Bernina Range
Encyclopedia
The Bernina Range is a mountain range
in the Alps
of eastern Switzerland
and northern Italy
. It is considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps
. It is one of the highest ranges of the Alps, covered with many glaciers. Piz Bernina
(4,049 m), its highest peak, is the most easterly four thousand-metre peak in the Alps. The peak in the range which sees the most ascents is Piz Palü
.
The Bernina Range is separated from the Albula Range
in the north-west by the Maloja Pass
and the Upper Engadin
valley; from the Livigno Range
in the east by the Bernina Pass
; from the Bergamo Alps
in the south by the Adda
valley (Valtellina
); and from the Bregaglia Range
in the south-west by the Muretto Pass. The Bernina Range is drained by the rivers Adda
, Inn
and
Maira
(Mera in Italy).
The term Bernina Alps can also be used in an extended sense to include both the Bernina and Bregaglia ranges; this is the area coloured yellow on the map (right) and labelled ‘Bernina Alpen’.
s :
of the Bernina Range are:
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
of eastern Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps
Central Eastern Alps
The Central Eastern Alps comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps with its highest peaks, located between the Northern Limestone Alps and the Southern Limestone Alps, from which they differ in geological composition....
. It is one of the highest ranges of the Alps, covered with many glaciers. Piz Bernina
Piz Bernina
Piz Bernina is the highest mountain of the Eastern Alps and the highest point of the Bernina Range the highest peak in south Rhetic Alps. It is also the farthest easterly mountain higher than 4,000 m in the Alps, the highest point of the Swiss canton of Graubünden, and the fifth-most prominent...
(4,049 m), its highest peak, is the most easterly four thousand-metre peak in the Alps. The peak in the range which sees the most ascents is Piz Palü
Piz Palü
Piz Palü is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland and Italy. There are three summits on its main ridge, which runs from east to west...
.
The Bernina Range is separated from the Albula Range
Albula Range
The Albula Alps is a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland. It is considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps. It is named after the River Albula...
in the north-west by the Maloja Pass
Maloja Pass
Maloja Pass is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps in the canton of Graubünden, linking the Engadin with the Val Bregaglia and Chiavenna in Italy...
and the Upper Engadin
Engadin
The Engadin or Engadine is a long valley in the Swiss Alps located in the canton of Graubünden in southeast Switzerland. It follows the route of the Inn River from its headwaters at Maloja Pass running northeast until the Inn flows into Austria one hundred kilometers downstream...
valley; from the Livigno Range
Livigno Range
The Livigno Range is a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland and northern Italy, around the Italian village Livigno. It is considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps....
in the east by the Bernina Pass
Bernina Pass
The Bernina Pass is a high mountain pass in the Bernina Range of the Alps, in the canton of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland. It connects the famous resort town of St. Moritz in the Engadin valley with the Italian-speaking Val Poschiavo, which ends in the Italian town of Tirano in Valtellina....
; from the Bergamo Alps
Bergamo Alps
The Bergamo Alps are a mountain range in the Italian Alps which forms part of the Central Eastern Alps. They are located in northern Lombardy and named after the city Bergamo, south of the mountains....
in the south by the Adda
Adda River
The Adda is a river in North Italy, a tributary of the Po. It rises in the Alps near the border with Switzerland and flows through Lake Como. The Adda joins the Po a few kilometres upstream of Cremona. It is 313 kilometres long...
valley (Valtellina
Valtellina
Valtellina or the Valtelline valley ; is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. Today it is known for its skiing, its hot spring spas, its cheeses and its wines...
); and from the Bregaglia Range
Bregaglia Range
The Bregaglia Range is a small group of mostly granite mountains in Graubünden, Switzerland and the Province of Sondrio, northern Italy. It derives its name from the partly Swiss, partly Italian valley, the Val Bregaglia, and is known as Bergell in German...
in the south-west by the Muretto Pass. The Bernina Range is drained by the rivers Adda
Adda River
The Adda is a river in North Italy, a tributary of the Po. It rises in the Alps near the border with Switzerland and flows through Lake Como. The Adda joins the Po a few kilometres upstream of Cremona. It is 313 kilometres long...
, Inn
Inn River
The Inn is a river in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Danube and is approximately 500km long. The highest point of its drainage basin is the summit of Piz Bernina, at 4,049 metres.- Geography :...
and
Maira
Mera River
The Mera is a river in Switzerland and Italy. Its source is near the Maloja Pass, in Graubünden, Switzerland. It flows west through the Val Bregaglia and crosses the Italian border near Soglio...
(Mera in Italy).
The term Bernina Alps can also be used in an extended sense to include both the Bernina and Bregaglia ranges; this is the area coloured yellow on the map (right) and labelled ‘Bernina Alpen’.
