LIBRARY THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA FROM THE LIBRARY OF F. VON BOSCHAN bM AmpaMo^ z:^ T.xn ' \:t7/ 3*"] U8b ilCSB LIBRARY ^-^r-3^-^ XLYJL j3 ) Lacnghab 4- r V r- / Jjietzervj ^tifUu xlvt: ing ^^ ^^T^" — ■ — -v /^'"°^/i_/ " ^-g^J- i j w. 1^^'^i L^ ^ ^^ ^^yf"^ jt^i^eru^i^'SJmycik u(%i7i '^^SGJwei ' ''Si ) Is OLxm ^ Steinij "'jMotoU^: Trie« KEY MAP to ALPINE GUIDE Eastern Alps. Tht Niarverals refer to the SeatUnui TheLetters to theSouXas Edw^WeUer jj-iJiJijiiii liiiPiS :^iw=L Balls Alpine Guides CENTEAL TYEOL INCLrDIXG THE GEOSS GLOCKNER BY JOHN BALL, F.E.S., ME.LA., F.L.S., &c. LATE PRESIDEXT OF THE ALPINE GLUE LONDON LONGMANS, GEEEN, AND CO. 1873 LIST OF MAPS. Key Map .... To he 2)aslecl inside the c^'Ver at the beginning Thk Easti^kx Alps— Gen t-ral I\Iap .... To face title-page Paxoeama fuom the KiTTKEKHOKX .... To fuce po.ge 173 Th£ Gross Glockxee and its viciuity .... „ 223 ABBIIEVIATIOXS AND EXPLAXATIOXS. The ioUowiug are the chief abbreviations used in this work : — hrs., m. — for hours and raiinites. When used as a measure of distance, one hour is meant tu indicate the distance which a tolerably good walker will traverse in an hour, clear of halts, and having regard to the diihculty of the ground. I:; eases where there is a considerable diiierence of height, the measure given is intended as a mean between the time employed in ascending and descending, being greater in the one case and less in the other. ft., yds. — for feet and yards. The heights of mountains, &c., are given in English feet above the level of the sea, and are generally indicated in the manner usual in scientific books, by the figures being enclosed in brackets, with a short stroke. m. — for mile. Unless otherwise expressed, distances are given in English statute miles. rt., 1. — for right and left. The right side of a valley, stream, or glacier, is that lying on the right hand of a person following the downward coarse of the stream. The point:? of the compass are indicated in the usual way. Names of places are referred in the Index to the pages where some useful information respecting them is to be found. Throughout this work the reader is freqiiently referred for furtlier information to the Section and Eoute where this is to be fouu'l. When the reference is made to a passage occurring in the same Section, the Eoute alone is mentioned. 139 CHAPTER XIV. CENTRAL TYEOL ALPS. Section 48. oetzthax disteict, Ronte A — Landeck to Meran and Botzen Route B — Imst to Meran, by the Oetzthal and Timbler Joch Route C — Sblden to the Vintschgau, by the Fenderthal . Route D — Solden to Meran, or Natums, by the Gurglthal Route E — Landeck to Feud, by the Kauu- Bcrthal and Gebatsch Joch . Route F —Imst to Fend, by the Pitzthal Route G— Tour of the Oetzthal Alps. Lengenfeld, or Sblden, to St. Leonhard in the Pas- eeyerthal .... Section 49. SrCBAY DISTRICT. Innsbruck to Botzen, over the Brenner Pass, by road Innsbruck to Botzen, over the Brenner Pass, by railway . Innsbruck to Imst, or Oetz, by the Selrainerthal Selraih to Lengenfeld in the Oetzthal .... Innsbruck to Lengenfeld, by the Stubaythal. Ascent of the Schrankogl . Neustift to Sblden. Ascent of the Wilder Pf afE . Neustift to Sterzing Fend, or Gurgl, to the Brenner Route A — Route B — Ronte C — Route D — Route E — Route F — Route G — Route H — Route I - Route K- Route A • Route B - Route C - Route D- Route E - Route F - Route G - Route H - C T, -Sterzing to Meran, by the JaufenPass. -Botzen to Sterzing, through the Samthal Section 50. zillebtfal district. -Innsbruck to Lend, by the Zillerthal and Pinzgau - Zell to Sterzing, by the Pfits- cher Joch .... -Zell to Stafflach, by the Tuxer- thal ..... - Imisbruck to Mayrhofen by the Tuxer Gebirge . -Zell to Bruneck, by tiie Krimmler Taueni - Zell to the Ahrenthal, by the Zillergrund, or Sonder- grund -Taufers to Ginzling, by the Miihhvalderthal , -St. Jakob in Pfitsch to the Pusterthal, by the Pfunde- rerthal .... Route I — Kematen in Pfitsch to Brixen, by the Valserthal . . 222 Section 51. geossglockner district. Route A— Brixen to Villach, by the Pusterthal .... 2l'6 Route B — Lienz to Heiligenblut, Ascent of the Grossglockner . . 234 Route C — Eruck. in Pinzgau, to Heili- genblut, by the Fuscherthal. Ascent of the Vischbaclihona Route D — Kaprun to Heiligenblut, by the Riffelthor . . . 250 Route E — Lienz to Mittersill, in Pinzgau, by the Iselthal and Velber Tauem .... 253 Route F — Windisch-Matrey to Neu- ktrchen, or Wald, in Pinz- gau. Ascent of the Gross- 168 venediger . . . .257 RouteG — "Windisch-Matrey to Krimml, 174 by the Virgenthal . . 263 Route H — Lienz to Uttendorf , or Bruck, 175 in Pinzgau, by the Kalser- thal and Stubachthal . , 269 177 Route I — Heiligenblut to Windisch- Matrey . . . .274 Route K — Lienz to St. Valentin, by the 178 Defereggenthal ._ . . 27-5 Route L — Bruneck to Hopfgarten . . 277 183 Route M — Taufers to St. Jakob in De- 186 fereggen, by the Rainthal . 279 Route N — Sillian to Hopfgarten, by the 188 Villgrattenthal . . . 281 191 Section 52. 192 GASTEIN district. Route A — Salzburg to Bad Gastein. Ex- cursions from Gastein . 283 Route B— Lend to Heiligenblut, by Rauris, or Hof Gastein . 287 Route C — Bad Gaste-n to Spittal on the Drave, by Mallnitz . .291 201 j Route D — Bad Gastein to Ober-Vellach I by the Zirknitzthal, or Fra- 207 I gantthal .... 296 ; Route E — St. Johann in Pongau to Til- . 210 ; lach, by the Radstadter I Tauem .... 298 213 ' Route F — St. Johann in Pongau to j Gmllnd, by the Arlscharte . 30i ; Route G — Gmiind to Bad Gastein by the 218 ! Kleine Elend . . . 304 ! RouteH — Gmund to Ober-Vellach. As- 220 i cent of the Hochalpenspitz 30G j Route I —St. Johann in Pongau, to St. Michael in Lungau. The 221 I Hafnereck . . . . 3U ["] 140 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. The geological map of the Alps, east of the Adige, shows a broad band of crys- talline rocks extending from "W. to E., and flanked to the N. and S. by a zone of stdimentan' rocks, chiefly of Jurassic and triassic age. It has been seen in the preceding chapters that on the N. side the geological boundary almost exactly coincides with a great line of valley running parallel to the main chain. On the S. side the boundary is equally well defined, though somewhat mor-^ sinuous. At the W. end the con- V'^^rging branches of the Adige that meet at Botzen di-\4de the central range from the Orteler group and the dolo- mite Alps, while towards the E. the valleys of the Eienz and the Drare form a continuous line of depression, nearly corresponding to the S. limit of the crystalline rocks. The central range reaches its culminating point in the G-rossglockner, but about 25 m. east of that peak begins to subside to a much lower level, while at the same time it forks into two parallel branches, ■which are divided by the valley of the Mur running parallel to the direction of the main chain. Austrian writers commonly designate the entire range of crystalline rocks, from the Adige to the Schneeberg, as the ' Central Alps.' But in a general arrangement of the entire Alpine chain, this term cannot be applied to a sub- division of the Eastern Alps, and it is no<: easy to suggest any other suitable collective name. In the present chap- ter we include only the higher western division of the range, for which the most fitting designation seems to be that of Central Tyrol Alps, It is true that the province of Tyrol includes jwrtions of the northern and southern ranges lying beyond the limit-s of the centVal chain, and that the latter at its eastern extremity extends into Carin- thia and the province of Salzburg ; yet it remains true that the range, as here defined, may be called, par excellence, the main chain of the Tyrol Alps. It is bounded to the iN^, by the Inn and thf Salza, to the W. by the Adige from its source to Botzen, to the S. by the Eisack and Rienz, and then by the valley of the Drave. The eastern limit is not quite so well marked. Oro- graphically the most natural boundary is that indicated by the valleys lying between St. Johann im Pongau and Spital on the Drave — the Gross Arlthal, Maltathal, and Lieserthal; but for the purposes of this work it is more con- venient to fix as the eastern limit the high road from Radstadt to Spital, crossing the two low passes of the Rad- stadter Tauern and the Katschberg. Al- though this road enters the valleys of the Enns and the Mur near the sources of those rivers, it does not cross the W. boundary of Styria, and for all practical purposes is the direct line of communi- cation between Salzburg and the upper valley of the Drave. The range in- cluded within these limits is divided into two very distinct portions by the deep depression leading on either side to the Brenner Pass, the lowest in the entire range of the Alps. To the west of that limit the peaks are collected in groups and short ridges not forming a continuous range ; while on the E, side the chain extending from the Wild Kreuzspitze to the Hochalpen-Sp. is one of the best defined and most con- tinuous in the Alps. In a distance of nearly 100 miles there is no pass below 8,000 ft. in height, and there are but four that do not much surpass that limit. Most strangers who visit the Tyro- lese Alps keep to the main valleys, where they find the conveniences of carriage roads and good inns ; and comparatively few have explored the remoter valleys that penetrate the re- cesses of the higher mountains. What- ever other advantages the common method may offer, it certainly cannot lead to much acquaintance with the Alpine region of Tyrol. In Switzerland, and on the Italian side of the Alps, it is easy to enjoy most of the finest scenery by keeping to beaten paths, and in manv places carriage roads lead near to the base of the highest peaks, but such § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. 141 is by no means the case in Tyrol. Al- though the country has been pretty thoroughly explored by German moun- taineers and men of science, the afflu- ence of strangers is not such as to bring about much local provision for their comfort. Amidst the far more civilised population of this region there is no risk of encountering the filth and misery of Dauphine, or the unfrequented parts of the Valais, but the traveller who would enjoy the finest scenery of the high Alps of Tyrol must put up with rough accommodation and indifferent food. SECTION 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. The western portion of the Tyrolese chain is a high mountain mass sur- rounded on two sides by the upper course of the Adige, which at first flows southward for several miles, and then bends to the eastward, and follows that direction as far as Meran. The streams bearing part of the drainage of this mass to the Adige diverge from it in various directions, and no one of them drains a large svu'face. The case is otherwise on the NE. side. The high- est summits of the group enclose the head of the Eenderthal and Grurglthal, and several large glaciers pour their streams into those two glens which unite at the head of the Oetzthal. The torrent from that considerable valley, reinforced by tributaries from the Stu- bay Alps, flows northward to join the Inn below Imst. The best mode for forming an idea of the somewhat complicated orography of this district is to fix attention on the "Weisskugel (r2,277')> the second in height of its peaks, which rises a few miles E. of the sources of the Adige, and very near the watershed between that stream and the Inn. The highest peaks of the group lie in two ranges that diverge from that mountain — the one about due E., the other to NE. The former is the dividing range that parts the waters flowing to the Inn from the basin of the Adige ; but the latter surpasses it in height, including the highest peaks and the greatest gla- ciers. From the latter three lofty ridges run due N., parallel to the Oetz- thal, towards the Inn, and between them lie two Alpine valleys, too long neglected by travellers, the Kaunser- thal and Pitzthal. Including some accessory ridges of considerable height, these ranges make up the group of the Oetzthal Alps. With this is nearly connected the smaller group of the Stu- bay Alps, lying between the Oetzthal and the Brenner Pass. In a general arrangement of the Eastern Alps these are usually placed together, inasmuch as the Stubay group has more relations with the Oetzthal Alps than with the range, extending from the Brenner to the Maltathal in Carinthia. But as the principal valleys of the Stubay group descend towards the E. in the direction of the Brenner road, it has ap- peared a matter of obvious convenience to describe them in a separate sec- tion. Although the Oetzthal Alps are s\irpassed in height by many groups described in the preceding portions of this work, they are deservedly reckoned by German writers amongst the most considerable of the subdivisions of the great chain. The large number of high peaks, and, still more, the height of the passes in this district, show that it is one of those in which the largest mass of matter has been raised to the great- est height above the level of the conti- nent. Within an area of 921 square miles we find 14 peaks surpassing 11,000 Vienna feet (11,408 Eng. ft.), and at least 60 that fall between 10,000 and 11,000 Vienna ft. (10,371 and 11,408 Eng. ft.), while the lowest pass OA-er the main ranges enclosing the val- leys of Fend and Gurgi is 9,514 ft. in height. Fully three-fourths of the 142 CEN'TRAL TYROL ALPS. § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. entire space surpasses the limit of 6,000 ft., and 164 square miles lie within the snow-region. If the solid mass were spread out uniformly, it would form a plateau 8,332 ft. above the sea-level. If we add that the group includes over 230 glaciers, several of which are amongst the most consider- able in the Alps, it becomes evident that the region here described is not only important to the physical geogra- pher, but must offer many inducements to the lover of high Alpine scenery. Much of this may be enjoyed by ordi- nary tourists who arrive without the slightest difficulty at the central points — Fend and Gurgl ; but it is reserved for the active mountaineer to make a thorough acquaintance with the district. There are good inns in the Oetzthal, and fair quarters at Unser Liebe Frau and St. Leonhard in Passeyerthal, but in the higher valleys it is necessary to apply for entertainment to the village clergymen, it being understood that a reasonable charge is made at the tra- veller's departure. Ample information respecting the orography of this district is given in Karl V. Sonklar's elaborate work on the Oetzthal Alps, referred to in the preliminary notes to this volume ; and further particulars useful to the moun- taineer may be gleaned from several papers in the annual volumes of the Vienna Alpine Club. It is convenient to include in this section the description of the great road through the upper valley of the Adige from Landeck to Botzen, which marks the western boundary of this district, and the great line of depression be- tween the Central and the Eastern Alps. EoUTE A. lAKDECK TO aiERAX A^D BOTZEN. Anstrian Eng. miles mileg Eied 2 9^ Pfunds . 2 91 Nauders . 2 9^ Mais 3i 16i Eyers 2 91 ScWanders H 7 Xatums . 2i in Meran 2 9| Tilpian . Botzen . 2 H If s| 21i lOOi In preceding portions of this work, it has been seen that several of the chief roads of Northern Tyrol converge at Landeck, in the upper valley of the Inn. That leading from Bregenz, on the 1. of Constance, through the Vorarl- berg, is described in § 34, Ete. A. The roads from Bavaria by Immenstadt, or Fiissen, andEeutte, and that from Inns- bruck through the Innthal, are de- scribed in Sections 41 and 42. The road described in the present Ete. is one of the main lines of communication from the north to the south side of the Alps, being very nearly a slow as the more frequented line of the Brenner, but less direct. The distance from Innsbruck to Botzen by Landeck is nearly double that by the Brenner (§ 49, Ete. A), but the road is in aU respects more inte- i resting. I This road has frequently suffered j from inundations, but has of late been in good condition. There are good ! inns at Meran and Schlanders, and i tolerable ones in most of the villages ; on the road. A post-carriage plies I daily throughout the year between j Landeck and Botzen. and besides a j country carriage, or Stellwagen, runs between Meran and Mais. In summer additional Stellwagen ply daily between Landeck and Mais, and Mais and Meran, and twice a day between Meran and Botzen. They travel slowly, and. ex- cept from the front seats, little of the countrv can be seen. ROUTE A. DEFILE OF FJNSTERMtJNZ. 