Appenzell Alps

The Appenzell Alps are a mountain range in the Western Alps. They are located in Switzerland in the cantons of St. Gallen, Appenzell Innerrhoden and Appenzell Ausserrhoden. The Appenzell Alps are the northeastern corner of the Western Alps. The limit of the mountain range to the east, the Rhine Valley, is also the border between the Eastern and the Western Alps.

The highest mountain in the Appenzell Alps is the Santis with a height of 2501 m. The Appenzell Alps consist of several mountain ranges, which are separated by distinctive valleys. The best known are the Alpstein ( with the Santis ) and the Churfirsten.

The mountain range is a paradise for hikers and climbers. In the higher regions of several mountain railways lead. For large glaciers, the mountains are not high enough, only at Santis, there are two small glaciers.

The proximity to the Swiss and South German population centers means that the Appenzell Alps are often visited. Because of its location at the northern edge of the Alps, the region is fully exposed to frequent West and Northwest weather. This means that there is often less favorable weather prevails than in the central and southern parts of the Alps. There are also frequent rainfall.

• 4.1 lakes
• 4.2 glaciers

• 5.1 Landscapes of National Importance

• 6.1 Remote / distance trails
• 6.2 Winter Tourism

Boundary and adjacent mountain ranges

Hardly any other mountain range in the Alps is clearly demarcated from the adjacent mountain ranges such as the Appenzell Alps. Only in the north during the transition to the Alpine foothills in the direction of Lake Constance and the Rhine lacks a clear boundary.

• To the east of the Rhine forms the border from the mouth into the lake upstream to Sargans to Bregenzerwald Mountains and the Rätikon. Both are mountain ranges of the Eastern Alps. The Bregenzerwald Mountains are located in the northern Alps in the Eastern Alps, the Rätikon in the Austrian Central Alps. The Rhine is the boundary between the Western Alps and the Eastern Alps.
• The border in the south to the Glarus Alps runs along the Lake Walen of Sargans over the Sarganser saddle along the river Seez to the mouth of the Lake Walen. The Sarganser saddle combines the Appenzell Alps to the Glarus Alps.
• On the west side of Lake Walen, the boundary continues in the southwest of the central Swiss Alps along the canal to the upper lake Linth ( Lake Zurich ). Both latter groups of mountains are - as well as the Appenzell Alps themselves - in the Western Alps.
• In the north- west and north there are several variants for a demarcation of the Appenzell Alps to the Appenzell and Toggenburg, ie Switzerland, the Alps: The drawn the leader of the Swiss Alpine Club border runs along a line of Uznach over the Ricken Pass to Wattwil. From there it goes up the Toggenburg to Nesslau and the Chräzerenpass at Schwägalp to Urnäsch. From there the boundary runs directly east to Appenzell and further north on Fähnerngipfel over the Rhine Valley. However, there are also north of this limit still peaks that still reach the height of 1528 m at the Hochalp. May, depending on the approach thus one or the other northern summit still belong to the Appenzell Alps.

Subgroups

The Appenzell Alps are divided into six sub-groups:

• Alpstein, southern chain, the highest mountain Roslen or Saxerfirst, 2,151 m
• Alpstein, medium chain, the highest mountain: Altmann, 2435 m
• Alpstein, northern chain, the highest mountain: Santis, 2,501 m
• Speer - Mattstock, highest mountain: Spear, 1,950 m
• Churfirsten, highest mountain: Hinterrugg, 2,306 m
• Alviergruppe, highest mountain: Gamsberg 2,385 m

Summit

The ten highest summit of the Appenzell Alps:

Zweitausender

In the Appenzell Alps, there are about 100 Zweitausender. The exact number depends on which side towers and peaks are each counted. As only one of the subgroups, the spear - Mattstock group does not have two thousand.

The relatively large number of two thousand is due to the small scale of the area with a variety of steep peaks and towers.

