View source for Signalkuppe

{{short description|Mountain in Switzerland}}

{{Infobox mountain
| name = Signalkuppe
| other_name = Punta Gnifetti
| photo = Zumsteinspitze_von_der_Dufourspitze.jpg
| photo_caption = The Signalkuppe lying behind the Zumsteinspitze. The Margherita hut is just visible on the summit.
| elevation_m = 4554
| elevation_ref =
| prominence = 98&nbsp;m<span title="above the wind-gap"> ↓&nbsp;</span>Colle Gnifetti
| prominence_ref =
| isolation         = 0.7&nbsp;km<span title="to"> →&nbsp;</span> [[Zumsteinspitze]]
| parent_peak = Dufourspitze of [[Monte Rosa]]
| map = Alps
| map_caption = Alps
| location = [[Piedmont]], [[Italy]] /<br />[[Valais]], [[Switzerland]]
| range = [[Pennine Alps]]
| coordinates = {{coord|45|55|38|N|7|52|37|E|type:mountain_region:CH_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| range_coordinates =
| first_ascent = 9 August 1842 by Giovanni Gnifetti and party
| easiest_route = Glacier tour via west flank, south-west ridge (F)
}}

The '''Signalkuppe''' (in [[German language|German]], pronounced seeg-nall-koo-pay) also known as '''Punta Gnifetti''' (in [[Italian language|Italian]]) (4,554 m) is a [[mountain|peak]] in the [[Pennine Alps]] on the border between [[Italy]] and [[Switzerland]]. It is a subpeak of [[Monte Rosa]]. The mountain is named after 'the Signal', a prominent [[gendarme (mountaineering)|gendarme]] atop the east ridge, named ''Cresta Signal''.

The first ascent was made by [[Giovanni Gnifetti]], a parish priest from [[Alagna Valsesia]], together with J. Farinetti, C. Ferraris, C. Grober, J. and G. Giordiano and their porters on 9 August 1842.

The highest hut in Europe, the [[Margherita Hut]] (Capanna Marguerita, named after Italy's Queen consort [[Margherita of Savoy]]) lies on the summit of the mountain. Work started in 1890, supported by the Italian crown, and Queen Margherita opened it in 1893. The new hut, effectively a high-altitude [[Faraday cage]], is clad in sheet copper to shield against unwanted electrical fields.

The Signalkuppe (Punta Gnifetti) is connected to the [[Zumsteinspitze]] (Italian: Punta Zumstein) (German: Zumsteinspitze) by the high-alpine glaciated saddle Colle Gnifetti.

==See also==
{{Portal|Alps | left =  | break = }}
* [[List of Alpine four-thousanders]]
* [[List of mountains of Switzerland named after people]]

==References==
* Dumler, Helmut and Willi P. Burkhardt, ''The High Mountains of the Alps'', London: Diadem, 1994
* Collomb, Robin G., (ed.), ''Pennine Alps Central'', London: Alpine Club, 1975

==External links==
* [http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150348/signalkuppe-punta-gnifetti.html The Signalkuppe on SummitPost]
* [http://www.forum.planetmountain.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=29784 Photographic account of an ascent of the Signal ridge (in Italian)]
* [http://www.caivarallo.it/rifugi_cai_varallo/capanna_regina_margherita_rifugio.php Margherita hut page (Capanna Margherita, in Italian)]
* [https://archive.today/20130218121236/http://www.rifugimonterosa.it/EN/huts/margherita-hut-monterosa-italy-refuge.php Margherita hut official page from Rifugimonterosa.it (in English)]
* [http://www.fotoincollina.com/foto/serie-foto.php?n=6&serie=Salita%20alla%20Margherita Other photos of Margherita hut ascent from Alagna (in Italian)]

{{Commons category|Signalkuppe}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mountains of the Alps]]
[[Category:Alpine four-thousanders]]
[[Category:Mountains of Piedmont]]
[[Category:Mountains of Valais]]
[[Category:Pennine Alps]]
[[Category:Italy–Switzerland border]]
[[Category:International mountains of Europe]]
[[Category:Monte Rosa]]
[[Category:Mountains of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Four-thousanders of Switzerland]]

{{Matter Valley}}
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