Biellese Alps

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Alpi Biellesi
Prealpi Biellesi
Lessona-paesaggio.JPG
The snow-clad Biellese Alps seen from Lessona.
Highest point
Peak Monte Mars
Elevation 2,600 m (8,500 ft)
Coordinates 45°38′04″N7°54′52″E / 45.63444°N 7.91444°E / 45.63444; 7.91444
Geography
Country Italy
Provinces Biella, Turin, Vercelli and Aosta Valley
Regions Piedmont and Aosta Valley
Rivers Dora Baltea, Elvo, Cervo and Sesia
Settlement Biella
Parent range Pennine Alps
Geology
Orogeny Alpine orogeny

The Biellese Alps (Alpi Biellesi or Prealpi Biellesi in Italian) are a sub-range of the Pennine Alps located between Piemonte and Aosta Valley (Italy).

Contents

Etymology

Alpi Biellesi literally means Alps of Biellese; Biellese is the geographical and historical area surrounding Biella, nowadays included in the province of Biella.

Geography

Administratively most part of the range belongs to the province of Biella, while its northern part falls in the province of Vercelli and the western one is divided between Province of Turin and Aosta Valley.

SOIUSA classification

According to SOIUSA (International Standardized Mountain Subdivision of the Alps) the mountain range is an Alpine supergroup classified in the following way: [1]

Borders

Borders of the Alpi Biellesi are:

Subdivision

Catena Tre Vescovi - Mars Catena tre vescovi mars da biella tiro a volo.jpg
Catena Tre Vescovi - Mars
Catena Monte Bo - Barone Catena bo barone da biella tiro a volo 03.jpg
Catena Monte Bo - Barone

The Alpi Biellesi are divided into two alpine groups, one of them further subdivided in subgroups (in brackets is reported their SOIUSA code):

These two subgroups are connected by Bocchetta del Croso.

Geology

From the geological point of view the Alpi Biellesi are composed by an alpine zone in the strict sense of the word and a prealpine zone, divided by the Insubric line (locally named Linea del Canavese). This important geologic fault, which forms the border between the Adriatic plate and the European plate, crosses Biellese from SW to NE through Bocchetto di Sessera and Bocchetta della Boscarola passes. Thus hills and mountains (i.e. Monte Barone) located south-east of the line can be considered part of southern Apulian foreland while most part of the range, located NW of the line, geologically belongs to the crystalline zone of the Alps. [2]

Notable summits

Mount Mucrone Il Monte Mucrone dal sentiero che sale al Monte Becco.jpg
Mount Mucrone
NamemetresNamemetres
Monte Mars 2,600Mont de Pianeritz2,584
Punta Loozoney2,579 Monte Bo 2,556
Monte Cresto 2,548 Cima Tre Vescovi 2,501
Monte I Gemelli 2,476Punta della Gragliasca2,397
Monte Camino 2,388 Colma di Mombarone 2,371
Monte Mucrone 2,335 Monte Tovo 2,230
Bec di Nona2,085 Monte Barone 2,044

Notable passes

Bocchetta della Boscarola from Bocchetto di Sessera Bocchetta boscarola da bocchetto sessera.jpg
Bocchetta della Boscarola from Bocchetto di Sessera
Namelocationtypemetres
Colle della Mologna Grande Gaby - Piedicavallo bridle path2,364
Colle del Loo Gressoney-Saint-Jean - Rassa bridle path2,452
Bocchetta del Croso Piedicavallo - Rassa bridle path1,943
Colle della Mologna Piccola Gaby - Piedicavallo bridle path2,208
Colle della BarmaOropa (Biella) - Fontainemore bridle path2,257
Bocchetto di Sessera Campiglia Cervo - Trivero - Valle Sessera road1,373
Bocchetta della Boscarola Scopello - Valle Sessera dirt road1,423
Colle della Gragliasca Rosazza - Fontainemore footpath2,208
Colle della Vecchia Piedicavallo - Gaby bridle path2,185
Colle della Lace Sordevolo - Settimo Vittone - Lillianes footpath2,121

Winter sports

Cross country skiing (Bocchetto Sessera) Bocchetto sessera pista di fondo.jpg
Cross country skiing (Bocchetto Sessera)

In the Alpi Biellesi are located some ski resorts: Oropa (Biella) in the western part, with downhill skiing slopes ranging from 1,335 to 2,391 m; [3] Alpe di Mera (Scopello) and Bielmonte in the eastern part of the range. Near Bielmonte is also possible to practice cross country skiing with more than 30 km of maintained trails starting from Bocchetto Sessera (1,373 m). [4]

Hiking and climbing

Many climbing routes of varying length and difficulty are described across the mountain range. Some of the most renowned are in the monte Mars area, like via Innominata [5] and cresta dei Carisey. [6] In the Alpi Biellesi there also are several vie ferratas, particularly around Oropa. [7]

The Alta Via delle Alpi Biellesi (literally high way of the Alpi Biellesi), a long-distance hiking trail which requires some climbing skills, covers the mountain range starting from Piedicavallo and ending in the village of Bagneri (Muzzano). The trekking is usually divided into five stretches and along it is possible to get food and accommodation in the following alpine huts: rifugio Rivetti, rifugio della Vecchia, capanna Renata al Monte Camino, rifugio Coda and rifugio Mombarone. [8]

