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35-571: The Diablerets massif, which consists of several peaks, extends for about 10 kilometres near the western extremity of the Bernese Alps , between the two deep passes, the Cheville Pass (2,038 m (6,686 ft)) right below the main summit to the south, and the Sanetsch/Sénin Pass (2,252 m (7,388 ft)) to the east. The mountain is covered by two distinct glaciers, the largest being

70-439: A bridge connecting it with the subsidiary peak, which is in turn connected to the station by stairs. The 107-metre-long (351 ft) so-called "suspension bridge" (without towers), called Peak Walk , is the world's first suspension bridge which connects two mountain peaks. Many of the highest Alpine summits can be seen from the top. The area is used for winter sports from October to May, with several ski lifts being located on

105-498: A few hours from the station. The Peak Walk , a 107m suspension bridge to Scex Rouge from the peak at the top of the lift station, was constructed as a tourist attraction in 2014. The main summit, although not very distant from the Scex Rouge station, can not be easily reached as it involves the crossing of the much-crevassed Diablerets Glacier, though it is accessible to more intrepid hikers. Administratively, le Sommet des Diablerets

140-604: Is located in the eastern Bernese Alps in the most glaciated region of the Alps. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site ( Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch ) in 2001 and further expanded in 2007. Its name comes from the Aletsch Glacier and the two summits of the Jungfrau and Bietschhorn , which constitute some of the most impressive features of the site. The actual site (after the extension) includes other large glacier valleys such as

175-507: Is shared between the municipalities of Conthey (VS), Ormont-Dessus and Bex (VD). [REDACTED] Media related to Les Diablerets (massif) at Wikimedia Commons Bernese Alps The Bernese Alps are a mountain range of the Alps located in western Switzerland . Although the name suggests that they are located in the Berner Oberland region of the canton of Bern , portions of

210-621: Is the most central of the major passes through the main chain. It also marks the separation between two distinct sections of the Bernese Alps: the chain west of Gemmi Pass, consisting mainly of foothills with a few large glacier-covered mountains (notably Dent de Morcles, Grand Muveran , Diablerets , Wildhorn and Wildstrubel ) around 3,000 metres (9,800 ft), and the chain east of Gemmi Pass, consisting mainly of summits around 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) on several subranges, with large valley glaciers between them. The latter section, contrary to

245-695: The Bietschhorn by the Lötschental and the Lötschenlücke . To this again succeeds the deep trench through which the lower part of the Aletsch Glacier flows down to the Rhône, enclosed by the minor ridge that culminates at the Eggishorn . It is in the central and eastern portions of the range only that crystalline rocks make their appearance; the western part is composed almost exclusively of sedimentary deposits , and

280-625: The Fiescher Glacier and the Aar Glaciers . The chief peaks of the Bernese Alps are: Main glaciers : The chief passes of the Bernese Alps are: Scex Rouge The Scex Rouge (also spelled Sex Rouge ; lit. "red rock"; 2,972 metres (9,751 ft)) is a mountain of the Alps , overlooking Les Diablerets in the canton of Vaud . Along with the Oldenhorn to the east, it is one of

315-754: The Lepontine Alps to the southeast; the Grimsel Pass and the Aare valley separates them from the Uri Alps in the east, and from the Emmental Alps in the north; their northwestern edge is not well defined, describing a line roughly from Lake Geneva to Lake Thun . The Bernese Alps are drained by the river Aare and its tributary the Saane in the north, the Rhône in the south, and

350-726: The Oldehorn/Becca d'Audon (VD, BE, VS; 3,123 m (10,246 ft)) across the Tsanfleuron Glacier, and the Sentschore/Mont Brun (BE, VS; 2,924 m (9,593 ft)) further to the northeast. Also notable is the tower-like peak of the Quille du Diable ("devil's skittle," also known as Tour St-Martin; VS, 2,908 m (9,541 ft)) that overlooks Derborence from the edge of the Tsanfleuron plateau. The two largest glaciers on

385-568: The Reuss in the east. The Bernese Alps are amongst the three highest major subranges of the Alps, together with the Pennine Alps and the Mont Blanc massif . One of the most prominent Alpine ranges, the Bernese Alps extend from the gorge of Saint-Maurice , through which the Rhône finds its way to Lake Geneva, to the Grimsel Pass or, depending on the definition, to the river Reuss (thus including

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420-702: The Sanetsch Pass via the Quille du Diable. Two other more difficult access are from Les Diablerets via the Col de Prapio and from the Col du Pillon via the Scex Rouge Glacier. The first connection to the Scex Rouge was inaugurated in July 1964, at the time of Expo64 , the fifth Swiss national exhibition. All the facilities were entirely renewed in 2001. The true summit, however, is accessible to tourists only since October 2014, when

