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

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.

Subdivision

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

• Catena Tre Vescovi - Mars (A.1)
• Catena Monte Bo - Barone (A.2)
  • Costiera Talamone-Barone (A.2.a)
  • Costiera Monte Bo-Punta del Cravile-Monticchio (A.2.b)^[1]

These two subgroups are connected by Bocchetta del Croso.

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]

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]

En la cordillera se describen numerosas rutas de escalada de diversa longitud y dificultad. Algunas de las más famosas se encuentran en la zona del Monte Mars , como la Vía Innominata ^{[ 5 ]} y la Cresta dei Carisey ^{[ 6 ]} . En los Alpes Biellesi también existen varias vías ferratas , especialmente en los alrededores de Oropa ^{[ 7 ]} .

La Alta Via delle Alpi Biellesi (literalmente, la ruta de los Alpes Biellesi ), un sendero de larga distancia que requiere cierta habilidad para la escalada, recorre la sierra desde Piedicavallo hasta el pueblo de Bagneri ( Muzzano ). La ruta suele dividirse en cinco tramos y a lo largo de ella es posible encontrar comida y alojamiento en los siguientes refugios alpinos : Rifugio Rivetti, Rifugio della Vecchia, Capanna Renata al Monte Camino, Rifugio Coda y Rifugio Mombarone. ^{[ 8 ]}

• Regis, Giancarlo; Renza Piana Regis (2001). Nueva guía delle Alpi Biellesi . Biella: Vittorio Giovannacci.
• Castello, Alejandro; Sandro Zoia (2011). Alpes Biellesi y Valsesiane . Guida dei Monti d'Italia (en italiano). Touring Club Italiano .

• Cartografía oficial italiana ( Istituto Geografico Militare - IGM); versión en línea: www.pcn.minambiente.it
• Cartografía de la Provincia di Biella: Carta dei sentieri della Provincia di Biella , escala 1:25.00 , 2004; versión en línea: webgis.provincia.biella.it Archivado el 5 de noviembre de 2019 en Wayback Machine.

• Valle de Sessera
• Valle del Cervo
• Página del valle del Mosso

Vista de los Alpes Biellesi desde Chiavazza , un barrio de Biella .

Este artículo fue traducido originalmente de su homólogo en la Wikipedia italiana , específicamente de esta versión .

• http://www.alpibiellesi.it
• Montagnabiellese.com