Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 1.djvu/662

Rh 624 ALPS Mont Albaron 12,014 Mont Chardonnet 12,373 La Levanna 11,516 Pointe de Sainte Anne, or Pte. des Orches about 11,000 Roche Bruno 10,906 Mont Chaberton 10,258 vailing direction seems to be from south-west to north-east, while on the east side it is more nearly from west to east; but the valleys and the ridges that enclose them are often curved or irregularly sinuous. Convenience seems to confirm immemorial usage in subdividing this region into two or more groups ; but it is not easy to decide how this is to be effected. The great valley of the Dora Biparia, and the low passes connecting it with the valley of the Durance, seem to afford the most natural division. Ancient and modern usage being alike opposed to this, it appears that the valley of the Oreo in Piedmont and that of the Arc in Savoy, with the connecting pass of the Col del Carro, may best be taken as the boundary between the northern and southern portions. The latter is distinguished as the group of the Cottian Alps. This includes a number of secondary ridges that extend from the main chain on the side of Piedmont, with a general direction from west to east; and on the French side one considerable range, stretching south west from the neighbourhood of Monte Viso, that divides the Ubaye from the Guil, besides a lesser parallel ridge lying between the Guil and the head waters of the Durance. Chief Peaks of the Cottian Alps. Monte Viso 12,605 Monte Meidassa 10,991 Mont Albergian 9,990 Roche du Grand Galibier ...10,637 Mont Tabor 10,436 Roche d Arabiu 11,096 Roche Melon 11,621 Ciamarella 12,081 Chief Passes of the Cottian Alps. Col de Longet (Val Vraita to the Ubaye), footpath 8,727 Col de St Veran (Val Vraita to Quc-yras), footpath 9,564 Col de la Traversette (Crissolo to Abries), footpath 9,827 Col de la Croix (La Tour de Luserne to Abr&s), bridle-path 7,611 Col do Sestrieres (Pignerol to Cesanne), carriage road 6,335 Mont Genevre (Cesanne to Briancon), carriage road 6,102 Col d Izouard (Queyras to Briancon), bridle-path about 6,500 Col des Echelles dePlanpiuet (Bardonneche to Briancon), footpath 5,873 Col de la Roue (Bardonneche to Modane), bridle-path 8,33- Col d Etiachcs (Bardonneche to Bramans), footpath 9,301 Col du Clapier (Bramans to Susa), footpath 8,107 Mont Cenis (Susa to Lanslebourg), carriage road 6,772 Col de 1 Autaret (Viu to Lanslebourg), snow 10,170 Col de Colorin (Ala to Lanslebourg), glacier 10,662 Col de Sea (Groscavallo to Lanslebourg), glacier 10,154 Col della Crocctta (Groscavallo to Ceresole), footpath 9,179 3. Dauphine Alps. On the west side of the Cottian Alps, and separated from these by the broad valley of the Durance, rises a group of lofty peaks, surpassing them considerably in height, and almost completely isolated from their neighbours. This group has not usually been included amongst the Cottian Alps by geographers, and it is more natural to regard it as the nucleus of a distinct division constituting the Dauphins Alps. On the north side of this central mass, and separated by the valley of the Roinanche and the Col de Lautaret, is a considerable group, including three principal ridges, whose direction is nearly due north and south, separated from the neighbour ing mountains of Savoy by the deep valleys of the Arc and the Iskre, which may best be regarded as an outlying portion of this division. On the south side of the main group another outlying mass, which on one side feeds the chief sources of the Drac, and on the other several short tributaries to the Durance, must also be included in this division. The ranges of secondary rocks lying west of the broad valley between Grenoble and Chambery, which are geologically and orographically a southern extension of the chain of the Jura, are at the same time exactly parallel to the northern ranges of the Dauphine Alps, and must be regarded as the outer range or &quot;Border Alps&quot; (Voral pen) of the group. The only doubt in fixing the limits of the Dauphine Alps is as to the boundary between their northern group and the adjoining mass. of the Cottian Alps. It teems that this may best be fixed at the Col de Galibier, Pic des Ecrins, or Pointe des Archies 13,402 La Meije, or Aiguille du Midi de la Grave 13,081 Pic d Ailefroide about 13,000 MontPelvoux (highest peak) 12,973 Pic d Olan 11.739 Aiguille d Arve (highest) 11,529 Aiguille de la Sausse (high st) 10, 896 connecting the cliici source of the Durance with the valley of Valloires in Savoy. Chief Peaks of the Dauphing Alps. Grandes Rousses ....11 ,395 Taillefer..