Großglockner

Großglockner is the highest mountain in Austria, rising to 3,798 metres. It is located in the Hohe Tauern range of the Central Eastern Alps, on the border between the Austrian states of Tyrol and Carinthia. The peak is part of Hohe Tauern National Park and is a dominant feature of the alpine landscape around the Pasterze glacier on its north flank, the longest glacier in Austria.

The Großglockner is a major destination for mountaineering and alpine tourism. The Großglockner High Alpine Road (Großglockner Hochalpenstraße) is a toll road that climbs to the Kaiser-Franz-Josef Höhe near the mountain and provides views of the summit. From there, climbers and hikers commonly use established huts, such as the Stüdlhütte, as bases for ascents and itineraries in the surrounding range.

Climbing Großglockner is a serious alpine undertaking that requires experience with glacier travel and mountaineering, with routes and conditions varying seasonally. Weather can be severe and rapidly changing.

The surrounding region is part of Hohe Tauern National Park, one of Europe’s largest national parks, created to protect high-alpine ecosystems, glaciers, and biodiversity. Ongoing climate change has led to retreat of the Pasterze glacier and changes in the mountain environment.