143 Above Landeck, the valley of the Inn becomes a narrow defile, and turns sharply to the E. for a distance of 5 or 6 m. The high-road is carried along the rt. bank to the bridge of Pontlatz, famous in T}-rolese history, for the de- struction of a Bavarian force that at- tempted to force the passage in 1703, and that of a still larger body of French and Bavai'ians in 1809. Here the road crosses to the 1. bank, and the vaUey widens out as it resumes its normal direction towards SW. [The pedestrian going from Innsbruck to the Finstcrmiinz may shorten the way by leaving the high road a mile below Imst, and following the track along the W. side of the Pitzthal for about 5 m. A path then turns out of the main valley, mounts SW. to the hamlet of Piller,and crosses the Fillerjoch (4,621'), a low and easy pass, whence one path descends to the Pontlatz bridge, and another keeps to the 1. and leads di- rectly to Prutz. The mountain lying between the Pillerjoch and Landeck, round whose base the Inn follows so circuitous a course, is the Venctberg (8,233'). It commands a fine view of the neighbouring valleys, and the snowy range to the S.] The road re- turns to tlae rt. bank of the Inn at Pni.tz (2,719'), Avith a village inn (Rose), standing at the opening of the Kaun- serthal (Rte. E), which leads into the heart of the glacier region. On the opposite side of the river, at some height above the valley, are the baths of Obladis (3,920'), said to be amongst the best managed in Tyrol. A handsome building, belonging to a company, ac- commodates visitors at very moderate prices. Light carriages can go from Ried as far as the village of Ladis, half an hour below the Baths. The salt spring is used internally as well as for baths. The high-road passes under the rock whereon stand the ruins of the very ancient castle of Landeck, and in about 2 m. from Prutz reaches the post station of Ekd (Inns :Post, Adler ; both indiiferent), a pretty village, 2,887 feet above the sea, picturesquely placed below the castle of Sigmundsried, at the opening of the Ftnddserthal , a short glen leading to a low pass into the Kaunserthal. After passing Tosens, the road once more crosses to the 1. bank of the Inn, nearly opposite the opening of the TsclmiypacMlial, and follows the same side of the valley to Pfunds. The post-station with an inn (Post) is in the hamlet of Stuben, on the 1. bank, where there is an inte- resting old church with a carved wood altar. The modern church is in the principal village (Inn : Traube) on the rt. bank of the stream, at the opening of the Eadurschclthal, a wild and some- what dreary Alpine glen, running SE. to the base of the Huchglockt^ithurm (10,997')- By the N. side of that peak, two passes lead to the head of the Kaimserthal ; while there is an easier track, W. of the peak, to Mallag, in the Langtauferer Thai. A short distance beyond Prutz, the valley of the Inn gradually narrows, and we enter the famous defile of Fin- stermunz. The old road was carried for several miles along the 1. bank, but this has been superseded by the very remarkable line of road which was completed in 1855. Crossing the Inn, for the last time, about \\ m. above Pfunds, it ascends gradually along the face of a range of nearly vertical cliffs of secondary limestone. In most places a shelf has been formed for the road by blasting the face of the rock, but there are 3 tunnels and 2 galleries formed artificially for protection from ava- lanches and falling stones. At a spot called Hoch Finstermunz, where the rocks form a small platform, room has been found for two or three houses, one of which is a fair country inn, com- manding a remarkable view. . Many hundred feet below is seen the tower and the ancient bridge of Finstermiinz (3,152'), whence the old and steep road climbed the rocks on the rt. bank lead- ing to the gap through which it escaped from the valley of the Inn to the upland valley of Nauders. This point, fortified as early as the 11th century by 114 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. the German invaders of Italy, is de- fended by a new fort -whose guns sweep all the approaches. Beware of sketch- ing near here. Por the pedestrian, the old road, no longer passable for vehicles, is on the whole more interesting than the new one. The abrupt contrast be- tween the gloom that dwells in the depth of the defile, and the broad day- light of the summit of the pass, is lost by the new road. Travellers entering Tyr.ol from the Engadine do well to send their luggage from Martinsbruck to Nauders. They shoidd walk from the former village by the narrow track on the 1. bank of the Inn ( § 36, Ete. A) to the old bridge of Finstermiinz, and then ascend by the old road to Nauders. On escaping from the defile, the road continues to ascend for some two miles farther to Nauders (Inns : Post, good and reason- able country quarters ; Mondschein, old-fashioned, cheap). The Tillage, with its old castle, stands 4,356 ft. above the sea, near the summit of the plateau, dividing the basin of the Inn from that of the Adige. Those who halt here should take a short and pleasant stroll on the S. side of the road, leading hence to Martinsbruck, to the summit of the ridge dividing the little upland valley from the Engadine. The ridge in question here forms the fron- tier of Switzerland, and commands a pleasing view of the lower Engadine, and the range dividing it from the Patznaunthal. The road to Italy ascends gently from Nauders along the little stream of the Stilkbach, and in about 4 m. reaches the height of land where the waters begin to fall towards the Adi-iatic. A small lake, or pool, lies very near the summit ot the plateau, which is 4,596 ft. above the sea, and is called Beschen-SchddecJc, from the village of Eeschen, lying near the lake. Excepting the Brenner, which is lower by 8 ft., this is the lowest de- pression in the chain of the Alps divi- ding Italy from the rest of Europe. The traveller has scarcely attained the eummit-level when a noble view of the Orteler and its attendant peaks is opened due S., and reappears at inter- vals, inviting the traveller to a closer acquaintance with the grand scenery of Trafoi and Sulden, and the Laaserthal, whose peaks are seen to the 1. of the j Orteler. The infant Adige, or Etsch, after issuing from the Beschensee flows I through two other lakes — Mittersee and I Heidersec, between which is the hamlet i of St. Valentin (Inn: Post), where the I diligence changes horses, 2 Austrian m. i from Xauders, Ij m. from Mais. The j upper end of the valley below the last^ I named village is locally known as Mal- i ser-Heidc, and was the scene of a signal ! victory gained by the Grisons Swiss, in j 1499, over a superior force of Austrian i troops. The course of the Adige con- j tinues due S. as far as Mais (Inns : Post, or Adler ; Hirsch), I and then bends to SE., soon assuming I the due easterly direction which it main- tains as far as Meran. The high-road j keeps to the 1. bank of the stream, leav- : ing on the opposite side the ancient ' town of Glurns (3,176'), at the opening of Yal Mustair (§37, Ete. L), the upper part of which belongs to Switzerland. A pedestrian wishing to visit the Stelvio i Pass may go to Santa Maria in that j valley, thence ascend by the Wormser Joch to the Italian side of the Stelvio, ; cross that pass, and return to the high- ' road of the Adige by Trafoi. i From Mais to near Meran the valley of the Adige is called Vintschgau, which is the Germanised form of the Italian Val Venosta. That name is derived from a Ehsetian tribe, said to have inhabited the valley, and has been preserved as the surname of a distinguished family in Val Tellina. Numerous castles mark the former importance of the upper Yintschgau as one of the chief routes into Italy. After passing Schlv.derns, at the opening of the MatsdierthaLth.^ peak of the Orteler again comes into view at Spondinig, where the road of the Stelvio, having issued from the Stilfserthal at Prad i§ 37, Ete. A), joins our route. Those who do not make a longer excur- sion should go as far as Trafoi, at the ROUTE A. VINTSCIIGAU. 145 foot of the Orteler Spitze. Little more than 1 ni. bt'vond Spondinig is the post- station at £(/ers (lnr\: Post, tolerable, dear). A post-carriage runs daily to Bormio. The main valley hpre is rather bare and little interesting, except when some of the high peaks on the S. side of the valley come into view. This is the case at Laas, a poor village nearly destroyed by fire in 1861, standing opposite the opening of the Laaserthal (§ 37, Rte. E). The scenery improves on approach- ing the next post-station. Schlanders {Iim: Post, good and clean). The landlord herp is acquainted with the neighbouring valleys, and can give use- ful information. A table is hung up in the inn containing many particulars re- specting the high passes leading into the Vintschgau, which maybe consulted with advantage by mountaineers. The following are the distances there given for the passes connected with the Mar- tellthal, and the rates charged by the guide Sebastian (doubtless S. Janiger mentioned in § 37, Ete. C) : Marten to Eabbi, by TJlten. 11 Stunden, 6 fl. „ „ by Soilendfemer, 10 St., 6 fl. „ to Val di Sole, by tbe Hohenf emer, 8 fl. „ to Sulden, by the Madritschberg, 5 fl. „ to Bormio, over the Cevalfemer, 12 Stunden. . . . 10 fl. The scenery hereabouts is interesting. To theN. a narrow cleft in the mountains is the opening of the ScMandernaunthal (Ete. C). The rock is a coarse red sandstone (verrucano?), and produces a peculiar vegetation. The culture of the vine commences here, and several wild plants of the warm region show them- selves, while various Alpine species, such as Oxytropis Halhri, descend near to the village. A short distance below Schlanders the road passes to the rt. bank nearly opposite the opening of the Martellthal (§ 37, Ete. C). Moun- taineers approaching the Orteler district from the S. cannot do better than ascend that fme valley, and cross one or other of the glacier passes leading from it to Stilden or to Sta. Catarina. After pass- C.T. * ing Lat!^ in the Hairlackthal, the traveller may ascend to the Gleirscher Joch, and descend thence, through the G-leirscher- thal, to St. Sigismund, in the Selrainer- thal (§ 49, Ete. D). The same pass may be reached from a point about midway between Umhausen and Lengenfeld, and is the most direct way from either of those places to Innsbruck.] Above Umhausen the road is very rough, and fit only for country-carts. In rainy weather it is liable to be covered over or carried away by torrents charged with mud and gravel that issue from narrow clefts in the mountain. The entrance to the defile of 3Iaui-ach is partly barred by a great mound, pro- bably an ancient moraine. The defile is wild and pictiu-esque : the track twice crosses and recrosses the stream by bridges whose construction cost the lives of many workmen. Amid scattered larches, and pines rooted in crevices of the rock, the track ascends to the next step {Thalstufe) in the valley, a green plain 4 or 5 m. in length. Lengenfeld is a collective name for several ham- lets scattered over this space, but is commonly applied to the hamlet of Fischbach nf-ar its S. end, where the church (3,886') with a sharp spire, painted bright green, and the principal inn (Oberwirth, very fair) are found. There is another inn (Unterwirth"), but nei- ther is as good as that at Umhausen. Nicholas Etschmann is said to be the best guide here. There is a rough but not difficult pass to Trenkwald in the Pitzthal by the Bradler Joch, and an- other more arduous over the Eanach- ferner to St. Leonhard in the same valley. In the opposite direction the Fischbach issues from the Suhthal, running deep into the recesses of the Stubay Alps, and to the E. base of the Schrankogl, the second peak of that group. See § 49, Ete. E. The scenery above Lengenfeld con- stantly increases in savage grandeur as after advancing for nearly 1 hr. under the precipices of the Burgstein, to Hube, from which place a pass (said to be difficult) leads to Mittelberg in the Pitzthal by the Gschrahkoglgletschcr, the track enters another defile where massive hornblende rocks close to- gether, barely leaving space for the torrent and the rough cart-track. At Brand, the Ache is crossed to the L bank, the valley opens a little, and the track mounts to some height above the torrent, and after traversing a larch wood descends into the basin of Sblden (4.442'). There is a small, but clean inn (beim Karlinger). Alois En- nemoser, one of the best guides for this district, and Ferdinand Platter live here, but are often at Fend in sum- mer. The landlord's son is also well spoken of. At Solden the valley ai>- sumes the characteristic aspect of the central recesses of the Alps. A few patches of rice, oats, and potatoes, ;ire hemmed in by pine forest, above which rise steep slopes of rock and Alpine pasture, surmounted by the peaks of the snowy range. The most prominent of these is the Hsbdcrkogl (10,375'), crown- ing the ridge that divides the valleys of Fend and Gurgl. The iU-famed Biid- stockl pass, over the Winacherfemer, leads in 12 hrs. to Neustift in Stubay. F. Platter, wh.-> knows it well, expects 8 fl. Another less difficult pass leads to the head of the Pitzthal by the Pitzthaler-Jbchl (9,806'). See Ete. G. Above Solden the bridle-track enters another ravine, the wildest and grandt.st ROUTE B. PASSEYERTHAL. 149 of the entire valley. Throughout its entire length, but especially here, nu- merous M-ayside pictures and votive tablets commemorate accidents to life or limb due to avalanches, floods, falling rocks, and the varied chances of man's life in the Alps. In 1 hr. steady walking, the traveller reaches Zioiesel- stein (two inns, the new one not bad), standing, as the name implies, at the bifurcatiun of the main valley, 4,791 ft. above the sea. The branch mounting due S. is called Gurglthal (Ete. D), while the longer branch, mounting SW., is the Fenderthal (Ete. C). The way to the Timbler Joch ascends for a short distance through the Gurglthal on the rt. bank of the torrent, but soon turns to the 1. into a short lateral glen called TimhUhal. The rough path, which is passable for laden mules, crosses to the 1. bank of the torrent through this glen, returning to the opposite side about \ hr. below the top. In 3 hrs. from Zwiesel stein the traveller attains the Timbler Joch (8,298'), the lowest pass between the Reschen-Seheideck and the Brenner, and the only one well fitted for four- footed beasts. The pass may be reached from Gurgl by the Angerer Alp, and thence by a narrow path carried along the face of precipitous rocks. In fine weather a guide is not necessary, but when clouds lie on the pass, it is quite possible to miss the way, as the track is in places ill marked. The distance from the summit to Moos in the Passeyer- thal is counted 5| hrs., but in descend- ing 4 hrs. amply suffice. The way is steep for about 20 min., but thence- forward the descent is gentle, keeping a SE. direction to &Ao?2aM (5,042'), a mi- serable hamlet, with an inn which would be resorted to only in case of necessity. Here the track bears to the rt., and crosses the torrent before reaching Ba- bensttin{4:A9o'). From this northernmost branch of the Passeyerthal, several j passes lead to Sterzing by the Eidnaun- j thai and the Eatschingerthal (§ 49, i Ete. H). At the beginning of the fif- i teenth centur}' a Bergfall in the lower ! part of the valley leading to Moos barred the course of the Passer, and led to the formation of a lake that extended nearly to Eabenstein. The partial yielding of the barrier thus formed led to several inundations that spread havoc through the valley even to Meran, till about 1790 a channel was opened that finally drained the lake, whose bed is now a green basin. A very poor inn (Seehaus) stands here, about 2 m. below Eabenstein. The path thence descends steeply, and follows the stony slopes, first along the rt. bank, then by the opposite side to Moos (3,183'), a village standing at tlie junction of the