Hochschwab

Hochschwab (mountain)

The Hochschwab and its south face seen from the Oberen Dullwitz (to the east)
Elevation 2,277 m above sea level (AA) (7,470 ft)
Prominence 2,277-1,226 m ↓ Präbichl
Isolation 38.8 km → Hochtor
Location
Hochschwab (mountain)

Styria, Austria

Range Hochschwab Mountains
Coordinates 47°37′05″N 15°08′32″E / 47.61806°N 15.14222°ECoordinates: 47°37′05″N 15°08′32″E / 47.61806°N 15.14222°E
Geology
Type Wetterstein limestone
Age of rock Anisian - Carnian
Climbing
Normal route via the Aflenzer Staritzen (not difficult)

The Hochschwab summit at sunset

The Hochschwab in the Upper Styria is a mountain, 2,277 m above sea level (AA), and the highest summit in the eponymous mountain range.

Location

The summit of the Hochschwab is a flat, rock and grass-covered dome, that may be reached from the Schiestlhaus (2,153 m (AA)) to the northeast in about half an hour and via the plateau to the west (Biwakschachtel Fleischerhütte[Anm. 1][1][2]) easil climbed can be. The Schiestlhaus may be approached from Seewiesen (974 m (AA)) at the foot of the Steirischer Seeberg via the Seetal valley, the Untere Dullwitz to the Voisthaler Hut, the Obere Dullwitz and the Graf-Meran-Steig, as well as from the north, from Weichselboden in the Salza valley. The showpiece of the Hochschwab is its mighty, south face which has a width of almost two kilometres and rises to a height of up to 300 metres above the Trawies Saddle and the valleys of Trawiestal (to the southwest) and Obere Dullwitz (to the southeast) which meet at that point. There are climbing routes of all grades up the south face.

1988 Hochschwab tragedy

In early November 1988 there was a mountaineering tragedy on the Hochschwab, which triggered the biggest search operation ever undertaken by the Styrian mountain rescue service to that date. A seven-man group was trapped for 2 days and nights in storms and icy temperatures at a height of 2,000 metres above sea level. Following the deployment of 150 Alpine gendarmes and mountain rescue personnel as well as five helicopters, five of the party were already found to be dead and the remaining two survived with serious injuries.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Touristisches. Die Fleischerhütte auf dem Hochschwab. Badener Zeitung, 31. October 1928, o. 4, right centre
  2. ↑ Touristik. Die neue Fleischer-Hütte. Badener Zeitung, 1 November 1929, p. 8, below left
  3. ↑ 7 Alpinisten zwei Tage vermisst

Literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Schutzhaus Fleischerhütte completely razed on 28 May 1928. — See: Allerlei. Brand einer Schutzhütte am Hochschwab. Badener Zeitung, 6 June 1928, p. 5, below left

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hochschwab.