15 Apr The Mountain peaks and lakes of Alpine hiking
When the plates started moving they created the majestic scenery of the Alps as we know them today. Millions of years later, dramatic mountain peaks and lakes are what’s left of earth’s sliding and shifting in this region. Unique geography with hundreds of spectacular valleys, river sources, mountain peaks, and lakes.
Nice to know…
Switzerland’s land mass is only 0.4 percent that of Europe, but the country holds 6 percent of the continent’s fresh water reserves. 40 percent of water originates from snowmelt and just 2 percent from the melting of glaciers.
For the most part, the fresh water is so clear that you can drink out of rivers and lakes. Switzerland has more high peaks than any other country in Europe, with the mountain peaks themselves covering a whopping 60 percent of Switzerland’s land area.
The phenomenal mountain peaks and lakes of the Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps include the highest mountain peaks of the Alps. The Dufourspitze (4, 634m) the Dom (4, 545 m), the Liskamm (4, 527 m), the Weisshorn (4, 506 m) and the Matterhorn (4, 478 m). The highest dams are also located in the Alpine region forming many large mountain lakes. Some can be found above 2, 300 metres while the naturally formed larger lakes are generally below 1,000 meters. The melting of the low altitude glaciers also generates new lakes.
Touch the sky – Alpine hiking between the mountain peaks and lakes of three countries
The Alps in the southern ranges, from the Mont Blanc massif to the Bernina massif, are shared with other countries such as France, Italy, Austria, and Liechtenstein. The Alps cover 65 percent of Switzerland’s total 41, 285 sq kilometres surface area, making it one of the most alpine countries. 48 of the 82 Alpine 4,000 metre high mountains are located in the Swiss Alps. Most of the remaining 34 are located within 20 kilometres of the country’s border. We love to plan hiking trips across the countries of the Alps. We have always believed that the best routes have no respect for country borders.
Care for an exhilarating dip in a lake on the way to a mountain peak?
We have been known to indulge in a refreshing dip in a mountain lake on the way to a mountain refuge. However, don’t be fooled, cool is not the word. Colder than any water you have ever experienced and literally, breath-taking or taking your breath away would be a better description of the experience. A dip in a mountain lake is not for the faint-hearted and it takes a lot of courage. At altitude, these lakes are often fed by glacier run-off and so they have a pale azure blue opaqueness and a freezing temperature to match.
Your Alpine hiking trip in this region will always feature beautiful mountain peaks and lakes. This sort of hiking offers unforgettable views. Get in touch for a unique Alpine trip where the mountain peaks and lakes will take your breath away, literally.
Warm regards from the mountains.
Danielle