Val Curciusa
Encyclopedia
The Val Curciusa is an alpine valley
in Graubünden
, Switzerland. In the region of the San Bernardino Pass
, it provides a connection between the Rheinwald
valley and the Misox valley.
at Nufenen.
Although the valley drains to the north part, about 85 percent of the area, until about 2 km from the confluence of the Areua Brook and the Posterior Rhine, belongs to the municipality of Mesocco
south of the watershed.
runs across the Bocchetta di Curciusa.
The Curciusa Alta gained national notoriety through a Pump Reservoir Project, which was withdrewn in 1999 for "economic reasons" shortly before a federal court was to decide on an application for environmental protection.
Val Curciusa is one of the few valleys in Switzerland, in which there is neither a reservoir nor an access road. It is only accissible on foot and surprises with a Wild West atmosphere on the second-highest part of the vallue, the Curciusa Bassa, where not only cattle but also horses are allowed to graze in summer. In the highest part of the valley, the Curciusa Alta, a side valley name Val Rossa branches off to the west.
The section below Curciusa Bassa is calle Alpe di Rog. Here, a trail branches off to the east, across Areua pass into Italy. Another trail branches off to the west, into Val Vignun
.
The highest peaks on the eastern side of the valley are the Pizzo Tambo
, to south of the Areua Pass and the Guggernüll, to the north of the Pass. The highest peaks on the western side, are the Piz de la Lumbreida, to the south of the trail into Val Vignun and the Einshorn
north of that trail.
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
in Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
, Switzerland. In the region of the San Bernardino Pass
San Bernardino Pass
San Bernardino Pass is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting the Hinterrhein and the Mesolcina valleys between Thusis and Bellinzona . Located in the far eastern side of the Western Alps it is not to be confused with the Great St. Bernard Pass and the Little St. Bernard Pass...
, it provides a connection between the Rheinwald
Rheinwald
The Rheinwald is a valley in the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland...
valley and the Misox valley.
Location
Val Curciusa leads south from Nufenen in the direction of the Misox valley, ending at the Bocchetta di Curciusa, a mountain pass, which is visible directly from San Bernardino when looking southeast. The valley is about 9 km long and is drained by the Areua Brook, which flows into the HinterrheinHinterrhein (river)
The Hinterrhein is one of the initial tributaries of the Rhine in the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland, flowing from the village Hinterrhein near the San Bernardino pass through the Rheinwald valley into a gorge called Roflaschlucht...
at Nufenen.
Although the valley drains to the north part, about 85 percent of the area, until about 2 km from the confluence of the Areua Brook and the Posterior Rhine, belongs to the municipality of Mesocco
Mesocco
Mesocco is a municipality in the district of Moesa in the Swiss canton of Graubünden.-History:The first human settlement in the area dates back to the Mesolithic era. Stone tools dating to about 6000 BC have been found in the Silex section of the municipality. At the same site, Neolithic fire pits...
south of the watershed.
Access
Although the valley opens out in the German-speaking Hinterrhein valley at Nufenen, the inhabitants speak Italian, which is why the valley has an Italian name. A marked trail leads from the village of San Bernardino in a steep climb via Bocchetta di Curciusa pass , into , the upper part of the valley. In this area, the trail is hardly visible. The European WatershedEuropean Watershed
The European Watershed is the line which divides the drainage basins of the major rivers of Germany: the Rhine, which originates in the Swiss Alps and empties into the North Sea via the Netherlands, and the Danube, which originates in the Black Forest and flows eastward emptying into the Black...
runs across the Bocchetta di Curciusa.
The Curciusa Alta gained national notoriety through a Pump Reservoir Project, which was withdrewn in 1999 for "economic reasons" shortly before a federal court was to decide on an application for environmental protection.
Val Curciusa is one of the few valleys in Switzerland, in which there is neither a reservoir nor an access road. It is only accissible on foot and surprises with a Wild West atmosphere on the second-highest part of the vallue, the Curciusa Bassa, where not only cattle but also horses are allowed to graze in summer. In the highest part of the valley, the Curciusa Alta, a side valley name Val Rossa branches off to the west.
The section below Curciusa Bassa is calle Alpe di Rog. Here, a trail branches off to the east, across Areua pass into Italy. Another trail branches off to the west, into Val Vignun
Val Vignun
The Val Vignun is an alpine valley in the Swiss Canton of Graubünden. It also forms a connection netween the Misox valley and the Rheinwald valley, parallel to the San Bernardino Pass....
.
The highest peaks on the eastern side of the valley are the Pizzo Tambo
Pizzo Tambò
Pizzo Tambo is a mountain located at the eastern extremity of the Lepontine Alps on the Swiss-Italian border. The mountain lies west of the Splügen Pass which divides the Western Alps from the Eastern Alps....
, to south of the Areua Pass and the Guggernüll, to the north of the Pass. The highest peaks on the western side, are the Piz de la Lumbreida, to the south of the trail into Val Vignun and the Einshorn
Einshorn
Einshorn is a mountain in the Lepontine Alps, situated in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland.Thousands of people can see the peak from the Swiss A13 motorway and will never know its name as it is just anonther mountain here...
north of that trail.