monte Leone

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Monte Leone

| photo = MonteLeone0001.jpg

| photo_size = 285

| photo_caption = Monte Leone seen from Simplon pass, August 2006

| elevation_m = 3553

| elevation_ref =

| prominence_m = 1144

| prominence_ref = Retrieved from the Swisstopo topographic maps. The key col is the Albrun Pass (2,409 m)

| isolation_km = 11.7

| isolation_ref = Retrieved from Google Earth. The nearest point of higher elevation is east of the Senggchuppa.

| parent_peak = Dammastock

| listing = Alpine mountains above 3000 m

| map = Alps

| map_caption = Location in the Alps

| location = Valais, Switzerland / Piedmont, Italy

| range = Lepontine Alps

| coordinates = {{coord|46|14|59|N|8|06|37|E|type:mountain_region:CH-TI_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| range_coordinates =

| type =

| age =

| first_ascent = July 1859, by an unnamed Swiss officer [http://www.schweizerseiten.ch/info/info_monteleone.htm First ascent data at schweizerseiten.ch] and as indicated in the Swiss Alpine Club guide

| easiest_route =

}}

Monte Leone is the highest mountain of the Lepontine Alps and is located on the border between Switzerland and Italy. The mountain stands on the extreme west of the Lepontine Alps, a few kilometres east of Simplon Pass.

Etymology

Leone in Italian means lion, and the mountain's name is said to come from the look of its south face's profile. A different origin of the name could be Munt d'l'Aiun, which in the local dialect means Aiun's mountain; Aione is a nearby village and Mount Leone is situated close to meadows traditionally owned by the villagers.

Geography

In the SOIUSA (International Standardized Mountain Subdivision of the Alps) the mountain belongs to an alpine subsection of the Lepontine Alps called "North-Western Lepontine Alps" (It:Alpi del Monte Leone e del San Gottardo; De:Monte Leone-Sankt Gotthard-Alpen).{{cite book

| last = Marazzi

| first = Sergio

| author-link =

| title = Atlante Orografico delle Alpi. SOIUSA

| publisher = Priuli & Verlucca

| series =

| year = 2005

| language = Italian

| page = 137

| doi =

| isbn = 978-88-8068-273-8

}}