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39-562: The Wildspitze is on a ridge called Weißkamm ("white ridge") that joins the main chain of the Alps at the Weißkugel . Its north and west flanks form the end of the Pitz valley , while the south and east flanks rise above the upper ends of the Ötztal . The mountain has twin peaks, with a rocky south summit (3768 m or by most other sources 3770 m) and a firn -covered north summit at about 3760 m. The mountain

78-695: A century ago, the Mer de Glace at Chamonix (now 7.6 km or 4 + 3 ⁄ 4  mi) and the Gorner Glacier at Zermatt (now 12.5 km or 7 + 3 ⁄ 4  mi). In the Eastern Alps the longest glacier was the Pasterze Glacier ( 8.4 km or 5 + 1 ⁄ 4  mi in 1911), which is not near the true main watershed, though it clings to the slope of the Grossglockner (3,798 m) in

117-459: A merchant from Vienna, to the summit for the second ascent. The northern summit was somewhat higher, at the time measured to be 11,947 Viennese feet or 3,776 m, but the south summit was a better viewpoint and the first two parties had climbed it instead. On August 29, 1861, Nikodem and Leander Klotz guided Anthon von Ruthner and Friedrich R. von Enderes, both from Vienna, to the south summit again. During their hour-long stay on top, Leander traversed to

156-913: A number of lofty peaks, such as the Mont Vélan (3,727 m), the Matterhorn (4,478 m), the Lyskamm (4,533 m), the Nord End of Monte Rosa (4,575 m), and the Weissmies (4,023 m), many of the highest points of the region, such as the Grand Combin (4,314 m), the Dent Blanche (4,357 m), the Weisshorn (4,505 m), the true summit or Dufourspitze (4,634 m) of Monte Rosa itself, and the Dom (4,545 m), all rise on its northern slope and not on

195-656: A range. The Alps are something of an unusual case in that several significant groups of mountains are separated from the main chain by sizable distances. Among these groups are the Dauphine Alps , the Eastern and Western Graians , the entire Bernese Alps , the Tödi , Albula and Silvretta groups, the Ortler and Adamello ranges, and the Dolomites of Veneto and South Tyrol , as well as

234-655: A short dip to the south-east, the chain takes, near the Great St. Bernard Pass , a generally eastern direction that it maintains until it reaches Monte Rosa , where it bends northwards, making one small dip to the east to the Simplon Pass . It is in the portion of the watershed between the Grande St Bernard Pass and the Simplon that the main chain maintains a greater average height than in any other part. But, though it rises in

273-643: A short distance, and then runs eastwards and nearly over the highest summit of the Bernina Range , Piz Bernina (4,049 m), to the Bernina Pass . From here the main chain is less well defined, it rises to Piz Paradisin (3,302 m), beyond which it runs slightly north-east, east of the Italian resort of Livigno , past Fraele Pass (1,952 m) and the source of the Adda , traverses Piz Murtarol (3,180 m) and Monte Forcola , where

312-556: Is called Piccole Dolomiti (Little Dolomites), between the provinces of Trentino, Verona and Vicenza. The Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park and many other regional parks are in the Dolomites. On 26 June 2009 , the Dolomites were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The Adamello-Brenta UNESCO Global Geopark is also in the Dolomites. The Geological Museum of the Dolomites (in Italian Museo Geologico delle Dolomiti )

351-704: Is evidence that the Jesuit priest Franz von Wulfen from Klagenfurt climbed the Lungkofel and the Dürrenstein in the 1790s. In 1857 Irishman John Ball was the first known person to climb Monte Pelmo. Paul Grohmann later climbed numerous peaks such as the Antelao, Marmolada, Tofana, Monte Cristallo and the Boè. Around 1860 the Agordin mountaineer Simone de Silvestro was the first person to stand on

390-475: Is located in Predazzo , Fiemme Valley . The Dolomites, also known as the "Pale Mountains", take their name from the carbonate rock dolomite . This was named after the 18th-century French mineralogist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu (1750–1801), who was the first to describe the mineral. For millennia, hunters and gatherers had advanced into the highest rocky regions and had probably also climbed some peaks. There

429-721: Is surrounded by glaciers on three sides, of which the Taschachferner (at 8 km) is the largest. The 50° north face is popular with ice climbers. The view from the peak is only limited by the curvature of the Earth. To the east one can see as far as the Großglockner and to the west as far as the Finsteraarhorn . The nearest higher mountain is the Ortler , 48.5 kilometres (30 mi) away in South Tyrol . The first recorded attempt at

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468-665: Is the tripoint between the Danube, Po and Adige basins, then falls to the Ofen Pass (2,149 m), soon heads north and rises once more in Piz Sesvenna (3,204 m). The Reschen Pass (1,504 m) marks a break in the continuity of the Alpine chain. The deep valley, the Vinschgau of the upper Adige, is one of the most remarkable features in the orography of the Alps. The little Reschen Lake , which forms

507-661: The Alta Via 1 . Radiocarbon dating has been used in the Alta Badia region to demonstrate a connection between landslide activity and climate change. The region is commonly divided into the Western and Eastern Dolomites, separated by a line following the Val Badia–Campolongo Pass–Cordevole Valley (Agordino) axis. The Dolomites may be divided into the following ranges: The Dolomites are renowned for skiing in