Pfelder- thal with the main branch of the Pas- seyerthal. The streams meet at rt. angles, and their united torrents fiow a little S. of AV. from hence to St. Leon- hard. The inn is poor, but better than those higher up the valley. The scenery here is very fine. There are two paths descending the valley from Moos, of which the more direct is that by the 1. bank. The longer but more pictu- resque way mounts to the village of Piatt, and thence follows the rt. bank. The distance is commonly counted 2^ hrs., but in descending it is easy to go in little more than ] ^ hr. from Moos to St. Leonhard (Inns : Weisses Eoss, beim Strobl, good; and two others), the chief village of the Passeyerthal, 2,273 ft. above the sea. The valley here bends shai-ply at a rt. angle, a little W. of S., and the higher peaks are lost to view. The scenery is compara- tively tame throughout the descent to Meran, but the traveller familiar with the story of the heroic resistance of the TjTolese to the French and Bavarian invasion in 1809, will visit with interest the home of Ilofer, the leader of the national struggle and its foremost victim. The church and cemetery of St. Leonhard, which had been occupied as a military position by the French, were taken by storm by the Tyrol fse. About ^ hr. below St. Leonhard the track which keeps to the 1. bank of the Passer passes the wayside inn — Wirths- liaus am Sand— once kept by Andreas 150 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. HoftT, who derived from it the common desitrnation ' der Sandvvirth.' The house is still an inn, and contains several memorials of the popular hero. The hut where he lay concealed, until be- trayed to the French in January 1810, is about 1^ hr. distant, on the ridge SE. of his home. It may be taken on the way to Botzen, as a track leads thence across the ridge into the Penser- th:il, or NW. branch of the Sarenthal. PJelow the next village of St. Martin the path traverses a spot called Keller- lahn, where, after heavy rain, a slowly moving stream of mud descends from the mountain side, crosses the track, and finally falls into the Passer. Men attempting to cross this treacherous current have found it impossible to ex- tricate themselves ; and some lives have thus been lost. The remainder of the walk to Meran is hot, and not very in- teresting, till that town is approached. The track by the 1. bank passes the castle of Schonna, near which is the very ancient church of St. George. The shorter way by the rt. bank traverses Saltans (inn kept by uncivil people) and Kuens. The last pai'ish priest of the latter village acquired reputation as a poet and antiquary. The priest's house commands a very fine view. The castle of Tyrol (Ete. A) may be taken on the way from hence to Meran, but the direct road enters the town through the Passej^erthor. ROTJTE C. SOLDEN TO THE VINTSCHGAU, BY THB FENDEETHAL. As was mentioned in the last Ete., the main branch of the Oetzthal, and that which penetrates most deeply into the heart of the snowy Alps, is the Fenderthal, which unites its torrent with that of the Grurglthal at Zwieselstein. The path from Solden to Fend (also written Vent) turns to the rt., and crosses the Ache before it reaches the first houses of Zwieselstein, but there is another way, shorter, but rougher, which crosses the shoulder of the mountain, and avoids the junction of the two valleys. The path keeps to the 1. side of the valley, for the most part at a great height above the torrent, which rushes through a deep chasm, sometimes lost to view. At Freistabl, the first group of houses, the defile widens a little, but contracts again before the traveller reaches HcUi- genkrcuz (5,378'), where wine and an omelette, and, in case of need, one or two beds, may be found at the house of the curate. A bridge, thrown at a great height above the torrent, here leads to the opposite side of the valley, above which rises the peak of the Uamolkogl (11, .527'), but the traveller keeps to the 1. bank, and in 5 hrs. from Solden reaches . i^tJirfCSjl 68'). now often written Vent, one of the highest villages in the Alps, a small group of houses beside a church. As it first comes into view, backed by the glaciers at the head of the Kofenthal and Spieglerthal, which are divided by the peak of the Thakitsspitz (II. 172'), it forms a striking picture. The inn is very poor, and all strangers apply to the parish priest, that excellent mount- aineer, Herr Senn, who can accommo- date 16 or 18 persons. His house- keeper makes a moderate charge accord- ing to the supplies furnished. These ROUTE C. — EXCURSIONS FROM FEND. 151 include meat, eggs, -svine, coffee, milk, butter, wliite bread, and chickens. Cy- prian Granbichler, the best guide here, ■was lost in 1870. Ignaz Schoj^f now ranks first. Nicodemus Klotz, of Rofen, once famous, has retired, but he has four younger brothers, of "whom Leander is said to be the boldest. Josef Gstrein is probably second best. Save the first, none of these are comparable as ice-men to the good Swiss and Savoy guides, but they are competent to lead strangers over the known passes. Josef Scheiber is said to be much improved. A tariff of charges has been established, mostly reasonable. As Fend lies in the centre of an almost complete circle of high peaks, it offers very attractive quarters to the mountaineer. It is said that no fewer than twenty glaciers are drained into the valley, most of which are accessible with more or less diflSculty. Of the numer- ous glacier passes those leading to the Vintschgau are described in the present Rte. Of these, two leading to Natums, through the Schnalserthal, are mode- rately easy. The others here mentioned are mountaineers' passes, rarely used even by the native hunters. Full in- formation respecting most of them is contained in the valuable work of von Sonklar already referred to. Ex-cursioiis from Fend, The moun- taineer undertaking excursions from Fend must recollect that the guides of this district are not as well up to ice- work as the best Swiss and Savoy guides, nor equally familiar with the necessary precautions. He should therefore per- sonally look to the sufficiency and solidity of the rope, and will do well to carry his own ice-axe if he has ac- quired some practice with that weapon. The ascent which will most tempt mountaineers is that of the WiJdspitz (1 2,390'), the highest point in this region. The ascent was made in 1865 by Messrs. Tuckett, Fox, and Freshfield, taking nearly the same course followed by Herr Specht of Vienna in 1 857. This in part followed a projecting buttress of the mountain called Urkund. Mr. Tuckett advises future travellers to go right up the Eotenkahr Kees, keeping at some dis- tance below ti)e ridge of the Urkund, until they reach a Suttel, or col. between that and the final slopes of the Wildspitz. From that point the peak was attained in 1 hr.. and in subsequent ascents 5 hours of actual walking have sufficed to reach the top. Tariff — t\AO guides at 5 fl. each. For the way to the Pitztlial see Rte. F. The view from the Weisskugel. or Hi ti- ter Wilde EisspHz{]2,277'),h decidedly finer than that from the Wildspitz, as it overlooks many of the neighbouring valleys. It is accessible from the Hin- tereis Joch (see beiow), which may be reached from Fend, and in rather less time from Kurzras at the head of ihe Sehnalserthal. The guides, who once asked 20 fl. each, are now satisfied with 10 fl. The Similavn (11,810') is easily reached from the ^Niederjoch (see be- low), or direct from Unser Frau by the ridge E. of the Tissenalpthal, to a point called Kasererwarterl, and finally by the eastern arete after crossing the neve of the Grafferner. The summit commands an admirable view. The Ramolkogel (11,527'). called by Sonklar Anich Spitze, with one of the finest panoramic views in this district, is easily reached in 5 hrs. from Fend. The Kreuzsintz{\\,A lO') is, however, now preferred by most visitors to Fend as affording one of the best panoramic views, and being easily accessible even to ladies since a path has been com- pleted nearly to the top. It turns to the rt. from the way to the Niederjoch (see below) at the somarhiitte. Of nearer points of view one of the best is the Mutboden, rising Js. of Fend, and reached in 2 hrs. 1. To the Schnalserthal and Natums, by the Nieder Joch (9.847'). 6 hrs. from Fend to Unser Frau ; 4 hrs. thence to Staben, or A\ hrs. to Natums. This was long supposed to be the lowest, as it is the most direct way to the Schnal- serthal; but is in fact higher, rather more laborious, and more difficult than the 152 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT, Hoch Jocli, next described. Two moun- I taineers vrith a rope may perhaps dispense | witli a guide in settled fine weather, but, I although the writer has gone alone this I way in one day, from Fend to Meran, he i strongly advises travellers not to follow I his example. It is a far better plan to 1 halt at Unser Frau, and employ the | spare time in the ascent of the Similaun, | Less than a mile above Fend two gla- cier sto-eams issuing from two glens or ncesses in the icy chain join their waters. The easternmost of these, flow- iu^^ nearly due N., issue.s from the Spieg- lerthal, also called ykchrthal, and leads to the Nieder Joch. The -way keeps at first to the "W. side of the torrent. On the opposite side rises the snowy range that separates Fend from Grurgl, ■whose chief summits are the Ra/nolkogl 1^11 .'S27'), Firmianspitz (11,275), and Schcdfkogl {11,562'). In about 1^ hr. from F"'end the tra- veller reaches the base of the Marzoll Glacier, which descends laterally from tlie S. into the glen, and bridges over the stream -which issues higher up from tht Nitderjochferrier. The v/ay lies along the moraine of tiie Marzoll Glacier, to a ruined hut called S» marhiitte, and thence up rough slopt'S, till in about 3 hrs. from Fend it enters on the ice of tue Niederjochferner. The true direction is indicated by little pyramids of stone heaped up on the ice. As the traveller rises, he obtains wider views of the sur- rounding peaks. Before him rises the white pyramidal summit of the Similaun (11,810'), which is attainable without difficulty in 2^ hours from the upper plateau near the pass. The descent should be made by the head of the Graflferner, and the Kasererwarterl (see above). Near the latter point is a curious mass of seemingly erratic blocks of porphyry and various other rocks. The Fend guides expect five florins for the ascent from the Nieder Joch side. The Finailspitz (about 11,600'), rising between this and the Hoch Joch, is easily ascended from this side, and also, but less easily, from the iloch Joch. On reaching the Nieder Joch, at the lowest point of the ridge, the glacier comes abruptly to an end, and a single step on the rock suffices to bring the tra- veller to the verge of the very steep range enclosing a wild glen called Tissendp- thal. At the first moment the descent appears formidably steep, almost a precipice ; but on looking down the tra- veller will see indications of a faintly marked trac-k carried up the broken face of the rocks, and in point of fact, the descent is not difficult. Keeping some- what to the rt., he reaches a slope of debris at the base of the rocks leading dowTi into the wild and dreary hollow which soon opens into the head of the Schnalserthal, near a group of huts called Oliervernagt (5,600'). Amid very grand scenery the path descends by the 1. bank in ^ hr. more to Unser Liebe Fran (5,314'). There is a very fair country-inn here, with 4 beds, kept by Joh. Spektenhauser(der Unter- wirth j, and another nearer the church — not bad — (beim Suuter). Gabriel Spek- tenhauser (first-rate) and Urban Griscli are the best guides here. As at most places in Tyrol, a tariff for guides has been established. Many interesting passes, most of which are noticed helow, may be taken from this as a starting point. The walk from Unser Frau through the Schnalserthal is ver}- interesting, the scenery being throufrhout of a high order. The path lies at first along the 1. bank of the Schnahe, also called Tschernin' hack, then crosses to the rt. bank, and in 1 hr. reaches Karthaiis (4,793'), a vil- lage with a country inn standing on an eminence high above the torrent. Nearly opposite is the Pfossenthal {B.te. D i, one of the most savage recesses of the Tvro- lese Alps. Below Karthaus the path keeps to the rt. bank, usually at a great height above the stream. Some of the grandest larches in Tyrol (or in Europe) formerly adorned this valley, and a few very fine trees still remain near the track. On the opposite side of the valley the village of Si. Catha- rina (4,063') also stands on a point very ROUTE C. HOCH JOCH. 153 high above the torrent. About 1 hr. below Ivarthaus is liatieis, a group of houses, with au inn. The most pictu- resque point on the way is 1^ hr. below Ratteis, where the path passes the ruined castle of Ji/fahl, commanding a noble view of the Schnalserthal, the adjoining portion of the Viutschgau, and the sur- rounding mountains. In ^ hr. the path descends thence to Staben on the high- road a little W. of the opening of the valley. At the very fair inn in that rilliige it is often possible to procure a vehicle for Meran or Schlanders; but the prospect is more secure at the Post at Naturns (Rte. A). Charge for a char {dnsjjdnniger Wagen) to Meran, about 3 fl. In going to Naturns the traveller should take a path that turns to the 1., about I m. above the castle of Jufahl, and reaches the level of the Vintschgau about ^ hr. west of Naturns by a very steep descent. At the lower end of its course the Schnalse has cut a very deep cleft, forming an impassable defile, through which it rushes into the valley of the Adige. 2. To the Schnalserthal by the Hoch Jock (9,0 15'). 7 hrs. from Fend to Unser Frau. A new path has been constructed at the instance of the ac- tive parish priest of Fend, and two mules are available at each side of the pass for the benefit of tourists. This way is fully an hour longer than that by the Nieder Joch, but it is more used, and the scenery, on the whole, is finer. Following the western branch of the valley where it forks above Fend, a walk of rather more than 2 m. leads to Rofen (6,705'). The shortest path is that by the 1. bank of the torrent. Since the Stelvio road has ceased to be maintained at government expense, this is probably the highest spot in the German Alps which is inhabited through- out the year. A Steinbock (bouquetm) carved in stone upon an ancient house commemorates the heraldic device and privileges of nobility granted to the former owner by Frederick of the Empty Purse, when he here, at the foot of the glaciers, found a secure refuge from his enemies. Hofen is the dwell- ing place of the Klorz family, reputed the best guides in the valley. From this spot the branch of the valley de- rives its name, Eofenthal. It is en- closed by several of the highest summits of the Oetzthal Alps. Immediately N. of Rofen rises the Wildsjpitz (12,390'), followed towards the W. by the Prochkogl (11,926'), Plat- trykogl (11,056'), Langtav.fererspits (11,629'), Weisskugel {12,277'), and on the opposite side by the FineUspitz, Kreuzspitz {11,4:10'), and Thaleitsspitz (11,172'). From a cleft on the W. side of the Platteykogl the Vernagt Glacier descends into the valley. The oscilla- tions of this glacier, as it alternately advances and recedes, have caused disasters nearly as extensive as .the better known inundations of the Dranse near Martigny. Thrice in the 17th century it so completely barred across the valley above Rofen as to form a large lake, which finally burst the ice- barrier, and caused floods, which were much more destructive in the lower Oetzthal than in the immediate neigh- bourhood of the glacier. Similar acci- dents have been repeated on a smaller scale in the present century, for the last time in 1848. The new path keeps to the slope above the rt. hank of the torrent, and then crosses the debris left by the Vernagt Glacier in order to reach the upper slopes intervening be- tween that and the three great ice- streams which converge towards the head of the valley. From the NW. descends the KesseJwand-Gletscher, which joins the more extensive Hin- tereis-Gletscher, flowing eastward from the Weisskugel and the Innere Quell- spitz ; while the HucIijoc/ifer7ier descends from the ridge to the S. and SW., approaching very near the Hintereis- Gietscher in the lower part of its course. A mountain inn. supplying refreshments and beds in case of need, has been opened here. The way lies for ^ hr. over moraine, and then for 1^ hr. over the glacier, till the Hoch Joch (9,515') is attained in about 4 hrs. from Fend. 154 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. The views on either side of the Dunierous peaks, rising out of a vast ex- tent of surrounding glacier, are very striking. Although the glaciers of this region lie very near to each other, and are sometimes divided only by snow-covered ridges, they are generally iormed in distinct basins, and it is not correct to describe them, as some writers have done, as though they were outlets from a single continuous ice-reservoir. The descent from the Hoch Jock is, for some distance, over snow slopes steep enough to allow of glissading. Before long the traveller reaches the rocks that enclose the head of the Schnalserthal. The way formerly lay to the 1., but a new and improved path to the rt. is now complete. 