Biellese Alps

The Biellese Alps (Alpi Biellesi or Prealpi Biellesi in Italian) are a sub-range of the Pennine Alps located between Piemonte and Aosta Valley (Italy).

Alpi Biellesi
Prealpi Biellesi
The snow-clad Biellese Alps seen from Lessona.
Highest point
PeakMonte Mars
Elevation2,600 m (8,500 ft)
Coordinates45°38′04″N 7°54′52″E 
Geography
CountryItaly
ProvincesBiella, Turin, Vercelli and Aosta Valley
RegionsPiedmont and Aosta Valley
RiversDora Baltea, Elvo, Cervo and Sesia
SettlementBiella
Parent rangePennine Alps
Geology
OrogenyAlpine orogeny

Etymology

Alpi Biellesi literally means Alps of Biellese; Biellese is the geographical and historical area surrounding Biella, nowadays included in the province of Biella.

Geography

Administratively most part of the range belongs to the province of Biella, while its northern part falls in the province of Vercelli and the western one is divided between Province of Turin and Aosta Valley.

SOIUSA classification

According to SOIUSA (International Standardized Mountain Subdivision of the Alps) the mountain range is an Alpine supergroup classified in the following way:[1]

  • main part = Western Alps
  • major sector = North-Western Alps
  • section = Pennine Alps
  • subsection = Southern Valsesia Alps
  • supergroup =Alpi Biellesi
  • code = I/B-9.IV-A

Borders

Borders of the Alpi Biellesi are:

Subdivision
Catena Tre Vescovi - Mars
Catena Monte Bo - Barone

The Alpi Biellesi are divided into two alpine groups, one of them further subdivided in subgroups (in brackets is reported their SOIUSA code):

These two subgroups are connected by Bocchetta del Croso.

Geology

From the geological point of view the Alpi Biellesi are composed by an alpine zone in the strict sense of the word and a prealpine zone, divided by the Insubric line (locally named Linea del Canavese). This important geologic fault, which forms the border between the Adriatic plate and the European plate, crosses Biellese from SW to NE through Bocchetto di Sessera and Bocchetta della Boscarola passes. Thus hills and mountains (i.e. Monte Barone) located south-east of the line can be considered part of southern Apulian foreland while most part of the range, located NW of the line, geologically belongs to the crystalline zone of the Alps. [2]

Notable summits
Mount Mucrone
NamemetresNamemetres
Monte Mars2,600Mont de Pianeritz2,584
Punta Loozoney2,579Monte Bo2,556
Monte Cresto2,548Cima Tre Vescovi2,501
Monte I Gemelli2,476Punta della Gragliasca2,397
Monte Camino2,388Colma di Mombarone2,371
Monte Mucrone2,335Monte Tovo2,230
Bec di Nona2,085Monte Barone2,044

Notable passes
Bocchetta della Boscarola from Bocchetto di Sessera
Namelocationtypemetres
Colle della Mologna GrandeGaby - Piedicavallobridle path2,364
Colle del LooGressoney-Saint-Jean - Rassabridle path2,452
Bocchetta del CrosoPiedicavallo - Rassabridle path1,943
Colle della Mologna PiccolaGaby - Piedicavallobridle path2,208
Colle della BarmaOropa (Biella) - Fontainemorebridle path2,257
Bocchetto di SesseraCampiglia Cervo - Trivero - Valle Sesseraroad1,373
Bocchetta della BoscarolaScopello - Valle Sesseradirt road1,423
Colle della GragliascaRosazza - Fontainemorefootpath2,208
Colle della VecchiaPiedicavallo - Gabybridle path2,185
Colle della LaceSordevolo - Settimo Vittone - Lillianesfootpath2,121

Winter sports
Cross country skiing (Bocchetto Sessera)

In the Alpi Biellesi are located some ski resorts: Oropa (Biella) in the western part, with downhill skiing slopes ranging from 1,335 to 2,391 m;[3] Alpe di Mera (Scopello) and Bielmonte in the eastern part of the range. Near Bielmonte is also possible to practice cross country skiing with more than 30 km of maintained trails starting from Bocchetto Sessera (1,373 m).[4]

Hiking and climbing

Lots of climbing routes of different length and difficulty are described across the mountain range. Some of the most renowned ones are in the monte Mars area, like via Innominata[5] and cresta dei Carisey.[6] In the Alpi Biellesi there also are several vie ferratas, particularly around Oropa.[7]

The Alta Via delle Alpi Biellesi (literally high way of the Alpi Biellesi), a long-distance hiking trail which requires some climbing skills, covers the mountain range starting from Piedicavallo and ending in the village of Bagneri (Muzzano). The trekking is usually divided into five stretches and along it is possible to get food and accommodation in the following alpine huts: rifugio Rivetti, rifugio della Vecchia, capanna Renata al Monte Camino, rifugio Coda and rifugio Mombarone.[8]

Bibliography
  • Regis, Giancarlo; Renza Piana Regis (2001). Nuova Guida delle Alpi Biellesi. Biella: Vittorio Giovannacci.
  • Castello, Alessandro; Sandro Zoia (2011). Alpi Biellesi e Valsesiane. Touring Club Italiano.

Maps
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See also
View of the Alpi Biellesi from Chiavazza, a quarter of Biella.

References
This article was originally translated from its counterpart on the Italian Wikipedia, specifically from this version.
  1. Marazzi, Sergio (2005). Atlante Orografico delle Alpi. SOIUSA (in Italian). Priuli & Verlucca. p. 134. ISBN 978-88-8068-273-8.
  2. Falletti, Paolo; Chiara Girelli (2009). Itinerari geologici in Piemonte - La Valsesia. Torino: ARPA - Piemonte. p. 22. ISBN 978-88-7479-120-0. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
  3. Oropa page on en.skiinfo.com (accessed on March 2012)
  4. Centro Sci di Fondo Bocchetto Sessera, trails map on www.bocchetto.it (accessed on March 2012)
  5. Alpinismo, web page on www.montagnabiellese.com (accessed on September 2012)
  6. Monte Mars - Cresta dei Carisey - 2600, description on www.vienormali.it (accessed on September 2012)
  7. Vie ferrate e sentieri attrezzati, web page on www.montagnabiellese.com/ita/VieFerrate (accessed on September 2012)
  8. Alta Via delle Alpi Biellesi, web page on www.montagnabiellese.com Archived 2012-04-10 at the Wayback Machine (accessed on September 2012)
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