Ortler Alps

Ortler Alps
Italian: Alpi dell'Ortles
German: Ortler-Alpen
Romansh: Alps da l'Ortler
Highest peaks of the Ortler Alps
Highest point
PeakOrtler
Elevation3,905 m (12,812 ft)
Coordinates46°30′32″N 10°32′42″E / 46.50889°N 10.54500°E / 46.50889; 10.54500
Geography
Ortler Alps
The borders of the range according to
Alpine Club classification of the Eastern Alps
Countries
  • Italy
  • Switzerland
Range coordinates46°27′N 10°37′E / 46.450°N 10.617°E / 46.450; 10.617
Parent rangeSouthern Limestone Alps
Borders on
  • Sesvenna Alps
  • Livigno Alps
  • Adamello-Presanella Alps

The Ortler Alps (Italian: Alpi dell'Ortles ; German: Ortler-Alpen; Romansh: Alps da l'Ortler[1]) are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps mountain group in the Central Eastern Alps, in Italy and Switzerland.

Geography

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The Ortler Alps are separated from:

  1. the Sesvenna Alps in the north by the Ofen Pass and the Val Müstair
  2. the Livigno Alps in the southwest by the Passo di Fraéle and the Adda valley (Valtellina)
  3. the Adamello-Presanella Alps in the south by the Tonale Pass
  4. the Ötztal Alps in the north-east by the upper Adige valley (Vinschgau).

The part west of the Gavia Pass is also called Sobretta-Gavia Group.

The Ortler Alps are drained by the rivers Adda, Oglio, Adige and its tributary Noce.

Peaks

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The main peaks of the Ortler Alps are:

Peak (Italian) (German) (Romansh) metres feet
Ortles Ortler 3,905 12,811
Gran Zebrù Königspitze 3,857 12,655
Monte Cevedale Zufallspitze 3,774 12,382
Monte Zebrù 3,735 12,254
Palón della Mare 3,705 12,156
Punta San Matteo 3,692 12,113
Monte Vioz 3,645 11,959
Punta Thurwieser Thurwieserspitze 3,641 11,946
Pizzo Tresero 3,602 11,818
Gran Coni di Ghiaccio Großer Eiskogel 3,547 11, 637
Cima Vertana Vertainspitze 3,541 11,618
Punta dello Scudo Schildspitze 3,461 11,355
Punta delle Bàite Tuckettspitze 3,458 11,346
Cima Sternai Hintere Eggenspitze 3,443 11,296
Gioveretto Zufrittspitze 3,439 11,283
Cima Venezia Veneziaspitze 3,384 11,103
Croda di Cengles Tschenglser Hochwand 3,378 11,083
Monte Confinale 3,370 11,057
Corno dei Tre Signori 3,360 11,024
Punta Beltovo di Dentro Hintere Schöntaufspitze 3,325 10,909
Monte Sobretta 3,296 10,814
Orecchia di Lepre Hasenöhrl 3,257 10,686
Monte Gavia 3,223 10,574
Cima la Casina Piz Murtaröl 3,180 10,430
Monte Cornaccia Piz Tea Fondada 3,144 10,315
Piz Schumbraida 3,125 10,253
Piz Umbrail 3,033 9,951
Punta Rosa Rötlspitz Piz Cotschen 3,026 9,928
Furkelsptiz Piz Costainas 3,004 9,856
Schafberg Piz Daint 2,968 9,738
Piz Turettas 2,963 9,721
Piz Dora 2,951 9,682
Schafberg Piz Minschuns 2,934 9,626
Monte Forcola 2,906 9,534
Piz Lad 2,882 9,455
Cima Garibaldi Dreisprachenspitze Piz da las Trais Linguas 2,843 9,327
Monte Cavallaccio Piz Chavalatsch 2,763 9,065
Cima del Serraglio 2,685 8,809
Munt Buffalora 2,630 8,630
Munt la Schera 2,587 8,488
Monte Padrio 2,153 7,064

Mountain passes

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The main mountain passes of the Ortler Alps are:

Mountain pass location type elevation
m ft
Hochjoch Sulden to the Zebrù valley snow 3536 11,602
Vioz Pass Santa Caterina Valfurva to Peio snow 3337 10,949
Königsjoch Sulden to Santa Caterina snow 3295 10,811
Cevedale Pass Santa Caterina to Martell snow 3271 10,732
Eissee Pass Sulden to Martell snow 3133 10,279
Passo del Zebru Santa Caterina to the Zebrù valley snow 3025 9925
Sallentjoch Martell to Bagni di Rabbi snow 3021 9913
Sforzellina Pass Santa Caterina to Peio snow 3005 9859
Tabarettascharte Sulden to Trafoi footpath 2883 9459
Stelvio Pass/Stilfserjoch Trafoi to Bormio road 2760 9055
Gavia Pass Santa Caterina to Ponte di Legno road 2637 8651
Umbrail Pass Val Müstair to Bormio road 2501 8205
Giufplan Pass Ofen road to Val Fraéle footpath 2354 7723
Dossradond Pass Val Müstair to Val Fraéle footpath 2240 7349
Ofen Pass Zernez to Val Müstair road 2149 7051
Vigiljoch Lana snow 1743 5718

History

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Highest trench in history near the Ortler's peak, 1917

The Ortler Alps were part of the Italian front during World War I. In this area, the Austro-Hungarians and the Italians dug in during a trench war fought at altitudes above 3,000 m (10,000 ft) for most of the war. Some trenches are still visible today, and war relics continue to be found in the area.

References

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  1. ^ "Il salvament aviatic sur ils cunfins or vegn simplifitgà". gr.ch (in Romansh). Canton of Grisons. 1998-04-14. Retrieved 2020-09-16. da l'Ortler
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