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25-687: The Großer Rettenstein is a mountain with multiple peaks in the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria. The main summit reaches a height of 2,362  m (AA) Although not the highest mountain in the Kitzbühel Alps (that honour goes to the Kreuzjoch at 2,558 m above sea level (AA) ), the Großer Rettenstein is the most striking in this range of otherwise gentle grass-covered mountains. It also has

50-534: A geologically-related extension of the mountains to the east. The Pinzgau Ridgeway ( Pinzgauer Höhenweg ) runs through both ranges in an east-west direction. Many ski route and the Saalach Valley Ridgeway ( Saalachtaler Höhenweg ) run through the Kitzbühel Alps. The mountain ranges that surround the Kitzbühel Alps are: The Kitzbühel Alps belong to the greywacke zone and are mainly composed of slate and phyllites . The mountain top profiles and

75-773: A little way above the valley, and at the Holzlagerplatz (1,297 m) in the valley below the Rotwand Grundalm . An ascent may be made over two main routes. The technically easier, but longer, way runs from the Baumgartenalm through the Oberkaralm along the southeast face of the Schneegrubenspitze (2,237 m) to the Reinkarsee (2,134 m). The shorter way goes from the car park at Holzlagerplatz and runs steeply through

100-510: A mighty, craggy, summit block made of limestone , four hundred metres high, that stands atop base of grauwacke and primary rock ( Urgestein - quartz phyllite). The Rettenstein is the dominating peak of the Spertental valley. Its isolated location also makes the summit an outstanding viewing point and it is therefore a popular destination. To the north the Rettenstein sends a long ridge out to

125-528: A short section of wood up to the Rotwand Grundalm (1,588 m). From there it continues to the Rotwand Hinttalalm (1,830 m). Next the way crosses the slope 200 to 400 m north of the crest to reach the Reinkarsee. Here the two routes meet and run in a southwesterly direction up to the zum Kröndlberg (2,440 m). From here the route is steep in places and requires sure-footedness to reach

150-483: Is also a large number of mountain huts belonging to the various Alpine clubs . Their highest peaks are concentrated to the south-western corner and reach rather modest 2,500 m, the highest being the Kreuzjoch at 2,558 metres above sea level. Roughly in the centre of the range lies the famous ski resort of Kitzbühel , the venue of the Hahnenkamm race, one of the most spectacular and well-known ski races in

175-456: Is the striking longitudinal trench of the river Salzach . This so-called Tauern Northern Edge Fault ( Tauernnordrand-Störung ) played an important role during Alpine folding and even today forms a distinct landscape and geological boundary with the three-thousanders of the High Tauern . The western border of the mountain range is, petrographically , less clear because here its transition to

200-690: The Baumgartenalm almost as far as the Stangenjoch . Kitzb%C3%BChel Alps Two-thirds of the Kitzbühel Alps lie within the Austrian province of Tyrol, the remaining third is in Salzburg province . They are about 80 kilometres (50 mi) long from east to west and 25 to 35 km wide. They extend from the Ziller valley and Tux Alps in the west to the Saalach river and Zell am See on Lake Zell ( Zellersee ) in

225-652: The Innsbruck quartz phyllites is not clear-cut. By contrast, in the northwest and north (Inn valley near Schwaz , Brixental and the Steinernes Meer ) the difference between the gently folded slate and the limestone and dolomite rock of the Limestone Alps hits the observer in the eye. The major rocks of the Kitzbühel Alps divide into two groups by age, the older rocks probably dating to the Ordovician period. For example,

250-513: The Northern Limestone Alps - overturned to the northern edge of the Alps during the time of Alpine orogeny from a region of deposition far to the south. Their mainly gently rolling nature makes the Kitzbühel Alps suitable for alpine farming , hiking and skiing . The Kitzbühel Alps are a very popular tourist destination. In addition to innumerable managed Alpine pastures and inns, there

275-727: The Salzach valley, southeast of the Kelchsau valley and southwest of the Windau valley . A secondary ridge to the main crest of the Kitzbühel Alps runs from the summit of the Kröndelhorn northwards in a curve. This ridge surrounds the cirque in which the mountain lake of the Reinkarsee has formed, at a height of 2,134 m. This cirque is the main source region of the Windauer Ache stream. In front of

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300-890: The Wildseeloder (2,118 m), the Großer Beil (2,309 m), the Großer Galtenberg (2,425 m), the Kitzbühler Horn (1,996 m), the Hohe Salve (1,828 m), the Hahnenkamm (1,712 m) and the Schmittenhöhe (1,965 m). Popular mountain destinations on the edge of the Inn valley are the Pölven (1,595 m) and the Gratlspitz (1,899 m). The Kitzbühel Alps are found in

