Collection: Alps Prints

Les Diablerets (The Abode of Devils) lie on the border of the Swiss cantons of Valais and Vaud. The highest summit of the group, the Sommet des Diablerets, is also the high point of Vaud. Among the other major peaks of the group are the Oldenhorn, where the border of the third canton of Bern meets the other two, and the almost 3000 meter high Sex Rouge. The latter can be accessed via an aerial lift since the 1960s, which becomes part of the ski resort Glacier 3000 during the winter season.

The Linker and Rechter Fernerkogel are two peaks north-east of the Wildspitze, with the Mittelbergferner glacier between them. The Linker Fernerkogel is a popular tour destination in both summer and winter. The normal route leads to the summit from the north, starting at the Braunschweiger Hütte. The area is also used for glacier mountaineering courses.

Between the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa rises the five-kilometre-long Liskamm. Its highest point is the eastern summit. On the north-eastern side of the crest an icy rock face drops away for more than 1000 steep metres, while the heavily crevassed Lys Glacier lies to the south. The eastern summit was first climbed in 1861, and three years later mountaineers traversed the ridge for the first time. That traverse has cost many climbers their lives, which earned the Liskamm the nickname ‘the man-eater’.

The Lugauer rises far over 1000 meters west of the Radmer valley. The distinctive double summits western slope is not as steep and especially popular among many of the skiriders which visit the mountain each year. The great panorama from the summit is reflected in the name of the mountain. “Lug auer” in the local dialect can be translated as “look down”.

The Maloja Pass is an impressive mountain pass in the Swiss Alps at an altitude of 1812 metres. It connects the Engadin in the canton of Grisons with the Italian Valtellina and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain landscape. The Maloja Pass is not only an important transport link but also a popular destination for tourists wanting to explore the beauty of the Alpine region.

Marmolada is known as the Queen of the Dolomites and the highest mountain of the range. The Ghiacciaio della Marmolada on the north face is the last major glacier of the Dolomites. The area is especially popular for hiking. The so-called “Dream Path” from Munich to Venice is one of the famous routes running around the mountain.

If the perfect mountain exists, it must be the Matterhorn. Its solitary presence at the end of the Nikolai Valley and its almost perfect tetrahedral shape make the mountain a symbol for the beauty of the Alps and an object of projection for the challenges of Alpinism.

The Mittagskogel (Slovenian: Kepa) is one of the highest mountains in the western Karawanks. The rock pyramid on the border between Carinthia and Slovenia belongs to the main crest of the western Karawanks. Its flattened summit gives the Mittagskogel an almost volcanic appearance. Names such as Mittagskogel, Mittagsgipfel, Mittagsberg or Zwölferberg are common in the Alps: they denote a mountain standing south of a larger settlement, pointing at the sun like the hand of a clock at twelve.

Between the Eiger and the Jungfrau, the Mönch completes the impressive trio in the Bernese Oberland. From the top station of the Jungfrau railway it is just over 600 metres of ascent to the summit, though the climb involves some technical challenges. Only in 1996 did re-measurement show that the mountain is nine metres higher than previously assumed. Geldings – ‘Münche’ in the local dialect – were once summered on pastures on the mountain, and ‘Münchenberg’ later became Mönch.

The Mont Aiguille is a striking mountain of the Northern Dauphiné Limestone Alps in the Isère region. Like the famous mesas of Monument Valley in Utah, its summit rises steeply out of its surroundings. It is the remnant of a former plateau that was worn away around the mountains by erosion and the grinding of former glaciers. Set apart from the main crest of the Massif du Vercors, the Mont Aiguille is visible from far away despite its comparatively modest height.

Mont Blanc is the highest mountain of France and in the Alps. It appears cliff-like from the south, whereas the impression from the north seems to be of a much rounder and more inviting summit. With a topographic prominence of 4696 meters, Mont Blanc is one of the eleven most prominent mountains on the globe. The community of Chamonix at the foot of the mountain hosted the first predecessor to the Winter Olympics in 1924. Today it is the starting point for a number of exciting freeride ski-runs.

The Mont Fort is a three-thousand-metre peak in the Valais Alps rising south of Nendaz. The mountain is surrounded by three glaciers; the Glacier de Tortin to the west is part of 4 Vallées, the largest ski area in Switzerland. The Mont Fort is easily reached by cable car from Nendaz or Verbier. At the top, and in the right weather, a spectacular view opens up over the massifs of Monte Rosa and Mont Blanc.

