Carnic Alps
Alps Cjargnelis (Friulian)
Karnische Alpen (German)
Alpi Carniche (Italian)
Karnijske Alpe (Slovene)
Wolayer Lake in the Carnic Alps
Highest point
PeakCoglians
Elevation2,782 m (9,127 ft)
Coordinates46°36′N 12°53′E / 46.600°N 12.883°E / 46.600; 12.883
Geography
CountriesAustria and Italy
Länder, RegioniTyrol, Carinthia, Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto
Range coordinates46°30′N 13°00′E / 46.500°N 13.000°E / 46.500; 13.000
Parent rangeSouthern Limestone Alps
Geology
OrogenyAlpine orogeny

The Carnic Alps (Italian: Alpi Carniche; German: Karnische Alpen; Slovene: Karnijske Alpe; Friulian: Alps Cjargnelis) are a range of the Southern Limestone Alps in Austria and northeastern Italy. They are within Austrian East Tyrol and Carinthia, and Italian Friuli (Province of Udine) and marginally in Veneto.

Etymology

They are named after the Roman province of Carnia, which probably has a Celtic origin.

The mountains gave their name to the stage on the geologic time scale known as Carnian, an age in the Triassic Period.

Geography

They extend from east to west for about 100 km (62 mi) between the Gail River, a tributary of the Drava and the Tagliamento, forming the border between Austria and Italy.

Alpine Club classification

The Carnic Alps are divided into two distinct areas:
  • Carnic Main Crest (Karnischer Hauptkamm) (AVE 57a)
  • Carnic Prealps (Karnische Voralpen), i.e. the Friaul Dolomites and their foothills, the former are, from the Mauria Pass southwards, counted as part of the group known as the Southern Carnic Alps (Südliche Karnische Alpen) (AVE 57b), which also includes the Bellunese Prealps (Venetian Prealps).

In the Carnic Alps is the southernmost glacier in Austria, the Eiskar, nestling in the Kellerwand massif.

Notable peaks

Hohe Warte and Kellerspitzen, view from south (Monte Arvenis)

Among the most important mountains of the range are:

Mountain passes

Wind turbine on the Austrian side of the Plöcken Pass

The chief passes of the Carnic Alps are:

See also

References

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