1 hr. suf- fices to reach Kurzras (6,637') ; a group of huts offer refreshments and, in case of need, three beds. The landlord of the huts (der Bauer) is said to be a good guide for some of the neigh- bouring peaks. The walk from hence to Unser Frau is extremely enjoyable. The way lies partly over meadows, partly through larch forest, and the surrounding scenery is grand and beautiful. After joining the path from the Nieder Joch, the traveller, in about 3 hrs. from the summit, reaches Unser Frau. 3. To Schlanders by the TascU JocU. About 12 hrs. from Fend. The travel- ler who has crossed the Hoch Joch, and descended thence to Kurzras (see above), may reach Schlanders on the same day, by crossing a pass called Taschl Jochl, leading from the latter place to the head of the Schlandernaunthal. The Bummit (9,067') commands a remark- able view of the snowy range of the Oetzthal Alps on one side, and that of the Orteler on the other. In descend- ing on the S. side, the way passes some small lakes, and thence to an AJpine pasture h"ing at the head of the Schlan- dernminthal, which is a wild hollow, inhabited only in summer when herds- men visit the head of the glen. It is a walk of 3 hrs. from the Alp to Schlan- ders (Rte. A), ending by a ver)- steep j descent, as the path avoids the gorgb I through which the torrent rushes to i enter the Vintschgau. This is a long day's walk, requiring fully 12 hrs., ex- clusive of halts. A curious little Lap- I land plant, Ravunculus pygviceiis, was I first found in Tyrol near a small glacier i above the pass here described. Starting I from Unser Frau, the most direct way to { the Sehlandernauxithal is by the Mast- I aunscharte, at the head of a short j glen called Mastaunthal, opening SW. t of the village. The pass (about 9,645') j commands a noble view on both sides. ; It li«s on the X. side of the Mastaun- : spitz (10,488'), and not to the S., as laid , down on Sonklar's and other maps. I 4. To Mais by the Langgrub Joch I (10,005') ayid Matscherthal. Fend to I Unser Frau 7 hrs. ; thence to Mais 10 ' hrs. The Matscherthal is counted as \ one of the most beautiful of the lateral i valleys of the Vintschgau. Well culti- 1 rated at its lower end, and producing ' excellent crops, its Alpine pastures are i reckoned among the richest in T}to1. ! The beauty of its herds, and the nu- merous wolves that wage war against them, are equally proverbial. The moimtaineer will be still more attracted by the grandeur of the peaks and gla- ciers that enclose its head. The names of the chief summits, commencing on the SE. side of the valley, are the Rem,' spitz (10,512'), Salurnspitz (11,260'), Hintereisspitz (10,721'), Innere Quell- spitze (10,889'j, Weisskugel (12,277'), and Fuvtlesspitz. Until very lately the only known pass leading into the head of the valley was that named on the government map Langgrub Joch, but known as Matscher Joch, in the Schnal- serthal and Upper Vintschgau. The traveller taking this route from Fend should, on the first day, proceed to Un- ser Frau (either by the Nieder- or Hoch Joch), and will there find in Urban Grisch a competent guide. No particulars respecting the pass have reached the editor. 5. To Mais by the Hinterei-s Joch and Matscherthal. About 13 hrs. from Fend. In 1865 Messrs. Tuckett, Fox, and r.OUTE C— LAKGTAUFErEE JOCH. 155 Freshfit'ld, with F. Devouassoud of Chamouni, and P. Michel of Grindel- wald, having reached the Langrauferer Joch (see below) in 5if hrs. from Fend, turned to the 1., and ascended the Langtaufererspitz (11,626') by its N. arete, and descended thence southward to the upper part of the Hintereis Gla- cier. They then mounted to a snow col on the S. side of the Weisskugel, about 11,400 ft. above the sea, now known as the Hhitereis Joch. From the summit of the pass the Weisskugel was climbed without difficulty in 1 hr., and the return to the pass effected in 25 min. The descent into the head of the Matscherthal was very steep. ' Keeping first to the S., beneath the cliffs that "extend SE. from the pass, and to the 1. of a rocky point protruding from and dividing the upper neve of the Matscber Glacier, they then bent round to thert., and having reached the brow of the lofty and magnificent ice-fall, cut their way diagonally across its upper and less dislocated portion to the rt. lateral moraine, reached in l^-hr. Fol- lowing this, or the slopes of rock and turf, the end of the glacier was passed in 20 min., the highest chalets reached in I hr., Matsch in if hrs., and Schlu- derns in 1 hr. more.' Throughout the lower part of the valley the main tor- rent, Klammbach, has cut a deep trench, which at length becomes an impass- able defile, and the lateral torrents de- scending from the mountains on either side have also cut deep ravines. There is here a choice of paths. The way by Schluderns is rougher but more pic- turesque. Some way below the village of Matsch, on a high promontory in the angle formed by such a ravine and the main stream, stand the ruins of two castles. Unter-Matsch and Ober- Matsch, once belonging to the power- ful Counts of Matsch. The way to Tartsch and Metis, which stand in the open valley a little above the opening of the Matscherthal, is by a cart-road along the sh.pes on the NW. side of the valley. This gradually turns to the W. as it descends by the rounded shoulder of the mountain, to Tartsrh (Rte. A). 'J'he course taken by Mr. Tuckett's party from Fend to the Hintereis Joch obviously involvc-d a considerable detour. There is no doubt that the most direct way from Fend is by the Rofenthal up to the foot of the Hintereis Glacier and then by its main branch ascending in a directiDU rather S. of W. An alternative coarse was discovered by ]\Ir. Holzmaun in 1868 more suited for a traveller whose guide was unused to ice-work. Starting from the Glieshof, near the head of the Matscherthal, the Weisskugel was climbed, partly by the Matscher Glacier, partly by steep-looking rocks on the S. face of the peak. Thence he descended to the Hintereis Joch, and crossed the ridge to the rt., separating the Hintereis from the Steinschlag Glacier, wliich occupies the extreme uppermost end of the Schnalserthal. The way lies to the I., keeping near the ridge that bounds the glacier, and it is then easy to descend to Kurzras. or to reach the path over the Hoch Joch a few minutes below the summit. By this route the summit of the Weisskugel has since been reached in less than 5 hrs. actual walking from Kurzras. 6. To Reschen, or St. Valentin, by the Langtaufcrer Joch (IO,.'-).35') and Lang- tau/ererthal, 11 to 12 hrs. from Fend. The ascent to the Langtauferer Joch lies about due W. from the foot of the Hintereis Glacier. Care must be taken to avoid the branch of that glacier that descends from the Hintereis Joch at the S. foot of the Weisskugel, and to keep a toler- ably direct course along the base of the Hoch Vernagtwand. The descent on the W. side of the pass lies over the Langtau- fcrer Ferner, which is less steep than most of the glaciers lying on the outer declivities of this group. At its head the main branch of the Langtaufererthal descends to WNW. as far as the first group ofhouses, called J/a//aa, belonging to the village of Hinterkiich. Two glacier passes lead from hence into the Kaunserthal (Rte. E). That best known is the Weisse See Juch (9,657') ; the 156 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. Other keeps nearer to the base of the j Hoch Glockenthurm (10,997')- A little bc4ow Maliag another path, keeping a little W. of N., and passing over the Tscheycr Scharte to the 1. of the last- named peak, leads into the head of the Hadurschelthal. This is a rarely tra- versed Alpine glen, inhabited only by herdsmen in summer, whose torrent joins the Inn a few miles below the defile of Finstermiinz (Ete. A). A traveller bent on exploring the least known valleys of this district might \ accomplish the passage of the Tscheyer [ Scharte, and then cross a second pass on j the N. side of a summit called Kaiser- joch (10,198'), leading through a lateral glen (Kaiserbergerthal) from the Ead- urschelthal to the Kaunserthal. i It is a walk of 3|- hrs. through the Langtav.ferertkal from Maliag to G-rann, on the high road a short way S. of the Eeachen-Scheideck (Ete. A), where the \ Carlinbach issues to join the infant | Adige. Having regard to the quantity of water which it bears down from the glaciers at the head of the valley, this* may be considered the chief source of the Adige. Several hamlets are passed between Hinterkirch and Pedross, which is the chief place near the opening of the valley. About half-way two narrow glens are seen to open on the S. side. One of these passes to the E., the other to the W. of the Danzewell (10,311'). Both glens lead to practicable cols over the ridge dividing the Langtaufererthal from the Planailthal. The latter wild glen lies between the first and the Matscherthal, but does not penetrate so deeply into the snowy range as do the neighbouring valleys. On reaching Graun the traveller may either turn northward to Nauders, or, if his course be down the Vintschgau, he will find a less attractive inn at the post-station at St. Valentin. EOUTE D. SOLDEN TO MEEAN (OE NATXJENs) BY THE GUEGLTHAX. In describing the interior recesses of the Oetzthal Alps, we have hitherto omitted to notice the branch of the valley whose opening was seen S. of Zwieselstein. The G-urglthal is not in- ferior to the Fenderthal in attractions for the moimtaineer, except that it does not offer so great a variety of expeditions to his choice. The best way from Zwieselstein to Gurgl is by a path that mounts rather steeply through forest on the 1. bank of the main torrent, till, above the opening of the Timblthal (Ete. B), it crosses to the rt. bank near a waterfall formed by the torrent from that glen. The valley here opens and fairly enters the Alpine region, leaving that of coniferous trees, none but scattered arollas (Siberian pines) being henceforward seen. In about 1 hr. from the bridge the traveller reaches Pill, the lowest hamlet of Gurgl. Several small groups of houses are passed in succession, and as the surrounding peaks appear to close round the head of the valley, and the traveller thinks him- self approaching close to the foot of the glaciers, a turn of the path round an intervening green hillock discloses the church and small village of Ghirgl (6,238'), the higliest in the Eastern Alps. There is no inn, but strangers are kindly received by the parish-priest, and find very fair quarters, for so remote a spot, when the house is not overcrowded, as sometimes happens in summer. The former parish-priest, Herr Trientl, lately removed to Gries, near Lengenfeld, has given an interesting account of the valley ROUTE D. — EISSEE, NEAR GUEGL. 157 in the second annual volume of the Aus- j trian Alpine Club. i The traveller who wishes to enjoy the | scenery of this district cannot do better than make his first halt in the upper \ Oetzthal at Gurgl, and after devoting a j day or two to the neighbourhood, go from i hence to Fend by the Ramol Joch ; but ! those who have already seen the Fender- | thai may take Gurgl on the way to the valley of the Adige, crossing one or other of the passes njeiiiioned below. The best guides here are Blasius Griiner, Peter Paul Gstrein, and Rupert Scheiber. A tariff of charges has been established, considerably higher than formerly. For thehigher peaks the rateis from 4 fl. to6 fl. ; and in many cases two guides are con- sidered necessary for a single traveller. The indispensable exciu-sion for the visitor to Gurgl is that to the Eissee and Great Oetzthahr Glacier. There is a path by the 1. bank of the torrent ; but it is steep and difficult, and that by the opposite side of the valley is preferred. About 20 min, above the village the latter track reaches the Gaisbriicke, a bridge crossing the torrent from a lateral glen called Gaisberg, rarely visited by tourists, but interesting to the naturalist and geologist. At its head is a rather considerable glacier which may be visited by a detour from the path to the Eissee, but deserves more leisurely examination. Above it rise the peaks of the Granaten- kogl (10,783') and the Kirchenkogl (10,790'). The first derives its name from the abundance of large garnets found in the mica slate. As they have been much sought after, good specimens are not now easily found. On the oppo- site or S. side of the glacier, the mica slate passes into a micaceous clay slate, with veins (or alternating layers ?) of erygtalline limestone, connected with a large cont'guous mass of dolomite. Fine specimens of quartz crj^stals have been found on the S, lateral moraine of the glacier. Continuing his course up the main branch of the Gurglthal from the Gais- briicke, the traveller in 1 hr. reaches the opening of the Rothmoosthal, a lateral glen parallel to the Gaisberg, also lead- ing to a large glacier lying between the Kirchenkogl audBoik?