The Lepontine Alps (, , ) are a mountain range in the north-western part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland (Valais, Ticino, Uri and Graubünden) and Italy (Piedmont and Lombardy).

The Simplon rail tunnel (from Brig to Domodossola), the Gotthard rail (from Erstfeld to Bodio) and Gotthard road tunnels (from Andermatt to Airolo) and the San Bernardino road tunnel are important transport arteries.

The eastern portion of the Lepontine Alps, from the St Gotthard Pass to the Splügen Pass, is named the Adula Alps, while the western part is historically referred to as the Ticino Alps.

Etymology The designation Lepontine Alps, derived from the Latin name of the Valle Leventina, has long been somewhat vaguely applied to the Alpine ranges that enclose it, before being used for the whole range.

Geography Following the line marking the division of the waters that flow into the Po from those that feed the Rhone or the Rhine, the main ridge of the Lepontine Alps describes a somewhat irregular curve, convex to the north, from the Simplon Pass to the Splügen Pass. With the single exception of the Monte 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 the Rheinwaldhorn, exceed in height.

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 of Lake Maggiore and Lake Como, the deepest of all the lakes on the south side of the Alps. The most important of these valleys is the Valle Leventina, or the upper valley of the Ticino. This has been known from a remote antiquity because it leads to the St Gotthard Pass, one of the easiest lines of communication between northern and southern Europe.

The Lepontine Alps are drained by the rivers Rhône in the west, Reuss in the north, Rhine (Anterior and Posterior Rhine) in the east and Ticino and Toce in the south.

List of peaks

The chief peaks of the Lepontine Alps are:

Name Elevationm ft Monte Leone 3,553 11,684 Rheinwaldhorn 3,402 11,149 Güferhorn 3,393 11,132 Blinnenhorn 3,384 11,103 Basodino 3,276 10,749 Pizzo Tambò 3,276 10,749 Helsenhorn 3,274 10,742 Wasenhorn 3,255 10,680 Ofenhorn 3,242 10,637 Scherbadung (Monte Cervandone) 3,213 10,542 Piz Medel 3,203 10,509 Scopi 3,200 10,499 Pizzo Rotondo 3,197 10,489 Hohsandhorn 3,182 10,440 Piz Terri 3,151 10,331 Pizzo di Cassimoi 3,129 10,266 Kastelhorn 3,128 10,262 Piz Aul 3,124 10,250 Pizzo Pesciora 3,120 10,247 Witenwasserenstock 3,084 10,119 Campo Tencia 3,075 10,089 Leckihorn 3,069 10,069 Bruschghorn 3,054 10,020 Lorenzhorn 3,048 10,000 Alperschällihorn 3,045 9,991 Chilchalphorn 3,040 9,974Saashörner3,0399,970Pizzo di Boccareccio3,0279,931 Piz Corbet 3,025 9,925 Piz Blas 3,023 9,918 Monte Giove 3,010 9,876Cime di Val Loga3,0049,856 Pizzo Centrale 3,003 9,853 Pizzas d'Anarosa 3,002 9,850 Piz Beverin 2,998 9,843 Weisshorn (Splugen) 2,992 9,817 Teurihorn 2,973 9,754 Piz de Mucia 2,967 9,734 Piz Pombi 2,967 9,734 Pizzo Lucendro 2,959 9,708Piz Denter2,9569,698 Piz Tomul 2,949 9,676 Pizzo Moro 2,948 9,672 Piz Cavel 2,944 9,659 Piz Caschleglia 2,936 9,633 Barenhorn 2,932 9,620 Six Madun (Badus) 2,932 9,619Poncione di Manió2,9259,596 Pizzo Fiorèra 2,921 9,583 Pizzo Forno 2,907 9,537 Piz Muraun 2,899 9,512 Zervreilahorn 2,898 9,508 Valserhorn 2,886 9,469 Piz Serenastga 2,874 9,429 Cima della Bianca 2,893 9,491 Punta della Rossa 2,888 9,475 Poncione di Valleggia 2,873 9,426 Punta Valgrande 2,857 9,373 Monte Cistella 2,851 9,353 Piz Canal 2,846 9,337 I Rodond 2,830 9,280 Piz Maler 2,790 9,150 Fil de Dragiva 2,786 9,140 Piz Lukmanier 2,778 9,115 Piz Riein 2,762 9,062Fibbia2,7388,983 Monte Prosa 2,738 8,983Pizzo di Campedell2,7248,937Piz Uccello2,724 8,937 Pizzo del Torto 2,723 8,934 Pizzo di Röd 2,699 8,855 Pizzo Solögna 2,698 8,852Rasiva2,6848,806 Cima di Piancabella 2,671 8,763 Pizzo d'Orsalia 2,664 8,740 Pizzo Malora 2,640 8,660Cima de Nomnom2,6338,638 Poncione dei Laghetti 2,616 8,583Piz d'Arbeola2,6008,500Breithorn 2,599 8,527 Pizzo Paglia 2,594 8,510 Piz Pazzola 2,581 8,468 Piz Radun 2,581 8,468 Piz de Cressim 2,575 8,448 Pizzo di Madéi 2,551 8,369 Piz Titschal 2,550 8,370 Pizzo Columbe 2,549 8,363 Pizzo Cavregasco 2,535 8,317 Poncione Pro do Rodùc 2,522 8,274 Pizzo di Cadrèigh 2,516 8,225 Piz de Setag 2,476 8,123 Pizzo d'Orsalietta 2,476 8,123 Piz Vizan 2,471 8,107 Pizzo di Porcaresc 2,467 8,094 Pizzo Campanile 2,458 8,064Poncione della Marcia 2,4548,051Punta d'Orogna 2,4478,028 Madone di Càmedo 2,446 8,025 Poncione di Piotta 2,439 8,002 Pizzo di Brünesc 2,429 7,969 Cima dell'Uomo 2,390 7,840 Cima dello Stagn 2,382 7,815 Pizzo Bombögn 2,331 7,648Poncione d'Alnasca2,3017,549 Schlüechtli 2,283 7,490 Pala da Tgiern 2,279 7,477 Madom da Sgióf 2,265 7,431 Pizzo Alzasca 2,262 7,421 Pizzo Muncréch 2,252 7,388Corno di Gesero2,2277,306 Camoghè 2,226 7,303 Monte Zeda 2,156 7,073Glaser Grat2,1246,969Präzer Höhi2,1206,960 Piz Mundaun 2,065 6,775 Pizzo Peloso 2,064 6,772 Madone (Locarno) 2,051 6,729 Crest dil Cut 2,016 6,614 Monte Berlinghera 1,930 6,330

