High Tauern | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Peak | Grossglockner |
Elevation | 3,798 m (12,461 ft) |
Coordinates | 47°04′30″N12°41′40″E / 47.07500°N 12.69444°E |
Dimensions | |
Length | 130 km (81 mi) |
Width | 50 km (31 mi) |
Geography | |
Countries |
|
States | |
Range coordinates | 47°10′N12°30′E / 47.167°N 12.500°E |
Parent range | Central Eastern Alps |
Geology | |
Orogeny | Alpine |
Rock age | Paleozoic |
Rock types |
The High Tauern (pl.; German : Hohe Tauern, Italian : Alti Tauri) are a mountain range on the main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian states of Salzburg, Carinthia and East Tyrol, with a small part in the southwest belongs to the Italian province of South Tyrol. The range includes Austria's highest mountain, the Grossglockner at 3,798 metres (12,461 ft) above the Adriatic.
In the east, the range is adjoined by the Lower Tauern. For the etymology of the name, see Tauern.
According to the Alpine Club classification of the Eastern Alps, the range is bounded by the Salzach valley to the north (separating it from the Kitzbühel Alps), the Mur valley and the Murtörl Pass to the east (separating it from the Lower Tauern), the Drava valley to the south (separating it from the Southern Limestone Alps), and the Birnlücke Pass to the west (separating it from the Zillertal Alps).
Its most important subgroups along the Alpine crest are (from West to East):
The eastern end of the High Tauern is formed by the Hafner massif of the Ankogel Group, which includes the easternmost three-thousander peaks in the Alpine chain.
Further parts of the High Tauern south of the main crest of the Alps are (from West to East):
Along 100 kilometres (62 mi) of the main chain stretches the High Tauern National Park (Nationalpark Hohe Tauern), to which the Austrian Alpine Club as freeholder and the three states of Carinthia, Salzburg and Tyrol have contributed territory. With an area of about 1,834 square kilometres (708 sq mi), it is by far the largest of Austria's seven national parks as well as the largest nature reserve in the Alps. [1] It is divided into a core zone of 1,198 square kilometres (463 sq mi) including the Grossglockner and Grossvenediger massifs, with complete prohibition of agricultural use, and a fringe zone of 638 square kilometres (246 sq mi) used for forestry and alpine-meadow farming. Five special nature sanctuaries are protected from any human disturbance.
The park of the IUCN II category comprises the Pasterze and numerous further glaciers, the Krimml Waterfalls, several glacial valleys and alluvial fans, as well as extended tundra areas and forests. Among the flora of the Alps, especially Swiss Pines grow along the tree line; above subshrub, mainly alpenrose but also the endemic Saxifraga rudolphiana , up to nival level at about 2,800 m (9,200 ft). The fauna includes chamois, Alpine ibex and red deer, as well as griffon vulture and the golden eagle. The formerly extinct bearded vulture and the Alpine marmot have been successfully reintroduced.
The park was established according to a 1971 declaration signed by the participating states at Heiligenblut, it nevertheless took until 1981, when the first parts around Großglockner and Hochschober in Carinthia were put under protection. The adjacel finally joined in 1992. [[Touriut has become less harmful to the environment. A particular emphasis is pution and the maintenance of traditional ways of life in the Alps.
The main peaks of the High Tauern are:
Peak | Group | Elevation (m/ft) | Prominence (m/ft) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Großglockner | Glockner | 3798 | 12,461 | 2423 | 7,949 |
Großvenediger | Venediger | 3666 | 12,028 | 1199 | 3,934 |
Großes Wiesbachhorn | Glockner | 3564 | 11,693 | 477 | 1,565 |
Dreiherrnspitze | Venediger | 3499 | 11,480 | 591 | 1,939 |
Rötspitze | Venediger | 3496 | 11,470 | 653 | 2,142 |
Johannisberg | Glockner | 3453 | 11,329 | 277 | 909 |
Hochgall | Rieserferner | 3436 | 11,273 | 1148 | 3,766 |
Hoher Eichham | Venediger | 3371 | 11,060 | 325 | 1,066 |
Hoher Tenn | Glockner | 3368 | 11,050 | 335 | 1,099 |
Malhamspitze | Venediger | 3368 | 11,050 | 319 | 1,047 |
Hochalmspitze | Ankogel | 3360 | 11,024 | 942 | 3,091 |
Großer Geiger | Venediger | 3360 | 11,024 | 293 | 961 |
Schneebiger Nock | Rieserferner | 3358 | 11,017 | 542 | 1,778 |
Fuscherkarkopf | Glockner | 3331 | 10,928 | 489 | 1,604 |
