Ligurian Alps

Ligurian Alps
Highest point
PeakPunta Marguareis
Elevation2,651 m (8,698 ft)
Naming
Native name
Geography
CountriesItaly and France
Region, RégionPiedmont, Liguria and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Range coordinates44°10′N 8°5′E / 44.167°N 8.083°E / 44.167; 8.083
Parent rangeAlps
Borders onApennines and Maritime Alps
Geology
OrogenyAlpine orogeny

The Ligurian Alps are a mountain range in northwestern Italy. A small part is located in France. They form the south-western extremity of the Alps, separated from the Apennines by the Colle di Cadibona. The Col de Tende and the Vermenagna valley[1] separate them from the Maritime Alps. They form the border between Piedmont in the north and Liguria in the south.

Geography[edit]

Administratively the range is divided between the Italian provinces of Cuneo, Imperia and Savona and the French department of Alpes-Maritimes (south-western slopes).

The Ligurian Alps are drained by the Tanaro River, along with other tributaries of the Po River, on the Piedmontese side, and by several smaller rivers that flow directly to the Mediterranean Sea on the Ligurian and French side.

Chief peaks and passes[edit]

Monte Antoroto in winter from Monte Grosso
Summer on Monte Galero

The chief peak of the Western Ligurian Alps is Punta Marguareis (2,651 m), and there are several other summits over 2000 m, while in Eastern Ligurian Alps (also called Ligurian Prealps[2]) the maximum elevation is 1739 m (Monte Armetta).

Name metres feet
Punta Marguareis 2,651 8,695
Monte Mongioie 2,631 8,632
Cima delle Saline 2,612 8,567
Cima della Fascia 2,495 8186
Monte Bertrand 2,480 8136
Pizzo d'Ormea 2,476 8,121
Cima di Pertegà 2,404 7,887
Bric Costa Rossa 2,403 7,884
Cime de Missun 2,255 7726
Monte Besimauda 2,231 7,317
Cima Cars 2,218 7,277
Monte Saccarello 2,201 7,219
Punta Mirauda 2,157 7077
Monte Frontè 2,152 7,058
Monte Antoroto 2,144 7,032
Monte Tanarello 2,096 6,877
Monte Fantino 2,094 6,870
Monte Monega 1,882 6,175
Bric Mindino 1,879 6,163
Monte Armetta 1,739 5,703
Monte Galero 1,708 5,602
Monte della Guardia 1,658 5,440
Rocca delle Penne 1,501 4,925
Monte Carmo di Loano 1,389 4,555
Monte Settepani 1,386 4,546
Monte Spinarda 1,357 4,453
Monte Cianea 1,226 4,022
Monte Camulera 1,224 4,016
Rocca Barbena 1,142 3,747
Monte Peso Grande 1,092 3,583
Monte Alpe 1,056 3,465

Some important passes in the Ligurian Alps are listed below.

Colle Scravaion
Name Location Type Elevation
Colle di Cadibona Savona to Altare highway 436 m (1,430 ft)
Colle di Melogno Finale Ligure to Calizzano road 1,028 m (3,373 ft)
Giogo di Toirano Toirano to Bardineto road 801 m (2,628 ft)
Colle Scravaion Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena to Bardineto road 814 m (2,671 ft)
Colle San Bernardo Albenga to Garessio road 957 m (3,140 ft)
Colle di Nava Imperia to Ormea road 934 m (3,064 ft)
Colle del Quazzo Calizzano to Garessio road 1,090 m (3,580 ft)
Colle San Bernardo di Mendatica Mendatica to Triora and Colle di Nava road 1,262 m (4,140 ft)
Col de Tende/Colle di Tenda Tende to Cuneo road 1,870 m (6,140 ft)
Passo della Teglia Molini di Triora to Rezzo road 1,385 m (4,544 ft)

Conservation[edit]

Parco naturale regionale delle Alpi Liguri: Monte Frontè and Cima Garlenda

Around 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi) of the Ligurian side of the range since 2007 are part of the Parco naturale regionale delle Alpi Liguri.[3] On the northern side of the range stands the Natural Park of Marguareis, another regional natural park [4] established by the regional government of Piemonte in 1978.

See also[edit]

Maps[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Vermenagna valley". Chambra d'Oc. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  2. ^ "1A1 Prealpi LIGURI". www.cailpv.bansel.it. Club Alpino Italiano of Liguria, Piedmont and Aosta Valley. Retrieved 2016-01-19.
  3. ^ Storia del Parco, parconaturalealpiliguri.it
  4. ^ Kürschner, Iris (2012). GTA Grande Traversata delle Alpi: Attraverso il Piemonte fino al Mediterraneo. 65 tappe. GPS (in Italian). Bergverlag Rother. p. 233. ISBN 9783763345021. Retrieved 2020-01-21.