Appenzell Alps in the context of "Swiss Alps"

The Schwyz Alps (German: Schwyzer Alpen) are a mountain range in Switzerland. They form part of the North-Eastern Swiss Alps and are bordered by the Glarus Alps to the east, the Appenzell Alps to the north-east, the Emmental Alps in the west, and the Uri Alps to the south-west. The Klausen Pass is the highest point between the Schwyz Alps and the Glarus Alps.

The Schwyzer Alps extend beyond the boundaries of the canton of Schwyz, including parts of the cantons of Glarus, Luzern, Uri and Zug. The highest point in the Schwyzer Alps is the Glärnisch, at an elevation of 2,915 metres (9,564 ft), which actually lies within the canton of Glarus. Just south of the Glärnisch is the Bös Fulen, the highest point in the canton of Schwyz.

The Glarus Alps (German: Glarner Alpen) are a mountain range in central Switzerland. They are bordered by the Uri Alps and the Schwyz Alps to the west, the Lepontine Alps to the south, the Appenzell Alps to the northeast. The eastern part of the Glarus Alps contains a major thrust fault that was declared a geologic UNESCO World Heritage Site (the Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona).

The Glarus Alps extend well beyond the canton of Glarus, including parts of the cantons of Uri, Graubünden, and St Gallen. Conversely, not all the mountains in the canton of Glarus are part of the Glarus Alps, with those to the north of the Urner Boden and to the west of the valley of the river Linth considered to be part of the Schwyz Alps.

The Alpstein are a subgroup of the Appenzell Alps in Eastern Switzerland. The Alpstein massif is located south of the village of Appenzell and extends across the cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and St. Gallen. It is a popular tourist site.

Despite it being rather low when compared to other Alpine peaks – the highest mountain is the Säntis at 2,501.9 metres (8,208 ft) – the Alpstein, due to their northern "outpost" position only a short distance from Lake Constance (nearly 30 km (19 mi) away) are relatively tall when compared to the surrounding area. The range also includes the Altenalp Türm as the northernmost summit above 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) in Switzerland.

At 2,501.9 metres (8,208 ft) above sea level, Säntis (German pronunciation: [ˈzɛntɪs]) is the highest mountain in the Alpstein massif of northeastern Switzerland. It is also the culminating point of the whole Appenzell Alps, between Lake Walen and Lake Constance. Shared by three cantons, the mountain is a highly visible landmark thanks to its exposed northerly position within the Alpstein massif. As a consequence, houses called Säntisblick (English: Säntis view) can be found in regions as far away as the Black Forest in Germany. Säntis is among the most prominent summits in the Alps and the most prominent summit in Europe with an observation deck on the top. The panorama from the summit is spectacular. Six countries can be seen if the weather allows: Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France, and Italy.

This article focuses on the part of the Alps and Pré-Alps that is located in North-Eastern Switzerland and compromises the Schwyzer Alps and the Appenzell Alps. This region is bordered by: Lake Lucerne in the south-west; the Klausen Pass, upper Linth valley and Lake Walen in the south; the Rhine valley in the east; Lake Constance in the north.

The Altenalp Türm (2,033 m [6,670 ft]) is a peak of the Alpstein massif (Appenzell Alps), located in the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, on the ridge between Ebenalp and the Säntis. It is the northernmost peak rising above 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) in Switzerland.