The Glarus Alps () are a mountain range in central Switzerland. They are bordered by the Uri Alps and the Schwyz Alps to the west, the Lepontine Alps to the south, the Appenzell Alps to the northeast. The eastern part of the Glarus Alps contains a major thrust fault that was declared a geologic UNESCO World Heritage Site (the Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona).

The Glarus Alps extend well beyond the canton of Glarus, including parts of the cantons of Uri, Graubünden, and St Gallen. Conversely, not all the mountains in the canton of Glarus are part of the Glarus Alps, with those to the north of the Urner Boden and to the west of the valley of the river Linth considered to be part of the Schwyz Alps.

Geography

thumb|left|The [[Bifertenstock above Lake Limmernsee]]

thumb|left|Calfeisen valley

The main chain of the Glarus Alps can be divided into six minor groups, separated from each other by passes, the lowest of which exceeds 7,500 ft. The westernmost of these is the Crispalt, a rugged range including many peaks of nearly equal height. The highest of these are the Piz Giuv (3,096 m) and Piz Nair. The name Crispalt is given to a southern, but secondary, peak of Piz Giuv, measuring 3,070 m. West of the main group is the Rienzenstock, while a northern outlier culminates in the Bristen. East of the Crispalt, the Chrüzli Pass separates this from the rather higher mass of the Oberalpstock (3,328 m).

Here occurs a partial break in the continuity of the chain. The crest of the snowy range connecting the Oberalpstock with the Tödi nowhere sinks to 9,000 feet, but makes a sweep convex to the north, forming a semicircular recess, whose numerous torrents are all poured into the Rhine through the Val Russein below Disentis. Two glacier passes lead over this part of the chain — one to west, over the Brunnigletscher to the Maderanertal; the other to the north-east, over the Sand Glacier, to the Linthal.

:Note: road status .

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="border-collapse: collapse"

|-

! Mountain pass

! Location

! Type (as of 1911)

! Elevation

|-

| Clariden Pass, Hüfi Pass

| Maderanertal to Linthal

| snow

|

|-

| Planura

| Maderanertal to Linthal

| snow

|

|-

| Chammlilücke

| Maderanertal to Unterschächen

| snow

|

|-

| Sardona Pass

| Flims to Vättis

| snow

|

|-

| Sand Alp Pass

| Disentis to Linthal

| snow

|

|-

| Brunni Pass

| Disentis to Maderanertal

| snow

|

|-

|

| Elm to Flims

| footpath

|

|-

| Kisten Pass or Pass-Lembra

| Linthal to Breil/Brigels

| bad bridle path

|

|-

| Panixer Pass

| Elm to Pigniu

| bad bridle path

|

|-

| Chrüzli Pass

| Maderanertal to Sedrun

| footpath

|

|-

| Foo Pass

| Elm to Weisstannen

| bridle path

|

|-

| Oberalp Pass

| Andermatt to Disentis

| carriage road

|

|-

| Klausen Pass

| Altdorf to Linthal

| carriage road

|

|}

See also

  • List of mountains of Graubünden
  • List of mountains of the canton of Glarus
  • List of mountains of the canton of St. Gallen
  • List of mountains of Uri
  • Swiss Alps

References

  • Swisstopo maps

Maps

  • Swiss official cartography (Swiss Federal Office of Topography - Swisstopo); on-line version: map.geo.admin.ch
  • The Glarus Alps on SummitPost