Alps.
The Monte Rosa massif has four faces. Three are in Italy: theLiskamm heading above the Val de Gressoney; the Valsesian face aboveAlagna Valsesia at the upper part of theValle della Sesia; and the steep, big east wall aboveMacugnaga in theValle Anzasca. The Swiss north-western face has several glaciers (with one of the largest Alpine glaciers) flowing towards theMattertal withZermatt.[1]
Its main summit, namedDufourspitze in honor of the surveyorGuillaume-Henri Dufour and wholly located inSwitzerland,[3] culminates at 4,634 m (15,203 ft) and is followed by the five nearly equally high subsidiary summits ofDunantspitze,Grenzgipfel,Nordend,Zumsteinspitze, andSignalkuppe. Some other peaks over 4,000 m (13,000 ft), such asPiramide Vincent,Punta Giordani, andCorno Nero, are wholly in Italy. Monte Rosa is thehighest mountain in bothSwitzerland and thePennine Alps and is also thesecond-highest mountain in theAlps and in Europe outside of theCaucasus.[1][4][5]
The north-west side of the central Monte Rosa massif, with its enormous ice slopes andseracs, constitutes the boundary and upper basin of the largeGorner Glacier, which descends towardsZermatt and merges with its nowadays much larger tributary, theGrenzgletscher (lit. 'Border Glacier'), right below theMonte Rosa Hut on the lower end of the visible western wing. The Grenzgletscher is an impressive glacier formation between the western wing of the mountain andLiskamm, a ridge on its southwestern side on the Swiss-Italian border. On the eastern side, in Italy, the mountain falls away in an almost vertical 2,400-metre-high (7,900 ft) wall of granite and ice, the biggest in Europe, overlooking Macugnaga and several smaller glaciers.[1]
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Monte Rosa was studied by pioneering geologists and explorers, includingLeonardo da Vinci in the late fifteenth century andHorace-Bénédict de Saussure in the late eighteenth century. Following a long series of attempts beginning in the early nineteenth century, Monte Rosa's summit, then still calledHöchste Spitze (lit. 'highest peak'), was first reached in 1855 from Zermatt by a party of eight climbers led by three guides. The great east wall was first climbed in 1872, from Macugnaga byRichard Pendlebury with his brother, W. M. Pendlebury, Rev. C Taylor and the guide Ferdinand Imseng.[7]
Each summer many climbers set out from the Monte Rosa Hut on the mountain's west wing for one of its summits via thenormal route or for theMargherita Hut on the Signalkuppe (Italian:Punta Gnifetti), used as a research station. Many tourists and hikers also come to theGornergrat on the northwest side of the massif to see a panorama that extends over some of the highest peaks in the Alps.
Although Italianrosa and Frenchrose both mean 'pink' or 'rose', the name is unrelated to these words and is instead derived from theFranco-ProvençalValdôtainpatois wordrouése 'glacier'.[8] On old maps as late as 1740, the mountain was namedMonte Bosa and evenMonte Biosa by the inhabitants of Val Sesia. The nameMon Boso, which appears inLeonardo da Vinci's notebooks, very likely designated the same mountain.[9] From Zermatt the mountain was formerly known under the nameGornerhorn (lit. 'large/strong horn') inWalliser German,[10][unreliable source?] later shortened tode Gorner. In standard German, the nameGorner is still used for the western ridge protruding from the main mass (Gornergrat) and the glacier that lies at its foot (Gornergletscher) but not used for the mountain itself anymore. Nowadays, in German, the Italian nameMonte Rosa is used instead (Monte Rosa-Gletscher,Monte Rosa-Hütte, etc.).
Monte Rosa cover areas on both sides of the border between the Swisscanton of Valais and the Italian regions ofPiedmont andAosta Valley. The main summit of Monte Rosa is theDufourspitze. On the Swiss side the town centre ofZermatt is about 13 km (8.1 mi) north-west and 3,000 m (9,800 ft) below it. On the Italian side of the massif are located 9 km (5.6 mi) north-eastMacugnaga in theValle Anzasca,11 km (6.8 mi) south-east-southAlagna Valsesia in theValsesia and 13 km (8.1 mi)Gressoney-La-Trinité in the Val de Gressoney, respectively, away from the summit. The different sides of the mountain greatly differ from each other. The Swiss west side is almost completely covered by large glaciers, tributaries of the 57 km2 (22 sq mi) largeGorner Glacier, descending progressively with gentle slopes and forming a large uninhabited glacial valley. The Italian east side consists of a 2,400-metre-high (7,900 ft) wall overlooking Macugnaga, whose snows feed theBelvedere Glacier at its base. The southeast face, culminating at theSignalkuppe, overlooks the piedmonteseValsesia and theVal de Gressoney in the autonomous region of Aosta Valley.
