Gesäuse
Coordinates: 47 ° 35 ' N , 14 ° 39' E
The Gesäuse is a mountain group in the Northern Limestone Alps . With craggy limestone peaks and the transverse valley of the Enns it forms the northeastern part of the Ennstal Alps in Austria . In 2002, a large part of the Gesaeuse was declared a Gesaeuse National Park .
Topography and neighboring mountains
Strictly speaking, the Gesäuse only refers to the 16 km long valley of the Enns between Admont and Hieflau and the side valleys of Radmer and Johnsbach . The Enns overcomes a gradient of over 150 meters within this short stretch. The wild foaming, rapidly flowing wild water gave this high alpine section its name. The Styrian Ennstal upstream is characterized to the west by a very wide, almost flat valley floor. Downriver follows the further narrow valley of the Enns, the Upper Austrian Ennstal , which together with the Gesäuse forms the breakthrough of the Enns through the northern Alps .
Steep limestone mountains tower over the valley on both sides of the river and form the well-known climbing walls of the Gesäuses. The area of the Gesäuses is regionally - as well as in the literature - delimited very differently. Most of the mountain guides include the Haller Walls . Gesäuseberge, Haller Mauern and Eisenerzer Alpen together form the mountainous region of the Ennstal Alps .
To the north of the Enns, the mountains of the Buchstein group determine the landscape. To the south of the river rise the peaks of the Admonter-Reichensteingruppe , the Hochtorgruppe and the Zinödl-Lugauer-Gruppe . In the northwest, the Buchauer Sattel separates the Haller Walls from the Großer Buchstein. In the north of the Gesäuse Mountains, the Reichraminger Hintergebirge and the Ybbstal Alps meet, separated from the Enns, which flows down to the Danube . In the east, the Gesäuse borders on the wooded western foothills of the Hochschwab and the Eisenerzer Alps. The main ridge of the Eisenerzer Alps also borders the Gesäuse in the south and separates it from the Palten and Liesingtal valleys . To the west, the Totes Gebirge / Warscheneckstock rise to the north and the Rottenmanner Tauern range south of the Enns, the first from the Pyhrn Pass to the west, the second from the Paltental south-west.
Subgroups
Buchstein group
The mountains of the Buchstein group tower up to 1700 meters to the north over the Enns. In the western part of the group, striking ledges made of grippy Dachstein limestone offer excellent climbing walls for all levels. The highest and westernmost mountain is the Große Buchstein (2224 m). Experienced mountain hikers often use the normal route to climb the summit from the Buchsteinhaus . Beyond the Enns, the steep north walls of the Hochtor group offer an impressive sight. The Bruckgraben drains the Buchstein group in a deep, narrow gorge towards the Enns . The ridge course is exposed up to the Tieflimauer (1820 m) and therefore requires climbing experience, a head for heights and surefootedness from the hiker . To the north-east of the Großer Buchstein is the 1990 m high Kleine Buchstein , the summit of which was long considered inaccessible. In the eastern part of the book Stone Group is located at the foot of the 2,035 m high Tamischbachturms the Ennstal hut . It is the oldest refuge in the Ennstal Alps. The striking Tamischbach tower is easy to climb for less experienced hikers and offers a comprehensive panorama.
Hochtorgruppe
The Hochtor group rises imposingly from the Ennstal with its limestone walls rising up to 1000 meters. The famous north faces offer climbing tours of all levels of difficulty . Many climbers lost their lives in these walls. The Hochtor group is the most popular and most visited climbing region in the Ennstal Alps. All climbs to the summit, including the normal routes, require experience, surefootedness and a head for heights from the mountain hiker. Partly secured approaches from the Ennstal via the Wasserfallweg , through the Haindlkar and via the historic Peternpfad have been evidence of the popularity of this mountaineering region for over 100 years. In the west, directly under the north walls, the traditional Haindlkarhütte is a base for hiking and climbing tours from the Haindlkar. In the east, which is located below the Hochtor Heßhütte . It is the starting point for climbing the Hochzinödl and all the Hochtorg peaks. In the ridge from east to west, the Planspitze (2117 m) with its climbing wall up to 780 m high is the first peak of the group. After the two Peternschartenköpf the 2152 m high Roßkuppe follows . The main summit and highest mountain in the entire Ennstal Alps is the 2369 m high Hochtor . The mountain breaks off on all sides with steep walls. Over the Haindlkarturm (2238 m) and the Festkogel (2261 m) the ridge leads in the west to the massive summit of the 2335 m high Großer Ödstein .
