| Lepontine Alps | |
|---|---|
 Monte Leone | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Monte Leone |
| Elevation | 3,553 m (11,657 ft)[1] |
| Listing | Prominent mountains of the Alps |
| Coordinates | 46°14′59″N8°06′37″E / 46.24972°N 8.11028°E /46.24972; 8.11028[1] |
| Naming | |
| Native name | |
| Geography | |
.png) Lepontine Alps (red) | |
| Countries | |
| Cantons,Regions | |
| Range coordinates | 46°25′N8°40′E / 46.417°N 8.667°E /46.417; 8.667 |
| Parent range | Western Alps |
| Borders on | |
| Topo map | Swiss Federal Office of Topographyswisstopo |
| Geology | |
| Orogeny | Alpine orogeny |
TheLepontine Alps (German:Lepontinische Alpen,French:Alpes lépontines,Italian:Alpi Lepontine) are amountain range in the north-western part of theAlps. They are located inSwitzerland (Valais,Ticino,Uri andGraubünden) andItaly (Piedmont andLombardy).
TheSimplon rail tunnel (fromBrig toDomodossola), theGotthard rail (fromErstfeld toBodio) andGotthard road tunnels (fromAndermatt toAirolo) and theSan Bernardino road tunnel are important transport arteries.
The eastern portion of the Lepontine Alps, from theSt Gotthard Pass to theSplügen Pass, is named theAdula Alps, while the western part is historically referred to as theTicino Alps.
The designationLepontine Alps, derived from the Latin name of theValle Leventina, has long been somewhat vaguely applied to the Alpine ranges that enclose it, before being used for the whole range.[2]
Following the line marking the division of the waters that flow into thePo from those that feed theRhone or theRhine, the mainridge of the Lepontine Alps describes a somewhat irregular curve, convex to the north, from theSimplon Pass to theSplügen Pass. With the single exception of theMonte Leone, overlooking the Simplon Pass, the summits of this portion of the chain are much inferior in height to those of the neighbouring chains; but two peaks of the Adula group, culminating at theRheinwaldhorn, exceed 11,000 feet (3,400 m) in height.[2]
The extensive region lying south of the main ridge is occupied by mountain ranges whose summits sometimes rival in height those of the dividing ridge, and which are cut through by deep valleys, three of which converge in the basins ofLake Maggiore andLake Como, the deepest of all the lakes on the south side of the Alps. The most important of these valleys is theValle Leventina, or the upper valley of theTicino. This has been known from a remote antiquity because it leads to theSt Gotthard Pass, one of the easiest lines of communication between northern and southern Europe.
The Lepontine Alps are drained by the riversRhône in the west,Reuss in the north,Rhine (Anterior and Posterior Rhine) in the east andTicino andToce in the south.
The chief peaks of the Lepontine Alps are:
Mainglaciers :
The chiefpasses of the Lepontine Alps are:
| Mountain pass | location | type | elevation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| m | ft | |||
| Zapport Pass | Hinterrhein toMalvaglia andBiasca | snow | 3,079 | 10,103 |
| Guferlücke | Canaltal to Lentatal (nearVals, Switzerland) | snow | 2,980 | 9,777 |
| Lentalücke | Hinterrhein to Vals | snow | 2,954 | 9,692 |
| Hohsand Pass | Binn toLa Frua (Toce waterfalls) | snow | 2,927 | 9,603 |
| Lecki Pass | Realp toOberwald VS | snow | 2,912 | 9,554 |
| Passo Rotondo | Airolo to Oberwald | snow | 2,880 | 9,449 |
| Kaltwasser Pass | Simplon Hospice toAlpe Veglia | snow | 2,844 | 9,331 |
| Scaradra Pass | Vals toOlivone | footpath | 2,770 | 9,088 |
| Satteltelücke | Vals toVrin | footpath | 2,768 | 9,082 |
| Ritter Pass | Binn to Alpe Veglia | snow | 2,692 | 8,832 |
| Cavanna Pass | Realp toBedretto | snow | 2,611 | 8,566 |
| Scatta Minoja | Devero toFormazza | bridle path | 2,597 | 8,521 |
| Bocca di Cadlimo | Airolo to theLukmanier Pass | footpath | 2,542 | 8,340 |
| Valserberg | Hinterrhein to Vals | bridle path | 2,507 | 8,225 |
| Safierberg | Splügen toSafien | bridle path | 2,490 | 8,170 |
| Nufenen Pass | Ulrichen to Airolo | road | 2,478 | 8,130 |
| Geisspfad Pass | Binn to Devero | footpath | 2,475 | 8,120 |
| Gries Pass | Ulrichen to La Frua | bridle path | 2,468 | 8,098 |
| Passo di Naret | Fusio to Airolo | bridle path | 2,443 | 8,015 |
| Passo Valtendra | Alpe Veglia to Devero andBaceno | bridle path | 2,431 | 7,976 |
| Diesrut Pass | Vrin toSomvix | bridle path | 2,424 | 7,953 |
| Albrun Pass | Binn to Devero and Baceno | bridle path | 2,410 | 7,907 |
| Greina Pass | Olivone to Somvix | bridle path | 2,360 | 7,743 |
| San Giacomo Pass | Airolo to La Frua | bridle path | 2,308 | 7,573 |
| Passo di Buffalora | Mesocco to theVal Calanca | footpath | 2,265 | 7,431 |
| Passo dell'Uomo | Quinto, Switzerland to theLukmanier Pass | bridle path | 2,212 | 7,258 |
| Splügen Pass | Thusis toChiavenna | road | 2,117 | 6,946 |
| St Gotthard Pass | Andermatt to Airolo | road | 2,114 | 6,936 |
| San Bernardino Pass | Thusis toBellinzona | road | 2,063 | 6,769 |
| Lukmanier Pass | Disentis to Olivone | road | 1,917 | 6,289 |
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)| Sections (as perSOIUSA) |
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| Western Alps |
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| Eastern Alps |
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