Pennine Alps

The Pennine Alps (Template:Langx, Template:Langx, Template:Langx, Template:Langx), sometimes referred to as the Valais Alps (which are just the Northern Swiss part of the Pennine Alps), are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in Italy (the Aosta Valley and Piedmont) and Switzerland (Valais).

The Pennine Alps are amongst the three highest major subranges of the Alps, together with the Bernese Alps and the Graian Alps that include the Mont Blanc massif.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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 the 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

• 2016 1129 KL1556 Monte Rosa Matterhorn.jpg

  Aerial view of the Pennine Alps from a plane above Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco)

• MonteRosa004.jpg

  Monte Rosa

• Matterhornnorth.jpg

  Matterhorn (Cervino)

The chief peaks of the Pennine Alps are: Template:Col-float

Name	Height
Dufourspitze	Template:Convert
Nordend	Template:Convert
Zumsteinspitze	Template:Convert
Signalkuppe	Template:Convert
Dom	Template:Convert
Liskamm	Template:Convert
Weisshorn	Template:Convert
Täschhorn	Template:Convert
Matterhorn	Template:Convert
Parrotspitze	Template:Convert
Dent Blanche	Template:Convert
Nadelhorn	Template:Convert
Grand Combin	Template:Convert
Lenzspitze	Template:Convert
Stecknadelhorn	Template:Convert
Castor	Template:Convert
Zinalrothorn	Template:Convert
Hohberghorn	Template:Convert
Alphubel	Template:Convert
Rimpfischhorn	Template:Convert
Strahlhorn	Template:Convert
Dent d'Hérens	Template:Convert
Breithorn	Template:Convert
Bishorn	Template:Convert
Breithornzwillinge	Template:Convert
Pollux	Template:Convert
Ober Gabelhorn	Template:Convert
Dürrenhorn	Template:Convert
Allalinhorn	Template:Convert
Weissmies	Template:Convert
Lagginhorn	Template:Convert
Fletschhorn	Template:Convert
Adlerhorn	Template:Convert
Schalihorn	Template:Convert
Jägerhorn	Template:Convert
Grand Cornier	Template:Convert
Ulrichshorn	Template:Convert
Wellenkuppe	Template:Convert
Feechopf	Template:Convert
Klein Matterhorn	Template:Convert
Pointe du Mountet	Template:Convert
La Ruinette	Template:Convert

Name	Height
Mont Blanc de Cheilon	Template:Convert
Bouquetins	Template:Convert
Tour de Boussine	Template:Convert
Brunegghorn	Template:Convert
Balfrin	Template:Convert
Cima di Jazzi	Template:Convert
Pigne d'Arolla	Template:Convert
Mont Vélan	Template:Convert
Kinhorn	Template:Convert
L'Évêque	Template:Convert
Tête Blanche	Template:Convert
Le Pleureur	Template:Convert
Aiguille de la Tsa	Template:Convert
Besso	Template:Convert
Mont Collon	Template:Convert
Les Diablons	Template:Convert
Pointes de Mourti	Template:Convert
Le Ritord	Template:Convert
Dents de Bertol	Template:Convert
Mont Gelé	Template:Convert
Petite Aiguille	Template:Convert
Becca di Luseney	Template:Convert
Château des Dames	Template:Convert
Tällihorn	Template:Convert
Pigne de la Lé	Template:Convert
Grand Tournalin	Template:Convert
Rosablanche	Template:Convert
Wasuhorn	Template:Convert
Mont Avril	Template:Convert
Almagellhorn	Template:Convert
Grande Rochère	Template:Convert
Corno Bianco	Template:Convert
Testa Grigia	Template:Convert
La Cassorte	Template:Convert
Böshorn	Template:Convert
Le Parrain	Template:Convert
Sasseneire	Template:Convert
Bösentrift	Template:Convert
Festihorn	Template:Convert
Grand Golliat	Template:Convert
Jazzihorn	Template:Convert
Pizzo Bianco	Template:Convert
Mont de la Gouille	Template:Convert
Latelhorn	Template:Convert
Jegihorn	Template:Convert

Name	Height
Schwarzhorn	Template:Convert
Lammenhorn	Template:Convert
Gornergrat	Template:Convert
Pointe d'Ar Pitetta	Template:Convert
Corno di Faller	Template:Convert
Frilihorn	Template:Convert
Mont Rogneux	Template:Convert
Le Boudri	Template:Convert
Mont Néry	Template:Convert
Seetalhorn	Template:Convert
Bella Tola	Template:Convert
Corno Bussola	Template:Convert
Le Toûno	Template:Convert
Sparruhorn	Template:Convert
Monte Tagliaferro	Template:Convert
Pointe de Barasson	Template:Convert
Mont Blava	Template:Convert
Riffelhorn	Template:Convert
Palanche de la Cretta	Template:Convert
Bec de la Montau	Template:Convert
Ochsehorn	Template:Convert
Signalhorn	Template:Convert
Sex de Marinda	Template:Convert
Aiguille des Angroniettes	Template:Convert
Balmahorn	Template:Convert
Roc d'Orzival	Template:Convert
Le Mourin	Template:Convert
Pletschuhorn	Template:Convert
Becca de Corbassière	Template:Convert
Cima del Rosso	Template:Convert
Wenghorn	Template:Convert
Cima di Bo	Template:Convert
Ergischhorn	Template:Convert
Glishorn	Template:Convert
Crêta de Vella	Template:Convert
Six Blanc	Template:Convert
Cima Verosso	Template:Convert
Guggilihorn	Template:Convert
Testa di Comagna	Template:Convert

Glaciers

File:Weissmies.jpg

Weissmies

File:GrandCombin3.jpg

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
• Rossbode Glacier

Passes

File:Great St Bernard-700px.jpg

Great St Bernard pass

The chief passes of the Pennine Alps are:<ref>Template:Cite EB1911</ref>

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<ref>Hilary Sharp, Tour of Monte Rosa: A Trekker's Guide.</ref> (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),<ref>Parco Naturale Alta Valsesia site on www.parks.it (accessed in April 2012)</ref> the Riserva Naturale Mont Mars (390 ha - Aosta Valley, IT) <ref>Parco del Mont Avic park site on www.parks.it (accessed in April 2012)</ref> and the Regional park of Binn valley (15,891 ha - Valais, CH),<ref>Ein regionaler Naturpark, park site on www.landschaftspark-binntal.ch (accessed in April 2012)</ref> have been established on both sides of the main water divide.

See also

• Alpi Cusiane
• Biellese Alps
• Swiss Alps

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