Ortler Alps

The Ortler Alps (Italian: Alpi dell'Ortles ; German: Ortler-Alpen; Romansh: Alps da l'Ortler^[1]) are a mountain range of the Southern Limestone Alps mountain group in the Central Eastern Alps, in Italy and Switzerland.

Ortler Alps
Italian: Alpi dell'Ortles German: Ortler-Alpen Romansh: Alps da l'Ortler
Highest peaks of the Ortler Alps
Highest point
Peak	Ortler
Elevation	3,905 m (12,812 ft)
Coordinates	46°30′32″N 10°32′42″E
Geography
Ortler Alps The borders of the range according to Alpine Club classification of the Eastern Alps
Countries	Italy Switzerland
Range coordinates	46°27′N 10°37′E
Parent range	Southern Limestone Alps
Borders on	Sesvenna Alps Livigno Alps Adamello-Presanella Alps

Geography

The Ortler Alps are separated from:

1. the Sesvenna Alps in the north by the Ofen Pass and the Val Müstair
2. the Livigno Alps in the southwest by the Passo di Fraéle and the Adda valley (Valtellina)
3. the Adamello-Presanella Alps in the south by the Tonale Pass
4. the Ötztal Alps in the north-east by the upper Adige valley (Vinschgau).

The part west of the Gavia Pass is also called Sobretta-Gavia Group.

The Ortler Alps are drained by the rivers Adda, Oglio, Adige and its tributary Noce.

Peaks

The main peaks of the Ortler Alps are:

Peak (Italian)	(German)	(Romansh)	metres	feet
Ortles	Ortler		3,905	12,811
Gran Zebrù	Königspitze		3,857	12,655
Monte Cevedale	Zufallspitze		3,774	12,382
Monte Zebrù			3,735	12,254
Palón della Mare			3,705	12,156
Punta San Matteo			3,692	12,113
Monte Vioz			3,645	11,959
Punta Thurwieser	Thurwieserspitze		3,641	11,946
Pizzo Tresero			3,602	11,818
Gran Coni di Ghiaccio	Großer Eiskogel		3,547	11, 637
Cima Vertana	Vertainspitze		3,541	11,618
Punta dello Scudo	Schildspitze		3,461	11,355
Punta delle Bàite	Tuckettspitze		3,458	11,346
Cima Sternai	Hintere Eggenspitze		3,443	11,296
Gioveretto	Zufrittspitze		3,439	11,283
Cima Venezia	Veneziaspitze		3,384	11,103
Croda di Cengles	Tschenglser Hochwand		3,378	11,083
Monte Confinale			3,370	11,057
Corno dei Tre Signori			3,360	11,024
Punta Beltovo di Dentro	Hintere Schöntaufspitze		3,325	10,909
Monte Sobretta			3,296	10,814
Orecchia di Lepre	Hasenöhrl		3,257	10,686
Monte Gavia			3,223	10,574
Cima la Casina		Piz Murtaröl	3,180	10,430
Monte Cornaccia		Piz Tea Fondada	3,144	10,315
		Piz Schumbraida	3,125	10,253
		Piz Umbrail	3,033	9,951
Punta Rosa	Rötlspitz	Piz Cotschen	3,026	9,928
	Furkelsptiz	Piz Costainas	3,004	9,856
	Schafberg	Piz Daint	2,968	9,738
		Piz Turettas	2,963	9,721
		Piz Dora	2,951	9,682
	Schafberg	Piz Minschuns	2,934	9,626
Monte Forcola			2,906	9,534
		Piz Lad	2,882	9,455
Cima Garibaldi	Dreisprachenspitze	Piz da las Trais Linguas	2,843	9,327
Monte Cavallaccio		Piz Chavalatsch	2,763	9,065
Cima del Serraglio			2,685	8,809
		Munt Buffalora	2,630	8,630
		Munt la Schera	2,587	8,488
Monte Padrio			2,153	7,064

Mountain passes

The main mountain passes of the Ortler Alps are:

Mountain pass	location	type	elevation
			m	ft
Hochjoch	Sulden to the Zebrù valley	snow	3536	11,602
Vioz Pass	Santa Caterina Valfurva to Peio	snow	3337	10,949
Königsjoch	Sulden to Santa Caterina	snow	3295	10,811
Cevedale Pass	Santa Caterina to Martell	snow	3271	10,732
Eissee Pass	Sulden to Martell	snow	3133	10,279
Passo del Zebru	Santa Caterina to the Zebrù valley	snow	3025	9925
Sallentjoch	Martell to Bagni di Rabbi	snow	3021	9913
Sforzellina Pass	Santa Caterina to Peio	snow	3005	9859
Tabarettascharte	Sulden to Trafoi	footpath	2883	9459
Stelvio Pass/Stilfserjoch	Trafoi to Bormio	road	2760	9055
Gavia Pass	Santa Caterina to Ponte di Legno	road	2637	8651
Umbrail Pass	Val Müstair to Bormio	road	2501	8205
Giufplan Pass	Ofen road to Val Fraéle	footpath	2354	7723
Dossradond Pass	Val Müstair to Val Fraéle	footpath	2240	7349
Ofen Pass	Zernez to Val Müstair	road	2149	7051
Vigiljoch	Lana	snow	1743	5718

History

Highest trench in history near the Ortler's peak, 1917

The Ortler Alps were part of the Italian front during World War I. In this area, the Austro-Hungarians and the Italians dug in during a trench war fought at altitudes above 3,000 m (10,000 ft) for most of the war. Some trenches are still visible today, and war relics continue to be found in the area.