The
main chain of the Alps is the central line of mountains that forms the
water divide of the range. Main chains of
mountain ranges are traditionally designated in this way, and generally include the highest
peaks of 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
South Tyrol, not to speak of the lower
Alps of
Vorarlberg,
Bavaria and
Salzburg.
Description of main features of alpine chain Starting from the
Col d'Altare or 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
Rocher des Trois Eveques (2840 m), just south of the
Mont Enchastraye (2932 m), several peaks of about 3000 metres rising on the
watershed, though the highest of all, the
Punta dell' Argentera (3265 m) stands a little way to its north. From the Rocher des Trois Eveques the water divide runs due north for a long distance, though of the two loftiest peaks of this region one, the
Aiguille de Chambeyron (3373 m), is just to the west, and the other, the
Monte Viso (3813 m), is just to the east of the divide. From the head of the
Val Pelline the main chain runs north-west, and diminishes much in average height until it reaches the
Mont Thabor (3157 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 (3478 m), but makes a great curve to the north-west and back to the south-east before rising in the
Rochemelon (3509 m). From there the direction taken is north as far as the eastern summit (3536 m) of the
Levanna, the divide rising in a series of snowy peaks, though the loftiest point of the region, the
Pointe de Charbonel (3730 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 Sassiere, 3726 m), before attaining the considerable depression of the
Petit Saint 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 (4807 m), the loftiest in the Alps. A number of high peaks line the divide before it attains the
Mont Dolent (3793 m). From there, after a short dip to the south-east, the chain takes, near the
Grande Saint Bernard Pass, the generally eastern direction that it maintains until it reaches
Monte Rosa, whence it bends northwards, making one small dip to the east as far as 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 a number of lofty peaks, such as the
Mont Velan (3736 m), the
Matterhorn (4470 m), the
Lyskamm (4502 m), the Nord End of
Monte Rosa (4575 m), and the
Weissmies (4000 m), many of the highest points of the region, such as the
Grand Combin (4283 m), the
Dent Blanche (4330 m), the
Weisshorn (4477 m), the true summit or
Dufourspitze (4602 m) of
Monte Rosa itself, and the
Dom (4518 m), all rise on its northern slope and not on 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 3000 metres. The
Simplon Pass corresponds to what may be called a dislocation of the main chain. From there to the
St. Gotthard the divide runs north-east, all the higher summits (including the
Monte Leone, 3533 metres, and the
Pizzo Rotondo, 3172 m) rising on it, a curious contrast to the long stretch just described. From the St Gotthard to the
Maloja the watershed between the basins of the
Rhine and
Po runs in an easterly direction as a whole, though making two great dips towards the south, first to near the
Vogelberg (3220 m) and again to near the
Pizzo Gailegione (3085 m), so that it presents a broken and irregular appearance. But all the loftiest peaks rise on it:
Scopi (3175 m),
Piz Medel (3178 m), the
Rheinwaldhorn (3371 m), the
Tambohorn (3250 m) and
Piz Timun (3176 m).
Canada
United States
Greenland, a self-governing island of Denmark
Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, an overseas territory of France
Bermuda, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom
Sources
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