Ritten (mountain)
The Ritten is a mountain ridge in the southeast of the Sarntal Alps in South Tyrol. It is bordered in the west by Sarntal, in the east by Eisacktal and in the south by the Bozner basin. In the north, it is dominated by the Rittner Horn. The approximately 900 to 1,300 m high settlements on the mountain ridge belong to the municipality of the same name Ritten.
Geography
The Ritten belongs together with the Tschögglberg and the Regglberg to the mountain ranges around Bozen of Etschtal volcanic rock. The present relief of the Ritten was essentially shaped by glacial activity during the Ice Age, which left behind numerous glacial troughs and erratic blocks. The mountain ridge is known for its earth pyramids, slender earth pillars formed by erosion with a capstone.The Ritten is relatively poor in water due to its geological conditions. Nevertheless, there are a number of ponds and marshes. The Ritten is characterized by diverse vegetation. In the lower areas of the southern slope above Bozen, sub-Mediterranean mixed coniferous forests dominate, which are characterized by warmth-loving hop-hornbeam and downy oak. At altitudes between 800 and 1,000 m, pine forests adjoin, followed by forests of spruce and stone pine. Prostrate shrubs grow at the highest areas of the ridge near the treeline.