/tOoskogel\ 1 0,772'). H. Trientl narrates an accident that befell a guide from Pf elders who accom- panied two English travellers across this glacier to Gurgl in 1863. His life was saved after falling to a depth of nearly 70 feet into a crevasse. Crossing the torrent from the Both- moosferner, the traveller follows the path about SSW. to Schonwies, where sheep and goats are pastured in summer. A rather steep ascent follows, but the path has been lately improved, and on tuniing a corner of rock the traveller suddenly finds himself face to face with the great glacier, appropriately named Grosse Oetzthaler Ferner, as it is seen in the back ground from the lower part of ttie main valley. In the early summer the attention of the traveller will be at once arrested by the Eissee, or Gurgler Lake, This is formed in the same manner as other small glacier-lakes in Switzerland and Tyrol, but, when full, is on a larger scale than any of them. The torrent from the Langthaler Ferner which flows from due S. into the head of the Gurgl- tlial is arrested by the larger glacier, which fills the trough of the valley. In the spring and early summer, when the Langthaler torrent is much increased in volume, the waters accumulate till they fill the entire space between the two glaciers, forming a lake about 1 nu in length, nearly ^ m. broad, and 400 ft. deep at the lower end where it abuts against the lower glacier. Large ma-sses of floating ice form miniature ice-bergs on its sui-face, and the conditions which have caused the disastrous inundations in the neighbouring Eofenthal (Rte. C) seem to be repeated. In fact, some damage was done in the early part of the last century by the rapid outflo-w from the lake, but, as an ordinary rule, the accumulation stops when the stream has reached the level of the lower glacier on its W, bank. Mainly by a process well explained by Sonklar, the water ex- cavates a passage under the ice dam, while at the sometime a stream near the 158 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. bank gradually deepens its bed, and so the lake is drained without a dangerous outburst of the pent-up waters. A small grove of arollus is seen near the base of the Grosse Ferner at the unusual height of about 7,100 ft. The mountaineer should ascend the northern peak of the Schicurzenspitz (9,761'), between the two great glaciers of the valley. It commands a noble view. The easiest pass from Gurgl to Fend is doubtless that by the Ramol Jock (10.537), Iving between the Hamolkoyel (11 ,6do) and the Stoiterhorn (11,2.57'). A path has been constructed of late years, and 6 hours steady walk- ing fully suffice for the passage. Fol- lowing the steep path by the 1. side of the torrent, the summit is attained by the slopes W. of the great glacier, and the descent lies over the Spiegelfemer, whose torrent runs into the lower part of the Niederthal (Rte. C) about 1 hr: above Fend. It appears easy to combine the ascent of the Stotterhorn with the passage of the Joch ; but that of the Ramolkogel costs more time. A more direct way from Gurgl to Fend lies over the Fallferner (6 to 7 hrs.). This course is interesting chiefly for the prodigious development of the ancient moraines on the \V. side of the Gurghhal. It is said that from 60 to 80 parallel moraines may in some places be traced on the slope extending from the bottom of the valley to a height of 2,600 ft. The ascent of the NoderkoglOQ.Zlo), the summit of which is easily reached in 5 hrs. from Gurgl, may also be taken on the way from that village to Fend. Passes from Gurgl to Meran. The easiest way from Gurgl to 3Ieran is the circuitous course by the Timbler Joch noticed in Ete. B. It is a very long day's walk. A shorter way to Kaben- Btein in the upper Passeyerthalisby the Ko7iigsthal, a short glen, whose torrent falls into the Gurglthal at Sagemiihle, about ^ hr. below the village. The pass, called Saber Joch, is said to be very rough, rather difficult, and to cost as much time as the way by the Timbler Joch. The most direct way to Plan in the Pfeldersthal is by the Bothmoosfer' ner (see last page). This glacier rises by successive steep slopes alternating with nearly level terraces. Some wide transverse crevasses are difficult to pass when not covered by solid snow bridges. The S. side is easy, and Plan is reached in b\ hrs. from Giirgl. The ordinary way to the Pfeldersthal is by the Lang- thaler Joch (9,939'). This pass, reached in 4^ hrs. from Gurgl, lies to the E. of the Hochwildspitz (11,410'), one of the highest summits in the main range S. of Gurgl — the corner-stone whereat meet the Gurglthal, Pfelders- thal, and Pfossenthal. The ascent is by the Langthalerferner, which is divided from the Grosse Ferner by the ridge of , the Schwarzenspitz, The glacier comes ! to an end at the summit, and a steep, ! but not very difficult, rock descent leads i down to Lazins at the head of the Pfel- I dersthal. The way being lono^, an early I start is expedient. The view, which ' extends eastward to the snowy peaks of I the Tauern Alps, and southward to the j dolomite mountains of Fassa and Ca- : dore, is magnificent. In descending from the Langthaler 1 Joch, the traveller has a choice between three diffi-rent courses. He may bear to the rt. in order to cross the Gruben Joch (9,548'), which leads from the head of the Pfeldersthal to that of the Pfos- senthal, passing between the Hochwild- spitz to the N. and the Hochweissspitz (about 10,370' ?) to the S. This would lead to Karthaus in the Schnalserthal, but the shortest and most interesting way to that place is by the Gurgl Joch (see below). The second course offered to the moun- taineer is to bear to the 1. and descend the Pfeldersthal to Flan ( 5,341'), the chief village of the valley, and on that account often called Pfelders. It is reached in 3^ hrs. from the summit of the pass. There are now two inns at Plan, and it is no longer necessary to seek hospitality at the priest's house. 2 hrs. lower do-wn, near the opening of the valley, is the village of Piatt. The Pfeldersthal is a lateral glen which joins the main ROUTE D. — PFOSSENTHAL. 159 branch of the Passeyerthal at Moos { (Rto. B), but, as its level is much higher, the path descends rapidly from Piatt, and the torrent, after passing through a ravine, issues in a fine water- fall — the Platter Fall — a short distance from Moos. As the Pfeldersthal descends nearly due KE. from its head to its junction with the upper Passeyerthal — i.e. in a direction nearly exactly opposite to that of the lower part of the valley between St. Leonhard andMeran, the course last described is very circuitous, involving fully 11 hrs. steady walking from the Langthaler Joch to Meran. A much more interesting way, rougher, but scarcely half as far in actual distance, is by the Spronscr Joch. To reach this the traveller, after descending to Lazins, a group of huts near the head of the Pfel- dersthal, merely crosses the latter valley, and begins to '■mount, nearly due S., through a lateral glen called Lazinser- thal, which leads to the pass (8,440' ft. high). The view of the range of snowy peaks on the opposite side of the Pfeldersthal is said to be very fine. On tlie S. side of the Spronser Joch the path lies for a considerable distance through an upland valley containing five or six small lakes, whence a rapid descent leads into the Spronserthal, a wild glen en- closed between steep walls of rock. The traveller may follow this down to its junction with the Passeyerthal near Meran, or he may take a rather more direct way, passing by Schloss Tyrol (Ete. A\ and descending by the path from thence to the town. In this way Meran may be reached in 10 hrs. steady walking from Grurgl. A guide is required, not only for the passage of the Lang- thaler Joch, but also for the way fi-om Lazins to the lower part of the Spron- serthal. Girrgl to Natur7is hy the Gurgl Joch and Ffossenthal. The pass over the ] head of the great Oetzthaler Glacier, i and the descent through the Pfosson- '• thai to Karthaus in the Schnalserthal, is very rarely eifected, though one of the most interesting excursions in this dis- trict. An ascent of 2 hrs. from the Eissee, partly over the glacier, partly by steep slope ■ on the E. bank, leads to the Steiuerne Tisch (9,560'), a huge block lying close to the edge of the ice. Here begins the neve, and of course the rope should be put on. A Dr. Blirstenbinder from Berlin, refusing to adopt that precaution, was hauled up a corpse from a crevasse into which he had fallen. In 1|- hr. from the Steinerne Tisch, or less if the snow be in good order, the traveller reaches the summit of the Gurgler Joch (9,956'), lying be- tween the Hochwildspitz (11,410') and the Karlesintz (11,256'). Although the descent into the Pfossenthal is at first extremely steep, the people of the Schnalserthal annually send a large flock of sheep this way to the pastures above Grurgl. Many accidents are. re- corded. In June 1844, the flock was surprised by a snow storm on the gla- cier, and more than 200 sheep, with one of the shepherds, were frozen to death. At Eishof (6,790'), a large stone house at the head of the Pfossenthal, the tra- veller joins the path leading from the Pfeldersthal over the Gruben Joch, and then descends, at first due W., through this wild valley, one of the deepest and most savage in Tyrol, but rarely traversed by the foot of a stranger. From Mitterkaser, where the Pfossenthal bends to the S.,a path leads to St. Katha- rina, on the E. side of the Schnalser- thal. If the traveller be bound for Naturns he may keep to the track on the 1. side of the valley. Should he de- sign to return to Fend, or traverse any of the passes described in Hie. C, he will cross the main valley to Karthaus (10 hrs. from Gurgl). and seek night- quar- ters there, or at the better inn at Unser Liebe Frau. The passaae of the Gurgl Joch may- be combined with the ascent of the Xar/e*/)//r( 11,256'), commanding a very fine view of the surrounding peaks and glaciers. This is effected by a steep climb along a rocky ridge that extends southward from the summit. Instead of returning the same way and descending ICO CENTRAL TYROL ALPS, § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. to the Pfossenthal, the travelLr may I pass connecting this great glacier with descend to Fend across a great basin of liCvc above tlie head of the Schatferner, which falls into the Nit-derthal close to the lower end of tbe Maizott Glacier. In 3 hrs. (fast going; the path in the Niederthal is reached from the sunimit. Another route sometimes taken from Gurgl to Fend lies over the sunimit of the SchaI//ioyel(l\M'2') ; this is shorter than the way by the Karlespitz, but the view is said [o be less interesting. The -writer has seen no notice of the ascent of the Rotkbergspitz (11,904') — called Rothenspitz on Sonklar's map — next to_ the Weis^kugel. the highest summit in the range dividing the Adige from the Inn. It rises NW. of Mitter- kaser in the Pfossenthal and outtops the Similaun by 94 feet. Fend, recently called Gebatsch Joch, offers a sample of the strange effects of vague rumour in exaggerating the perils of Alpine adventure. The pass appears to have been at one time frequently uskI by the natives of Fend, who passed that way to the pilgrimage church of Kaltenbrunn in the Kaunserthal. Of late it has been rarely used, and has acquired the name of a dangerous pass. Even in a work so generally accurate as the second edition of Schaubach, published in 1866, it is alluded to as only to be attempted ' at peril of life, and probably impracticable since Nico- demus IClotz no longer undertakes to act as guide.' The ' Jahrbuch of the Austrian Alpine Club,' however, con- tains two accounts of the pass which was traversed early in July 1860 by Herr "Weilenmann, and about six weeks later by Dr. A. v. Kuthner. As in all similar expeditions the constant use of the rope is indispensable, and when there is little snow on the upper part of the Gebatschferner, the crevasses may give some trouble, but in their ordinary condition the glaciers on both sides seem to be singularly free from difficulty, as may be inferred from the fact that Herr Weilenmann reached the pastures of the Platteyberg above Eofen in 5 hrs. from the Gebatschalp in the KaunserthaL The confusion existing as to the true names of many of the peaks and glaciers in this district, and the want of agree- darj- ridges that stretch northward from j ment between the beet maps, makes it Eoui-E E. 1A^-DECK TO KEXD, BY THE KAtJNSEE- THAT. AXD GEBATSCH JOCH. It was remarked in the introduction to this section that the Fenderthal, or main branch of the Upper Oetzthal, is walled in on the NW. side by the high- est of the ridges making up the group of the Oetzthal Alps. This, which has by Sonklar been collectively called Weisskamm, contains the three highest summits of the entire group, and no- where sinks below the level of about 10,400 ft. The three parallel secon- the Weisskamm towards the Innthal enclose two valleys, the Kaunserthal to the W., and Pitzthal to the E., that deserve far more attention than they have received from travellers. Glaciers of the grandest character enclose each valley at the upper end, and very in- teresting passes afford to the moun- taineer a choice of agreeable routes for approaching Fend, or travelling thence to the Innthal. The greatest of these diificult to follow the narratives above alluded to without risk of error. The Kaunserthal was referred to in Ete. A, as the post-road to the Finster- miinz passes the opening of the valley at Prutz, about 3 hrs. above Landeck. From the foot of the Gebatsch Glacier to near Kaltenbrunn (5 hrs. walk) the valley descends due N., but then turns westward, and for 2 hrs. more keeps a course but little N. of W. to Prutz. glaciers, the longest in the Alps E. of I The range on the W. side of the valley the Adige, is the Gelatschferner, also written Gepaatschferner, which falls into tlie head of the Kaimserthal. The includes the following principal sum- mits, some of which are liable to be confounded with others of the same ROUTE E. — KAUNSEKTHAL. 161 name in this district. Karls-sjpitz ( 10,253'), Zirmes-spitz (9,652'), Glork- haus (10,159'), Kaiserjoeh (10,198'), Glockenthurm (10,998'), and lastly the Weissseespitz (11,618'), rising nbove the W. side of the Gebatsch Glacier, and joining the main range of the Weiss- kamm. In the range dividing the Kaunser and Pitz valleys the main summits in ascending from N. towards S. are the Aif^^ispitz (8,403'). PdscheJ- kopf(9,bWi Watzekopf{9,o51'), Blick- spitz (11,047'), and the range is linked to the Weisskamm by the Oelgruhcnspitz (about 11,000'). As happens in nearly all the valleys radiating from the snowy group of the Oetztha-1 Alps, the Faggenhach, which drains the Kuunserthal, has at the opening of the valley cut a very deep cleft, through which it issues to join the Inn at Prutz. A sharp ascent of more than 800 ft. leads from that village to Kauns (3,557'), a thriving village, with an ancient castle (Bareneck), repaired and modernised by its present owner. Overlooking in some places the deep gorge of the Faggenbach, the path along the rt. bank leads in 2 hrs. from Prutz to Kaltenbrunn (4,181'). A large and handsome church, with but half a dozen houses, one of which is a rough but tolerable inn, marks a spot much re- sorted to by pilgrims from the neigh- bouring valleys. The name is ap- parently derived from a jet of very pure and cold water that is made to issue from a crucifix of life size opposite the church porch. In approaching this place from the Innthal below Imst, the shortest way is by the lower part of the Pitzthal, and the path of the Piller Joch, then following a track leading along the W. base of the Aifenspitz to Kauns. In approaching Kaltenbrunn, the stranger might suppose himself near the head of the valley, as above it the mountains seem to close together, but a short distance farther on an abrupt bend in the course of the stream opens before the traveller the long reach of the upper valley, extending without C. T. * a break to the foot of the Gebatsch Glacier. The scenery is somewhat monotonous, the more so as the higher summits are often shut out from view. The valley is very subject to avalanches in winter and spring, no less than 36 habitual avalanche-channels being pointed out on the slopes on either side. Further peril and loss to the natives of the valley is caused by the impetuous torrent of the Faggenbach, which often overflows its channel, bearing do^vn masses of sand and gravel over the pastures and fields. The destruction of the forests is, as usual, tlie main source of mischief The only village i.s Fcvckten (4,325'), a very small place, with a rough but tolerably clean inn, kept by Gfall. Near at hand is tlie Gsollbtichfull,a. waterfall of much local repute. It is formed by the Gsollbach, a torrent descending from the Disten- kopf, which springs over nine successive ledges of rock, in as many cascades, whose united lieightis 1,375 ft. Four of these are visible from the ordinary path, but the supply of water is often insuffi- cient. The Brunigbach iail, higher up in tiie valley, which descends 498 ft. in a single bound, is more picturesque. Several pa.^ses, noticed in lUe. G, lead from the lower part of the Kaunserilial tc the adjoining valleys. Another pass leads westward from Feuchten to the Innthal through the Christinathal. The higher of the VerpeUsiiitzen, two very steep (supposed inaccessible) obe- lisks of rock that projectfrom the snowy range E. of Feuchten, has been twice climbed by travellers, each time under the guidance of Gabriel Spekteu- hauser. On the secf nd occasion the descent was made to Feuchten. 