Admonter Reichenstein Group
The Admonter-Reichenstein Group is as important for hikers and mountaineers as the Hochtor Group. South of the Enns, the Reichenstein group rises from the entrance to the Gesäuse to the market town of Admont . It is separated from the Hochtor group by the gorge-like Johnsbach valley. The easternmost peak is the Totenköpfl, just to the west of it is the highest peak in the group; the 2251 m high Admonter Reichenstein . There is no easy path leading to him. The base for the ascent is the Mödlinger Hut located south of the Treffner Alm . Separated by the Wildscharte, the peaks of the 2247 m high Sparafeld and the 2196 m high Admonter Kalblings follow to the west . The walls of the group to the Flitzenalm slope down to the south. A particularly popular climbing mountain is the Kalbling , also because of the easy access via the Oberst-Klinke-Hütte and above all because of the famous climbing routes on the west and south faces. Experienced mountain hikers can climb the summit of Kalbling relatively easily using the normal route . In the west, the 2011 m high Kreuzkogel completes the Admonter Reichenstein group. At the foot of this summit is the market town of Admont. The transition from the Kreuzkogel to the Kalbling over the Riffelgrat with a great view should only be used by experienced mountain hikers.
Lugauer-Zinödl Group
The Lugauer-Zinödl group is located southeast of the Hochtor group. The panoramic summit of the Hochzinödl (2191 m) is easily accessible from the Hesshütte . The steeply sloping crags face 600 m to the south-east and offer some climbing routes. To the northwest and north, the mountain falls with a forest slope that breaks off towards the Ennstal with walls up to 800 m high. The dilapidated Zinödlalm (Wolfbauernhochalm, 1480 m) lies in this forest, which was pastureland until the 19th century. It was not accessible from the north, from the Ennstal, for the cattle, for hunters and herdsmen only via the steep and dangerous so-called handle bar. It got its name from the trimmed and debarked young trees, the "handling", which served as an early preliminary form of road insurance. The cattle drove the Johnsbach farmers from the opposite side: over the Ennseck and the western slope of the Zinödl to "Gass" (1930 m) on the northern summit ridge of the Zinödl, then on the descent over the alpine meadows (which are now overgrown) above the wall to the Zinödlalm. The handling path is not preserved and hardly used any more. The Zinödlalm is culturally and historically significant for the intensive pasture management up to the 19th century, which, despite enormous access difficulties, still used the last meadow areas. Today it is one of the most rarely visited and lonely places in the Gesäuses.
Climbing the isolated from the Radmertal towering Lugauers requires (2,217 m) with its twin peaks for heights and surefootedness and (m height difference from the Enns 1700, of Radmer 1500 m) on all sides very long. From the east, the Lugauer looks particularly striking, which has earned the locals the somewhat exaggerated name of the Styrian Matterhorn . The panoramic view from the Lugauer is excellent.
geology
The Gesäuse Mountains are part of the Northern Limestone Alps. This is where the sequence of layers begins with the Präbichl layers (presumably Permian ). This is a consequence of conglomerates , quartzites and clay stones in the lying area of the Werfen strata (lower Triassic ). Above Werfener sandstones and slates, there is a saline series with gypsum and hazel mountains , which is interlocked with dolomite and various limestone . This is followed by the dark Gutenstein dolomite, which contains lentils from Gutenstein lime.
