The Monte Alpe (or La Rocca, or Monte Alpe Est, 1.056 m[1]) is a mountain of the Ligurian Prealps, the eastern section of the Ligurian Alps.

Monte Alpe
La Rocca, Monte Alpe Est
View from Sella d'Alpe
Highest point
Elevation1,056 m (3,465 ft)[1]
Prominence151 m (495 ft)[2]
Coordinates44°07′31″N 8°05′15″E / 44.1252775°N 8.0873908°E / 44.1252775; 8.0873908
Geography
Monte Alpe is located in Alps
Monte Alpe
Monte Alpe
Location in the Alps
LocationLiguria, Italy
Parent rangeLigurian Alps
Climbing
First ascentancestral
Easiest routefootpath from Erli

Features

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View from Monte Peso Grande
 
The W summit as seen from the Sella d'Alpe

The mountain stands between the comunes of Castelbianco and Erli, both in the provincia di Savona (Italy). It belongs to the Pennavaira/Neva; its prominence is of 151 metres.[2] The Sella d'Alpe (938 m[3]) divides the main summit of Monte Alpe, at an elevation of 1056 m,[1] from a W summit at 1035 m. NW of this elevation the Neva/Pennavaira ridge goes on with Monte delle Gettine and Pizzo Castellino and, after the saddle of Passo delle Caranche, meets the main chain of the Alps at Monte Galero.[4] Towards SE the ridge quickly drops, ending up close to the village of Marinetto, at the connfluence between the two rivers.[4]

The summit of Monte Alpe is marked by a small cairn.[5] The mountain is shrouded by thick woods which, both close to its main elevation and the W summit, leave places to grassland.[5] On the Monte Alpe flanks there are several rock outcrops, some of them very steep or vertical and used by enthusiasts as a climbing area. The lower slopes of the mountain are occupied by olive trees plantations and by other Mediterranean cultivations.[3]

SOIUSA classification

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According to the SOIUSA (International Standardized Mountain Subdivision of the Alps) the mountain can be classified in the following way:[6]

  • main part = Western Alps; major sector = South Western Alps, section = Ligurian Alps, subsection = Prealpi Liguri
  • supergroup = Catena Settepani-Carmo-Armetta, group = Gruppo Galero-Armetta, subgroup = Dorsale del Pizzo Castellino, code = I/A-1.I-A.3.b

Geology

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Monte Alpe, from a geological point of view, features limestone dating back to the Triassic era.[7] The area located between Monte Alpe and Monte Galero is characterized by quite a high landslide risk.[8]

Access to the summit

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Summit cairn

Monte Alpe can be easily reached on foot following the ridge which connects it with Monte Galero.[1] Others hiking routes start from Erli[5] and Veravo (comune of Castelbianco).[3]

Mountain bike

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The ascent to Monte Alpe is considered a mountain bike itinerary considered quite demanding, but very satisfactory too.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Montagna, Montalto 1981, pp. 241–242.
  2. ^ a b "Monte Alpe". peakery.com. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  3. ^ a b c Marco Piana. "Da Veravo al Monte Alpe" (PDF) (in Italian). verdeazzurroligure.com. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  4. ^ a b IGM & 1:25.000 official Italian map.
  5. ^ a b c Filippo Ceragioli (14 May 2022). "Le due cime del Monte Alpe" (in Italian). MountainHall. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  6. ^ Marazzi 2005, p. 62.
  7. ^ AA.VV. (comitato geologico) (1909). Bollettino del Servizio geologico d'Italia (in Italian). Vol. 40. Instituto poligrafico e zecca della stato. pp. 13–14. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  8. ^ AA.VV. "Idrografia". Analisi Ambientale (PDF) (in Italian). Comune di Castelbianco. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
  9. ^ Andrea Codda (18 January 2019). "Monte Alpe (1055 m)" (in Italian). cicloalpinismo.com. Retrieved 2022-05-17.

Bibliography

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  • Marazzi, Sergio (2005). Atlante Orografico delle Alpi. SOIUSA (in Italian). Pavone Canavese: Priuli & Verlucca editori. ISBN 9788880682738.
  • Montagna, Euro; Montaldo, Lorenzo (1981). Alpi Liguri. Guida dei Monti d'Italia (in Italian). Milano: CAI / TCI.

Maps

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