Hofpürglhütte - Südwandhütte | Sun Trail Dachstein: Stage 01

The myth of the Dachstein – views of a mountain personality

At 2,996m above sea level, the Dachstein is the second highest peak in the Northern Limestone Alps and the glaciers are the easternmost in the Alps. Although the Dachstein fails the mark of 3,000 meters by a couple of meters it has long since become one of the most famous mountains in the Alps thanks to its striking south walls.

This magnificent mountain with its diverse landscapes has always fascinated people and it is not for nothing that it is considered a mountain personality: Rugged rocks over green pastures, bizarre peaks, towers and huge walls, glacier ice, limestone rocks and lonely plateaus, primeval forests and peaks with panoramic views, mysterious karst springs and reflecting ones Mountain lakes characterize the images around the Dachstein.

Many important people have left their mark around the Dachstein. Painters and writers, researchers and noble patrons, mountaineers, climbers and speleologists, miners and craftsmen. The first ascent was made in 1834 by Peter Gappmaier from Filzmoos, the striking 800 m vertical south face was conquered by the brothers Franz and Georg Steiner for the first time in 1909. The Steiner route named after them is still one of the climbing classics and one of the most sought-after routes in the Eastern Alps.