Glaciers

Main glaciers :

Gries Glacier Paradies Glacier Basòdino Glacier

List of passes

The chief passes of the Lepontine Alps are: Mountain pass location type elevation m ft Zapport Pass Hinterrhein to Malvaglia and Biasca snow 3,079 10,103 Guferlücke Canaltal to Lentatal (near Vals, Switzerland) snow 2,980 9,777 Lentalücke Hinterrhein to Vals snow 2,954 9,692 Hohsand Pass Binn to La Frua (Toce waterfalls) snow 2,927 9,603 Lecki Pass Realp to Oberwald VS snow 2,912 9,554 Passo Rotondo Airolo to Oberwald snow 2,880 9,449 Kaltwasser Pass Simplon Hospice to Alpe Veglia snow 2,844 9,331 Scaradra Pass Vals to Olivone footpath 2,770 9,088 Satteltelücke Vals to Vrin footpath 2,768 9,082 Ritter Pass Binn to Alpe Veglia snow 2,692 8,832 Cavanna Pass Realp to Bedretto snow 2,611 8,566 Scatta Minoja Devero to Formazza bridle path 2,597 8,521 Bocca di Cadlimo Airolo to the Lukmanier Pass footpath 2,542 8,340 Valserberg Hinterrhein to Vals bridle path 2,507 8,225 Safierberg Splügen to Safien 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 and Baceno bridle path 2,431 7,976 Diesrut Pass Vrin to Somvix 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 the Val Calanca footpath 2,265 7,431 Passo dell'Uomo Quinto, Switzerland to the Lukmanier Pass bridle path 2,212 7,258 Splügen Pass Thusis to Chiavenna road 2,117 6,946 St Gotthard Pass Andermatt to Airolo road 2,114 6,936 San Bernardino Pass Thusis to Bellinzona road 2,063 6,769 Lukmanier Pass Disentis to Olivone road 1,917 6,289

See also Swiss Alps

References