The mountain is mainly covered by eternal snows and glaciers, except for its summit which is a rocky ridge orientated west–east, near to and perpendicular to the main watershed between Switzerland and Italy (the river basins of theRhône and thePo on the Swiss and Italian side, respectively). The connecting point between them is theGrenzgipfel (English:Border Summit) right on the border, and therefore also the highest peak on the Italian side. Thus Monte Rosa is the highest mountain in the Alps whose summit is not on themain alpine watershed, although it is off by only 150 metres (490 ft). The Silbersattel (English:Silver Saddle) and Grenzsattel (English:Border Saddle) are the passes located north and south to the summit. The three main secondary summits of Monte Rosa are (from north to south): theNordend (4,609 m, 15,121 ft; north of the Dufourspitze), theZumsteinspitze (4,563 m, 14,970 ft; south of the Dufourspitze) and theSignalkuppe (4,554 m, 14,941 ft;Italian:Punta Gnifetti), all of them being positioned right on the Swiss-Italian border. Other secondary summits are theParrotspitze (4,432 m, 14,541 ft), theLudwigshöhe (4,431 m, 14,537 ft) and theVincentpiramid (4,215 m, 13,829 ft). All of them originally have German names, since even the Italian valleys used to be by German-basedWalsers inhabited valleys.
Several perpendicular secondary ridges are connected to the central massif dividing the glaciers that descend towards theMatter Valley. The ridge called Weissgrat connecting the Nordend with theSchwarzberghorn (Italian:Corno Nero) presents a wall of formidable precipices towards the east, but falls away in a gentle slope to the west. For a breadth of a few kilometres the upper snow-fields of the Weissgrat lie almost unbroken upon this slope, but as they begin to descend towards the Matter Valley they are divided into two ice streams (the upperGorner Glacier and theFindel Glacier) by a ridge which gradually emerges from the névé, and finally presents a rather bold front to the glaciers on either side. The highest points of this ridge, appearing insignificant by contrast with the grand objects around, is theStockhorn (3,532 m, 11,588 ft) and the lowerGornergrat at 3,090 m (10,138 ft). On their south sides is the lower Gorner Glacier, formed by the confluence of all the major (Gornergletscher and Grenzgletscher) and minor tributaries descending from the north, west and south sides of the central Monte Rosa massif, while on the north side the Findel Glacier descends near to the hamlet ofFindeln.
Monte Rosa is one of the high mountains surrounding the 40-kilometre-long (25 mi) Matter Valley south ofStalden. On the southwest to west areLiskamm,Zwillinge with Castor and Pollux, theBreithorn and theMatterhorn; on the north are theWeisshorn and theDom. TheGornergrat summit, lying 8 km (5.0 mi) on the north-west at 3,100 metres (10,200 ft), is a popular viewpoint of the massif, since it is accessible by train from Zermatt, using the highest open air railway line in Europe.
![Aerial photo of Monte Rosa massif with Gornergletscher on the left and Grenzgletscher on the right. The green spot in the middle is the glacier lake Gornersee (2.599 m)[11]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aAerial_Photo_of_Monte_Rosa_Massif_-_Wallis_-_Switzerland_(cropped).jpg)
The extended range of Monte Rosa, which appears to originate in the intersection of two axes of great elevation, throws out a number of ridges that radiate afar and gradually subside into the plain of northern Italy, covering a relatively large area. There is no convenient mode of subdividing the range. However, the natural limits of the district can be defined on the north side by the two branches of the Visp torrent. Following the west branch through theMattertal, crossing theTheodul Pass, descending by theValtournanche toChâtillon and toIvrea, and passing around the base of the mountains byArona, alongLake Maggiore, and up the valley of theToce, toVogogna, then ascending by the Val Anzasca to theMonte Moro Pass, the circuit is completed by the descent through theSaastal toStalden. Within the line so traced, exceeding 450 km (280 mi) in length, all the ranges properly belonging to this group are included.[2]
The direction of the ranges and the depressions offers a marked contrast to that prevailing throughout the adjoining regions of the Alps. Unless in a small part of the Italian valleys, the direction here is either parallel or perpendicular to the meridian. Monte Rosa itself lies near the intersection of a great north and south ridge, extending from theBalfrin through theMischabelhörner, and the highest peaks of the mountain itself, to the Vincent Pyramide, and thence through the range that bounds the Valle di Gressoney, nearly to Ivrea, with the transverse range lying between theDent d'Herens and the Pizzo Bianco nearMacugnaga. The minor ridges on the north side of the border are parallel to this latter range, with their corresponding depressions occupied by the glaciers ofGorner andFindelen.[2]
On clear days the mountainous massif of Monte Rosa provides a striking view from thePo plain, particularly its upper reaches in westernLombardy and easternPiedmont. It dominates thehorizon, towering between other lesserAlpine peaks as a prominent, multi-pointed, razor-sharp bulge, its permanent glaciers shining under the sun.
