Mals Heath

The Mals Heath[1][2] (German: Malser Haide) is located in South Tyrol, Italy; it is one of the largest ancient landslides and one of the most remarkable landscape features in the Alps.

The landslide emerges from the small side valley of Plawenntal, and descends for 11 km to the head of Vinschgau proper.

Similar events probably created large fans nearby at St. Valentin, and in the main Vinschgau, notably at Allitz-Laas (Gadriamure) where the lost mountain and vast debris cone are even larger.

The debris fan dams a lake, Haidersee, which is now used as a source of irrigation water through a system of channels, and nearly all the heath is now cultivated and prosperous.

The fan also displaces the main river, Adige, and the large tributary, Puni, to opposite sides of the valley.