- 9,387 Pic de Bclledonne 9,780 Pic du Frene 9,203 Pic Bonvoisin 11,503 Dormillouse 10,571 Chamechaude 6,847 Mont Granicr 6,348 Dent du Chat 5,302 Chief Passes of the Dauphine Alps. Col de Galibier (Briai^on to St Michel), footpath 9.154 Col de Lautaret (Monestier to Bourg d Oisans), carriage road 6,791 Col des Ecrins (Vallouise to La Berarde), glacier 11,071 Col du Glacier Blanc (Vallouise to La Grave en Oisans), glacier.. .10,811 Col de 1 Echauda (Vallouise to Monestier), bridle-path 7,936 Col de la Lauze (St Christophe to La Grave en Oisans), glacier ...10,509 Col de Venose (Venose to Freney), bridle-path 5,292 Col de Sai a (La Berarde to Val Godemar), glacier 10,289 Col de Celar (Vallouise to Val Godemar), glacier 10,092 Col des Tourettes (Orcieres to Cluiteauroux), footpath 8,465 Col de PInfernet (La Grave en Oisans to St Jean de Mauriennc), footpath 8,826 Col de la Croix de For (Bourg d Oisans to St Jean de Maurienne), bridle-path 6,500 4. Graian Alps. The lofty group of snowy mountains lying between the plain of Piedmont and Mont Blanc has from a remote period borne the designation Graian Alps. To the north they are bounded by the Val d Aosta, and to the south by the valley of the Oreo; but on the west side the boundary is not so easily determined. The portion of the main chain dividing Savoy from Piedmont, between the Levana and Mont Blanc, must undoubtedly be in cluded in this division; but it is not so easy to determine the relations of a group of lofty summits that are divided from the rest of the Graian Alps by the upper valley of the Isere, filling the space between the upper course of that river and that of the Arc. This is further geologically distinguished by the fact that the higher summits arc chiefly composed of nearly unaltered sedimentary rocks. This group has by some writers been associated with the mountains of Beaufort, lying between the Isere and the Arly, to form, with some subordinate branches, a group of south Savoy Alps ; but we prefer to adhere to the older usage of those who have united them with the Graian Alps. The exact boundary between these and the Mont Blanc group may best be fixed at the pass of the Little St Bernard, the lowest in the main chain between tho Mont Cenis and the Simplon. Chief Peaks of the Graian Alps. La Grivola 13,023 BeccadiNona 10,384 Mont Emilius 11,677 Punta di Tersiva 11,503 Savoy Group. Grande Motte about 11,800 Grande Casse 12,780 Dent Parassee 12,137 Roche Chevriere 10,765 Mont Pourri 12,491 Main Chain. Grand Apparei 11,494 Aiguille de la Sassierc 12,326 MontBassac 11,200 Ormelune 10,833 Ruitor 11,480 Piedmonlcsc Group. Grand Paradis 13,300 Tour du Grand St Pierre... 12,069 Punta di Lavina 10,824 Bee d Invergnuon about 12,100 Chief Passes in the Graian Alps. Col del Carro (Locana to Lanslebourg), glacier 10,292 Col de Galese (Locana to Tignes), snow 9,836 Col de Gailletta (Tignes to Val de Rhemes), glacier 10,049 Col Vaudet (Tignes to Val Grisanche), snow 9,305 Col du Mont (Sainte Foi to Val Grisanche), footpath 8,635 Pass of Little St Bernard (Bourg St Maurice to Aosta), car. road 7,192 Col de la Croix de Nivolet (Ceresole to Val Savaranche), bridle-path 8,624 Col de Grancrou (Cogne to Noasca), glacier 11,034 Col de Telleccio (Cogne to Locana), glacier 10,925 Col della Nouva (Ponte to Cogne), glacier ~ 9,664 Col de Lauzon (Cogne to Val Savaranche), bridle-path ....about 9,500 Fenetre de Cogne (Cogne to Bard), bridle-path 8,860 Col de Lore (Cogue to Brissogne), glacier 10,049 Col d Iscran (Bourg St Maurice to Lanslebourg), bridle-path 9,085 Colde la Leisse (Tignes to Entre-deux-Eaux), snow 9,127 Col de la Vanoise (Moutiers Tarentaise to Lanslebourg), footpath 8,271 Col de Chavibre (Pralognan to Modfcne), snow 9,144 Col de la Platiere (Moutiers Tarentaise to St Jean de Maurienne), footpath 6,800 Col de la Madeleine (Albertville to La Chambre), bridle-path 6,637