High Tauern

The High Tauern (pl.; , ) 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 above the Adriatic.

In the east, the range is adjoined by the Lower Tauern. For the etymology of the name, see Tauern.

Geography 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):

Venediger Group (including Grossvenediger, , and Lasörling, ) Granatspitze Group (Großer Muntanitz, , and Granatspitze, ) Glockner Group (Grossglockner, ) Goldberg Group (Hoher Sonnblick, ) Ankogel Group (Hochalmspitze, , Ankogel, ) and Reisseck Group (Reisseck, ) 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): Rieserferner Group (Hochgall, ) Villgraten Mountains (Weiße Spitze, ) Schober Group (including the Petzeck, and Hochschober, ) Kreuzeck Group (Mölltaler Polinik, )

High Tauern National Park

Along 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.

Peaks

The main peaks of the High Tauern are: Peak Group Elevation (m/ft)Prominence (m/ft)GroßglocknerGlockner379812,46124237,949GroßvenedigerVenediger366612,02811993,934Großes WiesbachhornGlockner356411,6934771,565DreiherrnspitzeVenediger349911,4805911,939RötspitzeVenediger349611,4706532,142JohannisbergGlockner345311,329277909Hochgall Rieserferner343611,27311483,766Hoher EichhamVenediger337111,0603251,066Hoher TennGlockner336811,0503351,099MalhamspitzeVenediger336811,0503191,047HochalmspitzeAnkogel336011,0249423,091Großer GeigerVenediger336011,024293961Schneebiger NockRieserferner335811,0175421,778FuscherkarkopfGlockner333110,9284891,604KeeskogelVenediger329110,7973731,224SchlieferspitzeVenediger329010,7945131,683PetzeckSchober328310,7718022,631Roter KnopfSchober328110,7645561,824AnkogelAnkogel326410,7095701,870HocharnGoldberg325410,6766782,224Großer HornkopfSchober325110,6664561,496Hohe FürleggVenediger324310,6403851,263HochschoberSchober324210,6364381,437Großer MuntanitzGranatspitze323210,6047172,352HocheiserGlockner320610,5185771,893GlödisSchober320610,5183701,214KitzsteinhornGlockner320410,5124391,440DurreckVenediger313510,2856262,054Hoher SonnblickGoldberg310610,196271889LasörlingVenediger309810,1644901,608Großer HafnerHafner306810,0668682,848Hoher PrijaktSchober306410,0524701,542Weisse SpitzeVillgraten29639,7219203,018Mölltaler PolinikKreuzeck27849,13415805,184

Tunnels and passes

The High Tauern are crossed by three tunnels: Tauern Railway Tunnel between Bad Gastein and Mallnitz, finished in 1906 Katschberg Tunnel on A10 Tauern Autobahn (European route E55) leading from Sankt Michael im Lungau and the Tauern Road Tunnel to Rennweg Felbertauerntunnel on B108 Felbertauern Straße highway, between Mittersill and Matrei in Osttirol

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 under the Hochtor Pass (). East of it, the Katschberg Pass () 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 .

Beside there are numerous bridle and footpaths, in part used since ancient times: Mountain passLocationTypeElevation (m/ft) Riffeltor Kaprun to Heiligenblutsnow3051 10,010 Bockkarscharte Ferleiten to Heiligenblutsnow3046 9994 Sonnblickscharte Rauris to Heiligenblutsnow2979 9774 Vörder Umbaltorl Prägraten to Ahrntalsnow2928 9607 Obersulzbachtorl Prägraten to Wald im Pinzgausnow2926 9600 Untersulzbachtorl Innergschlöß to Wald im Pinzgausnow2865 9400 Schwarzkopfscharte Innergschlöß to Brambergsnow2850 9351 Prägratertorl Prägraten to Defereggentalfootpath 2846 9338 Glodistorl Lienz to Kalssnow2832 9292 Antholzerscharte Rein in Taufers to Rasen-Antholzsnow2820 9252 Krimmlertorl Krimmler Achental to Obersulzbachtalsnow2814 9233 Goldzechscharte Rauris to Heiligenblutsnow2810 9220 Kalsertorl Lienz to Kalssnow2803 9197 Ober Tramerscharte Rauris to Döllachsnow2802 9193 Kleine Elendscharte Bad Gastein to Gmündsnow2739 8987 Kleine Zirknitzscharte Rauris to Döllachsnow2719 8921 MallnitzerscharteMallnitz to Gmündsnow2677 8783 Große Elendscharte Mallnitz to upper Maltatalsnow2673 8770 Unter Pfandlscharte Ferleiten to Heiligenblutsnow2665 8744 Bergertorl Ferleiten to Heiligenblutfootpath 2650 8695 Kaprunertorl Kaprun to upper Stubachtalsnow2635 8645 Virgner or Defereggertorl Defereggental to Virgenfootpath 2617 8586 Backlenke or Trojerjoch Defereggental to Prägratenfootpath 2613 8573 Felber TauernMatrei in Osttirol to Mittersillbridle path2540 8334 Kalser TauernKals to Mittersillfootpath2512 8242 Hohe Tauern Bad Gastein to Mallnitzbridle path2463 8081 Niedere or Mallnitzer Tauern Bad Gastein to Mallnitzbridle path2414 7920 Fuschertorl Ferleiten to the Seidlwinkeltal footpath2405 7891 Klammljoch Defereggental to Sand in Taufersbridle path 2291 7517 Arlscharte Gmünd to Sankt Johann im Pongaufootpath 2251 7386 Kals MatreiertorlKals to Matreibridle path 2206 7238 StanzBad Gastein to Raurisfootpath2103 6900

High Tauern

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