'There are several scattered groups of houses above Feuchten, at one of which, called Eifenhof, dwell the brothers Auer, of whom the younger, named Johann, is counted the best guide in the valley. He accompanied M. Weilen- mann, and other subsequent travellers, over the pass to Fend. An avalancho of mud, gravel, and stones, poured down through a cleft on the E. side of tha 162 CENTRAL TYRf)L ALPS. § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. valley in 1862, has ruined the best pasturages in the valley, and reduced the few inhabitants to poverty. Four hrs. from Feuchten, or o^ hrs. from Kaltenbrunn, the traveller reaches the Gebatschalp (6,225') — also called Oel- grubenalp — with the last huts, close to the foot of the great glacier. Connected with the Pitzthal by the Oelgruben J(;ch (Rte. G), and with the Lang- taufererthal by the Weisse See Joch, and close to the largest glacier of the Eastern Alps, this spot may serve as a centre for many interesting excursions, and the German Alpine Club has ju- diciously built at a place some 20 min. above the chief hiitten a place of refuge for travelkrs. For a general view the best point is the Wonnetierg (9,625'), a western outlyerfrom the Oelgrubenspitz. commanding an admirable view of the Gebatsch Glacier. This great ice-stream is divided at its lower end by the BauchJcopf (9,796'), a massive island of rock, round whose eastern side the larger arm of the glacier falls in a rather steep ice-fall, while the narrower branch descends on the W. side. The easiest way to reach the upper plateau of the glacier is to climb the rocks of the Klein Rauchkopf, lying E. of the main mass, and sepa- rated from it by an ice-couloir. On reaching the summit, the Hochnagel- warid (11,623') is seen due S., while a range of dark rocks called Schwarae Wand encloses the glacier on the SE. side. The pass to Rofen and Fend lies on the E. side of the first-named ridge. It is said that the upper part of the Gebatsch Glacier is very difficult when the n^v6 is so far melted as to leave exposed the great crevasses by which it is intersected, but no such difficulty .was encountered by either of the tra- vellers who have given an account of the pass, and Mr. Weilenmann reached the summit in 3^ hrs.from the Gebatsch- alp. The height of the Gebatsch Jcch has not been measured, but has been estimated by Mr. Tuckett at about 10,800 ft. The next high sununit to the E. is the I ProchJcogl (11,926'), beyond which the I Wildspitz asserts its .supremacy over all j the surrounding peaks. Contrary to ' the current belief on the subject, the Gebatsch Joch leads to the NW. branch of the Hoch Vernagtferner, and not to the Kesselwand GL, or N. branch of the Hintereis Glacier. In descending it is expedient to bear to the 1. down the gentle elopes of neve that lead to the point where the Eofenthalfemer joins the main stream. No difficulty is found in leaving the glacier on its £. bank, near to the highest pastures of the Piatt eyberg above Rofen, which is easily reached in another hour. See Rte. C. ROITTE F. IMST TO FEKD, BY THE PITZTHAL. Although the majority of travellers will naturally choose the easy route from the valley of the Inn to Fend or Gurgl, through the Oetzthal (Rte. B), not a few momitaineers may be tempted to prefer the way through the Pitzthal, here briefly described. There is a choice between three rather difficult glacier- passes leading directly to Fend, and the less arduous passes noticed in the next Rte., connecting th.^ head of the valley with Solden or the Kaunserthal. Not taking into account the lateral glen of the Taschachthal, the head of the Pitzthal descends from S. to N. for about 9 m. parallel to the Kaunserthal, till, at St. Leonhard, it bends to the 1., and for about the same distance follows a NW. direction to Kreith, where it unites with the little glen descending from the Pillerjoch, turns to NE., and joins the valley of the Inn a little below Imst. The distance from the opening of the valley to the Mittelbergalp near the foot of the great glacier is counted as 11 Stunden. Crossing the Inn by the Langenbriicke below Irast, a cart- track mounts to Arzl, a large scattered village, overlooking the junction of the Gurglthal (§ 42, Rte. A\ and the Pitz- thai with, the Inn. The track thence ROUTE F. PITZTHAL. 1G3 inounts alone: the 1. bank of the torrent to Wens (2,831'), 1^ hr. aboA-e Arzl, a thriving villaae, with massive stone houses, overlooked by the still inhabited castle of Hirschberg. It will not escape the traveller's notice that the short lateral glen, opening; to SW., and lead- ing over the low Pillerjoch to Prutz, is the orographic continuation of the upper valley of the Inn, and affords one more instance of the truth that the direction of the existing valleys and depressions of the Alps is not what should be ex- pected by those who believe that these originate exclusively in erosive action. The path to the Pillerjoch passes by Kreith, while that leading up the main valley crosses the torrent to Jerzeus, near to the Stuihenfall, a fine waterfall, not to be confounded with others of the same name in the Oetzthal and else- where. Henceforward the slopes on the E. side of the valley are extremely steep, merely showing patches of snow and short tongues of glacier protruding through the openings in the range. On the opposite side the slope is gentler, and many short lateral glens lead up to the glaciers that extend almost continu- ously along the ridge. Not less than fifteen are said to send their torrents from that side into the Pitzthal. The track which is practicable for rough country vehicles as far as St. Leonhard, keeps to the rt. bank between Jerzens and Ritzenried, soon after crosses to the 1. bank, but returns to the opposite side to Harlach, ami in 6|- hrs. from Arzl leads the traveller to St. Leonhard (4,58i'). This is the chief place in the valley, and might serve as headquarters for a traveller wishing to explore the fine ranges that enclose it on either side. The names of the chief summits in the Kaunsergrat are enumerated in the last route. Those of the opposite ridge between this and the Oetzthal (or Pitzkamm of Sonklar), reckoning from N. to S., are as Mlows:—Wildgratkogl (9,744'), ^ohe Feiler (10,092'), FeuerJcogl (10,100'?). Hohe Gcige {11,128'), Puikogl (10,965'), and Schwarze KogeU (10,675'). The latter, said to command an especially fine view, is reached with little dithculty from Mittelberg. The passes over botli these high ranges are noticed in the next Rte. Passing on the way the hamlet of Trenkwaid, in 3 hrs. from St. Leonhard, the traveller reaches Platigeros (5,464'), the highest village in the valley, where a small inn (Traube), kept by very civil people, supplies lodging and enter- tainment. Here trees become scarce, and too few remain on the slopes to ward oS" avalanches from the houses, scattered through the upper valley. The path passes three hamlets belong- ing to Plangeros — Tieflehn. Manndorf. and Mittelberg (5,880'). The latter is a mere group of hiltten. very near to the foot of the great Mittelberg Glacier, whose ice-fall, said to be the grandest in Tyrol, is full in view. Here tbe main valley comes to an end, but a wild lateral glen, Taschachthal, opens to the SW. It is surrounded by high glaciers, of which the Taschach and Sechsegerten Glaciers descend from the main rang-.e N. of the Wildspitz, while over the Oel- grubenferner lies a way to the Kaunser- thal. Travellers may now find good shelter for the night at the Taschach- hiitte, lately built hy the German Alpine Club. The best guides in the valley are 'der Bauer,' in Mittelberg, and a man (name unknown"! at the preceding hamlet of Manndorf. The better guides of the Oetzthal (especially Alois Ennemoser) and Gabriel Spektenhauser of Unter Liehe Frau, are probably much more useful than any native of the valley. The westernmost pass, which may be called Taschach Joch, was traversed by Dr. Ruthner in 1858. Mounting from Rofen by the Platteyberg to the upper plateau of the Vernagt Glacier, as on the way to the Gebatsch Joch, the pass leading to the Taschachferner was ap- proached by the SE. corner of the pla- teau. From thence hedescended through the Taschachthal to Mittelberg. The highest and most difficult, but probably the finest, of the three passes was effected by Messrs. Tuckett, Fresh- field, and Fox, in 1865, ou the same day ♦m 2 164 CE::TRAL TYROL ALPS. § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. on which they ascended the Wildspitz (Kte. C). After descending eastward from the Wildspitz to the head of the Ilofen- kar-Kees. and then keeping round well to the I., they dropped down upon the lowest point in the ridge connecting the Wildspitz with the WeisskopJ\\ 1,209'), often called Fender Weisskugel. The pass, connecting the neve of the Rofen- kar with that of the Mittelherg Gi., has been called Mutelberger Juch, and, being but little below the summit of the Weisskopf, may be estimated at about 1 1 ,000 ft. The descent was made by 'the east- ern of the two great bays into which the Mittelberg Gl. is divided by the Hochwand, and no diflficuities were en- countered till the brow of the upper ice- fall was reached at the point where the highly crevassed Hanyendeferner comes down from the E. at rt. angles to the main ice stream.' A passage through the seracs was soon effected, and the rt. lateral moraine was reached in 2 hrs. from the pass. Two hrs. more of steep climbing were required to reach the terminal moraine, whence the Hiitlen of the Mittelbergalp were reached in another ^ hr. An easier way for descending from the Wildspitz to Plangeros was dis- covered in 1869 by ^Messrs. Noon, Pendlebury, and Berreiter of Innsbruck. Turning westward from the summit, and keeping well to the 1., they easily reached the level snow-field at the head of the Taschach Ghicicr. Then keeping a general NNV. direction, and passing some crevassed glacier, their course was t)arred by impassable cre- vasses till turning E. they found an easy descent along the lidge dividing the Taschach from the Mittelberg Glacier, and finally completed the de- scent by the former ice-stream. The pass of the Schuarze Schneide has proba])ly been long kn'^^n to the people of the upper Pitztha., out the first recorded p;issage was by M. Ep- senhardt, of iJerlin, with the curate iif Piangeros, in 1863. it is described by Herr Senn, parish priest of Fend, in the 2nd annual volume of the Austrian Alpine Club. This route to Fend involves two passes, of which that of the Schwarze Schneide traverses the dividing ridge between the Pitzthal and Oetzthal, while the Sdter JochL connects the Tiefenthal Gl. (cr Seiter- ferner)with the head of the Rettenbach- fenier. The way from Mittelberg mounts, as in the passage of the Mittel- berger Joch, by the rt. bank or E. side of ttie great lower ice-fall, and in a similar way surmounts the ice-fall of the Hangendeferner by ascending the steep western slopes of the Karleskogl. It dues not appear that any serious diffi- culty is encountered in reaching the summit of the pass which traverses the ridge called Schwarze Schneide, probably about 10,000 ft. in height. The view iu both directions is very striking. To the E. descends the Retteubachferner, a glacier of considerable extent, though inferior to the great ice-stream that has accompanied the traveller during the ascent. If followed by the traveller, it would lead him through the Rettenbach- thal to Solden in the Oetzthal. To reach Fend, it is necessary to cross the neve at the head of the Rettenbach Gl. in a di- rection somewhat W. of S. to reach the Setter Jochl{a.hom 9,850' ?). a depression in the ridge dividing that glacier from the much smaller Tiefenthai Ghcier. There is no difficulty in the descent from the second col to the Mutboden men- tioned in Rte. C as commanding one of the finest views near Fend. From 8 to 9 hrs., exclusive of hults. should be allowed for this way from Mittelberg to Fend. Those who do not attempt any- one of these laborious glacier passes may well make the ascent of the Mit- tayskoyel (10,357'), ovcilooking the Mittelberg Glacier. The view is highly spoken of by Sonklar. It is impossible in the present work to do more than refer the reader to the interesting observations on the glaciers of this valley contained in the \\ork of that careful writer. KOUTE G. TUUn OF THE OETZIIIAL ALPS. 165 Route G, tour of the oetzthal alps. lengf.n- peld, or solden, to st. leonhard in the passeyerthal. A n enterprising mountaineer favoured "by a run ot fine 'wcatlit-rmay tnjoy such a series of fine glacier-passes as rannot be easily matched elsewhere in the Alps, by accomplishing the complete tour of ihe Oetzthal Alps from the Oetzihal to the Passeyerthal, and visiting on the -nay the upper part of each of the val- leys mentioned in the introduction to this section that radiate from the central mass. In the preceding l^tes. most of the passes that -would be taken in this tour have been noticed, but it -will be convenient to enumerate them in order liere. Befween the Oetzthal and Pitzthal, and this and the Kaunserthal, there is a choice among various passes, of -which those nearest the main chain here obtain precedence. Passes from ihe Oetzthal to the Pitzthal. 1. Pitzthaler Jochl (9,806'). Leads from Solden to Plangeros in G to 6^ hrs. The Editor has received an account of this pass, as made from Plangeros to Solden by Mr. Holzmann -with Tobias Ennemoser as guide. Ascending by the rt. bank of the torrent, without crossing to the Mittelberg huts, they reached in 1 hr. the end of the Mittfl- berg Gi. Still ascending by the rt. moraine for ^ hr., nearly to the loot of the icefail, they then turned due E. and in .50 min. reached a stone pyramid visible fro 11 below. Leaving the small Schwarzkogel to the rt. a further ascent of I hr. leads to a second stone pyramid which is close to the top of the Polles Pass. Turning to the rt., and climbing a slightly projecting rock marked by a pole, a few steps more lead to a third stone pyramid marking the summit of the Pitzthaler Jochl, of ■which the height has perhaps been exaggerated. A short couloir leads down to the Rettenbach Glacier, rather steep but not difficult. In ascending it may be better to keep to the s^ope above the 1. lateral moraine. Less than 1 hr. suffices to reach the oi^ening of the Rettenbaclithal from the foot of the glacier, and after crossing the main torrent the traveller may reach SoWen in 35 min. more. 2. By the Gschrahhngl - Gktscher. Above Hube, in the Oetzthal, between Solden and Lengenfeld, a short glen called rolh'sthul leads to the above- named glacier, also called Polles Giet- scher. 'Ihe pass at the head of that glacier is only a few hundred ft. N. of the Pitzthaler Jochl, and the descent is by the way above descrihed. 3. By the Bradler Jvch ( about 9, .500'?). This connects Lengenfeld with the Hundstlial, a wild rough glen that joins the Pitzthal near Trenkwald. ashort way below Plangeros. This pass, which does not involve the passage of glacier, takes 7. hrs. exclusive of halts. A more diffi- cult course irom Lengenfeld to St. Leon- hard is sometimes taken across the Ra- nachferner, but scarcely deserves to be counted as a pass. 4. By the GriibelJoch (9,0.50'.?). A tract mounts from Umhausen through the Lairschthul, and alter passing close under the S. side of the AVildgratkogl, turns southward, and again resumes its westerly directiim till it reaches the Pitzthal at Giilbel, ^ hr. above Ritzen- ried. Passes from the Pitzthal to the Kaunser- thal. 1, By the Oelyruben Joch (9,400'.?). This pass, which appears to be easy considering its height, is taken from Mittelberg at the hi ad of the Pitzthal by mounting through the Tuschnchihal. About 7 hrs. suffice to leach the Ge- batschalpfrom Plangeros. In going fVom Plangeros, it is siiorter to take a path to the rt. of the Mittelberg huts, and just above the opening of the Taschach valley to cross to the rt. bank of the torrent, returning to the 1. bank about \ hr. farther on. After passing in front of the great ice-falls of the Taschach Glacier yVihich seen from below appears 166 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 48. OETZTHAL DISTRICT. to bar the valley, an upper basin is ] reached which is closed by the Sachs- j eierten Glacier. Tiiis is reached in 3 to 3^ hrs. steady walking from Plan- geros. The lower part is crossed diagonally in order to attain to the small Oelyrubei'ifenier and to the summit of the pass. The latter name is given to the small glaciers on both sides of the ridge. A long slope of debris leads down to the Lower Oelgruben Gl, which is traversed for some way, keeping near j the rt. lateral moraine. Below this a ! tract leads down into the head of the j Kaunserthal; and on reaching it, it is j necessary to turn to the 1. and ascend ; the valley (less than 200 yds.) to reach j the bridge crossing the torrent to tiie i Gebaisch Alp. The traveller may j either seek shelter at the Alpine Club hut (Rte. E ), or go to Feuchten ; fully 3 lirs. descending the valley. 2. By the Verpeil Joch. The tra- veller who has reached Trenkwald from Lengenfeld by the Bradler Joch (see above) may on the same day traverse this pass between the Sonneikogl and Schwahenkogl, leading in 6 hrs., exclu- sive of halts, to Feuchten (Rte. E). The way is said to be very rough and steep, requiring a local guide ; and the diffi- culty of finding one would present a serious obstacle to the traveller wishing to effect both passes on the same day. 3. By the Tiefenthal Joch (8,703'). This leads from St.Leonhard to Kalten- brunn, and is easier than the last. The track passes under the Feischelkoyl (9,546'), and is said to command fine views. 