Solid mass of Dachstein

Geography

Situation

The chain of Dachstein is surrounded of the following assembly lines:

the Massive of Salzkammergut (in the North-West)
the dead Massive (in the North-East)
the Niedere the Tauern (in the south)
the Massive of Tennen (in the west)

It is bordered in south-east by the Enns.

Principal Summits

The solid mass extends on the whole on 20 × 30 km with a dozen tops exceeding the 2.500 the m, highest being in the south-south-east:

Hoher Dachstein, 2.995 m
Torstein, 2.948 m
Mitterspitz, 2.925 m
Koppenkarstein, 2.863 m
Hoher Gjaidstein, 2.792 m
Hunerkogel, 2.694 m
Scheichenspitze, 2.667 m
Bischofsmütze, 2.458 m
Large Bischofsmütze, 2.458 m
Grosswand, 2.415 m
Armkarwand, 2.348 m
Däumling, 2.322 m
Sternkogel, 2.320 m
Mandlkogel, 2.273 m
Wasserkarkogel, 2.268 m
Rötelstein, 2.247 m

Topography

The chain of Dachstein offers two well contrasted slopes: on north, since the Lakes Gosau, the image of the glaciers, overhung by the chain of the tops is essential; while the southern frontage is made up of vertical walls.

The chain of Dachstein includes/understands three large glaciers, which are most septentrional and more in the east of all the the Alps.

glacier of Hallstatt
Large glacier of Gosau
glacier of Schladming

One finds moreover small glaciers, like the Small glacier of Gosau and Schneeloch. The glaciers regress quickly: thus the glacier of Hallstatt moved back of 20 m for the only year 2003. It is provided that within 80 years the area will be completely deprived of ice.

By its situation exposed between the Lake Hallstatt, the valley of the Traun, the broad valley of the Enns and the smaller collars, it has an important effect on the local climate.

To the east the karstic plate “ Auf dem Stein ” comes to be attached to it, which is prolonged by the link of Kemet (Stoderzinken, Kammspitze) and the peak of Grimming. The plate is in the north of Dachstein, and extends until Krippenstein, in Bischofsmütze ( Chapeau of the Bishop ) and until Speikberg. This plate, desert of ice the winter and arid plain the summer, was in 1954 the theater of the “tragedy of Heilbronn” (see hereafter).

The solid mass of Dachstein is prolonged towards the abrupt peak of Gosau, from which a top isolated, Bischofsmütze (2 458 m), offers by the west a very appreciated way of the mountaineers in spite of his fragile rock. In the north of the chain, in the bed of Traun, are the refrigerator of the Giant and the caves of Koppenbrüll (Tropfstein).

Geology

The dominant rock of the solid mass is the Calcaire of Dachstein, which is present also in the septentrional Préalpes Eastern, for example in the Dolomites of the Trentin-Haut-Adige where it forms vertical walls. It was formed during the higher Trias, approximately 220 million years ago.

Dachstein is a typical area Karst ic where made themselves of innumerable cavities. On the northern slope some of largest caves of Austria are the, such as for example the cave of the mammoth of Dachstein, the Hirlatz cave and the refrigerator of the Giant.

He is known for his wealth of Fossile S. Ainsi, around the way of Linz ( Linzer Weg ) fall one directly on Kuhtritte (remainders of Coquillage S).

The limestone of reef of Dachstein, more massive, constitutes inter alia the peaks of Gosau.

History

Exploration

In 1810, the archduke Jean-Baptiste of Austria makes a success of the first crossing of the solid mass of Dachstein. It crosses the principal peak on the level of the brêche of Feist in the current surroundings of the hut of Guttenberg. Two years later, the archduke Charles Louis of Austria undertakes the attempt at rise of the top of Hoher Dachstein, but must turn back with the glacier of Hallstatt.

In 1819, Torstein, the most Western top of the southern slope of Dachstein, is climbed for the first time by Jakob Buchsteiner. In 1834, the culminating point of the solid mass is finally reached by Karl Thurwieser and Peter Gappmayr.

Friedrich Simony devotes to the XIXe century much of years of research in the area. In 1847, it carries out the first winter rise. It also sets up many ways and refuges to make available Hoher Dachstein. August 14th, 1872, his/her oldest son, Oskar Simony, is the first to reach Mitterspitz, the third highest top in the principal peak. Lastly, its young person sons, Arthur Simony, is the first to climb Koppenkarstein, on August 20th, 1873.

July 17th, 1910, Georg Lahner and others succeed in more deeply pushing their descent in the refrigerator of the Giant. The same year begins the exploration of the cave of the mammoth, and starting from 1980 that of the cave of the southern slope intensifies.

The tragedy of Heilbronn

At the time of Thursday of Pentecost 1954, ten pupils and their teacher of Heilbronn leave for an excursion one day in order to make the turn of Krippenstein. Whereas they arrive at Obertraun, the bad weather is announced, but they continue without difficulty their walk until the mountain pastures of Schönberg, where one warns them against the risks that they run. Whereas they start the rise towards the plate, they cross two employees going down again precipitately, who invite them without success to make half-turn. The fog falls then quickly on the mountain then a storm falls down, which covers the ground of one meter snow. In this virgin karstic landscape of tree and any benchmark, the group disperses and is at the thank you of a fall at every moment. However, the teacher and his pupils manage to build a Igloo but, impatientés by the duration of the fog, they will end up leaving this shelter.

