Emmental Alps

Schrattenfluh in the center of Emmentaler Alps

The Emmental Alps ( Emmen group in the Geographical Dictionary of Switzerland ) are a mountain range in the southeast of the Alpine foothills and the western Central Swiss Alps. You are in the cantons of Bern, Lucerne, Obwalden and Nidwalden. The eastern part up to Emme and to Mariental is also known as Lucerne Alps (see map at right). The western part of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz heard depending on the definition already for the Bernese Oberland. Surrounded the Emmental Alps clockwise from: Swiss Plateau, Unterwaldner Alps, Bernese Alps and Pre-Alps. The name derives from the Emmental with the river Emme. The Entlebuch is located in the center of this mountain range. The highest elevation is the Brienz Rothorn with 2'350 meters above sea level. M., above the north shore of Lake Brienz.

• 5.1 Flora
• 5.2 Fauna

Boundary

The Emmental Alps are like ( starting from north clockwise ) defines follows: Langnau im Emmental - Entlebuch - Wolhusen - Lucerne - Lake Lucerne - Sarnen - Brünigpass - Brienz - Interlaken - Thun - Aare - Bern.

Structure

Hohgant, Sigriswiler and Güggisgrat

In the center of Emmentaler Alps there is a dominant mountain range that runs from southwest to northeast. North of this chain is towards a flatter basin to the Central Plateau. The mountain chain begins with two parallel massifs, pull the Lake of Thun to the northeast. Here, the Sigriswilergrat is the northern and the southern Güggisgrat. After about six kilometers between the two follows the ridge of the seven stallions. This is separated by three kilometers through the Green mountain pass from the massif of Hohgant.

Schrattenfluh, Beichlen, Rämisgummen

After another seven kilometers of the deep valley of the Emme separates the massif of the Schrattenfluh. This Stock ends with the Kleine Emme after six kilometers and close it several lower and smaller ridges to the northeast, including the Beichlen.

Pilate

Then the terrain flattens out a bit, until the Lake Lucerne connects the massif of Mount Pilatus.

Giswiler sticks and Brienzergrat

Between Hohgant and Brienz is the Brienzergrat.

Geology

The geological substrate is formed by formations of limestone, flysch and molasse. Limestones of the Cretaceous period found mainly in the area of ​​Pilate, Schrattenfluh, Hohgant, Güggisgrat and Sigriswilgrat. The Schrattenkalk is occupied by extended karst formations and cave systems. In front of the Swiss border chain to find the layers of the subalpine molasse sandstone, conglomerate rock and marl. The boundary chain is underlain by flysch, whose soft rock allowed the thrust of the whole Chalk packet over the subalpine Molasse. As the highest floor of the chain, there are still partly rocks from the Tertiary formation ( Hohgant Lithothamnienkalk ). A special position is occupied the Giswilerstöcke. They are a remnant ( cliff ) of this otherwise completely eroded Pennine blanket.

Summit

Surveys in the Emmental Alps, which reach a height of about 2,000 meters and more.

Flora and Fauna

Flora

The distribution limit of fir is 1,800 meters, 1,600 meters of houses in and of ash at 1,400 meters. In the woods around Entlebuch the forest is composed almost exclusively of spruce, mixed forest is scarce. On Hohgant there are bigger mountain pine forests on the southern slopes.

Fauna

In the areas of Eigental, Hohgant and Brienz Rothorn are some ibex colonies.