Kitzsteinhorn

Kitzsteinhorn

Kitzsteinhorn (left) over the Schmiedingerkees, as seen from Schmittenhöhe, 16 km to the North
Highest point
Elevation 3,029 m (9,938 ft)
Prominence 439 m (1,440 ft)
Coordinates 47°11′17″N 12°41′15″E / 47.18806°N 12.68750°E / 47.18806; 12.68750Coordinates: 47°11′17″N 12°41′15″E / 47.18806°N 12.68750°E / 47.18806; 12.68750
Geography
Kitzsteinhorn

Location within Austria

Location Salzburg, Austria
Parent range Hohe Tauern
Climbing
First ascent 1828 by Johann Entacher

The Kitzsteinhorn is a mountain in the main chain of the Alps in the district of Kaprun, Salzburg, Austria. The Kitzsteinhorn is part of the Hohe Tauern range in the eastern Alps and reaches a height of 3,203 m (10,509 ft) above sea level.[1] It was first climbed in 1828 by Johann Entacher.

The summit can be reached using the Kaprun Gletscherbahnen (Glacier Railways), from the valley station at 911 m (2,989 ft). For a long time, this was the highest cable car pylon in the world, being 113.6 m (373 ft) tall with a diameter of 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in). There is a viewing platform on the roof of the station, at 3,035 m (9,957 ft) above sea level.

The cable car was opened in 1965, and opened up the Schmiedingerkees and Maurerkees glaciers, making it Austria's first glacier ski slope. An underground funicular railway was opened in 1974,[1] after two and a half years of building works to create the 3,295-metre (10,810 ft) long tunnel, to run in parallel with the cable car, for greater capacity.

This funicular was the location of the Kaprun disaster in which 155 people died on 11 November 2000.[2][3] To replace the funicular, GletscherjetI (Glacier Jet I), a 24-person funitel, was brought into service on 23 December 2001. GletscherjetII, a gondola lift, followed in the next year, opening on 19 October 2002.

Panorama view from Kitzsteinhorn

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 "Kitzsteinhorn: A skiing region". BBC News. 2000-11-11. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
  2. ↑ Banerjee, Neela (2000-11-12). "Cable-Car Fire Kills 170 Skiers Trapped In Austrian Tunnel". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
  3. ↑ "Austria tunnel fire blamed on heater". BBC News. 2001-09-06. Retrieved 2008-12-02.

External links

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