Summit features

• The Santis is one of the few mountains, of which one can look in six countries on a clear day.
• In the Appenzell Alps, there are three Zweitausender named " Girenspitz " and another named " Gir ".
• The eight Kreuzberge ( relatively well-known climbing mountains in the southern chain of the Alpstein ) are numbered. Six of the eight cross mountains are two thousand.

Nature

Lakes

In the south of the Appenzell Alps of Lake Walen lies at an altitude of 419 m, a fjord-like lake situated, which is dominated by the Churfirsten.

In the Appenzell Alps are little lakes, which is hardly surprising when the prevailing limestones. However, three lakes are characterized by a particularly beautiful and striking location. All three are framed by sheer mountain walls and rock walls. The Seealpsee lies between the middle and the northern chain of the Alpstein at 1141 m altitude. The Sämtisersee with a height of 1209 m and 1452 m altitude with Fälensee lie between the southern and the central chain of the Alpstein. Another lake that Voralpsee 1123 m, is situated in a valley cut directly to the Rhine valley draining between the subgroups of Churfirsten and Alviergruppe.

Glacier

The Appenzell Alps not reach the heights that are normally required for the formation of glaciers. Nevertheless, two small glaciers have the Alpsteinarea at Santis received. They are called blue snow and big snow. The blue snow located in the northeast of Santis Mountain Summit, the big snow in the southeast. Due to the observed climate changes everywhere you can put the term " glacier " for these snowfields now in question. The causes for this Gletscherchen at a relatively low altitude are the precipitation wealth of the Appenzeller Alps and the small-scale position of the snow surfaces in steep, east-facing high- Karen. In the crack - glacial period and the Würm glaciation, the Rhine glacier reached from this area of its greatest extent.

Reserves

Landscapes of national importance

According to article 5 of the Federal Law on the Protection of Nature and Cultural leads, Switzerland is a Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments of National Importance.

In the Appenzell Alps, there are currently two of these landscapes:

• No 1612, title: Santis area, year of inclusion in the inventory: 1996, Size: 17,939 ha
• No. 1613 Name: Javelin Churfisten Alvier, year of inclusion in the inventory: 1996, Size: 30 294 ha

Tourism

The area of the Appenzell Alps offers a variety of tourist opportunities in summer and winter. Thus, the region offers a vast network of hiking trails, ranging from lowland to mountain walks. In winter, especially skiing is operated.

Remote / distance trails

The Via Alpina, a cross-border long-distance trail with five sub- paths through the whole Alps, the edge of the Appenzell Alps runs along: The stage C2 runs from Vaduz to Sargan over Sevelen, Gretschins, Fontnas, Azmoos and Vild.

The Thurweg, a long-distance trail of the " St. Galler trails " leading from Wil SG via Wattwil to wild house in Toggenburg. In Wattwil the way to the mountain range of the Appenzell Alps occurs. The total distance hiking trail has a distance of 60 km and requires a traveling time of approximately 17 hours. Of which extend about 32 km or 9.5 hours in the territory of the Appenzell Alps.

The Rhine Valley Crest Trail, also of the St. " Galler trails " created, leads from Rorschach to Sargan over Altstaetten and wild house. From the place Eichberg south of Altstaetten the long-distance trail runs in and at the edge of the Appenzell Alps. The entire route is 115 km long and requires a traveling time of approximately 32 hours. Of run 79 km or about 22 hours in the territory of the Appenzell Alps.

Winter tourism

Winter tourism is in the Appenzell Alps also important. The largest winter sports region is the upper Toggenburg with the wild places home, underwater and Alt St. Johann and the peaks Gamserrugg and Chäserrugg in the Churfirsten with a length of more than 60 kilometers of slopes. Amden and Krummenau - Wolzenalp in spear - Mattstock area are smaller areas. Also, the 2501 m high Santis offers the possibility of alpine descents. In the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden also the ski resort is located on the Ebenalp and other lifts. Extremely popular are the Appenzeller Alps for skiing. Thus, the small, otherwise touristy rather insignificant place Stein SG as a starting point on sunny winter days the Mecca of the tour goers. Also, cross-country skiing and winter hiking are very popular.