Gesäuse

The Gesäuse is a rugged mountain region in the northern Limestone Alps, where the Enns river carves a dramatic gorge between Admont and Hieflau. Its steep limestone peaks and narrow valleys form the north-eastern edge of the Ennstaler Alps in Styria, Austria. In 2002 a large part of the area became the Gesäuse National Park, protecting its wild alpine landscape. The gorge itself stretches for 16 kilometres, during which the Enns drops more than 150 metres. Fast-flowing white water gives the section its name, meaning ‘roaring water’. Climbers come here for the sheer limestone walls that rise above the river. The Hochtorgruppe is the most visited climbing area, with walls up to 1,000 metres high and routes of every grade. The Admonter-Reichenstein-Gruppe offers equally serious challenges, its highest summit the 2,251-metre Admonter Reichenstein. Lower peaks such as the Kalbling are popular with experienced hikers, while the Buchsteingruppe provides classic scrambles like the route from Buchsteinhaus to the 2,224-metre Grosse Buchstein. The oldest hut in the Ennstaler Alps, the Ennstaler Hütte, stands at the foot of the Tamischbachturm. Paths lead through deep gorges and over high ridges, passing historic alpine huts that have served climbers for over a century. The Haindlkarhütte sits below the Hochtorgruppe’s north faces, while the Heßhütte is the starting point for ascents of the 2,369-metre Hochtor. In the south, the Lugauer-Zinödl-Gruppe includes the isolated 2,217-metre Lugauer, whose steep flanks demand careful route-finding. Remains of old alpine farms recall the once-intensive summer grazing that reached even the steepest meadows. The Gesäuse offers solitude as well as challenge, its wild valleys and towering walls marking one of the Alps’ most dramatic landscapes.