455-556: The Scex Rouge from the Col du Pillon , 4 kilometres east of the village of Les Diablerets. The Tsanfleuron Glacier, easily accessible from the Scex Rouge mountain station, has then become part of a large ski area with several ski lifts on it, culminating at nearly 3,000 metres, that goes by the commercial name of Glacier 3000 . The area is also popular in summer for the snow hikes on the glacier. The summits of Le Dôme and Oldenhorn can be reached in

490-522: The Tsanfleuron Glacier and the highest being the Diablerets Glacier . The main summit (officially referred to as Sommet des Diablerets ) is the highest point in the massif and the sud-west summit is the highest point in the canton of Vaud. In the latter canton, the mountain has given its name to the nearby village and resort of Les Diablerets , which lies on the north side of the massif. On

525-510: The Uri Alps ). The principal ridge, a chain that runs 100 kilometres (62 mi) from west ( Dent de Morcles ) to east ( Sidelhorn ), whose highest peak is the Finsteraarhorn , forms the watershed between the cantons of Bern and Valais . Except for the westernmost part, it is also the watershed between the Rhine ( North Sea ) and the Rhône ( Mediterranean Sea ). This chain is not centered inside

560-425: The Alps, the names of Grindelwald , Lauterbrunnen , and Interlaken have become famous. But unlike many other Alpine regions, which have been left to be explored by strangers, this region has been long visited by Swiss travellers and men of science. Among them were the brother Meyer of Aarau and Franz Joseph Hugi . They have explored most of the mountain ranges not very difficult to access, and have climbed most of

595-476: The Bernese Alps are in the adjacent cantons of Valais , Fribourg and Vaud , the latter being usually named Fribourg Alps and Vaud Alps respectively. The highest mountain in the range, the Finsteraarhorn , is also the highest point in the canton of Bern. The Rhône valley separates them from the Chablais Alps in the west and from the Pennine Alps in the south; the upper Rhône valley separates them from

630-513: The Bernese side. From the Tête aux Chamois, the highest aerial tramway leads to near the summit of the Scex Rouge, or more precisely, a 2,965-metre-high (9,728 ft) subsidiary summit. The mountain station lies at an elevation of 2,940 metres (9,650 ft) and consists of a large building, designed by Mario Botta , including a panoramic restaurant. The true summit of the Scex Rouge can only be reached by

665-533: The Scex Rouge overlooks the Tsanfleuron Glacier , the largest in the massif. Administratively, the mountain is part of the municipality of Ormont-Dessus , which also includes Les Diablerets. The Scex Rouge is connected from the Col du Pillon (Vaud) by two aerial tramways and from Reusch (Bern) by three, all operated by Glacier 3000 . The first leads to the summit of the Tête aux Chamois (2,525 metres (8,284 ft)), which can also be reached from Reusch and Oldenegg on

700-551: The Tsanfleuron Glacier as it is steeper and more crevassed. The Tsanfleuron plateau, between Le Dôme and the Sanetsch Pass is only partly glaciated. Below 2,600 m is a large karst zone, called Lapis de Tsanfleuron and covering an area of about 8 square kilometres (3.1 sq mi). Along with the Culan, the Tête Ronde, and the Scex Rouge, the main summit forms an amphitheatre of limestone cliffs with numerous water falls, surrounding

735-455: The Tsanfleuron Glacier. In the summer season, several hiking trails cross the glacier between the Scex Rouge, the Quille du Diable and the Oldensattel, at the foot of the Oldenhorn . The Glacier 3000 company also operates a snow coach on the glacier. Without the aerial tramways, the Scex Rouge itself can be reached by experienced hikers from Reusch via the Oldensattel or from Derborence and

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770-630: The activity of their predecessors, the members of the English Alpine Club have found scope for further exploits, amongst which may be reckoned the first ascents of the Aletschhorn and the Schreckhorn , and the still more arduous enterprise of crossing the range bypasses, such as the Jungfraujoch and Eigerjoch , which are considered among the most difficult in the Alps. The Jungfrau-Aletsch area

805-680: The channels of great glaciers. Thus the Tschingel Glacier and the Kander Glacier , separate the portion of the main range lying between the Gemmi Pass and the Mittaghorn from the equally high parallel range of the Doldenhorn and Blümlisalp on its northern side. To the south, the same portion of the main range is divided from the still higher parallel range whose summits are the Aletschhorn and

