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 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.
Valais, more formally, the Canton of Valais, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion.
The Finsteraarhorn is a mountain lying on the border between the cantons of Bern and Valais. It is the highest mountain of the Bernese Alps and the most prominent peak of Switzerland. The Finsteraarhorn is the ninth-highest mountain and third-most prominent peak in the Alps. In 2001 the whole massif and surrounding glaciers were designated as part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch World Heritage Site.
The Diablerets are a huge ice-covered mountain massif of the Alps, culminating at the Sommet des Diablerets (VS) at 3,216 metres (10,551 ft) above sea level and almost straddling the border between the Swiss cantons of Vaud (VD) and Valais (VS). The northeastern part of the massif stretches also into the canton of Bern (BE).
The Wildstrubel is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the border between the Swiss cantons of Bern and Valais. It forms a large glaciated massif, about 15 km wide, extending between the Rawil Pass and the Gemmi Pass. Along with the Muverans, the Diablerets and the Wildhorn, the Wildstrubel is one of the four distinct mountain massifs of the Bernese Alps that lie west of the Gemmi Pass. The massif of the Wildstrubel is at the centre between the valleys of Simmental (BE), Engstligental (BE) and the Rhone (VS), the exact location of the tripoint being the summit of the Schneehorn. It comprises several distinct summits, including the Wetzsteinhorn, the Rohrbachstein, the Weisshorn, the Pointe de la Plaine Morte, Mont Bonvin, the Trubelstock and the Schneehorn. The main crest with the almost equally high summits of the Mittelgipfel and the Grossstrubel forms an amphitheatre oriented eastward which ends at the Steghorn and the Daubenhorn. This area encloses the Wildstrubel Glacier. To the southwest, the Wildstrubel overlooks the high plateau of the Plaine Morte Glacier, which also includes an unnamed lake below the Schneehorn.
The Dammastock is the highest mountain in the Urner Alps in Switzerland and is part of the Winterberg massif. Its summit ridge forms the border between the cantons of Uri and the Valais. It is the highest summit in the canton of Uri. The tripoint between the cantons of Bern, Valais and Uri lies near the Eggstock, north of the Dammastock. Politically, the Dammastock is split between the municipalities of Göschenen (Uri) and Obergoms (Valais).
The Wildhorn is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the border between the Swiss cantons of Bern and Valais. At 3,250 metres (10,663 ft) above sea level, it is the highest summit of the Bernese Alps west of the Gemmi Pass. It forms a large glaciated massif, about 10 km wide, extending between the Sanetsch Pass and the Rawil Pass. Along with the Muverans, the Diablerets and the Wildstrubel, the Wildhorn is one of the four distinct mountain massifs of the Bernese Alps that lie west of the Gemmi Pass. The massif of the Wildhorn is at the centre between the valleys of the Saane, Simme and the Rhone (Valais). It comprises several distinct summits, including the Arpelistock, Le Sérac, the Geltenhorn, the Sex Noir, the Sex Rouge, the Schnidehorn and the Six des Eaux Froides. The main crest is between the glaciers named Tungelgletscher and Glacier du Wildhorn. South of the main summit is the almost equally high summit of Mont Pucel. The Wildhorn is surrounded by several large mountain lakes: the Lac de Sénin, the Lauenensee, the Iffigsee, the Lac de Tseuzier and the Lac des Audannes. The Tungelgletscher, on the north-east face, was measured as 1.9 km in length in 1973.
The Hockenhorn is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, located on the border between the Swiss cantons of Bern and Valais. Its summit is 3,293 metres high and lies between the upper Kandertal and the Lötschental. On its southern (Valais) side lies a glacier named Milibachgletscher.
The Steghorn is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, located on the border between the Swiss cantons of Bern and Valais. It lies between the Engstligenalp (Bernese Oberland and the Gemmi Pass. The Steghorn belongs to the massif of the Wildstrubel.
Pizzo Rotondo is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps. At 3,190 metres above sea level, it is the highest mountain lying on the border between the cantons of Ticino and Valais, as well as the highest summit of the Lepontine Alps lying between Nufenen Pass and Lukmanier Pass.
The Galmihorn is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, overlooking the Fiescher Glacier in the canton of Valais. The main summit is distinguished by the name Vorderes Galmihorn and has an elevation of 3,507 metres. A secondary summit named Hinteres Galmihorn has an elevation of 3,488 metres.
The Oberaarhorn is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, located on the border between the Swiss cantons of Valais and Bern. Its summit is the tripoint between the basins of the Fiesch (Valais), Unteraar and Oberaar Glacier (Bern).
The Oberaarrothorn is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, on the border between the Swiss cantons of Valais and Bern. It is south of the Oberaarjoch, between the Fiescher Glacier and the Oberaar Glacier.
The Rohrbachstein is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, located on the border between the Swiss cantons of Bern and Valais. It lies between the Rawil Pass and the Plaine Morte Glacier.
The Kander Neve is a 6.6 km (4.1 mi) long glacier (2005) of the Bernese Alps, situated south of Kandersteg in the canton of Bern. The glacier lies at the upper end of the Gasterental, at the foot of the Blüemlisalp and the Tschingelhorn. It borders the valley of Lauterbrunnen on the east and the canton of Valais on the south (Petersgrat). In 1973 it had an area of 13.9 km2 (5.4 sq mi).
Sanetsch Pass is a high mountain pass in Switzerland across the western Bernese Alps, connecting Gsteig in the canton of Bern and Sion in the canton of Valais. Although a road leads to the pass from Sion and goes further to the Lac de Sanetsch, it can not be completely traversed by car. In the summer season the pass is accessible by PostBus and can also be traversed by cable car. The highest point of the road is at 2,252 metres.
The Jungfrau-Aletsch protected area is located in south-western Switzerland between the cantons of Bern and Valais. It is a mountainous region in the easternmost side of the Bernese Alps, containing the northern wall of Jungfrau and Eiger, and the largest glaciated area in western Eurasia, comprising the Aletsch Glacier. The Jungfrau-Aletsch protected area is the first World Natural Heritage site in the Alps; it was inscribed in 2001.
The Gärstenhörner is a mountain in the Urner Alps, located on the border between the Swiss cantons of Bern and Valais. It lies on the range west of the Rhone Glacier, and east of the Grimsel Pass. The Gärstenhörner has three summits: the Mittler Gärstenhorn, the Hinter Gärstenhorn and the Vorder Gärstenhorn.
The Oberaarjoch Hut is a mountain hut of the Swiss Alpine Club, located north of Fieschertal in the canton of Valais, close to the canton of Bern. The hut lies at a height of 3,258 metres above sea level at the foot of the Oberaarhorn, just above the Oberaarjoch, the glacier pass connecting the Fiescher Glacier from the Oberaar Glacier. All accesses to the hut involve glacier crossing.
The Weisshorn is a mountain of the Bernese Alps, located on the border between the Swiss cantons of Bern and Valais. It lies on the main chain of the Bernese Alps, between the Rawil Pass and the Plaine Morte Glacier.