The predominant rock of the Middle Triassic is the Wetterstein dolomite , which forms the basis of all high Gesäuse mountains. It originated as lime in a tropical sea and was later largely converted into dolomite. However, a number of limestone deposits were not affected by this conversion, the largest being the Bruckstein. Above this are the thin Raibler strata , which consist of sandstone and slate in the north and colored limestone and dolomite in the south. The Upper Triassic consists of Dachstein dolomite and the overlying Dachstein limestone , from which the steep and landscape-defining rock faces of the high mountains are made. Like the older Wetterstein limestone, the Dachstein limestone can be divided into a central reef area and the reef.
Rocks from the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods have only been preserved in tectonically favorable positions. These are spotted marl and crinoid limestone from the Jura and Gosau (conglomerates, sandstone with coal and clay). From the Tertiary , Augenstein gravel has been preserved locally on high-lying old areas, which were transported by rivers from the south even before the limestone Alps were raised. Finally, in the Quaternary , moraines , terraces and, most recently, moors emerged.
nature
National park
Most of the Gesaeuse was declared the Gesaeuse National Park in 2002. This makes it the youngest of six Austrian national parks .
Flora and fauna
Around 90 species of breeding birds, marmots , chamois , roe deer and deer can be seen in the wild . The flora includes around 50 species of orchids.
history
There are copper deposits in the Johnsbach Valley that date back to the 15th century BC. Were exploited, as shown by slag finds. In the late Middle Ages , the first use of alpine pastures and the beginning of logging activities in this area took place. Then large parts of the territory belonged to the Benedictines - Admont (founded in 1074).
The tourist development began with the opening of the Kronprinz-Rudolfsbahn (1872), which runs through the Gesäuse. The Viennese mountain pioneer Heinrich Heß , who made many first ascents (like at Hochtor in 1877), is considered to be the “discoverer” . He is the author of the first Gesäusführer, which is considered a prototype for this type of literature. The Hesshütte , the most important base for mountaineers in the Hochtor area, is named after the Gesäus pioneer.
Mainly in the 1920s, numerous climbing routes were developed in the north faces of the Hochtorgruppe, on Admonter Reichenstein and on Buchstein.
Important valley locations and cultural sights
In addition to the landscape and the mountains, Admont Abbey is a major attraction for tourists. It offers the largest monastic library room in the world with an extensive collection of books, a collegiate church well worth seeing, a natural history collection and contemporary art. Röthelstein Castle rises above Admont , a former summer residence of the Admont abbots. The castle was expanded into one of the most beautiful youth hostels in Austria. The parish churches in the districts of Weng and Hall are worth seeing. A few kilometers to the west, the pilgrimage church Frauenberg an der Enns dominates the valley, it offers a panoramic view of the Haller walls and the limestone walls of the western Gesäuse mountains.
Over the Buchauer Sattel (850 m) the road leads to Sankt Gallen with a beautiful parish church and the ruins of Gallenstein, a former refuge of the Admont abbots. The little road to Großreifling leads past the neo-romantic building of Kassegg Palace . The Austrian Forest Museum Silvanum is located in Großreifling .
Hieflau is an old ironworks settlement at the confluence of the Erzbach into the Enns. In the past, the inhabitants needed a lot of wood for iron smelting in the smelting furnaces. This wood was drifted through the Gesäuseschlucht and caught by a huge wooden rake in Hieflau, of which remains from the early 16th century can still be seen today. Other sights: the parish church, the local history museum and buildings of the former mining company.
The only place in the breakthrough valley of the Gesaeuse is Gstatterboden . It is the starting point for tours to all of the Gesäuse mountains on both sides of the Enns.
Two side valleys south of the Enns are noteworthy. The municipality of Radmer in the Radmertal consists of the districts Radmer an der Stube and Radmer an der Hasel. Radmer an der Stube has a very beautiful pilgrimage church. Radmer an der Hasel is the starting point for climbing the Lugauer and for tours into the Eisenerzer Alps. The mountain village of Johnsbach is located in the Johnsbach Valley , a scattered settlement and a tourist main town in the Gesäuses. The small mountain church is surrounded by a well-known mountaineer cemetery. The inscriptions on the crosses and tombstones bear witness to the fate of the mountaineers who lost their lives in the mountains of the Gesaeuse. Directly opposite the cemetery rise the richly structured rock walls of the Großer Ödstein , whose spikes and towers in the church ridge extend almost to the cemetery wall. The summit region can be reached on hikes over the Mödlinger Hütte and the Hesshütte.
