Dolomiti di Brenta, system 9

The Group of the Dolomiti di Brenta, situated in the western of the Trento Province, is delimited to the west from the line of the Giudicarie that together with the Insubrica line defines the NW limit of the Dolomitic region. This Group is roughly 42 km long, 15 km across and arranged transversally from north-east to south-west, covering an area of around 92 km² (attachment 2.13). The northern boundary is formed by the Sole Valley and the Valley of Non: to the west the Meledrio Valley, Campiglio Valley and Rendena Valley divide the Brenta Group from the nearby Adamello-Presanella massifs. The Valley of Non and the Adige Valley close the circle around the Brenta Group. The Bocca di Brenta divides the chain into two branches: to the north the Sfulmini chain, the Grosté massif and the long northern chain, with Altissimo and the Campa subgroup branching out to the east and to the south the Cima Tosa massif and the Ambiez chain. Among the tallest peaks of the Brenta Group are Cima Brenta (3,150 metres), Cita Tosa (3,173 metres) Ambiéz (3,096 metres) and Vallon (2,935 metres). The main watercourses of the area are to the west – the Sarca which collects water from all the streams that flow down from western Brenta (Bondai, Ambiez, Rio dei Molini, Rio d’Algone, Rio Valagola, Sarca del Brenta) and still to the west after Passo Campo Carlo Magno there is the Torrente Meledrio, a tributary of the River Noce which receives all the watercourses from the north-eastern slopes of Brenta. There are also numerous lakes: after Molveno, the largest lake in the Brenta Dolomite territory is Lake Tovel, once famous for the red coloration of the water. Other lakes include Valagola, in Val d’Agola in the western sector, Lake Durigat near the Peller Refuge, Lake Salare near the ex-Cavalli malga and Lake Asbelz in the southern sector near the Passo della Nana.