Hohe Tauern

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Hohe Tauern
Range
none Panorama of the Venediger group from the Alte Prager Hütte, a mountain hut
Panorama of the Venediger group from the Alte Prager Hütte, a mountain hut
Countries Austria, Italy
States Salzburg, Carinthia, Tyrol, Bolzano-Bozen
Part of Central Eastern Alps
Highest point Großglockner
 - elevation 3,798 m (12,461 ft)
 - coordinates 47°04′30″N 12°41′40″E / 47.075, 12.69444

The Hohe Tauern, the highest range of the Alps east of the Brenner Pass, includes the highest mountains in Austria. The range is part of the Central Eastern Alps. It is in the Austrian states of Salzburg, Carinthia, and Tyrol - with a small part in the Italian province of Bolzano-Bozen.

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 Niedere Tauern); the Drave 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 parts are (from West to East):

  • Venediger Group (about 20 peaks from 3000 to 3666 m)
  • Granatspitz Group
  • Glockner Group (Großglockner 3798 m)
  • Goldberg Group with the Hoher Sonnblick (3106 m)
  • Ankogel Group (Ankogel (3246 m) and Hochalmspitze (3360 m))
  • the eastern end of the Hohe Tauern is formed by the Hafner Group, which includes the easternmost peaks above 3000 metres in the Alps.

The parts of the Hohe Tauern south of the main crest of the Alps are:

  • Lasörling Groups (Lasörling, 3098 m)
  • Rieserferner Group (Hochgall, 3436 m)
  • Schober Group (Hochschober, 3240 m)
  • Kreuzeck Group (Polinik, 2784 m)

Adjacent mountain ranges include:

The name "Hohe Tauern" originally meant "high passes", but came to be applied to the mountains themselves during the peak of mining operations during the Middle Ages.

In the centre of the region, there is the Nationalpark Hohe Tauern, to which the Austrian Alpine Club and the three states have contributed territory. At about 1800 km², it is the largest of Austria's six national parks and is divided into a core zone (complete prohibition of construction) and a fringe zone used for forestry and mountain pasture.

Tourism only increased marginally since the creation of the national park, but has become less harmful to the environment. A particular emphasis is put on environmental protection and the maintenance of traditional ways of life in the Alps.

[edit] Peaks

Großglockner
Großglockner
Ankogel with Kleinlendkees glacier
Ankogel with Kleinlendkees glacier

The main peaks of the Hohe Tauern are:

Peak Group Elevation (m/ft)
Großglockner Glockner 3798 12,461
Großvenediger Venediger 3660 12,008
Großes Wiesbachhorn Glockner 3570 11,713
Dreiherrnspitze Venediger 3505 11,500
Rötspitze Venediger 3496 11,470
Johannisberg Glockner 3467 11,375
Hochgall Rieserferner 3440 11,287
Großer Geiger Venediger 3365 11,041
Ruthnerhorn Rieserferner 3360 11,024
Hochalmspitze Ankogel 3355 11,008
Roter Knopf Schober 3296 10,814
Hocharn Goldberg 3258 10,689
Ankogel Ankogel 3253 10,663
Hochschober Schober 3250 10,663
Kitzsteinhorn Glockner 3204 10,512
Sonnblick Goldberg 3108 10,196

[edit] Passes and tunnels

The Hohe Tauern are crossed by several tunnels:

The main mountain passes of the Hohe Tauern are:

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-Valle Aurina 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 foot path 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 foot path 2650 8695
Kaprunertorl Kaprun to upper Stubachtal snow 2635 8645
Virgner or Defereggertorl Defereggental to Virgen foot path 2617 8586
Backlenke or Trojerjoch Defereggental to Prägraten foot path 2613 8573
Hochtor Heiligenblut to Ferleiten road [1] 2573 8442
Felber Tauern Matrei in Osttirol to Mittersill bridle path 2540 8334
Kalser Tauern Kals to Mittersill foot path 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 foot path 2405 7891
Klammljoch Defereggental to Sand in Taufers-Campo Tures bridle path 2291 7517
Arlscharte Gmünd to Sankt Johann im Pongau foot path 2251 7386
Kals Matreiertorl Kals to Matrei bridle path 2206 7238
Stanz Bad Gastein to Rauris foot path 2103 6900
Stallersattel Defereggental to Antholz road 2055 6742
Radstädter Tauern Radstadt to Mauterndorf road 1738 5702

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ A tunnel goes under the pass at 2505 metres
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Coordinates: 47°10′N 12°30′E / 47.167, 12.5