Western Rhaetian Alps
The Western Rhaetian Alps (Italian: Alpi Retiche occidentali, German: Westliche Rätische Alpen) are a mountain range in the central part of the Alps.
| Western Rhaetian Alps | |
|---|---|
 Piz Bernina, the highest mountain of the range | |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Piz Bernina |
| Elevation | 4,049 m (13,284 ft) [1] |
| Coordinates | 46°22′56″N 09°54′29″E |
| Naming | |
| Native name | Alpi Retiche occidentali, Westliche Rätische Alpen |
| Geography | |
 Western Rhaetian Alps (section nr.15) within Eastern Alps
| |
| Countries | Austria, Italy, Liechtenstein and Switzerland |
| Region | Graubünden |
| Parent range | Central Eastern Alps |
| Borders on | Lugano 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 map | Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo |
| Geology | |
| Orogeny | Alpine orogeny |
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]
- main part = Eastern Alps
- major sector = Central Eastern Alps
- section = Western Rhaetian Alps
- code = II/A-15
Subdivision
The range is subdivided into seven subsections:[2]
- Oberhalbstein Range (DE: Oberhalbsteiner Alpen, IT: Alpi del Platta) - SOIUSA code: II/A-15.I,
- Albula Alps (DE: Albula-Alpen, IT: Alpi dell'Albula) - SOIUSA code: II/A-15.II,
- Bernina Range (DE: Berninagruppe, IT: Alpi del Bernina) - SOIUSA code: II/A-15.III,
- Livigno Range (DE: Livigno-Alperne, IT: Alpi di Livigno) - SOIUSA code: II/A-15.IV,
- Sesvenna Range (DE: Sesvennagruppe, IT: Alpi della Val Müstair) - SOIUSA code: II/A-15.V,
- Silvretta, Samnaun and Ferwall Alps (DE: Silvretta, Samnaun und Ferwall Alpen, IT: Alpi del Silvretta, del Samnaun e del Verwall) - SOIUSA code: II/A-15.VI,
- Plessur Range (DE: Plessur-Alpen, IT: Alpi del Plessur) - SOIUSA code: II/A-15.VII,
- Rätikon (DE: Rätikon, IT: Catena del Rätikon) - SOIUSA code: II/A-15.- SOIUSA code: II/A-15.VIII.
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:
References
- Highest summit elevation as reported on Swiss Federal Office of Topography maps from the Swisstopo web site map.geo.admin.ch
- Marazzi, Sergio (2005). Atlante Orografico delle Alpi. SOIUSA (in Italian). Priuli & Verlucca. ISBN 978-88-8068-273-8.
Bibliography
- Brasca; Silvestri; Balabio e Corti (1911). Alpi Retiche Occidentali (Collana Guida dei Monti d'Italia) (in Italian). Club Alpino Italiano and Touring Club Italiano.
Maps
- Italian official cartography (Istituto Geografico Militare - IGM); on-line version: www.pcn.minambiente.it
- Swiss official cartography (Swiss Federal Office of Topography - Swisstopo); on-line version: map.geo.admin.ch
| Western Alps |
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| Eastern Alps |
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