The raised storm, it follows the most intense rescue campaign which the area knew. One will find the last two corpses only after 43 days of research. All the walkers were deaths cold.

The “cross of Heilbronn” commemorates this catastrophe of Dachstein, as well as a memorial with the central cemetery of Heilbronn.

Peter Gruber, writer originating High-Styrie, tried in his last novel Tod amndt Stein (2006) to give a fictionalized version of this tragedy. He spent the years to join together the elements of his book by examining the files of Heilbronn.

Activities

Winter sports resorts

Filzmoos
Gosau
Hallstatt
Obertraun
Ramsau amndt Dachstein

In winter of the tracks skiables are open as well on the northern slope as on the southern slope. The crossing of the solid mass in Ski touring of the south (Ramsau) in north (Obertraun or Hallstatt) is also a very appreciated excursion.

Alpinism

As a principal top of the solid mass and culminating point of High-Austria and Styrie, Hoher Dachstein is climbed as well in winter as in summer. The days when good weather situations are present, it is frequent to find a hundred mountaineers in way and stoppers in the key places. But many other tops and ways constitute popular destinations for the hikers:

Hoher Gjaidstein (2 794 m): can be reached easily by the station of the southern slope of Dachstein
Hoher Krippenstein (2 108 m): terminus of the Cable car of Obertraun
Zinken (1 854 m): top more in the North-East of the chain, accessible only after one tiring excursion one day since Bad Aussee
Kufstein (2 049 m): the Eastern top with an excellent panorama on the surrounding mountains
Scheichenspitze (2 667 m): the southernmost top
Rötelstein (Rettenstein, 2.247 m): top more in south-west, with an interesting sight on the southern slope of the solid mass

The crossing of the solid mass in the direction length, more extended much, is done since the Hofpürgel refuge in the link of Gosau until Stoderzinken. This race can be accomplished in its “alternative glacier” (with crossing by the glaciers of Gosau, Hallstatt and Schladming) or in its “alternative without glacier” (with crossing in the first part with the foot of cliffs of the southern slope).

Apart from that, many routes of Via ferrata are present in the area. Most known and most interesting are located in almost vertical cliffs of the southern slope:

Steinerweg (Hoher Dachstein, traditional route, IV+)
Pichlweg (Hoher Dachstein, traditional route, IV)
Koppenkarstein-Südwand (traditional route, IV)
“Thank you Cerri” (Koppenkarstein, sporting route)
“Der Johann” (Dachsteinwarte, via-ferrata)
Via ferrata for Ramsau (Scheichenspitze, via-ferrata)

Hoher Dachstein with the characteristic to shelter a pedestrian tunnel which makes it possible to connect the station of mountain of the southern slope at the beginning of via ferrata of Ramsau and at the beginning of the route of cross-country ski run through Edelgries.

Cable cars

The solid mass is equipped with two Téléphérique S:

Cable car of Dachstein with Obertraun: this installation made up of four sections brings the tourists towards the natural refrigerators and Krippenstein. In winter, certain departures of ski are also done starting from this place. Recently, Krippenstein became an important center of Free-wrinkle in Austria.
Cable car of the southern slope with Ramsau amndt Dachstein: it crosses 1000 meters without any pylon and finishes in Hunerkogel (2 687 m), with the one of low the culminating points of the southern slope. It also makes it possible to reach the small skiable field of summer and the center of drive of Ski touring of the glacier of Schladming.

Excursion

Ways of great excursion

The Via Alpina, a transborder footpath including/understanding five routes through the Alps, crosses also the chain of Dachstein. The way violet of Via Alpina crosses the chain in two stages:

A33 Stage since Gosau to the Theodor-Körner refuge by the refuge of Gablonz
A34 Stage since the Theodor-Körner refuge until Lungötz by the refuge of Hofpürgl

Refuges

In the north of the watershed (of west in is):

Refuge Adamek (2 196 m)
Refuge of Seethal ( refuge of the halt ) (2 741 m)
Refuge Simony (2 205 m)
Hut Wiesberg (1 872 m)
Relay “amndt Krippenstein” (2 060 m) - in the past “Krippenstein shelter”

In the south of the watershed (of west in is):

Refuge of the southern slope (1 871 m)
Refuge Austria (1 638 m)
Hut Guttenberg (2 147 m)
Refuge Silberkar (1 223 m)

Tourism

Other tourist attractions:

the refrigerator of the Giant of Dachstein, the cave of the Mammoth and the cave of the echoes: all these karstic galleries are accessible since Obertraun.
Several footpaths in particular through the timbered hills, which are in the south: Bachlalm, Brandriedl, etc
Silberkarklamm: small ravines escarpés in south-west
the alpine museum: a small museum is in the cellars of the refuge “Austriahütte” with Brandriedl.
the museum of the caves is close to the station of the Schönbergalp funicular to go towards the “cave of the mammoth”; one can see there a model in three dimensions of the caves, as well as the history of the speleological research undertaken in the area.

See too

Geography of the Eastern Alps

External bonds

Climbing and via-ferrata in the southern part of Dachstein
Description of the routes and photographs of the southern slope of Dachstein by the way Steiner
Photographs of Dachstein by the workshop Mr. Klüber
the turn of Dachstein by the refuge Simony
the giant cave
the accident of Dachstein
Climbing and via-ferrata in Dachstein
glaciers of Dachstein at the XXe century

Sources

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