546-621: The Bocchetta di Altare or di Colle di Cadibona (west of Savona ), the main chain extends first south-west, then north-west to the Col de Tenda , though nowhere rising much beyond the zone of coniferous trees. Beyond the Col de Tenda the direction is first roughly west, then north-west to the Rocca dei Tre Vescovi (2,840 m), just south of the Enciastraia (2,955 m), several peaks of about 3,000 metres rising on

585-741: The Dolomite Mountains , Dolomite Alps or Dolomitic Alps , are a mountain range in northeastern Italy . They form part of the Southern Limestone Alps and extend from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley ( Pieve di Cadore ) in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley (Italian: Valsugana ). The Dolomites are in

624-774: The Dreiherrnspitze (3,499 m), the chain splits: the main watershed between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean heads south, along the Rieserferner Group to the Dolomites , and Julian Alps . The main alpine divide head east, traversing the High Tauern range, crossing the Grossvenediger (3,666 m), passing just north of Austria's highest peak (the Grossglockner ), traversing Ankogel (3,252 m), before curving northern across

663-851: The Lower Tauern , traversing its highest peak, Hochgolling (2,863 m) in the Schladming Tauern and then continuing on the same eastward path up to the Schober Pass in Styria . The drainage divide further runs eastwards through the Northern Limestone Alps , ending at " Vienna Gate", the steep slopes of the Leopoldsberg (425 m) high above the Danube water gap and the Vienna Basin . Starting from

702-637: The Rocciamelone (3,509 m). From there the direction taken is north as far as the eastern summit (3,619 m) of the Levanna , the divide rising in a series of snowy peaks, though the loftiest point of the region, the Pointe de Charbonnel (3,760 m), stands a little to the west. Once more the chain bends to the north-west, rising in several lofty peaks (the highest is the Aiguille de la Grande Sassière , 3,751 m), before attaining

741-827: The Witenwasserenstock is the point where the basin of the Po, the Rhine and the Rhone meet, and the European Watershed joins the Alpine divide. From the St. Gotthard to the Maloja the watershed between the basins of the Rhine and Po runs in a generally easterly direction. It goes over Passo del Lucomagno (1,915 m), across Scopi (3,200 m), Piz Medel (3,210 m) and Piz Terri (3,149 m), where it turns towards

780-579: The Zuckerhütl (3,505 m), stand a little to the north. The Brenner (1,370 m) is the lowest of all the great road passes across the core part of the main chain and has always been the chief means of communication between Germany and Italy. For some way beyond it, the watershed runs eastwards over the highest crest of the Zillertal Alps , which attains 3,510 metres in the Hochfeiler . But, a little farther, at

819-548: The watershed , though the highest of all, the Punta dell'Argentera (3,297 m) stands a little way to its north. From the Rocher des Trois Eveques the drainage divide runs due north for a long distance, though of the two loftiest peaks of this region one, the Aiguille de Chambeyron (3,412 m), is just to the west, and the other, the Monviso (3,841 m), is just to the east of the divide. From

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858-631: The Civetta. Michael Innerkofler was one of the climbers of the Tre Cime di Lavaredo . Later very important local mountaineers, known for many first ascents, were Angelo Dibona and Giovanni Piaz . During the First World War , the front line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian Army ran through the Dolomites, where both sides used mines extensively. Open-air war museums are at Cinque Torri (Five Towers), Monte Piana and Mount Lagazuoi. Many people visit

897-502: The Danube. For much of its distance the watershed lies on or close to the Italian border, although there are numerous deviations, notably, the Swiss canton of Ticino which lies south of the range in the Po river basin. For only a small portion of its total distance does the Alpine divide form a part of the main European watershed , in the central section where the watershed is between the Po and

936-400: The Dolomites to climb the vie ferrate , protected paths through the rock walls that were created during the war. A number of long-distance footpaths traverse the Dolomites. They are called alte vie (German: Dolomiten Höhenwege – high paths), and are numbered 1 to 10. The trails take about a week to walk, and are served by numerous rifugi (huts). The first and the most renowned is

975-635: The Hohe Tauern range east of the Dreiherrenspitze. But two other long glaciers in the Eastern Alps (the Hintereis , and the Gepatsch ) are both in the Ötztal Alps, and so are close to the true main watershed . [REDACTED]   This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Lake, Philip ; Knox, Howard; Coolidge, W. A. B. (1911). " Alps ". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 737–754. Dolomites The Dolomites ( Italian : Dolomiti [doloˈmiːti] ), also known as

1014-404: The Rhine. The Alps are generally divided into Eastern Alps and Western Alps , cut along a line between Lake Como and Lake Constance , following the Rhine valley. Piz Bernina (4,049 metres) is the highest peak of the Eastern Alps while the highest peak of the Western Alps is Mont Blanc (4,810.45 metres). From the Maloja Pass (1,815 m) the main watershed dips to the south-east for

