The Adula Alps, also known as the West Graubünden and Misox Alps, are a western Alpine mountain group, the part of the Lepontine Alps from the Lukmanier and St Gotthard Passes to the Splügen Pass.
They lie mostly in Switzerland, in the Cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Uri, and partly in Italy, in the province of Sondrio in Lombardy, stretching south to Lake Como. They form subsection 10B of the Alps, according to the Partizione delle Alpi, and subsection 10 III, according to the unified orographic classification of the Alps by Sergio Marazzi (SOIUSA).
A string of mountains of the Adula stand on the international border between Switzerland and Italy, including Pizzo Tambò, Piz di Pian, Cima de Pian Guarnei (Pizzo Quadro), Cime di Val Loga, Piz Tamborello, Piz della Forcola, Pizzaccio, and Cima dello Stagn, while Pizzo Ferré is near the border on the Italian side.
The mountain guides of the Swiss Alpine Club do not lead climbers in groups for the Adula Alps, but attach parts of them to other sections.
The highest peak is the Rheinwaldhorn (3402 metres, 11,161 ft), which in Italian is called the Adula, giving the range its name.
The main valleys are Val Malvaglia, which drains into the lower Blenio Valley, and three others draining south out of the Adula Alps, which are, from west to east, Val Calanca, Valle Mesolcina, and Valle Spluga (or San Giacomo).
The creation of an Adula National Park was planned by Switzerland for sixteen years, from 2000. It would have become only the second in the country, after the Swiss National Park, but in November 2016 the inhabitants voted against it.
Towns and villages
In Uri
Andermatt
In Graubünden
Disentis or Mustér
Trun or Truns
Ilanz
Bonaduz
Thusis
Andeer
Splügen or Spluga
Hinterrhein
San Bernardino
Mesocco
Obersaxen
Rossa
Roveredo
Arbedo-Castione
Vrin
Vals
Thalkirch
Safien
In Ticino
Osogna
Biasca
Malvaglia
Olivone
Lumino
In Lombardy
Livo
Peaks
The following peaks of the Adela Alps are sorted by height in metres (m) above sea level, called Meter über Meer (m ü. M.) in Switzerland:
Rheinwaldhorn (3,402 m) Güferhorn (3,379 m) Pizzo Tambò (3,279 m) Grauhorn (3,260 m) Läntahorn (3,237 m) Vogelberg (3,218 m) Piz Medel (3,210 m) Pizzo di Cassimoi (3,129 m) Scopi (3,190 m) Cima di Camadra (3,172 m) Cima Rossa (3,161 m) Piz di Pian (3,158 m) Zapporthorn (3,152 m) Piz Terri (3,149 m) Fanellhorn (3,124 m) Piz Scharboda (3,122 m) Pizzo Ferré (3,103 m) Bruschghorn (3,056 m) Furggeltihorn (3,043 m) Plattenberg (3,041 m) Alperschällihorn (3,036 m) Frunthorn (3,030 m) Piz Corbet (3,025 m) Cima de Pian Guarnei (3,015 m) Piz Uffiern (Tujetsch) (3,013 m) Cime di Val Loga (3,004 m) Piz Beverin (2,997 m) Piz de la Lumbreida (2,983 m) Teurihorn (2,973 m) Torent Alto (2,948 m) Piz Tomül (2,946 m) Einshorn (2,944 m) Zervreilahorn (2,898 m) Pizzo Tamborello (2,858 m) Pizzo di Claro (2,727 m) Pizzo Paglia (2,593 m) Piz Titschal (2,550 m) Pizzo Cavregasco (2,535 m) Cima dello Stagn (2,380 m) Sosto (2,221 m)
Lakes
In Switzerland
Sufnersee, reservoir dating from 1962, surface area
Zervreilasee, reservoir dating from 1957
Lago di Luzzone, reservoir dating from 1963, surface area
In Italy
Lake Como, a glacial lake with an area of 146 square kilometres (56 sq mi).