The Breithorn (

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

for literally "broad horn"; 13,661 ft. or 4,164 m) is a mountain range of the Pennine Alps with its highest peak of the same name (but also called ''Breithorn (Western Summit)''), located on the border between

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

and Italy. It lies on the main chain of the Alps, approximately halfway between the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa and east of the

Theodul Pass Theodul Pass, elevation , (German: ''Theodulpass'', Italian: ''Colle del Teodulo'', French: ''Col de Saint-Théodule'', Walser German: ''Theoduljoch'') is a high mountain pass across the eastern Pennine Alps, connecting Zermatt in the Swiss cant ...

. Most of the massif is glaciated and includes several subsidiary peaks, all located east of the main summit: the

Central Breithorn The Central Breithorn (german: Breithorn (Mittelgipfel), it, Breithorn Centrale) is a peak of the Breithorn range in the Pennine Alps, located on the border between Switzerland and Italy, between the canton of Valais and the region of Aosta Vall ...

, the western Breithorn Twin (or Eastern Breithorn), the Gendarm (or eastern Breithorn Twin) and the

Roccia Nera The Roccia Nera (Italian for ''Black Rock'', french: Roche noire,l ...

. The main summit is sometimes distinguished by the name ''Western Breithorn'' (german: Breithorn (Westgipfel), it, Breithorn Occidentale). The nearest settlements are Zermatt ( Valais) and St-Jacques ( Aosta Valley). Breithorn01

The Breithorn is considered the most easily climbed 4,000 m Alpine peak. This is due to the

Klein Matterhorn The Klein Matterhorn (sometimes translated as ''Little Matterhorn'') is a peak of the Pennine Alps, overlooking Zermatt in the Swiss canton of Valais. At above sea level, it is the highest place in Europe that can be reached by aerial tramway or ...

cable car Cable car most commonly refers to the following cable transportation systems: * Aerial lift, such as aerial tramways and gondola lifts, in which the vehicle is suspended in the air from a cable ** Aerial tramway ** Chairlift ** Gondola lift *** Bi ...

which takes climbers to over 3,820 m (12,700 ft) from Zermatt for a starting point. The standard route (SSW flank) is from the Italian side of the mountain (the south side) and continues over a glacial plateau before climbing to the summit on a 35 degree snow slope. However, inexperienced mountaineers may run into severe difficulty if caution is not taken near

cornice In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian ''cornice'' meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a ...

s or in bad weather. For experienced climbers wanting more of a challenge, the half traverse of the Breithorn crest is another option. The Breithorn was first climbed in 1813 by

Henry Maynard (climber) Sir Henry Maynard (1547–1610) was an English politician and secretary to Lord Burghley, and became (by steady accretion) a substantial landowner. Origins Maynard was the son of John Maynard, who had been MP for St Albans in the first Par ...

, Joseph-Marie Couttet,

Jean Gras The Jean Gras was a small scale French automobile manufactured by a concern based in Issy-les-Moulineaux, Paris from 1924 until 1927. The company showed two cars at the Paris 1924 Salon, the Type A had a 1494 cc overhead camshaft engine and ...

Jean-Baptiste Erin Jean-Baptiste is a male French name, originating with Saint John the Baptist, and sometimes shortened to Baptiste. The name may refer to any of the following: Persons * Charles XIV John of Sweden, born Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, was King o ...

and

Jean-Jacques Erin Jean-Jacques is a French name, equivalent to "John James" in English. Since the second half of 18th century, Jean Jacques Rousseau was widely known as Jean Jacques. Notable people bearing this name include: Given name * Jean-Jacques Annaud (born 19 ...

References

External links

Breithorn on SummitPost

- photos
Breithorn on 4000er.de

Breithorn on WinterClimb.com
- photos, practical info {{Portal bar, Mountains, Switzerland Alpine four-thousanders Four-thousanders of Switzerland International mountains of Europe Italy–Switzerland border Mountains of Italy Mountains of Switzerland Mountains of the Alps Mountains of Valais Pennine Alps

See also

References

External links