Monte Alpe

The Monte Alpe (or La Rocca, or Monte Alpe Est, 1.056 m^[1]) is a mountain of the Ligurian Prealps, the eastern section of the Ligurian Alps.

Monte Alpe
La Rocca, Monte Alpe Est
View from Sella d'Alpe
Highest point
Elevation	1,056 m (3,465 ft)[1]
Prominence	151 m (495 ft)[2]
Coordinates	44°07′31″N 8°05′15″E
Geography
Monte Alpe Location in the Alps
Location	Liguria, Italy
Parent range	Ligurian Alps
Climbing
First ascent	ancestral
Easiest route	footpath from Erli

Features

View from Monte Peso Grande

The W summit as seen from the Sella d'Alpe

The mountain stands between the comunes of Castelbianco and Erli, both in the provincia di Savona (Italy). It belongs to the Pennavaira/Neva; its prominence is of 151 metres.^[2] The Sella d'Alpe (938 m^[3]) divides the main summit of Monte Alpe, at an elevation of 1056 m,^[1] from a W summit at 1035 m. NW of this elevation the Neva/Pennavaira ridge goes on with Monte delle Gettine and Pizzo Castellino and, after the saddle of Passo delle Caranche, meets the main chain of the Alps at Monte Galero.^[4] Towards SE the ridge quickly drops, ending up close to the village of Marinetto, at the connfluence between the two rivers.^[4]

The summit of Monte Alpe is marked by a small cairn.^[5] The mountain is shrouded by thick woods which, both close to its main elevation and the W summit, leave places to grassland.^[5] On the Monte Alpe flanks there are several rock outcrops, some of them very steep or vertical and used by enthusiasts as a climbing area. The lower slopes of the mountain are occupied by olive trees plantations and by other Mediterranean cultivations.^[3]

SOIUSA classification

According to the SOIUSA (International Standardized Mountain Subdivision of the Alps) the mountain can be classified in the following way:^[6]

• main part = Western Alps; major sector = South Western Alps, section = Ligurian Alps, subsection = Prealpi Liguri
• supergroup = Catena Settepani-Carmo-Armetta, group = Gruppo Galero-Armetta, subgroup = Dorsale del Pizzo Castellino, code = I/A-1.I-A.3.b

Geology

Monte Alpe, from a geological point of view, features limestone dating back to the Triassic era.^[7] The area located between Monte Alpe and Monte Galero is characterized by quite a high landslide risk.^[8]

Access to the summit

Summit cairn

Monte Alpe can be easily reached on foot following the ridge which connects it with Monte Galero.^[1] Others hiking routes start from Erli^[5] and Veravo (comune of Castelbianco).^[3]

Mountain bike

The ascent to Monte Alpe is considered a mountain bike itinerary considered quite demanding, but very satisfactory too.^[9]