1053-457: The Wildspitze was made in 1847 by Hermann and Adolf Schlagintweit , who probably reached a point at 3,552 m on the north east ridge. The first successful ascent was in 1848 by Leander Klotz, a guide and farmer in the Rofen valley  [ de ] at the foot of the mountain (now part of Sölden ), and another, unnamed local farmer. In August 1857, the brothers Nikodem, Leander and Hans Klotz guided Joseph Anton Specht  [ de ] ,

1092-416: The Wildspitze. The average time used for this tour is 6.5 hours. Wildspitze has a tundra climate ( Köppen ET ). Main chain of the Alps The main chain of the Alps , also called the Alpine divide is the central line of mountains that forms the drainage divide of the range. Main chains of mountain ranges are traditionally designated in this way, and generally include the highest peaks of

1131-428: The chief source of the Adige, is only 4 metres below the Pass, and 8 km from the Inn valley. Eastward of this pass, the main chain runs north-east to the Brenner Pass along the snowy crest of the Ötztal , the highest point being the Weißkugel (3,739 m), then crossing the Timmelsjoch (2,474 m) and rising again in Stubai Alps Both the highest summits of the Ötztal and the Stubai, the Wildspitze (3,774 m) and

1170-452: The considerable depression of the Little St Bernard Pass . The divide then briefly turns north to the Col de la Soigne , and then north-east along the crest of the Mont Blanc chain, which culminates in the peak of Mont Blanc (4,810 m), the highest in the Alps. A number of high peaks line the divide, notably the Grandes Jorasses (4,208 m) before it reaches Mont Dolent (3,823 m), where France, Italy and Switzerland meet. From there, after

1209-416: The head of the Val Pellice the main chain runs north-west and diminishes much in average height until it reaches the Mont Thabor (3,178 m), which forms the apex of a salient angle which the main chain here presents towards the west. From here the divide extends eastwards, culminating in the Aiguille de Scolette (3,505 m), but makes a great curve to the north-west and back to the south-east before rising in

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1248-404: The hut or in a tent and continue to the summit the next day (about 4 hours from the Breslauerhütte). An alternative route goes from the Braunschweiger Hut in the Pitztaler glacier area. From the hut the route crosses the glaciers to the Mittelbergjoch (see right image, close to the lower left corner), and then traverses a crevasse -filled area of the Taschachferner glacier to the summit of

1287-414: The lower Alps of Vorarlberg , Bavaria, and Salzburg . The Alpine Divide is defined for much of its distance by the watershed between the drainage basin of the Po in Italy on one side, with the other side of the divide being formed by the Rhone , the Rhine and the Danube . Further east, the watershed is between the Adige and the Danube , before heading into Austria and draining on both sides into

1326-485: The main chain. On the other hand, the chain between the Grande St Bernard and the Simplon sinks at barely half a dozen points below a level of 3,000 metres. The Simplon Pass (1.994 m) corresponds to a change in the main chain: the peaks and passes are lower, but as far as the Splugenpass, all the highest summits rise on the divide. From there to the St. Gotthard pass (2,106 m) the divide runs north-east, crossing Monte Leone (3,533 m), and Pizzo Rotondo (3,192 m). Near

1365-422: The main triple divide of the Alps: where water can flow to the Atlantic, the Mediterranean or the Black Sea. The main European watershed leaves the Alpine divide here, heading north, while the divide continues east to the Maloja Pass (1,815 m). The main chain has more glaciers and eternal snow than the independent or external ranges . The longest of these were both 14.9 kilometres ( 9 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles)

1404-433: The north peak, which subsequently was considered the first ascent of the main summit of the Wildspitze. However, by the end of the 20th century, snow melt had lowered the northern summit to about 3,765 m, rendering the south summit the highest point and 1848 the year of first ascent. The most common route to the top is from the Breslauer Hut , which is approached from the village Vent (1900 m a.s.l.). Most climbers sleep at

1443-453: The regions of Veneto , Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol and Friuli-Venezia Giulia , covering an area shared between the provinces of Belluno , Vicenza , Verona , Trentino , South Tyrol , Udine and Pordenone . Other mountain groups of similar geological structure are spread along the River Piave to the east— Dolomiti d'Oltrepiave ; and far away over the Adige River to the west— Dolomiti di Brenta (Western Dolomites). A smaller group

1482-403: The south to the Rheinwaldhorn (3,402 m). Here the divide veers back east over the Vogelberg (3,220 m) to the San Bernardino Pass (2,067 m), then over the Pizzo Tambo (3,279 m), the Splugenpass (2,114 m) and Piz Timun (3,209 m). From here the divide heads south again to Pizzo Stella (3,163 m) and then east over Pizz Gallagiun (3,107 m), to where, near the Lunghin pass , it reaches

1521-414: The winter months and mountain climbing , hiking, cycling and BASE jumping , as well as paragliding and hang gliding in summer and late spring/early autumn. Free climbing has been a tradition in the Dolomites since 1887, when 17-year-old Georg Winkler soloed the first ascent of the pinnacle of the Vajolet Towers . The main centres include: Rocca Pietore alongside the Marmolada Glacier, which lies on

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