The Mont Pelvoux is a broad, massive mountain block in the east of the Écrins massif in the French Western Alps. The ascent is demanding: from the Refuge du Pelvoux on the southern slope, the normal route follows an ice gully that grows ever steeper. Once the plateau with the Glacier du Pelvoux is reached, the various peaks can be climbed comparatively easily.

The Mont Ventoux is the highest summit of the southern Dauphiné Limestone Alps. The giant of Provence was the goal of the first documented ascent of an Alpine mountain, undertaken by Francesco Petrarca and his brother, and many have since regarded that climb as the founding moment of alpinism. In cycling it is one of the sacred mountains of the Tour de France, even though the Ventoux has appeared on the race route only every four to five years on average since it was first crossed in 1951.

Mont Ventoux is a 1909-metre massif in the French Provence. Also known as the "Giant of Provence", it holds great significance for cycling. Although the mountain is considerably lower than the best-known Alpine passes, it is comparable in difficulty – not only because of the many vertical metres, but often also because of the heat of Provence and a merciless headwind over the final kilometres.

The highest mountain of the Maritime Alps is located only 50 km east of Nizza in one of the biggest nature parks of the Alps. The mountain itself seems quite unimpressive being framed by nearby mountain ranges. The regional park offers scenic hiking trails and is home to countless alpine marmots.

The Monte Baldo forms a ridge 30 kilometres long that rises above the eastern shore of Lake Garda and drops away on the other side into the Adige valley in the province of Trento. The highest point of the ridge is the Cima Valdritta. The mountain is very well developed and therefore easy to climb. During the ice ages the summit of Monte Baldo stood above the glaciers, which preserved a unique flora here that survives nowhere else.

The Monte Civetta in the province of Belluno towers above the Cordévole valley and the village of Alleghe. ‘Civetta’ means owl in Italian and goes back to the earlier notion that such a mighty mountain could only be conquered in flight. That is due above all to its north-west face, as steep as it is vast: more than 1000 metres high and three kilometres wide, it is one of the largest rock faces in the Dolomites.

The Monte Disgrazia is a chameleon. Seen from the north-west or south-east, it appears as a sharp, rugged, unconquerable horn. From the north-east, by contrast, the peak looks like an elongated plateau. The reason is the multi-peaked summit wall, which runs in an almost perfectly north-westerly direction and so allows very different views.

The Monte Pelmo is a mighty, free-standing dome of rock and one of the highest summits in the Dolomites, rising impressively out of the surrounding valleys. From the north-west it gives the impression of a gigantic armchair: the summit block in the middle, with the Monte Pelmetto and the north-west ridge as armrests. That is why the Pelmo is also called ‘God’s armchair’.

Monte Resegone is one of the most famous mountains of Lombardy. Although not being a tall mountain in height it still appears impressive with about a dozen different peaks stretching over a length of roughly three kilometers. The highest point of the mountain is Punta Cermenati. Monte Resegone rises about 1500 meters over the town of Lecco at Lake Como in the west. On clear days the summit area is visible from as far as Milan.

After the Mont Blanc massif, Monte Rosa is the highest massif in the Alps. Its highest summit, the Dufourspitze, is the second-highest mountain in the Alps and the highest in Switzerland. East of it, right on the border with Italy, lies the Grenzgipfel at 4618 metres, and further south the Signalkuppe (4554 m). The Capanna Regina Margherita (Margherita hut) stands directly on its summit – the highest building in Europe.

The Monte Stivo rises north-east of Lake Garda between the two valleys of Valle dei Laghi to the west and Vallagarina to the east. The summit offers a fine view of the northern lake and of peaks including the Marmolata, the Adamello group, Presanella and the Sella group. Just about 40 metres below the top stands the Rifugio Stivo Prospero Marchetti, run by the alpine club Società degli Alpinisti Tridentini (SAT).

Monte Viso is the highest mountain of the Cottian Alps. It exceeds all neighboring mountains by at least 500 metres in height and can be seen from a great distance. On the north face are the headwaters of the Po, Italy's longest river. This was one of the reasons making the area around the mountain a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2013. On a clear day you can see the Milan Cathedral with field glasses from the summit. To the north the view goes as far as to the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc.

At 1750 metres the Monte Zoncolan is no giant – and yet it is regarded as the most feared climb in Italy. The notorious side is the western ramp from Ovaro: 10.1 kilometres, 1210 metres of ascent, 11.9 per cent on average and ramps of up to 22 per cent, plus a stretch of forest that climbs at around 15 per cent for six kilometres on end. The Giro d'Italia has been coming up here since 2003 – Gilberto Simoni, Ivan Basso, Igor Antón, Michael Rogers, Chris Froome and, in 2021, Lorenzo Fortunato have all won at the top. In winter the Ravascletto-Zoncolan ski area lies on its slopes.