4. BytheNiederJochl{1M^'). This is the easiest and most frequented (f the passes connecting the Pitzthal and Kaunserthal. It is best taken from Harlach(Rie. F),abouthalfway between St. Leonhard and Hitzenried. and by it Kaltenbrunn is reached in 5 hrs., ex- clusive of halts. Passes from the Kaunserfhal to the Lanyiaiif ever thai. The direct way from the Gebatsohalp, at the head of the Kaunserthal, to Mallag, in the LanLtaufererthal, is by the Weisse SceJoch (9,G")7'). 'J'he course is about due SW. to the Weisse See (8,273'), a small g:acier-lake. Thence, amid very grand scenery, the traveller mounts, bearing a little to the 1. to the glacier that covers the summit of the pass. From 6 to 6^ hrs. suffice to reach Mallag, the highest hamlet of Langtaufers. There is another pass, or a variation on the Weisse See Joch, as to which the scant notices that have reached the writer are not accordant. It is said to pass close under the Gluckenihurni (10.997'), and to be longer than the ordinary route. The traveller who would add one more to the number of unfrequented valleys visited in the tour of the Oetzthal Alps may take the head of the Radursehel- thal ou his way to the Langtautererthal. About 1 hr. below the Gebatschalp he may follow a track that mounts west- ward to the Kaiser Joch, and descends into the head of the Radui'schelthal ; and he may reach Mallag on the same day by turning about due S., and crossing the Tscheyer Scharte (Rte. C). Thi> would involve a very long day's walk. A Pass front Mallag to (he head of the Matscherthtl, between the Freibrun- nisrspitz (11,719') and the Weisskugel, is mentioned by Sonklar under the name Matscher Joch. It was pointed out by shepherds at Mallag, who spoke of it as dangerous and very rarely used, but no traveller is known to have pass.-d that way. As mentioned in Rte. C, there are two passes leading from the middle part of the Langtaufererthal to the Platiailthal. It is most likely that the herdsmen of that valley are ac- quainted with some pass leading across the ridge SW. of the Portlesspitz (10,066') to the Matscherthal. Pass from the Mat.^tcherthal to the SchnaUerthal. The only one known is the Langyrub Joch, better known in the Schnalsenhal as Matscher Joch, noticed in Rte. C. Particulars as to this pass, which lies STUBAY DISTRICT. 167 immediately N. of the Salurnspitz (1 1,260'), are much desired. Pass from the Schnalserthal to the Pusseyerthal. The easiest way from Unser Frau to lloos, or St. Leonhard, in the Passeyer- thal, is by the Pfossenthal and the (wTuben Jock (9,54S') leading to the head of the PfVIdersthal (Rte. D). It is worth remarking that the ascent of the Siinilaun might be taken in the way from Unser Frau to the Pfossenthal, as it is doubtless practicable to desceud from that peak to Mitterkaser or Eishof, in the latter valley. Ildefons Kohler, of Rableid, in the Pfossenthal, is re- commended as guide, and Pixner, inn- keeper at Plan, can lead travellers from the Pfeidersthal over theGruben Joch. The complete tour of the Oetzthal peaks, here suggested, will include six passes with an average height of very nearly 10,OUO It. SECTION 49. STUBAY DISTRICT. The Brenner pass, as has been re- marked in the introduction to this chapter, divides the main chain of the Tyrol Alps into two imequal portions, of which the western division includes the two irregular groups of the Oetz- thal and Stubay Alps, while the eastern division is traversed by a nearly con- tinuous range extending from near Ster- zing to the frontiers of Styria. The line of valley followed by the road from Innsbruck to Brixen is thus, in an orographic sense, a boundary between two well-marked di\'isions of the Alpine chain. Of the western division the most considerable portion has been described inthelast section, and there remains only a small but lofty group of high mountains, commonly called the Stubay Alps, from the name of the chief valley which pene- trates deeply into their recesses. This is to be described in the present section. As the drainage of the Stubay valley, and that of the other principal valleys of this group, is borne to join the Inn or the Eisack through the line of de- pression traversed by the Brenner road, the latter is also naturally to be described in this place. Although little visited by English tourists, the Stubay Alps lie close to one of the most frequented of alpine highways. Without quitting the rail- way carriage or the high road, the tra- veller may gain a glimpse of several of the higher peaks, but he can form no adequate idea of their dimensions, nor of the glaciers that enclose their inner valleys. Enclosed between the Oetz- thal, the Inn, the Brenner road, and the Jaufen Pass, the Stubay group fiUs an area of about 610 square miles. Its highest summit, the Wilder Pfaff, attains 11,512 ft., and at least thirty- three peaks exceed 10,000 Vienna ft. (10,371 Eug. ft.) in height. If spread out uniformly over the whole area, these Alps would attain the height of 7,164 ft. over the sea-level. The Stubay Alps have been thorouglily explored by MM. Barth and Pxaundler, who have carefully measured the heights of nearly all the principal peaks, and have published the results of their labours, with a detailed map, in whicli 71 separate glaciers are laid down, in a volume entitled ' Die Stubayer Ge- birgsgruppe,' published at Innsbruck, in 1865. The best headquarters for the moun- taineer in this district are at Neustift, in the Stubaythal, and at Gschnitz, but some fine scenery is accessible in a day's walk from the inn at the summit of the Brenner Pass or from the town of Sterzing. Besides the road of the Brenner and the main group of the Stubay Alps, we include in the present section the much lower pastoral district of the Sarnthal, lying between the Passeyerthal and the Eisack, which may conveniently bo visited by the pedestrian on the Tray from Botzen to Sterzing. 168 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 49. STUBAY DLSTRICT. Route A. INNSBRUCK. TO BOTZEN, OVER THE BREXNEU PASS, BY ROAD. Austrian Eng. miles miles Schbnberg . 2 H Steinach . . u 7 Brenner . . . n H Sfcerzin^ 2 Oi Mittewald . 2 H Brixen . 2 H Klausen . . n 1 Atzwang 2 9* Botzen . 2 9| 16S 79^ Eeference has been mafle in several proceding portions of this work to the groat breach in the continuity of the chain of the Alps which is marked by the valley of the Adige. Following up the course of that river from the neigh- bourhood of Verona, wliere it issues from the mountains through the deep and broad valley that extends in a nearly straight line for more than 80 m., we reach the point, less than 900 ft. above the sea, where the main river is formed ''•lose to Botzen, by the junction of the Etsch, or upper Adige, with the Eisack. The road leading by the Etschthal from Lcindeck in the upper valley of the Inn to Botzen was described in the last sec- tion. The opening throusrh which that road is carried from the banks of the Inn to the lakes at the head of the Adige has orographically the charac- teristics of a true break or gap in the Alpine chain, whereas that at the head of the Eisack, which forms the Brenner Pass, corresponds rather to a disloca- tion in the range, similar to that form- ing the passes of the Simplon and Ma- loya. The Brenner is, however, lower by a few feet than the pass leading to Landeck, and it has from the earliest times had far greater political impor- tance, as this offers a very direct, and the other only a circuitous, route from the valley of the Danube to the plains of Northern Italy. By this road the legions of Drusus, passing beyond the natural boundaries of the empire, established the sway of the Roman Caesars over the semibarbarons tribes of the Rhfeti and the Alemanni, and by the same passage the reflex flood of barbarian in- vasion has ever since continued to inun- date the pla.ins of Lombardy and Vene- tia. It was but natural that this should (in 1772) be the first Alpine pass made practicable for carriages, and that it should be destined to be the first over whicli the locomotive draws its load. As some travellers will continue to use the post-road, and pedestrians descending from the higher valleys may traverse portions of it, it is here de- scribed in the first place, and a notice of the railway is added imder a separate heading. The distances by post-road, as given above, are doubtless somewhat overrated. After leaving the town of Innsbrisek, by the arch erected in honour of Maria Theresa, the road traverses the suburb of Wiltcn. The abbey, famous during the middle ages, stands on the site of the Roman Veldidena, which was levelled to the ground by Attila. On leaving the village of "Wilten, the road turns SW., and at once begins to ascend a green hill, lying in the angle between the Sill and the Inn. This is the JBercf Isel, a spot famous in the popular annals for three victories gained by the Tyrolese peasantry under Hofer and Speckbacher, against the French and Bavarian forces, in 1809. After gaining a very fine view of Innsbruck and its neighbourhood, the road turns south- ward, and enters the valley of the Sill, or Unter-Wippthal. The old road was in places steep, and not quite safe, but the new road, laid out by Italian engineers, maintains a very gentle inclination throughout the ascent of about 2,700 ft. to the summit of the pass. In com- mencing the ascent along the 1. bank of the Sill, the only prominent object is the peak of the Series or Waldraster- spitz (8,898'), rising boldly somewhat W. of S. Before long, the road crosses the impetuous torrent of the Rutzbach, issuing from the Stubaythal (Rte. E), by a single arch of wide span. Just beyond the bridge is the hamlet of ROUTE A. — VALLEY OF THE SILL. 169 Vnter-Schbnbcrg (2,243'). This stands lit the N. end of a high promontory between the Sill and the Eutzbach, which is crowned by the little village of Ober-Schonberg (3,271'), commanding a very fine view of Innsbruck and the neighbouring Innthal, and the moun- tains that guard it on the N., and, on the other hand, of the Stubaythal and the peaks and glaoiers that enclose it to the SW. The new road, with much advantage to the post-horses, but to the loss of tourists, w^nds along the slopes above the Sill on the E. side of the promontory, avoiding the village. Tlie pedestrian is strongly advised to keep to the old road, and those who travel by hired carriages can follow the ' same course, leaving their vehicles near the bridge over the Eutzbach, and re- joining them an hour later, about ^ m. i S. of Ober-Schonberg. The new road, although it loses all : view of the Stubaythal, is not altogether ; devoid of objects of interest. On the opposite side of the Sill rise : tlie Giuvgctzcr (8,781') and the Kreuz- joch (9,141'), two summits commanding very fine panoramic views. Between them is a pass leading to Volders, in , the lower Innthal (§ 43, Ete. B). Nearly ; 2 leagues beyond Schonberg is the j thriving village of | Matrey {Inns: Stern; Krone; "Weisse ' Rose), the chief place in the valley of i the Sill, 3,391 ft. above the sea. The castle, belonging to Prince Auersberg, | is picturesquely placed. Here the high road is joined by a char-road from Hall with a solitary church standing on a rock midway in the glen. Passes con- nect its head with the Tuxerthal (§ 50, Ete. D), the "Wattenserthal, leading to the lower Innthal, and the Schmirnthal." About 3 m. from Matrey the road reaches Stcinach (Inns : Post, good ; Stein- bock), a post-station, 3,651 ft, above the sea, rebuilt since 1853, when the chui'ch and most of the houses were burned down. Here the Gschnitzthal opens to WSW. (Ete. O), and the tra- veller gains a glimpse of the Habicht- spitz. A little way beyond the village the road passes for the first time to the rt. bank of the Sill, and just beyond Stafflach (Inn : Hirsch, food very good, not cheap) crosses a considerable torrent formed about 1 m. E. of that village by the junction of the streams from two Alpine glens. That seen to ESE. is the Falscrthal, also written YalserthaJ, but not to be confounded with the Swiss valley of that name. The other branch is the Schmirnthal. The path through it leads to the village and church of Schmiryi (4,542'), andfarther on to Obtrn (5,065'), 3| hrs. from StafBach. Two paths, one over the Ti'.xer Joch (j ,&\^'), the other by the Schncebruckkopf, lead to Lanersbach in the Tuxerthal. (See § 50, Ete. C.) Beyond Stafflach the high-road crosses and re-crosses more than once the Sill, here reduced to a mere mountain stream, and passes the little village of Grics (3,890'), with a very fair country inn. Here opens to SW. an extreme'y picturesque little which is carried along the rt. side of 1 Alpine glen called Oberhcrg, which is the valley, and shortens the way to the Brenner Pass for those approaching it from the Lower Innthal who have no occasion to pass through Innsbruck. This road leaves the Innthal near the mount thence nearly Ciistle of Amras, and passes several villages and hamlets. From Miihlthal or Ellbogen the traveller may ascend the Olungetzer, or traverse the Eosen Joch to the Voldererthal. For a notice of also the name of the village at its head, 1|- hr. from Gries, and 4,440 ft. above the sea. The traveller, who there finds very tolerable night-quarters, may due W. to the MvAtenjoch (8,133'), leading to Gschnitz, or may reach Anichen, in the Pflerschthal (Ete. G) in 4i hrs. hy the Grubjoch (7,021'), or else may return to the high-road at Gossensass above the pretty walk to Neustift, see Ete. E. Sterzing (see below) by a pass (7,052') A little above Matrey the road passes i between the Eothspitz and Lorenzen- opposite to the opening of the Navisthal, | berg. 170 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 49. STLTJAY DISTRICT. Above Grries the road for the last time passes to the rt. bank of the Sill, and soon readies the little lake, Bren- ti.fr See (4,303'), that is counted as its cliief source. The lake is fed by two tor- rents — the Vennabach, flowing through a lateral glen on the E. side from the ]>ase of the Kraxentrcg (9,831'), and the stream descending from the Brenner Pa>s, which preserves the name of Sill. A gentle ascent leads to the depression forming the watershed between the Danube and the Adige, where stands the { Brenner Posthcmse (fair accommoda- tion, not cheap for T-\to1), 4-, 588 ft. above i the level of the Adriatic. It commands | no distant view. The streamlet seen I to form a little waterfall on the rt. of j the road behind the posthouse is the principal source of the FAsnck, which is henceforth followed to its junction with the Adige at Eotzen. For more than a mile the road is nearly level, till, after passing the Brennerhad, a small esta- blishment beside a warm mineral spring, it begins to descend rather rapidly to SSW., crossing and re-crossing several times the narrow stream of the Eisack, which here runs through a narrow but not Yevy picturesque glen. [From the Brennerbad a path is carried SE. over j the Schliisseljoch to Kematen, in tlie I Plitschthal, whence the Zillerthal is I reached by the Pfitscherjoch.] The i valley of the Eisack opens a little at | Gossnuass (3,520'), where it is joined j by the Pfierschthal from WNW. As I throughout the entire route, ruined Ciistles crown the heights on either side of the road. Below the village the val- ley narrows for a short distance, but widens gradually as it approaches Sterzivg (Inns : Post ; Krone ; both good and clean), the principal place in the upper valley of the Eisack. This is locally called Ober-Wipptka/, the Sill valley, through which the traveller ascended from Innsbruck to the Brenner, receiving the name Unter-Wippthal. Though the position of Sterzing is not very picturesque, it affords convenient lieail-qua'-ters for mountain excursions. The little town, 3,094 feet above the sea, stands close to the junction of the Pfitschthal, through which lies a highly interesting route to the Zillerthal (§ 50, Pte. B), while on the opposite side the Gailbach bears down the drainage from the Eidnaunthal and the Ratschingesthal. Occupying the site of the Roman sta- tion Vipitenum (Pfitsch ?), Sterzing long derived wealth and importance from the silver mines worked in the neighbouring valley of Ridnaun. The modern name is probably derived from the Sesterces coined here. For some miles below the town extends the marshy flat called Sterzinger Moos, the filled-up bed of an ancient aake. Here the Eisack, which had hitherto kept a course somewhat W. of S., turns to SE., and at the lower end of the Moos, near Mauls (good country-inn, beim Nagele) enters a defile extending to the post- station (2,611 ft. above the sea) at Mittewcild (Inn : Po^t, good, but rather dear). The valley between this and Sterzing is famous in Tyrolese annals for the heroic exploits of her sons. Here the Elector of Bavaria was driven back with heavy loss in 1703 ; and the French under Joubert retreated in 1797. More memorable still was the campaign of 1809. Marshal Lefevre had despatched from Innsbruck a force of Bavarian and Saxon troops to force their way over the Brenner, and effect a junction with the larger French army, which was ad- vancing from Carinthia through the Pusterthal. When the allied troops had been driven back with heavy loss, the Saxons being all killed or taken pri- soners, the French general advanced in person with a larger force, chiefly French. Met in front by the Capuchin Has- pinger, and attacked on both flanks by Speckbacher and Hofer, his men were thrown into utter confusion, and a hur- ried retreat to Innsbruck, with the loss of cannon and ammunition, was the invader's only resource. Several passes lead from this part of the valley. The most frequented is the Pfvser Joch (7,340'), by which the pe- destrian may reai-h Eotzen from Mauls, or from Stilfs, on the opposite side of the ROUTE A. BRIXEN. 