Peaks
The main peaks of the Bernina Range are:| Peak | |Elevation (m/ft) | |
|---|---|---|
| Piz Bernina Piz Bernina Piz Bernina is the highest mountain of the Eastern Alps and the highest point of the Bernina Range the highest peak in south Rhetic Alps. It is also the farthest easterly mountain higher than 4,000 m in the Alps, the highest point of the Swiss canton of Graubünden, and the fifth-most prominent... |
4,049 | 13,304 |
| Piz Zupò Piz Zupò Piz Zupò is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland and Italy, and is the second highest peak in the range after Piz Bernina.The first ascent of the mountain was made by L. Enderlin and Serardi, with Badrutt on 9 July 1863.... |
3,995 | 13,110 |
| Piz Alv Piz Alv Piz Alv is a minor summit north of Piz Bernina in the Bernina Range of the Swiss Alps. It is located in the canton of Graubünden.-External links:*... |
3,995 | 13,110 |
| Piz Scerscen Piz Scerscen Piz Scerscen is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland and Italy, joining the neighbouring Piz Bernina by its north-east ridge via a 3,895 m pass... |
3,971 | 13,028 |
| Piz Argient Piz Argient Piz Argient is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps on the border between Italy and the Swiss canton of Graubünden.The peak is bounded to the north by the Morteratsch Glacier, to the west by the Upper Scerscen Glacier, and to the south and east by the Fellaria Glacier... |
3,945 | 12,943 |
| Piz Roseg Piz Roseg Piz Roseg is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Graubünden, Switzerland.There are two summits on its main ridge:*the south-east and higher summit *the north-west summit, known as the Schneekuppe .... |
3,937 | 12,916 |
| Bellavista | 3,922 | 12,867 |
| Piz Palü Piz Palü Piz Palü is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland and Italy. There are three summits on its main ridge, which runs from east to west... |
3,905 | 12,835 |
| Crast' Agüzza Crast' Agüzza Crast' Agüzza is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Italy and Switzerland.The peak is bounded to the north by the Morteratsch Glacier and to the south by the Upper Scerscen Glacier... |
3,869 | 12,694 |
| Piz Morteratsch Piz Morteratsch Piz Morteratsch is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland. It is bordered on the east by the Morteratsch Glacier and on the south-west by the Tschierva Glacier.... |
3,751 | 12,306 |
| Piz Glüschaint Piz Glüschaint Piz Glüschaint is a mountain in the Bernina Range , located on the border between Italy and Switzerland.-External links:*... |
3,594 | 11,791 |
| Piz Tschierva Piz Tschierva -Huts:* Tschierva Hut * Boval Hut - References :* Collomb, Robin, Bernina Alps, Goring: West Col Productions, 1988. Collomb writes: '[Piz Tschierva is] a tame mountain compared with Piz Morteratsch, but a popular and useful training walk. Easily combined in the same day with the latter.'... |
3,546 | 11,634 |
| Piz Varuna Piz Varuna The Piz Varuna is a mountain in the Bernina Range , located on the border between Italy and Switzerland.-External links:*... |
3,462 | 11,359 |
| Piz Corvatsch Piz Corvatsch Piz Corvatsch is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland. A minor summit, Piz Murtel , lies just above the cable car station .-Weather:- References :... |
3,451 | 11,322 |
| Cima di Castello Cima di Castello Cima di Castello is the second highest mountain in the Bregaglia Range, located on the border between Italy and the Swiss canton of Graubünden.-External links:*... |
3,400 | 11,155 |
| Pizzo Scalino Pizzo Scalino Pizzo Scalino is a mountain of Lombardy, Italy.... |
3,323 | 10,903 |
| Munt Pers Munt Pers The Munt Pers is a mountain in the Bernina Range , located in Graubünden, Switzerland. The mountain lies north of Diavolezza.-External links:*... |
3,207 | 10,522 |
| Piz da la Margna Piz da la Margna Piz da la Margna is a mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland. It lies to the south-east of the Maloja Pass at the south-western end of the Engadin valley.... |
3,158 | 10,361 |
Glaciers
Main glacierGlacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s :
- Morteratsch GlacierMorteratsch GlacierThe Morteratsch Glacier is the largest glacier by area in the Bernina Range of the Bündner Alps in Switzerland....
- Roseg GlacierRoseg GlacierThe Roseg Glacier is a 4 km long glacier situated in the Bernina Range in the canyon of Graubünden in Switzerland. In 1973 it had an area of 8.52 km².-External links:*...
- Tschierva GlacierTschierva GlacierThe Tschierva Glacier is a 4 km long glacier situated in the Bernina Range in the canton of Graubünden/Grisons in Switzerland. In 1973 it had an area of 6.2 km².-External links:*...
