The Austrian Alps - Austria - page 784

Alpine Landscapes
The Alps engulf almost two-thirds of the 83,858 sq km that is Austria. It's almost as
though someone chalked a line straight down the middle and asked all the Alps to shuffle
to the west and all the flats to slide to the east, so stark is the contrast in this land of highs
and lows. Over millenniums, elemental forces have dramatically shaped these mountain
landscapes, etched with wondrous glaciers and forests, soaring peaks and gouged valleys.
The Austrian Alps divide neatly into three principal mountain ranges running in a
west-east direction. The otherworldly karst landscapes of the Northern Limestone Alps,
bordering Germany, reach nearly 3000m and extend almost as far east as the Wienerwald
(Vienna Woods). The valley of the Inn River separates them from the granitic Central
Alps, a chain which features the highest peaks in Austria dwarfed by the majestic summit
of Grossglockner (3798m). The Southern Limestone Alps, which include the Karawanken
Range, form a natural barrier with Italy and Slovenia.
From meltwater streams to misty falls, water is a major feature of the Austrian Alps.
Mineral-rich rivers like the Enns, Salzach and Inn wend their way through broad valleys
and provide a scenic backdrop for pursuits like rafting in summer. Lakes, too, come in all
shapes and sizes, from glacially cold alpine tarns to the famously warm (around 28°C) wa-
ters of Wörthersee in Carinthia.
SEASON'S GREETINGS
Spring When the snow melts, the springtime eruption of colourful wildflowers sets senses on high alert. Look out
for bell-shaped purple gentian and startlingly pink alpine roses.
Summer Stay overnight in a mountain hut, bathe in pristine alpine lakes and bring your walking boots for some
highly scenic hiking on passes above 2000m.
Autumn The larch trees turn a beautiful shade of gold in late autumn and you might spot rutting stags. Come in
late September for the Almabtrieb , where cows adorned with flowers and bells are brought down from the pas-
tures for the winter.
Winter Snow, snow and more glorious snow. Enjoy first-class skiing, crisp mountain air and cheese-loaded alpine
food. Your snug wood chalet on the mountainside awaits.