Keeskogel | Venediger | 3291 | 10,797 | 373 | 1,224 |
Schlieferspitze | Venediger | 3290 | 10,794 | 513 | 1,683 |
Petzeck | Schober | 3283 | 10,771 | 802 | 2,631 |
Roter Knopf | Schober | 3281 | 10,764 | 556 | 1,824 |
Ankogel | Ankogel | 3264 | 10,709 | 570 | 1,870 |
Hocharn | Goldberg | 3254 | 10,676 | 678 | 2,224 |
Großer Hornkopf | Schober | 3251 | 10,666 | 456 | 1,496 |
Hohe Fürlegg | Venediger | 3243 | 10,640 | 385 | 1,263 |
Hochschober | Schober | 3242 | 10,636 | 438 | 1,437 |
Großer Muntanitz | Granatspitze | 3232 | 10,604 | 717 | 2,352 |
Hocheiser | Glockner | 3206 | 10,518 | 577 | 1,893 |
Glödis | Schober | 3206 | 10,518 | 370 | 1,214 |
Kitzsteinhorn | Glockner | 3204 | 10,512 | 439 | 1,440 |
Durreck | Venediger | 3135 | 10,285 | 626 | 2,054 |
Hoher Sonnblick | Goldberg | 3106 | 10,196 | 271 | 889 |
Lasörling | Venediger | 3098 | 10,164 | 490 | 1,608 |
Großer Hafner | Hafner | 3068 | 10,066 | 868 | 2,848 |
Hoher Prijakt | Schober | 3064 | 10,052 | 470 | 1,542 |
Weisse Spitze | Villgraten | 2963 | 9,721 | 920 | 3,018 |
Mölltaler Polinik | Kreuzeck | 2784 | 9,134 | 1580 | 5,184 |
The High Tauern are crossed by three tunnels:
The best-known mountain pass road of the High Tauern is the scenic Grossglockner High Alpine Road inaugurated in 1935, including a tunnel at an elevation of 2,505 metres (8,219 ft) under the Hochtor Pass (2,573 metres (8,442 ft)). East of it, the Katschberg Pass (1,641 metres (5,384 ft)) on B 99 Katschberg Straße highway parallel to the Katschberg Tunnel links Sankt Michael and Rennweg. Another road crosses the Staller Sattel between Sankt Jakob in Defereggen and Rasen-Antholz at 2,052 metres (6,732 ft).
Beside there are numerous bridle and footpaths, in part used since ancient times:
Mountain pass | Location | Type | Elevation (m/ft) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Riffeltor | Kaprun to Heiligenblut | snow | 3051 | 10,010 |
Bockkarscharte | Ferleiten to Heiligenblut | snow | 3046 | 9994 |
Sonnblickscharte | Rauris to Heiligenblut | snow | 2979 | 9774 |
Vörder Umbaltorl | Prägraten to Ahrntal | snow | 2928 | 9607 |
Obersulzbachtorl | Prägraten to Wald im Pinzgau | snow | 2926 | 9600 |
Untersulzbachtorl | Innergschlöß to Wald im Pinzgau | snow | 2865 | 9400 |
Schwarzkopfscharte | Innergschlöß to Bramberg | snow | 2850 | 9351 |
Prägratertorl | Prägraten to Defereggental | footpath | 2846 | 9338 |
Glodistorl | Lienz to Kals | snow | 2832 | 9292 |
Antholzerscharte | Rein in Taufers to Rasen-Antholz | snow | 2820 | 9252 |
Krimmlertorl | Krimmler Achental to Obersulzbachtal | snow | 2814 | 9233 |
Goldzechscharte | Rauris to Heiligenblut | snow | 2810 | 9220 |
Kalsertorl | Lienz to Kals | snow | 2803 | 9197 |
Ober Tramerscharte | Rauris to Döllach | snow | 2802 | 9193 |
Kleine Elendscharte | Bad Gastein to Gmünd | snow | 2739 | 8987 |
Kleine Zirknitzscharte | Rauris to Döllach | snow | 2719 | 8921 |
Mallnitzerscharte | Mallnitz to Gmünd | snow | 2677 | 8783 |
Große Elendscharte | Mallnitz to upper Maltatal | snow | 2673 | 8770 |
Unter Pfandlscharte | Ferleiten to Heiligenblut | snow | 2665 | 8744 |
Bergertorl | Ferleiten to Heiligenblut | footpath | 2650 | 8695 |
Kaprunertorl | Kaprun to upper Stubachtal | snow | 2635 | 8645 |
Virgner or Defereggertorl | Defereggental to Virgen | footpath | 2617 | 8586 |
Backlenke or Trojerjoch | Defereggental to Prägraten | footpath | 2613 | 8573 |
Felber Tauern | Matrei in Osttirol to Mittersill | bridle path | 2540 | 8334 |
Kalser Tauern | Kals to Mittersill | footpath | 2512 | 8242 |
Hohe Tauern | Bad Gastein to Mallnitz | bridle path | 2463 | 8081 |
Niedere or Mallnitzer Tauern | Bad Gastein to Mallnitz | bridle path | 2414 | 7920 |
Fuschertorl | Ferleiten to the Seidlwinkeltal | footpath | 2405 | 7891 |
Klammljoch | Defereggental to Sand in Taufers | bridle path | 2291 | 7517 |
Arlscharte | Gmünd to Sankt Johann im Pongau | footpath | 2251 | 7386 |
Kals Matreiertorl | Kals to Matrei | bridle path | 2206 | 7238 |
Stanz | Bad Gastein to Rauris | footpath | 2103 | 6900 |
The Großglockner, or just Glockner, is, at 3,798 metres above the Adriatic (12,461 ft), the highest mountain in Austria and highest mountain in the Alps east of the Brenner Pass. It is part of the larger Glockner Group of the Hohe Tauern range, situated along the main ridge of the Central Eastern Alps and the Alpine divide. The Pasterze, Austria's most extended glacier, lies on the Grossglockner's eastern slope.
