Cima Altemberg

The Altemberg is a mountain in the Pennine Alps of north-western Italy; with an elevation of 2,395 m (7,858 ft) is the highest peak of the Alpi Cusiane.

Cima Altemberg
The Altemberg as seen from Monte Capio
Highest point
Elevation2,395 m (7,858 ft)
Coordinates45°56′11″N 8°12′14″E 
Geography
Cima Altemberg
Location in the Alps
LocationProvince of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola / Province of Vercelli, Italy
Parent rangeAlpi Cusiane (Pennine Alps)
Climbing
Easiest routehiking from Campello Monti or Rimella

Toponymy
Altemberg Summit cross

The name of the mountain is connected to the Walser German, a language spoken by people who settled into the upper valley of the Strona and Sesia centuries ago[1]. In German Alten means old[2] while Berg means hill or mountain[3], so the English meaning of the name could be old mountain (vecchia montagna in Italian[4]).

Geography
View of the summit

The Altemberg is located on the water divide between Strona and Sesia valleys, South of the Bocchetta Stretta pass[5], which divides it from the neighbouring Cima Lago. Towards SE the ridge goes on with a saddle named Bocchetta delle Vacche and the Cima del Pizzo (2,233 m)[6]. Administratively the mountain belongs to both the comunes of Rimella (West of the summit) and Valstrona.[7] On its summit stands a metallic cross[8].

SOIUSA classification
Altemberg (left) and Cima Lago

According to the SOIUSA (International Standardized Mountain Subdivision of the Alps) the mountain can be classified in the following way:[9]

  • main part = Western Alps
  • major sector = North Western Alps
  • section = Pennine Alps
  • subsection = Southern Valsesia Alps
  • supergroup = Alpi Cusiane
  • group = Costiera Capio-Massa del Turlo
  • code = I/B-9.IV-B.3

Access to the summit

The Altemberg can be accessed following a foothpath from Campello Monti, a village in the comune of Valstrona, or from Rimella, in Valsesia[10]. The ridge between connecting the Altemberg with Cima Lago needs some climbing skill to be crossed and is rated as PD grade [4]

Nature conservation

Cima Altemberg is part of the regional park of Alta Val Sesia e dell'Alta Val Strona[11].

References

Media related to Altemberg at Wikimedia Commons

  1. "Walser" (in Italian). Comitato unitario delle isole linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  2. "English translation of 'Alt'". Collins. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  3. "English translation of 'Berg'". Collins. Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  4. Castello, Alessandro; Protto, Elio; Zoia, Sandro (2013). "Costiera Val Mastallone - Valle Strona". Alpi biellesi e valsesiane. Guida dei monti d'Italia (in Italian). CAI / Touring. p. 292.
  5. Also named Tesslu, see Boffa, Felice (1960). Monte Rosa: 98 schizzi, 40 fotoincisioni (in Italian). Club Alpino Italiano. p. 573.
  6. user titty79. "Capezzone (Cima) da Campello Monti, anello per Cima Lago, Altemberg e Pizzo" (in Italian). Retrieved 2019-04-08.
  7. Carta Tecnica Regionale raster 1:10.000 (vers.3.0), Regione Piemonte, year 2007
  8. Ceragioli, Filippo; Molino, Aldo (2018). "Alla testata della valle Strona". Escursioni imperdibili nei parchi del Piemonte e dintorni (in Italian). Edizioni del Capricorno. pp. 32–36.
  9. Marazzi, Sergio (2005). Atlante Orografico delle Alpi. SOIUSA (in Italian). Priuli & Verlucca. p. 134. ISBN 978-88-8068-273-8.
  10. "Rimella - Altemberg per la Bocchetta delle Vacche (Kihefurku)" (in Italian). CAI - Sezione di Varallo. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  11. "Val Strona" (in Italian). Retrieved 2019-04-10.
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