Tunnels and Passes
The Hohe Tauern are crossed by three tunnels:
- Tauern Railway Tunnel between Bad Gastein and Mallnitz, finished in 1906
- Katschberg Tunnel on A10 Tauern Autobahn (European route E55) leading from Sankt Michael im Lungau and the Tauern Road Tunnel to Rennweg
- Felbertauerntunnel on B108 Felbertauern Straße highway, between Mittersill and Matrei in Osttirol
The best-known mountain pass road of the Hohe Tauern is the scenic Grossglockner High Alpine Road inaugurated in 1935, including a tunnel at an elevation of 2,505 metres (8,219 ft) under the Hochtor Pass (2,573 metres (8,442 ft)). East of it, the Katschberg Pass (1,641 metres (5,384 ft)) on B 99 Katschberg Straße highway parallel to the Katschberg Tunnel links Sankt Michael and Rennweg. Another road crosses the Staller Sattel between Sankt Jakob in Defereggen and Rasen-Antholz at 2,052 metres (6,732 ft).
Beside there are numerous bridle and foot paths, in part used since ancient times:
Mountain pass | Location | Type | Elevation (m/ft) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Riffeltor | Kaprun to Heiligenblut | snow | 3051 | 10,010 |
Bockkarscharte | Ferleiten to Heiligenblut | snow | 3046 | 9994 |
Sonnblickscharte | Rauris to Heiligenblut | snow | 2979 | 9774 |
Vörder Umbaltorl | Prägraten to Ahrntal | snow | 2928 | 9607 |
Obersulzbachtorl | Prägraten to Wald im Pinzgau | snow | 2926 | 9600 |
Untersulzbachtorl | Innergschlöß to Wald im Pinzgau | snow | 2865 | 9400 |
Schwarzkopfscharte | Innergschlöß to Bramberg | snow | 2850 | 9351 |
Prägratertorl | Prägraten to Defereggental | foot path | 2846 | 9338 |
Glodistorl | Lienz to Kals | snow | 2832 | 9292 |
Antholzerscharte | Rein in Taufers to Rasen-Antholz | snow | 2820 | 9252 |
Krimmlertorl | Krimmler Achental to Obersulzbachtal | snow | 2814 | 9233 |
Goldzechscharte | Rauris to Heiligenblut | snow | 2810 | 9220 |
Kalsertorl | Lienz to Kals | snow | 2803 | 9197 |
Ober Tramerscharte | Rauris to Döllach | snow | 2802 | 9193 |
Kleine Elendscharte | Bad Gastein to Gmünd | snow | 2739 | 8987 |
Kleine Zirknitzscharte | Rauris to Döllach | snow | 2719 | 8921 |
Mallnitzerscharte | Mallnitz to Gmünd | snow | 2677 | 8783 |
Große Elendscharte | Mallnitz to upper Maltatal | snow | 2673 | 8770 |
Unter Pfandlscharte | Ferleiten to Heiligenblut | snow | 2665 | 8744 |
Bergertorl | Ferleiten to Heiligenblut | foot path | 2650 | 8695 |
Kaprunertorl | Kaprun to upper Stubachtal | snow | 2635 | 8645 |
Virgner or Defereggertorl | Defereggental to Virgen | foot path | 2617 | 8586 |
Backlenke or Trojerjoch | Defereggental to Prägraten | foot path | 2613 | 8573 |
Felber Tauern | Matrei in Osttirol to Mittersill | bridle path | 2540 | 8334 |
Kalser Tauern | Kals to Mittersill | foot path | 2512 | 8242 |
Hohe Tauern | Bad Gastein to Mallnitz | bridle path | 2463 | 8081 |
Niedere or Mallnitzer Tauern | Bad Gastein to Mallnitz | bridle path | 2414 | 7920 |
Fuschertorl | Ferleiten to the Seidlwinkeltal | foot path | 2405 | 7891 |
Klammljoch | Defereggental to Sand in Taufers | bridle path | 2291 | 7517 |
Arlscharte | Gmünd to Sankt Johann im Pongau | foot path | 2251 | 7386 |
Kals Matreiertorl | Kals to Matrei | bridle path | 2206 | 7238 |
Stanz | Bad Gastein to Rauris | foot path | 2103 | 6900 |
Read more about this topic: Hohe Tauern
Famous quotes containing the word passes:
“Nothing and no one can destroy the Chinese people. They are relentless survivors. They are the oldest civilized people on earth. Their civilization passes through phases but its basic characteristics remain the same. They yield, they bend to the wind, but they never break.”
—Pearl S. Buck (18921973)