325-463: The cirques are relatively smooth; their slopes mostly green with numerous alpine meadows ( Almwiesen ). Nevertheless, rock formations of limestone and dolomite do occur e.g. on the Großer Rettenstein . n the western part of the Kitzbühel Alps most of the valleys run in a north-south direction; in the east they are predominantly oriented east-west. The Alpine geographical reason for this

350-565: The unterer Grund and the Schöntalalm in 3 to 4 hours. Sure-footedness is required for this route. As a variation on the descent, fit hikers can take the long ridgeway over the Spiessnägel. Another approach option is possible from the Mühlbach valley ( Bramberg municipality) in the upper Pinzgau to the south. Here the way runs initially along a drivable forest track (close to the public) through

375-587: The Kitzbühel Alps is the Kreuzjoch in the southwest of the mountain range northwest of Gerlos at 2558 metres above sea level . The general height of the peaks descends gradually from around 2500 m in the west to around 2000 m in the east. Other important summits are the Western Salzachgeier (2,469 m), the Kröndlhorn (2,444 m), the Großer Rettenstein (2,366 m), the Geißstein (2,363 m),

400-568: The Kröndlhorn is the Reinkarsee, which lies at a height of 2,194 m. The area around the lake is a good place to observe sunrises. The most frequently used ascent route is from the Windautal , which may be reached via Hopfgarten im Brixental and Westendorf in the north. Cars can also get to the foot of the mountain on a partly unmetalled toll road. There are parking areas by the Gamskogel Hut,

425-541: The Spiessnägel, that separates the oberer Grund and unterer Grund . The Rettenstein lies in the Spertental-Rettenstein protected landscape and so Pine , Spruce , Gentian , Willow Gentian , Platenigl, Edelweiss , Monkshood , Rock Ptarmigan , Black Grouse and Capercaillie , Red Deer , Chamois , Ibex and Marmot all occur here. The simplest ascent starts from Aschau in the Sperten valley and crosses

450-483: The deep underground complex of Wildschönau slate is quite uniform and has no fossils at all, just volcanic deposits. Above it lies weakly metamorphosed volcanic rock , up to 600 metres thick, made up of quartz porphyroids and tuff , mainly in the west ( Hohe Salve , Hahnenkamm and Wildseeloder ). Over the porphyroids lie various horizontal beds of slate from the Silurian period that are often clayey-sandy on top. In

475-677: The east. They are bordered to the south by the Zillertal Alps and the High Tauern mountain range on the other side of the Salzach River, on the north by the Inn River and the Northern Limestone Alps . The boundary of the region runs along the Salzach valley via Zell am See, where the Salzach swings north, to Saalfelden . Its northern boundary runs from east to west from the Saalfelden basin along

500-537: The regions of St. Johann in Tirol , Kitzbühel and its environs, Pillerseetal , Brixental , Wildschönau and Alpbach . The Kitzbühel Alps Tourist Region only covers part of the geographical Kitzbühel Alps. The Kitzbühel Alps have relatively few rugged mountain tops and are well suited to walking and skiing. There are several large ski resorts in the area both in the Tyrolean and Salzburg regions. The Dienten Mountains are

525-457: The summit of the Kröndlhorn to the north is another peak, the Kröndlberg, only four metres lower, which looks like the actual summit when approaching from the north. On the summit of the Kröndlhorn is a small chapel that only accommodates two people. It contains a stamp and a summit register . On the interior walls of the chapel obituary notices have been posted for many years. In fine weather

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550-652: The summit offers a long view to the south into the Pinzgau region and the Reichenspitz Group and the High Tauern and the Krimml Waterfalls . Above the tree line the open slopes are used as grazing for sheep, goats, cows and horses. Herds of sheep, in particular, may be seen in summer around the Reinkarsee. A material ropeway runs from Holzlagerplatz to the Rotwand Grundalm. The trails are all signed with tree and ground markers. A scenic high point of an ascent of

575-741: The valley of the Leoganger Ache to the Grießen Pass and from there through the Pillersee valley, Leukental and Sölllandl to Wörgl and Kufstein . Its northwestern boundary is formed by the valley of the Inn between Wörgl and Jenbach . The Kitzbühel Alps are divided by the Kitzbüheler Ache into the Glemmtal Alps in the east (Salzburg) and the Kelchsau Alps in the west. The highest summit in

600-478: The vicinity of Kitzbühel itself, Silurian limestones may also be found and, to the west, the grey, coarse-grained Schwaz dolomite which transitions towards the east, near Leogang, into Spielberg dolomite. Also represented is the post- Variscan period, with its Rotliegendes (red slates), and thick sandstones from the Permoskyth . All these successive layers of the greywacke zone were probably - together with those of

625-535: The world. The highest summits in the range are (in order of height above the Adriatic): Kr%C3%B6ndlhorn The Kröndlhorn is a 2,444 m above sea level (AA) high mountain in the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria . It is one of the highest mountains on the main crest of the Kitzbühel Alps. The state border between Tyrol and Salzburger Land runs over its summit. The Kröndlhorn rises north of

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