Bibliography

Maps

See also

Biella-Panorama da Chiavazza.JPG
View of the Alpi Biellesi from Chiavazza, a quarter of Biella.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Mars</span> Mountain in Italy

Monte Mars(in Italian) or Mont Mars(in French), at 2,600 m, is the highest peak of the Biellese Alps, north-western Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Punta Tre Vescovi</span> Mountain in Italy

Punta Tre Vescovi is a peak in the Biellese Prealps, in northern Italy. On its top, three valleys meet: Lys Valley, Valsesia, and Valle Cervo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Bo</span> Mountain in Italy

Monte Bo is a mountain in the Alpi Biellesi, a sub-range of Pennine Alps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colma di Mombarone</span> Mountain in Italy

Colma di Mombarone is a mountain of the Biellese Alps, a sub-range of Pennine Alps, in northern Italy. It visually marks, along with Monte Gregorio on the opposite side, the entrance of Aosta Valley from the Po plain. On its top in 1900 was built a huge statue, still located there, of Jesus Christ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Barone</span> Mountain in Italy

Monte Barone is a mountain of the Alpi Biellesi, a sub-range of the Pennine Alps. Due to its isolation it offers a noteworthy point of view towards the Po plain and can be seen from quite a long distance away.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bocchetta del Croso</span>

Bocchetta del Croso is a pedestrian pass across the Alpi Biellesi. It connects Cervo valley (BI) and Valsesia (VC), both in Piemonte (Italy).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Tagliaferro</span> Mountain in Italy

Monte Tagliaferro is a mountain of the Pennine Alps. It is one of the most popular hiking destination of Valsesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpi Cusiane</span>

The Alpi Cusiane are a sub-range of the Pennine Alps located in Piemonte (Italy).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sessera Valley</span>

Sessera Valley is a valley in north-east of Piedmont in the Province of Biella, Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strona di Mosso</span> River in Italy: province of Biella

The Strona di Mosso is a 23-kilometre (14 mi) long creek in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sessera</span> River in Italy: province of Biella and province of Vercelli

The Sessera is a 35.5 kilometres (22.1 mi) long torrent in the Piedmont region - NW Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bocchetto Sessera</span>

Bocchetto Sessera or Bocchetto di Sessera is a mountain pass across the Alpi Biellesi. It connects Strona di Mosso Valley and Valsessera, both in the province of Biella.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Cresto</span> Mountain in Italy

Monte Cresto (2,548 m) is the third highest peak of the Province of Biella after Monte Mars (2,600 m) and Monte Bo (2,556 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viso Mozzo</span> Mountain in Italy

The Viso Mozzo is a 3,019 metres high mountain on the Italian side of the Cottian Alps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cima Altemberg</span> Mountain in Italy

The Altemberg is a mountain in the Pennine Alps of north-western Italy; with an elevation of 2,395 m (7,858 ft) is the highest peak of the Alpi Cusiane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Capio</span> Mountain in Italy

The Monte Capio is a mountain in the Pennine Alps of north-western Italy; with an elevation of 2,172 m (7,126 ft) is one of the highest peaks of the Alpi Cusiane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Mucrone</span> Mountain in Italy

Monte Mucrone is an Alpine mountain of Piedmont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte I Gemelli</span> Mountain in Italy

The Monte I Gemelli is an Alpine mountain located between Aosta Valley and Piedmont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Zeda</span> Mountain in Italy

The Monte Zeda is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps belonging to the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola (Italy).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monte Massone</span> Mountain in Italy

The Monte Massone, at an elevation of 2,161 m (7,090 ft), is a mountain of the Pennine Alps in North-western Italy.

References

This article was originally translated from its counterpart on the Italian Wikipedia, specifically from this version.
  1. 1 2 Marazzi, Sergio (2005). Atlante Orografico delle Alpi. SOIUSA (in Italian). Priuli & Verlucca. p. 134. ISBN   978-88-8068-273-8.
  2. ↑ Falletti, Paolo; Chiara Girelli (2009). Itinerari geologici in Piemonte - La Valsesia. Torino: ARPA - Piemonte. p. 22. ISBN   978-88-7479-120-0 . Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  3. ↑ Oropa page on en.skiinfo.com [ permanent dead link ] (accessed on March 2012)
  4. ↑ Centro Sci di Fondo Bocchetto Sessera, trails map on www.bocchetto.it (accessed on March 2012)
  5. ↑ Alpinismo, web page on www.montagnabiellese.com (accessed on September 2012)
  6. ↑ Monte Mars - Cresta dei Carisey - 2600, description on www.vienormali.it (accessed on September 2012)
  7. ↑ Vie ferrate e sentieri attrezzati, web page on www.montagnabiellese.com/ita/VieFerrate (accessed on September 2012)
  8. ↑ Alta Via delle Alpi Biellesi, web page on www.montagnabiellese.com Archived 2012-04-10 at the Wayback Machine (accessed on September 2012)
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