The Mutspitze is the local mountain of Dorf Tirol and forms the south-eastern end of the Texel Group in the Ötztal Alps. The summit is a popular destination for day hikes and offers magnificent views down the valleys south towards Merano and north into the Spronser Valley and the rest of the Texel Group. The ascent starts with the Hochmuth cable car and from there either from the east via the Mutkopf or from the west via the Leiter Alm and the Taufenscharte. The demanding route is easily manageable thanks to the hiking trails carved into the rock.

The Mythen are the iconic landmarks of Schwyz and are located east of the capital of the canton with the same name. The highest summit is the Grosser Mythen in the south. In the north the lower Kleiner Mythen rises and even further north is its sub-peak Haggenspitz. While hiking trails lead up to the Grosser Mythen the two lower summits can only be reached via climbing passages.

The Nebelhorn is a summit in the Daumen Group of the Allgäu Alps, rising east of Oberstdorf. The aerial lift Nebelhornbahn brings passengers almost directly onto the summit, making it the highest aerial lift of the Allgäu. Even the Nebelhorn Trophy, a yearly international figure skating competition at Oberstdorf is named after the mountain.

The impressive Niesen towers south of Lake Thun. Due to its pyramid-shape in the winter months, when the sun is low, the summit casts a large triangle shadow on the community of Spiez at the foot of the mountain. Since 1910 the mountain top can be reached with the Niesenbahn, a funicular railway.

The Nordkette, also known as Northern Chain or Inn Valley Chain, is the southernmost mountain chain in the Karwendel. Its highest summit is Kleiner Solstein, which is nearly 100 meters higher than neighbouring Großer Solstein. The via ferrata Innsbrucker Klettersteig leads over seven summits of the chain, from Seegrubenspitze via Langer Sattel to the summit named Frau Hitt.

The Oberalpstock is one of the highest mountains in the Glarus Alps and rises between the northern Maderranertal in the canton of Uri and Surselva, the Vorderrhein valley in Graubünden in the South. Among the major characteristics of the mountain are its four ridges which meet close to the summit. The first ascent of the Oberalpstock was accomlished from the south eastern side, which is still the normal route today. Apart from hikers and climbers the mountain is also a popular destination for ski mountaineering.

South-east of Klagenfurt, close to the Slovenian border, the Obir massif rises in the Karawanks. Its highest elevation is the Hochobir. Because of the ore deposits around the Obir, mining was probably carried out here from the 12th century until the end of the 19th. In the process the Obir dripstone caves were discovered – today a protected monument – which were partly damaged by the mining work. Until 1947 the summit of the Obir was also home to one of the first weather stations in the Alps.

At 3476 metres, the Olperer is the third-highest summit of the Zillertal Alps in Tyrol and the highest point of the Tux ridge. Seen from the east, the peak appears as an almost perfect rock pyramid. The ascent by the normal route from the south-east can be managed with easy climbing sections. More demanding is the way from the Geraer Hütte over the Olpererferner, the Wildlahnerscharte and finally the mountain’s north ridge.

South Tyrol's highest summit is one of great historic importance. The first ascent took place in 1805 by command of the Archduke John of Austria, being one of the milestones of Alpinism. During World War I Austria-Hungary installed cannonry on the summit, the remains of which can still be seen by mountaineers today. The origin of the name is a matter of dispute. A legend tells that the mountain once was a giant turned into stone in rage over having been defeated by a dwarf.

Visible from far away, the Ötscher rises to a height of 1893 meters in the Ybbstal Alps, in the east of the Northern Limestone Alps. The Ötscher appears especially impressive when viewed from the north or south, when you can see the mountain massif in its full extension. The name of the mountain goes back to Slavic inhabitants, living in the area in the 9th century, who called the mountain “Othza” (father mountain). All year round Ötscher is a popular destination for hikers and climbers. The ski area Lackenhof is situated north west of the summit.

The Parseierspitze is the only three-thousand-metre peak in the Northern Limestone Alps and the highest mountain of the Lechtal Alps. It rises above the Inn valley as a jagged tower of rock. The name of the mountain and of the Parseier valley probably goes back to the Romance word ‘presür’, which described the gate of an alpine pasture.