The Dreiländerspitze is with 3,197 m (10,489 ft) one of the higher mountains in the Silvretta range in the eastern Alps and located on the Austria–Switzerland border . The borders of the Swiss canton of Graubünden and the Austrian states of Vorarlberg and Tyrol meet at the peak. Its name ( Dreiländerspitze means peak of three countries ) refers to a meeting point between the territories of three ancient tribes ( Rhaeto-Romance or Romansch , Bavarii and Alamanni ) and their languages. It is also on the watershed between the Rhine and Danube .
10-481: It is a favourite viewpoint, due to its position and accessibility. Its first documented ascent was by the German alpinist Theodor Petersen, accompanied by two locals, on 14 July 1870, although it appeared to have been previously climbed by surveyors in the 1850s. The nearest settlements are Galtür , 14 km (8.7 mi) to the north, and Guarda , 9 km (5.6 mi) to the south. This Tyrol location article
20-421: A varied selection of slopes to explore. Galtür is a family-friendly ski area. Most ski slopes range from easy to medium difficulty. In addition, ski pros find challenging runs and many deep snow slopes without any tracks. There are 10 mountain railways and lifts, including the eight-seater Alpkogel gondola. Wednesday evenings, night skiing is possible on a floodlit piste. Galtür's ski resort is called Silvapark and
30-520: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Vorarlberg location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a mountain, mountain range, or peak located in Graubünden is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Galt%C3%BCr Galtür is a village and ski resort in the upper Paznaun valley in Austrian state of Tyrol located in
40-620: Is located 2 kilometres outside the main village in the small village of Wirl. Ski buses run along the main road through Galtür between the ski area and other destinations in the valley, including Ischgl, Kappl, and See. There are stops in Galtür at the Hotel Alpenrose, Dorfplatz, and Alpinarium, as well as one stop next to the Birkhahnbahn chair lift in Wirl. In Wirl, skiers and snowboarders can take either
50-692: The Central Eastern Alps 35 km southwest of Landeck near the border of Vorarlberg and Switzerland . Galtür was settled by the Engadiners from the south, the Walsers and Vorarlbergers from the west, and Tyroleans from the east. Today the cultivation work of the Engadiners is remembered in the name Galtür, meaning Cultura . During the Thirty Years' War , Galtür was badly damaged. The church and many houses were burned down. The first roads leading through
60-486: The Atlantic that produced large snowfalls totaling around 4 meters in the area. Alternating freezing and thawing created a weak layer on top of an existing snow pack, followed by additional snowfall. High winds created large snow drifts, and eventually caused roughly 170,000 tons of snow to fall on the village. Galtür is a popular tourist destination in winter. There are 40 km (25 mi) of perfectly prepared pistes and
70-521: The Birkahahnbahn chair lift or the Alpkogelbahn Gondola up onto the mountain. Silvapark offers 40 km of groomed pistes served by 3 chair lifts, 1 gondola and 5 smaller tow lifts. Many of the runs are marked Blue and Red, making the resort accessible to families and beginners. In addition to these, the resort also offers a number of more difficult Red and Black runs, which means, coupled with
80-708: The Paznaun were built in the 19th century. During that period, Galtür consisted of a church, an inn, and eight houses, and was considered very poor. After the first hotel was built, the Jamtalhütte was soon constructed. With the advent of tourism, Galtür and the valley became prosperous. On February 23, 1999, an avalanche descended on Galtür. In less than 60 seconds, the 50-metre-high (164 ft) wall of snow traveled at 290 kilometres per hour (180 mph), and overturned cars, destroyed buildings, and buried 57 people—of these, 31 died before rescue teams could reach them. The avalanche
90-484: The off piste possibilities, the resort caters for more advanced skiers and snowboarders too. Off piste opportunities through trees and between runs, particularly surrounding the Breitspitzbahn chair lift, are available, even for less experienced skiers. This area is much quieter and has better on-piste conditions. There are several mountain huts and restaurants on the mountain which offer traditional Austrian cuisine and
100-513: Was considered the worst in the Alps in 40 years. Due to the continuing danger of avalanches, thousands of tourists were evacuated from the Paznaun valley via air-lift. Military and civil helicopters from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, and the United States were engaged in one of the biggest rescue operations of Austria's recent history. The avalanche was caused by three major weather systems from
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