Page Type: | Mountain/Rock |
---|---|
Lat/Lon: | 47.15040°N / 12.52110°E |
Activities: | Hiking, Skiing |
Season: | Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter |
Elevation: | 9586 ft / 2922 m |
> DEC 10th, 2022: Interactive map embedded.
> FEB 13th, 2013 - SP V3 design updated.
> AUG 1st, 2005 - Interactive Google map inserted.
Hochgasser is a very popular tour skiing summit in Granatspitz Group. Everybody probably knows the two major Hohe Tauern groups: The Grossvenediger Group on the west and the Grossglockner Group on the east. Well, The Granatspitz Group lies between them, its crest is running in a north-south direction. The Grossvenediger group ends on the east with Felber Tauern (Pass), 2481 m. The next summit towards the east already belongs to Granatspitz Group and this is Hochgasser. Just through Hochgasser runs the Felbertauern tunnel, connecting the province of East Tirol with the Salzach valley and thus connecting southern and central Austria.
Evidence exists that Felber Tauern was in use already in the Roman times. It's greatest importance was in times between 1300 a.d. and 1550 a.d. when heavy traffic went over it. Now because of the tunnel the mountain pass is left to mountaineers (and electric mains) only.
The slopes of Hochgasser fall steep towards the north-east and much les steep towards the south. That is why it offers one of the most popular ski tours, which has one more advantage: you can start it just from the parking place on the main road.
In winter and spring the summit is often ascended and in any season when the visbility is fine Hochgasser offers a magnificent panorama: The Grossvenediger Group on the west, the Grossglockner Group on the east, many groups of Central and Northern Alps towards the north (Wilder Kaiser, Kitzbuehler Alps, the groups of Loefer and Leogang and Berchtesgaden Alps to name only some of them). And from the south the touch of warm Dolomites already reaches us.
From the north: In the Salzach valley we turn south in Mittersill, driving by Felber Bach and later by Amer Bach till the end of the valley. There we enter the tunnel and park by the south portal, or below, at the Matreier Tauernhaus, 1512 m. Ascending Hochgasser from the north is also possible, but routes are long. One possibility is to start at Tauernhaus in Tauerntal, 1160 m and from there ascend the Felber Tauern (pass). From the south: From Lienz you drive by the valley of Isel towards the north-west and north to Matrei. From there you follow the main road towards the north just to the south portal of the Felbertauern tunnel, 1600 m or to the Matreier Tauernhaus, 1512 m. Maps: > AV-Nr. 36, Venedigergruppe, AV-Nr. 39, Granatspitzgruppe. Red TapeNo restrictions. When To ClimbFor tour skiing the best months are February to April. The slopes are south oriented, so you should choose the conditions when snow lies down to the main road. In summer and autumn the best proposal would be long treks over the Hohe Tauern ridges, probably in calm autumn days. |
On the southern slopes the Gruenseehuette lies (2235 m). It's a self-catering hut, completely renewed in 2019. Fopr sleeping there, reservation is needed. There used to be a cable car from the Matreier Tauernhaus to the "Venedigerblick" at about 2000 m. But because of no profit this cable car does not run anymore. So you have to walk from the very beginning".
West of the summit, on the Felber Tauern (pass) the St. Poeltner Huette (2481 m) stands.