tourism
Mountain sports
Not only traditional alpine climbers , but also sport climbers appreciate the area because it offers challenging rock faces with easy access. In winter the Gesäuse offers skiers a number of ski tours . The Kalbling ski lift was built in 1967 and its operation ceased after three decades.
water sports
The Enns in Gesäuse offers opportunities for white water paddling up to the highest levels of difficulty . The dam at the Kummerbrücke below Gstatterboden has significantly changed part of the white water course.
Mountain huts
- Admonter Haus (1723 m): on Grabnertörl in the Haller walls
- Bosruckhütte (1043 m): on the northern flank of the Bosruck, west of the Haller Walls
- Buchsteinhaus (1546 m): south below the Großer Buchstein
- Ennstaler Hütte (1544 m): on the saddle west of the Tamischbach tower in the Gesäuse mountains
- Goferhütte (978 m): in the Gofergraben under the north walls of the Admonter Reichenstein, self-catering hut
- Haindlkarhütte (1121 m): in the Haindlkar at the foot of the Hochtor
- Hesshütte (1699 m): on the Ennseck, east of the Hochtor
- Mödlinger Hütte (1523 m): on the Treffner Alm south of the Admonter Reichenstein
- Oberst-Klinke-Hütte (1486 m): near the Kalblinggatterl, south of the Admonter Kalbling
Individual evidence
- ↑ In 1960 a door lintel with the year 1786 carved into it could still be seen on the half-collapsed alpine hut.
- ↑ K.-H. Büchner: Geology of the Northern and Southwestern Gesäuse Mountains (Upper Styria, Austria) ., Diss.-Druck Marburg 1970
literature
- Günter and Luise Auferbauer: Gesäuse with Eisenerzer Alps . Hiking guide, Bergverlag Rother , Ottobrunn 2001, ISBN 3-7633-4213-3 .
- Willi End : Ennstal Alps - Gesäuse Mountains . Alpine Club Guide, Bergverlag Rudolf Rother, Munich 1988, ISBN 3-7633-1248-X .
- Hubert Walter: Gesäuse with Admont . Area and selection guide, Bergverlag Rudolf Rother, Munich 1989, ISBN 3-7633-3248-0 .
- Hubert Wolf, Josef Hasitschka: Gesäuse National Park , Styria, Graz 2002, ISBN 3-222-12997-5 .
- Toni Kerschbaumer, Herfried Marek: Three colors of nature . Picture-text volume, Marek & Kerschbaumer Verlag, Wörschach 2005, ISBN 3-9501573-3-6 .
- Jürgen Reinmüller, Andreas Hollinger: XEIS SELECTION . Selected climbing guide Gesäuse, Alpine Rescue Service Gesäuse, 2009.
- Ernst Kren, Wolfgang Heitzmann: Gesäuse - National Park and Ennstal Alps . Steirische Verlagsgesellschaft, Graz 2002, ISBN 3-85489-081-8 .
- Ernst Kren: Gesäuse - variety to be amazed . Steirische Verlagsgesellschaft, Graz 2007, ISBN 978-3-7011-7602-1 .
- Ernst Kren: Gesäuse tour book - ways - huts - summit . Schall-Verlag 2011, ISBN 978-3-900533-64-9 .
- Hasitschka, Kren, Mokrejs: Gesäuse pioneers - stories from the university of mountaineering . Schall-Verlag, 2008, ISBN 978-3-900533-53-3 . ( online )
- Hasitschka, Kren, Mokrejs: The Ödstein - A King Among Kings . Schall-Verlag, 2010, ISBN 978-3-900533-61-8 .
- Hasitschka, Kren, Mokrejs: Exquisite Gesäuse - An alpine literary journey through time . Schall-Verlag, 2012, ISBN 978-3-900533-72-4 . ( online )
