Lepontine Alps | |
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Highest point | |
Peak | Monte Leone |
Elevation | 3,553 m (11,657 ft)[1] |
Listing | Prominent mountains of the Alps |
Coordinates | 46°14′59″N 8°06′37″E / 46.24972°N 8.11028°E[1] |
Naming | |
Native name | |
Geography | |
Countries | |
Cantons, Regions | |
Range coordinates | 46°25′N 8°40′E / 46.417°N 8.667°E |
Parent range | Western Alps |
Borders on | |
Topo map | Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo |
Geology | |
Orogeny | Alpine orogeny |
The Lepontine Alps (German: Lepontinische Alpen, French: Alpes lépontines, Italian: Alpi Lepontine) are a mountain range in the north-western part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland (Valais, Ticino, Uri and Graubünden) and Italy (Piedmont and Lombardy).
The Simplon rail tunnel (from Brig to Domodossola), the Gotthard rail (from Erstfeld to Bodio) and Gotthard road tunnels (from Andermatt to Airolo) and the San Bernardino road tunnel are important transport arteries.
The eastern portion of the Lepontine Alps, from the St Gotthard Pass to the Splügen Pass, is named the Adula Alps, while the western part is historically referred to as the Ticino Alps.