The massif is the border between Switzerland and Italy, though glacial melt has caused some alterations to the border. These changes were ratified by the two countries in 2009 and will continue to be subject to change as melting continues.
The entire massif consists mainly ofgranite and granitegneiss (ametamorphic rock with foliations). TheMonte Rosa Nappe lies below theZermatt-Saas zone and is part of thePenninic nappes in theBriançonnais microcontinent zone, although its paleographic origin is controversial and is sometimes assigned to the Sub-Penninic nappes. Rocks in the paragneiss of the Monte Rosa Nappe recordeclogite-facies metamorphism.[12] The deformation of the Monte Rosa granites indicates a depth ofsubduction of about 60 km (40 mi). They were brought to the surface bytectonic uplift, which still continues today. The summit is a sharp, jagged edge of mica schist connected by an arête with the Nordend, but cut off from the Zumsteinspitze to the south by nearly vertical rocks about 120 m (390 ft) in height.
Being the highest point in Switzerland, Monte Rosa is also one of the most extreme places. The average air pressure is about half of that of the sea level (56%) and the temperature can reach as low as −40 °C (−40 °F).[13] Owing to the frequent prevalence of a high wind from the east or north-east, and the slow pace at which it is possible to move when near the top, precautions against cold are particularly necessary when climbing Monte Rosa.[14] Thesnow line is located at about 3,000 m (9,800 ft).
The Monte Rosa massif is popular for mountaineering, hiking, skiing and snowboarding. It hosts severalski resorts with longpistes.Plateau Rosa, about 3,500 metres (11,500 ft) high above sea level, is a summer ski resort, with snow all year round due to the altitude. The Plateau Rosa is connected viaaerial tramway toCervinia and toZermatt via theKlein Matterhorn. The western fringes of the massif reach theZermatt ski domain.Gressoney,Champoluc,Alagna Valsesia andMacugnaga (under the east face, intensely glaciated and 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) high) are the main mountain and ski resorts that surround Monte Rosa along its southern side. Monte Rosa is not technically difficult to climb, but can be quite dangerous due to its great altitude and sudden weather changes, as well ascrevasses in its extensive glaciers – one of the major glaciated areas in theAlps. Many alpinists who died climbing Monte Rosa are buried in theOld Church cemetery in Macugnaga.
TheMonte Rosa tour can be completed by trekkers in about 10 days. The circuit follows many ancient trails that have linked the Swiss and Italian valleys for centuries. The circuit includes larch forests, alpine meadows, balcony trails and a glacial crossing. It connects seven valleys embracing different cultures: the German-speaking high Valais, theWalser German andArpitan/French-speakingAosta Valley, and the valleys ofLombardy andPiedmont.[citation needed]
Usually these peaks are considered to be part of the Monte Rosa massif:
| Peak | Elevation (m/ft) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dufourspitze | 4,634 metres (15,203 ft) | |
| Dunantspitze | 4,632 metres (15,197 ft) | |
| Grenzgipfel | 4,618 metres (15,151 ft) | |
| Nordend | 4,609 metres (15,121 ft) | |
| Zumsteinspitze | 4,563 metres (14,970 ft) | |
| Signalkuppe | 4,554 metres (14,941 ft) | |
| Parrotspitze | 4,432 metres (14,541 ft) | |
| Ludwigshöhe | 4,341 metres (14,242 ft) | |
| Corno Nero (Schwarzhorn) | 4,322 metres (14,180 ft) | |
| Vincentpiramid | 4,215 metres (13,829 ft) | |
| Balmenhorn | 4,167 metres (13,671 ft) | |
| Giordanispétz | 4,046 metres (13,274 ft) | |
| Jägerhorn | 3,970 metres (13,020 ft) | |
| Roccia Sesia | 3,570 metres (11,710 ft) | |
| Punta delle Locie/Punta Grober | 3,497 metres (11,473 ft) | |
| Punta Vittoria | 3,435 metres (11,270 ft) | |
| Punta Tre Amici | 3,426 metres (11,240 ft) | |
| Stolemberg | 3,202 metres (10,505 ft) | |
| Corno del Camoscio/Gemschhòre | 3,026 metres (9,928 ft) | |
Usually these glaciers are considered to be part of the Monte Rosa massif:
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
