Earth:Ciamarella-Mondrone Group

The Ciamarella-Mondrone Group is a mountainous massif in Italy located in Piedmont and, for a short distance, in Savoy. It belongs to the Arnas-Ciamarella chain (and therefore to the Lanzo and Alta Moriana Alps) in the Graian Alps.

Characteristics

The group, starting from the 3,676 meters above sea level of Ciamarella, develops in the east, separating Val Grande di Lanzo (north) from Val d'Ala and runs out near Ceres at the confluence of the two valley furrows. The group also includes the short stretch of the Italian-French border between the Chalanson Superiore hill and the Sea hill, which separates the Lanzo Valleys from the Vanoise. These two passes divide the group respectively from the neighboring Bessanese-Albaron group and Sea-Mulinet group.

Turning clockwise its geographical limits are: Colle Chalanson Superiore (2,350 m), Glacier des Evettes, Colle di Sea (3,100 m), Stura di Sea, Stura di Val Grande, Stura di Ala, Colle Chalanson Superiore. Hydrographically it is part of the Stura di Lanzo basin except that the north-west side of Ciamarella, which falls instead in the Arc basin.

Classification

SOIUSA defines the Levanne Group as an alpine group and attributes the following classification:

• Large part = Western Alps
• Large sector = North-western Alps
• Section = Graian Alps
• Sub-section = Lanzo and Alta Moriana Alps
• Supergroup = Arnas-Ciamarella Group
• Group = Ciamarella-Mondrone Group
• Code = I/B-7.IB.6

Partition

The range is divided into two subgroups:

• Ciamarella subgroup (a)
• Mondrone ridge (b)

The two subgroups are separated from each other by Ghicet di Sea (2,735 m).

Main mountains

The Ciamarella seen from Ghicet di Sea

• Uia di Ciamarella - 3.676 m
• Punta Chalanson - 3.466  m
• Punta Tonini - 3.324  m
• Albaron di Sea - 3.262  m
• Punta Rossa di Sea - 2.910 m
• Uia di Mondrone - 2.964 m
• Cima Leitosa - 2.870 m
• Punta del Rous - 2.568 m
• Punta Croset - 2.465 m
• Monte Dubia - 2.463 m
• Rocca Ciarva - 2.364 m
• Monte Plu - 2.195 m
• Monte Pellerin - 1.853 m
• Monte Rosso - 1.780 m
• Monte Santa Cristina - 1.339 m

Protection of nature

The north-western side of Ciamarella falls into the Vanoise National Park. On the Piedmont side, the area between Pian della Mussa and the watershed that delimits the Val d'Ala is included in the Site of Community Interest (SIC) of the European Natura 2000 network "Pian della Mussa" (code IT1110029).