The Bezirk Lienz is an administrative district (Bezirk) in Tyrol, Austria. It is the only district in East Tyrol. The district borders the Pinzgau (Salzburg) in the north, the districts Spittal an der Drau and Hermagor in the east, Veneto (Italy) in the south, and South Tyrol (Italy) in the west.
Bezirk Spittal an der Drau is an administrative district (Bezirk) in the state of Carinthia, Austria.
The Eastern Alps are usually defined as the area east of a line from Lake Constance and the Alpine Rhine valley, up to the Splügen Pass at the Alpine divide, and down the Liro River to Lake Como in the south. The peaks and mountain passes are lower than the Western Alps, while the range itself is broader and less arched.
Katschberg Pass is a high mountain pass in the Central Eastern Alps in Austria between Rennweg am Katschberg in the state of Carinthia and Sankt Michael im Lungau in Salzburg.
Mallnitz is a municipality in the Spittal an der Drau District in Carinthia, Austria.
Reißeck is a municipality in the district of Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia, Austria.
Rennweg am Katschberg is a market town in the district of Spittal an der Drau in Carinthia, Austria.
Matrei in Osttirol is a market town in the Lienz District in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It is situated about 29 km (18 mi) north of Lienz within the Hohe Tauern mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps. Its municipal area comprises parts of the Granatspitze Group and the Venediger Group, with the Großvenediger peak as its highest point. The population largely depends on tourism, seasonal agriculture and forestry.
The Tauern Autobahn is an autobahn (motorway) in Austria. It starts at the Salzburg junction with the West Autobahn (A1), runs southwards, crosses the Tauern mountain range on the main chain of the Alps and leads to the Süd Autobahn (A2) and Karawanken Autobahn (A11) at Villach in Carinthia.
The Schober group is a sub-range of the Hohe Tauern mountains in the Central Eastern Alps, on the border between the Austrian states of Tyrol and Carinthia. Most of the range is located inside Hohe Tauern national park. It is named after Mt. Hochschober, 3,242 metres (10,636 ft), though its highest peak is Mt. Petzeck at 3,283 metres (10,771 ft).
The Glockner Group is a sub-group of the Austrian Central Alps in the Eastern Alps, and is located in the centre section of the High Tauern on the main chain of the Alps.
The Venediger Group is a mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps. Together with the Granatspitze Group, the Glockner Group, the Goldberg Group, and the Ankogel Group, it forms the main ridge of the High Tauern. The highest peak is the Großvenediger at 3,657 m (AA), which gives its name to the group. Considerable parts of the Venediger Group belong to the core zone of the High Tauern National Park.
The Granatspitze Group, sometimes also the Granatspitz Group, is a sub-group of the Central Alps within the Eastern Alps. Together with the Ankogel Group, the Goldberg Group, the Glockner Group, the Schober Group, the Kreuzeck Group, the Venediger Group, the Villgraten Mountains and the Rieserferner Group, the Granatspitze Group forms the main range known as the High Tauern. The Granatspitze Group is located in Austria in the federal states of Salzburg and Tyrol. Its highest summit is the Großer Muntanitz, 3,232 m (AA)
The Ankogel Group is a sub-group of the Central Eastern Alps. Together with the Goldberg Group, the Glockner Group, the Schober Group, the Kreuzeck Group, the Granatspitze Group, the Venediger Group, the Villgraten Mountains and the Rieserferner Group it forms the mountain range of the Hohe Tauern.
The Gurktal Alps is a mountain range in the Central Eastern Alps in Austria which is named after the valley of the Gurk river. The range stretches west to Lake Millstatt and east to Neumarkter Sattel. The highest peak is Eisenhut at 2,441m .
The Möll is a river in northwestern Carinthia in Austria, a left tributary of the Drava. Its drainage basin is 1,100.8 km2 (425.0 sq mi).
The Hochalmspitze is located east of Mallnitz in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is sometimes called "Tauern Queen" as a counterpart to the "Tauern King", the Grossglockner.
Großer Hafner is a 3,076 m (10,092 ft) high partly-glaciated mountain of the Ankogel Group in the High Tauern range, located at the border between the Austrian states of Carinthia and Salzburg. It is the easternmost three-thousander peak of the range, and also in the entire Alps.
The Reisseck Group or Reißeck Group is a small mountain sub-range in the Austrian state of Carinthia. As the southern part of the Ankogel Group, it belongs to the High Tauern range of the Central Eastern Alps.