840-429: The former, has very few foothills and is the most glaciated part of the Alps . A characteristic in the orography of the Bernese Alps is, that whereas the western portion of that chain consists of a single series of summits with comparatively short projecting buttresses, the higher group presents a series of longitudinal ridges parallel to the axis of the main chain, and separated from each other by deep valleys that form

875-528: The higher summits. In 1841, Louis Agassiz , with several scientific friends, established a temporary station on the Unteraar Glacier , and, along with scientific observations on the glaciers, started a series of expeditions. Several mountains in the area are named after Agassiz and the other explorers . The works of Desor and Gottlieb Studer have been followed by several other publications that bear testimony to Swiss mountaineering activity. Notwithstanding

910-536: The main peaks of the Diablerets , a huge ice-covered mountain near the western end of the Bernese Alps , straddling the border between the cantons of Vaud, Valais , and Bern , and exceeding 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) above sea level. On its west side, the Scex Rouge is part of a nearly 2,000-metre-high (6,600 ft) amphitheatre of cliffs surrounding the Creux de Champ valley, south of Les Diablerets. On its southeast side,

945-457: The massif (Tsanfleuron and Diablerets) are both on the Valais side. They form a single inclined plane towards the east, although they are separated by the rocky summit of Le Dôme (2,986 m), which lies just east of the main summit. They are not very steep, especially the Tsanfleuron Glacier, as the rock strata are close to horizontal. The smaller and higher Diablerets Glacier, however, is much wilder than

980-636: The massif are, from west to east: the Culan (VD, 2,789 m (9,150 ft)) at the western end of the massif, the Tête Ronde (VD, 3,037 m (9,964 ft)) approximately 800 meters west of the main summit, the Sommet des Diablerets (main summit), Le Dôme (VS, 2,986 m (9,797 ft)) east of the main summit and between the two glaciers, the Sex Rouge (also called Scex Rouge; VD, 2,971 m (9,747 ft)) and

1015-463: The mountains progressively become lower and disappear into the hilly Swiss Plateau . The Bernese Alps have a large influence on the climate of Switzerland: while their north side is very exposed to weather, their south side is protected from it. As a consequence, agriculture consists essentially of dairy farming and cattle breeding on the northern foothills, while on the sunnier southern foothills (Rhone Valley) it also consists of vineyards. Gemmi Pass

1050-425: The range but lies close (10 to 15 km) to the Rhône on the south. This makes a large difference between the south, where the lateral short valleys descend abruptly into the deep trench forming the valley of the Rhône and the north, where the Bernese Alps extends through a great part of the canton of Bern ( Bernese Oberland ), throwing out branches to the west into the adjoining cantons of Vaud and Fribourg . There

1085-459: The rivers Grande Eau (north) and Lizerne (south). The easternmost part of the massif, that lies in the canton of Bern , is part of the Rhine basin, through the river Sarine (French, Saane in German). The Oldehore ( Swiss German , Germanized: Oldenhorn ) is the tripoint of the three cantons of Vaud, Valais and Bern, and several of the peaks have a German as well as a French name. The main peaks of

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1120-461: The secondary ridges extending through Bern and the adjoining cantons are formed of jurassic , cretaceous , or eocene strata . The beauty of the scenery and the facilities offered to travellers by the general extension of mountain railways make the northern side of the range, the Bernese Oberland , one of the portions of the Alps most visited by tourists. Since strangers first began to visit

1155-706: The south side (Valais) the mountain overlooks the hamlet and valley of Derborence . Along with the Muverans , the Wildhorn and the Wildstrubel , the Diablerets are one of the four distinct and glaciated massifs of the Bernese Alps that lie between the Rhone elbow and the Gemmi Pass . The main section of the mountain, between the cantons of Vaud and Valais, is part of the Rhone basin, through

1190-429: The southern slopes are drier and warmer. Forests are found up to 1,900 metres on the north side and up to 2,000 metres on the south side. Further south in Valais, on the slopes of Mont Gond , vineyards are also very common below 1000 metres, but completely absent on the north side. There, alpine pastures dominate the landscape, as in many other areas of the northern Alpine foothills. Since 1964, an aerial tramway connects

1225-427: The valley of Creux de Champ and overlooking the village of Les Diablerets from a height of over 2,000 metres. The height of the north wall is about 1,600 metres, its bottom (named Rochers de Champ ) lying at 1,600 metres. As with other mountains on the crest of the Bernese Alps, the slopes of the Diablerets experience different types of climate depending on their location: the northern slopes are cooler and wetter while

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