Western Rhaetian Alps

Western Rhaetian Alps
Piz Bernina, the highest mountain of the range
Highest point
PeakPiz Bernina
Elevation4,049 m (13,284 ft)[1]
Coordinates46°22′56″N 09°54′29″E / 46.38222°N 9.90806°E / 46.38222; 9.90806
Naming
Native name
  • Alpi Retiche occidentali (Italian)
  • Westliche Rätische Alpen (German)
Geography
Western Rhaetian Alps (section nr.15) within Eastern Alps
CountriesAustria, Italy, Liechtenstein and Switzerland
RegionGraubünden
Parent rangeCentral Eastern Alps
Borders onLugano Prealps, Lepontine Alps, Glarus Alps, Appenzell Alps, Bavarian Alps, North Tyrol Limestone Alps, Eastern Rhaetian Alps, Southern Rhaetian Alps and Bergamasque Alps and Prealps
Topo mapSwiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo
Geology
OrogenyAlpine orogeny

The Western Rhaetian Alps (Italian: Alpi Retiche occidentali, German: Westliche Rätische Alpen) are a mountain range in the central part of the Alps.

Geography

Administratively the range mainly belongs to the Italian region of Lombardy, the Swiss canton of Graubünden and the Austrian states of Vorarlberg and Tyrol. Also the independent state of Liechtenstein is totally included in the Western Rhaetian Alps.

SOIUSA classification

According to SOIUSA (International Standardized Mountain Subdivision of the Alps) the mountain range is an Alpine section, classified in the following way:[2]

Subdivision

The range is subdivided into seven subsections:[2]

AVE Classification

The Alpine Club classification of the Eastern Alps categorizes most of the SOIUSA Western Rhaetian Alps groups within the Western Limestone Alps.

Notable summits

Plessur Range panorama

Some notable summits of the Western Rhaetian Alps are:

Name elevation (m) Alpine subsection
Piz Bernina 4.049 Bernina Range
Pizzo Zupò 3.996 Bernina Range
Piz Scerscen 3.971 Bernina Range
Piz Argient 3.945 Bernina Range
Piz Roseg 3.937 Bernina Range
Pizzo Bellavista 3.922 Bernina Range
Piz Palü 3.901 Bernina Range
Piz Morteratsch 3.751 Bernina Range
Monte Disgrazia 3.688 Bernina Range
Piz Corvatsch 3.451 Bernina Range
Cima Piazzi 3.440 Livigno Range
Piz Kesch 3.418 Albula Alps
Piz Linard 3.411 Silvretta, Samnaun and Ferwall Alps
Piz Calderas 3.397 Albula Alps
Piz Platta 3.392 Alpi del Platta
Cima di Castello 3.388 Bernina Range
Piz Julier 3.380 Albula Alps
Piz d'Err 3.378 Albula Alps
Pizzo Cengalo 3.367 Bernina Range
Pizzo Scalino 3.323 Bernina Range
Piz Buin 3.312 Silvretta, Samnaun and Ferwall Alps
Pizzo Badile 3.308 Bernina Range
Pizzo Paradisino 3.305 Livigno Range
Muttler 3.294 Silvretta, Samnaun and Ferwall Alps
Piz Forbesch 3.262 Oberhalbstein Range
Piz Languard 3.262 Livigno Range
Piz Ot 3.246 Albula Alps
Silvrettahorn 3.244 Silvretta, Samnaun and Ferwall Alps
Piz Timun 3.209 Oberhalbstein Range
Piz Sesvenna 3.204 Sesvenna Range
Piz Quattervals 3.165 Livigno Range
Pizzo Stella 3.163 Oberhalbstein Range
Piz Duan 3.131 Oberhalbstein Range
Pizzo Galleggione 3.107 Oberhalbstein Range
Piz Lischana 3.105 Sesvenna Range
Piz Umbrail 3.033 Sesvenna Range
Aroser Rothorn 2.980 Plessur Range
Schesaplana 2.964 Rätikon
Lenzerhorn 2.906 Plessur Range
Grauspitz 2.599 Rätikon

Notable passes

Albula Pass hospice

Some notable passes of the Western Rhaetian Alps are:

References

  1. ^ Highest summit elevation as reported on Swiss Federal Office of Topography maps from the Swisstopo web site map.geo.admin.ch
  2. ^ a b Marazzi, Sergio (2005). Atlante Orografico delle Alpi. SOIUSA (in Italian). Priuli & Verlucca. ISBN 978-88-8068-273-8.

Bibliography

Maps