Editing Ticino (river) (section)

===Val Bedretto===
[[File:Ticino at Gotthard-Tunnel 2009.jpg|thumb|upright|The upper Ticino near [[Airolo]]]]
Val Bedretto, a narrow alpine valley named after the village of [[Bedretto]], culminates in [[Nufenen Pass]], ({{langx|it|Passo della Novena}}, {{langx|de|Nufenen Pass}}), at {{convert|2478|m|ft|abbr=on}} located between [[Pizzo Gallina]] (north, {{convert|3060|m|ft|abbr=on}}) and [[Nufenenstock]] (south, {{convert|2865|m|ft|abbr=on}}). The road up the valley is fairly straight until it approaches the pass, where the nine [[hairpin turn]]s start.

The Ticino originates on both sides, north and south, of the Nufenenstock: A smaller tributary originates from a small mountain lake south of the Nufenenstock and north of the [[Piccolo Corno Gries]] ({{convert|2928|m|ft|abbr=on}}) below the [[Passo del Corno]] at {{convert|2484|m|ft|abbr=on}} in the short valley of the same name. Until the beginning of the 20th century the Valaisinne [[Gries Glacier]] was still flowing over the Corno Pass into the Val Corno!

Both spring areas converges about where the hairpins of the eastern pass road begins to circumvent about {{convert|700|m|ft|abbr=on}} in altitude. Through the passes and over the Nufenenstock runs the border between the [[Cantons of Switzerland|canton]]s of [[Canton of Valais|Valais]] and [[Canton of Ticino|Ticino]].

A paved road constructed in 1964 goes over the Passo della Novena and after some ten hairpins down about {{convert|500|m|ft|abbr=on}} in altitude on its western side and then through the [[Ägenental]] in northeasten direction ultimately leading to the [[Obergoms]], the upper half of the valley of the uppermost part the [[Rhône]] course. While the lower part of the Valais speaks [[French language|French]], the upper part speaks its particular [[Highest Alemannic]] dialect, the [[Walliser German]], the population of Ticino speaks [[Italian language|Italian]].

Subsequently, the Ticino becomes a mountain brook flowing straight down the valley to the hamlet of All'Acqua or All'Acqua Ospizio at {{convert|1614|m|ft|abbr=on}}, named for the [[Hostel|hospice]] for travellers located there near the previous end of a drivable road in former centuries. Currently, it is a base for skiing and hiking. Further down eastwards the small villages of Ronco at {{convert|1476|m|ft|abbr=on}} and finally Bedretto ({{convert|1402|m|ft|abbr=on}}) and Villa Bedretto appear.<ref>{{cite book|title=Walking in Ticino, Switzerland: A Walking Guide|first=Kev|last=Reynolds|author-link=Kev Reynolds|edition=illustrated|publisher=Cicerone Press Limited|year=1992|isbn=978-1-85284-098-3|chapter=Val Bedretto|pages=32–43|location=Milnthorpe}}</ref>
Below Bedretto the Ri di Cristallina, "Cristallina stream", a right tributary from the Val Torta, joins the Ticino at Ossasco, and further down the valley, Fontana is the lowest village in Val Bedretto. The entire area is laced with hiking trails and mountain huts. The valley is subject to avalanches and snow can remain on the ground as late as September.