Cimalegna Plateau

The Cimalegna Plateau is a fine example of a high-altitude mountain environment, deeply shaped by glacial erosion caused by the glaciers on the southern flank of Monte Rosa. These glacial masses are now increasingly confined to high altitudes, but various indications suggest that, during their periods of maximum expansion and subsequent retreat, they were also present at lower altitudes and in areas now separated from current glacial shaping. This is evidenced by numerous relict erosion features (moraines and striations) which indicate that the glaciers flowed southwards.

The recent and current geomorphological evolution of the area, which is no longer affected by glacial processes, is determined by the action of two main morphogenetic agents: the gravitational agent ( the action of gravity) and the cryogenic agent ( the action of permafrost and freeze-thaw processes). Notable periglacial landforms in the area include: geliflux lobes, block streams and block fields.

The Cimalegna area also offers an insight into the geological history of the north-western Alps, with particular focus on the geological processes of the last 200 million years, beginning with an ancient ocean, the Tethys, right up to the formation of the Alps, whilst also focusing on the soils, which form here under unique conditions due to the presence of an almost flat area, high altitudes and extreme climatic conditions.