Hoher Dachstein

Aerial view of the Hoher Dachstein from approximately 3,600 m with a low roof tile (left) and Gjaidstein (in the background )

Aerial view of the Dachstein south face with Torstein, and Hoher Dachstein Mitterspitz (from left to right)

North side of the Hoher Dachstein with the Hallstatt glacier, Niederer Dachstein (right), High Cross ( far right) and dirndls (left); seen from Gjaidsteinbdep2

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The Dachstein is the main peak of the Dachstein Massif. It has the shape of a double summit:

• The High Dachstein is with 2995 m above sea level. A. the highest peak of the Dachstein mountain range and also the highest peak in the Austrian states of Upper Austria and Styria.
• This is north, 400 meters from the lower one roof stone with a height of 2934 m above sea level. A. upstream.

Due to its height and attractiveness of the Dachstein has become since the 19th century for climbers to coveted goal after long held the Grimmig for the highest mountain in Styria. Famous are also the 1 km high reddish south walls of Dachstein Limestone.

Location and landscape

The Dachstein is a mountain in the Northern Alps and is after Parseierspitze in the Lech Valley Alps ( 3036 m above sea level. A. ) the second highest peak. During the Low Dachstein is located entirely in Upper Austria, extending over the Hoher Dachstein the border of Upper Austria to Styria. 10 km north-northeast is Hallstatt, round 6 ½ miles south-east is the town of Ramsau, on the western edge of the Lammer Valley.

Glacier

Am Dachstein are several glaciers: the northeast of the main summit, the Hallstatt glacier extends ( historically called Karl ice rink ), east of Schladming glacier, northwest of the Big and Little Gosau glacier and the glacier snow hole. All are now strongly in fading, partly in resolution. Torsteingletscher ( in Windlegerkar ) Edelgrieß Glacier ( southern flank of the Kopp Karst one), and the fields in the Dachstein south face (below the wind gaps) are largely disappeared in recent decades, and nurmehr scree-covered Toteisreste. Where the ice rink is used for the Dachstein glacier, extensive conservation measures are operated. Several of the Dachstein glacier lakes are lakes on the edge of the glacier, especially the glacial lakes of the Hallstättergletschers.

While the maxima of the ice ages of the Dachstein Glacier is one of the most extensive glacier fields of the Eastern Alps was, and has influenced the entire Salzkammergut as well as the Enns valley fundamentally. In principle, the majority of the Salzkammergut lakes glacial lakes of the Dachstein glacier, some lakes on the edge of his tongue, partly dead ice holes or post-glacial bog lakes.

Touristic development

The first ascent of the tourist Hoher Dachstein took place on July 18, 1834 by Peter Charles Thurwieser, led by the brothers Gappmayr Filzmoos and the Gosau glacier, after previously Archduke Charles had failed over the Hallstatt glacier. As part of this climb a wooden cross on the summit has already been built. The first winter ascent was made on 14 January 1847 by Friedrich Simony.

The first climbing route through the south wall of the Hoher Dachstein committed on 22 September 1909, the two brothers Irg Ramsauer ( = Georg ) and Franz Steiner. The road was then called Jacob's ladder of the Steiner Buam and is still considered Steinerweg a popular climbing route.

Since 1951, leads from the Upper Austrian side of the Dachstein cable car up the mountain, since 1969 the Dachstein south face of the Styrian side to the vicinity of the summit.

The Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut region since 1997 a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the peak is the boundary of the core and buffer zone.

Ascent

Since the main peak of the roof tile is the highest peak in Upper Austria and Styria is, is this of many climbers in winter as in summer, visited. On days with good weather conditions are often more than 100 climbers on the road, long traffic jams at key points are possible.

The most popular ascent routes are:

• Shoulder - rise ( Simony Hallstatt - Dachstein Glacier Waiting East Ridge )
• Randkluft increase ( Simonyhütte - Hallstatt Glacier northeast flank )
• West Ridge ( Adamekhütte - Gosau Glacier Upper Wind Lucke - west ridge )

These routes generally require alpine gear ( glacier crossings ) and climbing skills.

The challenging routes run mainly by the Dachstein south wall, one of the classic climbs in the Alps. The best known of these are:

The small peak of Dachsteinwarte east of Hoher Dachstein leads the via ferrata The Johann, which allows crossing of Dachsteinwarte.

Others

2010 was the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei as part of the Styrian cultural festival " regional X" transport a four -ton boulder to the top of the roof tile. The boulder had dissolved in 2008 during a severe earthquake in the Chinese province of Sichuan of a rock wall. For Weiwei he is a symbol of the victims of this earthquake and the unacceptable handling of Chinese politics with disasters.