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Monte Rosa’s eastern face is considered the highest mountain wall in the Alps with a Himalayan vertical drop of about 2400 meters, 2/3 of which are visible in this September 2023 photo. For a sense of scale, the 4 peaks are along a straight line of about 1.1 kilometers. Macugnaga, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont, Italy.
The summits of Monte Rosa have four distinctive peaks with left to right; Punta Gnifetti a.k.a. Signalkuppe (4554m), Punta Zumstein a.k.a. Zumsteinspitze (4563m), Punta Dufour a.k.a. Dufourspitze (tallest with 4634m) and Punta Nordend a.k.a. Nordend (4609m). The ridgeline between these four peaks separates Italy from the German-speaking part of Switzerland with the exception of Punta Dufour where the border is below the peak. Macugnaga, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont, Italy.
At the very top of the vertiginous eastern face of Monte Rosa, there is Europe’s highest hotel: Capanna Regina Margherita. This mountain hut was built in 1893 and stands on the summit of Punta Gnifetti. The hut is a most welcome stop for mountaineers to overnight. It has a capacity of 70 beds and is closed in the winter with the exception of an unattended room. Macugnaga, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont, Italy.
In the rarefied mountain air at an altitude of 4554 meters, Capanna Regina Margherita serves also as a laboratory for medical and scientific research. Macugnaga, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont, Italy.
Mount Viso (Monte Viso or Monviso in Italian) is the tallest peak in the southern Alps with an altitude of 3841 meters. The pyramidal shape of the peak can be seen from a great distance as it is taller than any other mountain in the southern Alps by at least half a kilometer. The headwaters of the Po River, the longest river in Italy, starts from the northern slopes of Mount Viso. Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy.
Towering clouds on Mount Viso's slopes. Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy.
Mount Viso's northeastern face. Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy.
Staffarda Abbey with Mount Viso in the distance. Staffarda, Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy.
Medieval town of Saluzzo with Mount Viso in the distance. Saluzzo, Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy.
At the border between the Hautes-Alpes Department in France and the Province of Cuneo in Italy, Agnel Pass, at an altitude of 2744 meters, is the third highest paved mountain pass in the Alps. Only Iseran Pass in France (2764 meters) and Stelvio Pass in Italy (2757 meters) are higher, however, Agnel Pass is the highest international pass of the Alps. With an important snowpack at such an altitude, the pass will close as early as late October and reopen not before early June.
Village of Pontebernardo in the upper Stura di Demonte Valley. Pontebernardo, Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy.
Village of Chiappera in the picturesque upper Maira Valley. Chiappera, Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy.
Arola village with Monte Rosa (elevation: 4634m) in the distance. Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont, Italy.
At 1797 meters above sea level, Chianale (in the municipality of Pontechianale) is the last town in the Varaita Valley before Agnel Pass, the Alps' third highest mountain pass with an elevation of 2744 meters. Chianale is labeled "one of Italy's most beautiful villages". Pontechianale, Province of Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy.
Guin. Bardonecchia, Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy.
City of Bardonecchia. Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy.
Frejus Tunnel. Bardonecchia, Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy.
Hotel Rive. Bardonecchia, Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, Italy.
Quarry. Crevoladossola, Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, Piedmont, Italy.