- Palü GlacierPalü GlacierThe Palü Glacier is a 3.5 km long glacier situated in the Bernina Range in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. In 1973 it had an area of 6.47 km².-External links:*...
- Scerscen Superiore Glacier
- Scerscen Inferiore Glacier
- Fellaria Glacier
Passes
The main passesMountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
of the Bernina Range are:
| Mountain pass | location | type | Elevation (m/ft) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuorcla Bellavista | Pontresina Pontresina Pontresina is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.-History and name:The city was first mentioned in medieval Latin documents as pontem sarasinam in 1137. In 1237 it was mentioned as de Ponte Sarraceno and in 1303 as ponte sarracino... to Chiesa in Valmalenco Chiesa in Valmalenco Chiesa in Valmalenco is a comune in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 100 km northeast of Milan and about 11 km north of Sondrio, on the border with Switzerland... | snow | 3684 | 12,087 |
| Fuorcla Crast' Agüzza | Pontresina to Chiesa in Valmalenco | snow | 3601 | 11,814 |
| Fuorcla Tschierva | Pontresina to Chiesa in Valmalenco | snow | 3527 | 11,572 |
| Fuorcla Sella | Pontresina to Chiesa in Valmalenco | snow | 3304 | 10,840 |
| Passo di Bondo | Bondo Bondo, Switzerland Bondo is a former municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. It's now part of the municipality of Bregaglia.-Geography:... to Bagni di Masino | snow | 3117 | 10,227 |
| Passo di Castello | Maloja Maloja Maloja may refer to:* Maloja , an administrative district in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.* Maloja Pass, an alpine pass in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.... to Morbegno Morbegno Morbegno is a little town in the low Valtellina Valley in Italy, on the left side of the Adda river. It is part of the province of Sondrio of Lombardy. In 2007, Morbegno started a project to become a leader in sustainability, by involving the population in a participatory design process,... | snow | 3100 | 10,171 |
| Passo Tremoggia | Sils Sils -Places:*Sils, Girona, a municipality in the comarca of Selva in Catalonia, Spain**Lake Sils, Catalonia, an ancient lake near Sils*Sils im Engadin/Segl, consisting of Sils-Maria und Sils-Baselgia, in Graubünden, Switzerland... to Chiesa in Valmalenco | snow | 3021 | 9912 |
| Passo di Mello | Chiareggio to Val Masino Val Masino Val Masino is a comune in the Province of Sondrio in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 90 km northeast of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Sondrio, on the border with Switzerland... | snow | 2991 | 9813 |
| Diavolezza Pass | Bernina road to the Morteratsch glacier | snow | 2977 | 9767 |
| Passo di Zocca | Vicosoprano Vicosoprano Vicosoprano is a former municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, and is the largest village in the Val Bregaglia. It's now part of the municipality of Bregaglia.-Geography:... to Val Masino | snow | 2743 | 9000 |
| Muretto pass | Maloja Maloja Maloja may refer to:* Maloja , an administrative district in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.* Maloja Pass, an alpine pass in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.... to Chiesa | partly snow | 2557 | 8389 |
| Bernina Pass Bernina Pass The Bernina Pass is a high mountain pass in the Bernina Range of the Alps, in the canton of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland. It connects the famous resort town of St. Moritz in the Engadin valley with the Italian-speaking Val Poschiavo, which ends in the Italian town of Tirano in Valtellina.... | Pontresina Pontresina Pontresina is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland.-History and name:The city was first mentioned in medieval Latin documents as pontem sarasinam in 1137. In 1237 it was mentioned as de Ponte Sarraceno and in 1303 as ponte sarracino... to Tirano Tirano Tirano is a town in Valtellina, located in the province of Sondrio, Northern Italy. It has about 9,044 inhabitants and is adjacent to the Switzerland-Italy boundary. The river Adda flows through the town.... | road | 2330 | 7645 |
| Maloja Pass Maloja Pass Maloja Pass is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps in the canton of Graubünden, linking the Engadin with the Val Bregaglia and Chiavenna in Italy... | St Moritz to Chiavenna | road | 1809 | 5935 |
Mountain huts
There are several manned and unmanned mountain huts in the Bernina Range.| Name | Elevation (m/ft) | Country | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chamanna da Coaz | 2610 / 8,563 | Switzerland | End of Val Roseg |
| Chamanna da Boval | 2495 / 8,186 | Switzerland | Val Morteratsch, under Piz Morteratsch |
| Chamanna da Tschierva | 2583 / 8,474 | Switzerland | Left side of Vadret Tschierva, under Piz Morteratsch |
| Rifugio Marco e Rosa | 3597 / 10,801 | Italy |
See also
- Swiss AlpsSwiss AlpsThe Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....