Monte Viso

Monte Viso
Monviso seen from the Col de Chamoussiere (FR).
Highest point
Elevation
Prominence	Ranked 10th in the Alps
Listing	Ultra
Coordinates
Geography
Monte Viso Alps
Location	Piedmont, Italy
Parent range	Cottian Alps
Climbing
First ascent	August 30, 1861 by William Mathews and Frederic Jacomb with guide Michel Croz
Easiest route	South Face scramble

Monte Viso or Monviso (Italian pronunciation: [momˈviːzo]; Occitan: Vísol; Piedmontese: Brich Monviso or Viso), is the highest mountain of the Cottian Alps. It is located in Italy close to the French border. Monte Viso is well known for its pyramid-like shape and, because it is higher than all its neighbouring peaks by about 500 m, it can be seen from some distance, including from the Piedmontese plateau, the Langhe and the summits of the Mont Blanc massif. On a very clear day it can be seen from the spires of the Milan Cathedral. It has been suggested that Monte Viso could be one of the mountains which inspired the Paramount logo. In Italy is also known as Il Re di Pietra (The Stone King) because of his prominence within western Italian Alps landscape.

Geography

On the northern slopes of Monte Viso are the headwaters of the Po, the longest Italian river, the so-called Pian del Re (2,020 m). The Monviso group is surrounded by the Valle Po, Valle Varaita and, on the French side, the Guil valley. The northern sector of the group, from the Punta Gastaldi to the Col de la Traversette, is located on the French border.

SOIUSA classification

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

• main part = Western Alps
• major sector = South Western Alps
• section = Cottian Alps
• subsection = southern Cottian Alps
• supergroup = catena Aiguillette-Monviso-Granero
• group = gruppo del Monviso isa
• subgroup = nodo del Monviso
• code = I/A-4.I-C.8.a

Panoramic view of Monviso with the main peaks

History

Monte Viso is the location of a neolithic jadeite quarry, at an elevation of 2000 to 2400 metres. Its productivity peaked around 5000 BC. The jadeite was used to make cult axes, which are found all over western Europe.

In ancient times the mountain was known as Vesulus.

Monte Viso was climbed for the first time on August 30, 1861 by William Mathews, Frederick Jacomb, Jean-Baptiste Croz and Michel Croz.

See also

• List of Alpine peaks by prominence
• Monte Viso tunnel

External links

• Monte Viso on SummitPost