171 main valley, through the Samthal. The | pass is ou this side called Stilfser Joch, from the above-named village, but the name is inconvenient, as it is theTyrolese name for the far better known pass of the Steh-io. The opening of the defile of the Eisuck into the broad valley above Brixen is guarded by the strong fortress oi FranzensJ'este (2,418'), mounting 137 guns, and commanding the road into Carinthia by Brunecken as well as the pass into Northern Tyrol. The road passes through the outworks of the fortress, and immediately after reaches Untcrau, where there is a good country- inn. While the main road descends the slopes above the rt. bank of the Eisack to Brixen, another crosses that stream by the Ladritscher Briioke, and is carried somewhat X. of E. to Miihl- bach on the Eienz, there joining the main line from Brixen to Villach in Carinthia. From this point the traveller overlooks the junction of the Eisack with the more considerable stream of the Rienz, which, having flowed nearly due W. as far as jMuhlbach, there turns a,bruptly to the S., and merges its name in that of the lesser stream. On the tongue of land dividing the streams above the junction stands the wealthy monastery of Neustift. The vegetation assumes a southern character, and the traveller from the N. greets the chestnut, which here begins to predominate over other deciduous trees. Passing the open- ing of the Schalderei-thal, which, leads by some mineral baths of local repute and the Schalderer Jock to Diirnholz, in the Sarnthal, the high-road runs due S. to Brixen (Inns : Elephant, ill-managed and dirty, in 1865; Sonne, second-class, cheap ; Goldenes Kreuz). This ancient and dull place, 1,934 ft. above the sea- level, claims the rank of a city, be- ing the see of a bishop who for m-.ny centuries ruled a temporal principality. His palace or castle is conspicuous at the SW. end of the town. The cathe- dral is modern, but the cloisters are ancient and curious. Constant inter- course with Italy has given a some- what Italian character to the town, which in the language of the South is called. Bressanone. A new line of railway from hence to Villach, connecting the S. Tyrol with Styria, and with Trieste, is already commenced. Meantime a diligence goes daily from Brixen to Villach (§ 52, Rte. A), in 26 i hrs., and a Stellwagen rtms as far as Bruneck. From hence to Botzen the scenery is far more pictur- esque than throughout the way from Innsbruck. A few miles below Brixen the valley of the Eisack is narrowed to a defile, which extends in a SSW. direc- tion most of the way to Botzen, the road being carried along the rt. bank of the river. The vegetation, assimiing a more and more southern character, adds much to the beauty of the scenery, and at intervals the singular forms of the dolomite peaks seen through the glens that open on the E. side of the valley aiford a striking contrast to the mas- sive porphyritic rocks that rise on either hand. After passing on the rt. hand the pretty waterfall called Schrambach- fall, the road reaches the first post- station at Klausen (Inns : Gans ; Eossel). The defile of the Eisack is here extremely confined, barely leaving room for a narrow street. Opposite the village opens the Villnbsihal (§ 60, Rte. G),"^a valley interesting to geologists. Its lower end is enclosed by mountains formed of hornblende rock and porphyry, but at its head it is separated from the Grod- nerthal to the S., and the Gaderthal to the E., by a range formed of sandstone and dolomite. On a projecting rock above Elausen stands the convent of Seben, commanding a remarkable view. It is said to occupy the site of a Rha&tian stronghold, afterwards occupied by the Romans, who erected on the spot a temple to Isis. A monumental crucifix commemorates the fate of a nun who in 1809 sprang from a window overlooking the precipice to avoid the violence of the French soldiery. The road from Klausen to Botzen is locally called Kuntersweg, after Heinrich Kunter, a private citizen 172 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. 40, STUBAY DISTRICT. of Botzen, who constructed the first road through the defile of the Eisack early in the 1-lth century. Before that time the communication between Brixen and Botzen was carried on by circuitous paths over the mountains on either side. At Kollmann {1,716') the torrent from the Grodnerthal joins the Adige, and the Trosthurg, one of the numerous castles belonging to Couu*} "Wolkenstein, stands in a commanding position at the entrance to that very picturesque valley. There is here a tolerable country-inn (Kreuz). A path to Castelruth and the Seisser Alp diverges from the main valley at Koll- mann, and another rather steeper track mounts thither from Torkele, an inn by the roadside, about ^ hi', lower down. The road descends, though not steeply, all the way from Kollmann to the post- station at Atzwang (Inn : Post), 1,452 ft. above the sea. Here the pedestrian may ascend through the glen of the Finsterbach to the 'earth pyramids' near Lengmoos, and descend thence to Botzen by Klo- benstein and Oberbotzen (see below), the tour requiring about 5 hrs., exclu- sive of halts. The finest part of the defile of the Eisack is between Atzwang and Karneid. The dark red porphyry rocks rise very steeply on either side of the river, which follows a sinuous course through the deep cleft. Here the rail- way engineers have encountered the chief difficulties in the construction of the line between Botzen and Innsbruck, and have had to tunnel through several pro- jecting corners of rock. Hard as it is, the porphyry rock is rapidly disinte- grated by the weather, and masses have from time to time fallen on the road. At one point below Atzwang a consider- able Bergfall occurred in 18-io, and huge fallen blocks still lie on either side of the roadway. At St eg a frequented track crosses the river, and mounts to Vols and Seiss (§ 60, Kte. C). Here the pin- nacles of the Schleren are seen from the road towering above the nearer slopes. The road for the first time crosses to the 1. bank at Blumau, arnd the valley turns due W. at the junction of the Gannen- bach, which here issues from the ravine leading to Tiers. Of the numerous cas- tles that crown the neighbouring heights, mostly out of sight of the road, the most considerable is that of Karneid, still inhabited, which guards the entrance to the Karneidthal. The wonderful scenery of the road loading that way to Welschen- ofen is noticed in § 60, Rte. D. On re- crossing to the rt. bank of the Eisack at Kardaun, the road emerges from the defile through which it has been carried for fully 15 m. The gentler slopes on the N. side of the valley are covered with vineyards, producing the excellent wine of Botzen, while on the opposite side noble chestnut-trees descend to the level of the valley. The grey foliage of the olive, which here reaches its northern limit, the shrill note of the cicala, and the intense heat which commonly pre- vails here in summer, still farther com- pletes the southern character of the scene as the traveller enters the ancient town of Botzen (Inns : Kaiserkrone, a large handsome house, with a cafe on the ground floor, charges not unreasonable; of less pretensions are the following — Mondschein, or Mezza Luna ; Schwarzer Adler ; Goldener Hirsch). The eastern windows of the two hotels first named command a \'iew of the dolomite peaks of the Eosengarten. Standing only 859 ft. above the sea, close to the head of the main valley of the Adige, and sheltered from the N. wind by steep mountains, this place enjoys a milder winter climate than the plain of Northei'n Italy, and though the spring is more backward, the summer heat is intense ; the thermo- meter in the shade often ranging from 90<^ to 95'^ Fahr. On this account the citizens retire in summer either to the little country-inns or mineral baths in the surrounding mountain valleys, or else to small country-houses {Sommer- frischhduser) on the adjoining plateau of the Eitten. Though the German ele- ment predominates, a large portion of the population is Italian, and that lan- guage is spoken in many of the shops. The Italian name of the town is Bolzano. PANORAMA Fao:M the RITTNEE HORN ^ ROUTE A. BOTZEN. 173 It stands at the junction of the Talfer torrent, issuing from the Sarnthal (Ete. 3v), with the Eisack. A massive dam is constructed to resist the inundations of the Talfer, which has often borue de- struction into the town, and another dyke, carried alon2 the Eisack, protects the railway and the lower part of the town from its floods. The architecture and general appearance partakes some- what of the.styles of Germany and Italy, which may be said to meet here. The principal houses have singular projec- tions from the roof (Dachhauben) in- tended to admit air into the iipper part, and protect them from the summer heat. Streams of water are conducted through most of the streets. The principal church, built of red sandstone, offers a combination of the German Gothic and Lombard styles, and is worth a visit. The gardens of Count Sarnthein and Herr JNIoser will interest the traveller from the north of the Alps, unused to such luxuriant growth of the fig, vine, pomegranate, and oleander. Oranges and lemons are common here, but the trees require protection in winter. The neighbourhood of Botzen is of extreme interest to the botanist, and may be said to embrace three distinct floras, including within a space less than half of an English county no less than 1,720 flower- ing plants. The flora of the main valley of the Adige includes many curious paludose species ; e.g., Ahhovanda vesi- culosa, Alisyna pariiassifolium, Sturmia Laeselii, Cyperus glomerulus, and C. Monti. That of the lower mountains, chiefly composed of porphyry and sand- stone, is further noticed in connexion with the ascent of the Kitten (see below), and that of the dolomite region (inclu- ding the Seisser Alp) is described in § 60. An agreeable view of Botzen and the neighbourhood is gained from the Cal- varienberg, on the 1. bank of the Eisack. The coloured groups in carved wood or stucco, intended to represent the events of the Passion, appear grotesque to the northern eye. To see the dolomite range of the Eosengarten to advantage, the traveller should go as far as the Talfer- briicke, at the W. end of the town. An excursion of some interest is that to the castle of Sigmundskmn, standing on a projecting rock on the W. side of the ; Adige, about 3 m. from Botzen. But a \ single tower, used as a powder magazine, j now remains of an extensive pile that j once cro-mied this point. It commands j a very fine view of the dolomite range. I The most interesting excursions from i Botzen are undoubtedly those that lead : the traveller into the heart of the grand and beautiful scenery of the dolo- mite Alps desci-ibed in § 60, but the ascent of the Rittmrhorn is an expedi- tion which has lately become popular for the sake of the very fine panoramic view gained from the summit, and the singular eaath-pyramids seen on the way. The excursion may be taken on the way from Botzen to Sterzing through the Sarnthal (Ete. K); or may be combined I with a visit to the Seisser Alp, or the Grodnerthal, by descending from the Kitten into the valley of the Eisack at Atzwang or Kollmann. The way is by a country-road, or a path leading to the village of Oherbotzen (4,1-43'), lying at the S\V. end of the rather exten- sive tract between the Talfer and the Eisack which is collectively known as ] the Bitten. It may be described as a broken and irregular plateau, rising gradually from S. to N., and culminating in the Eittnerhorn. It is the chief re- fuge of the citizens of Botzen in the hot season, and a stranger is struck by the amoimt of substantial comfort implied in the fact that so small a town should furnish owners to the large number of separate dwellings scattered over this I tract. Many of these are grouped about : Oberbotzen, but the chief centre of the j Sommerfrisch life is found at Klohen- i stein (3,955'), reached by turning east- ' ward from the road to the Sarnthal. I This is quite a gay residence during the ! hot season, and numerous pic-nic parties are often to be met on the adjoining ; slopes, or at some point commanding a ; fine view. There is here a good country- ; iun, and it affords a convenient centre i for several agreeable walks. The chief 174 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 49. objects of interest for strangers are the earth-pyramids. Having traversed the villaijeof Levgmoos, the traveller follows a path leading NW. to the glen of the Finstorbach which descends from the plateau of the Hitten towards the defile of the Eisack. There is here a vast accumulation of friable clay formed by the decomposition of the porphyry rock, and the action of the weather and the surface drainage have cut deep trenches in the soil, which have intersected each other in such a way as to leave standing a iarge number of columns or obelisks, each capped by a large stone, or, more commonly, by a tree. Whenever one of these obelisks loses this covering, the weather exerts its action, and it soon crumbles away. The ascent of the Riftnerhnrn (8,0'64') is very easily made from Klobenstein, and there seems to be no reason why ladies should not ride nearly to the top. The annexed plate will give some idea of the extent of the panorama visible from the summit. The flora of the Ritten is very rich. It has been carefully studied by Tyro- lese botanists, especially by Baron Hausmaun, a resident in Botzen, and the author of an excellent Flora of Tyrol. One of the most interesting habitats is a shallow pool called Wo[fs- grubersec, on whose margin has been found the very rare and curious little grass — Cohanthus subtilis, besides Li- mosella aquatica, Centuncuhis minimus, &e. In the lower part of the ascent from Botzen are seen Onosma stellvJa- tum, Avcna rapiU.aris, Panicum undula- tifolium, NothochlcBna marantce, and other uncommon plants. Among the species interesting to the northern bo- tanist in the neighbourhood of Botzen is Colutea arborescens, common on warm slopes. It is often infested with the parsisitic Cuscuta planiflora. STUBAY DISTRICT. Route B. I INNSBRUCK TO BOTZEN, OVER THE BHEN' I NEE PASS, BY RAILWAY. Stations Kilometres Eng. miles Pat=ch . . SJ H Matrei . . 9i H Steinach . • 4| 3 Gries . H 6 Brermer . • ^'i 3 Schelleberg . 8 5 Go>.-enpa3s . fii 5 StPrzing , • 5^ 3 Freienfeld . 5 3 Grasstein • ^2 4 Franzensfeste 4 Brixen . : loj Klaiisen . . 10 6 3 "Waidbruck • 5| Atzwang . 8 5 Blumau . . 6i 4 Botzen . . vf 4J 126 79 The opening of the first line of railway across the main chain of the Alps was an event the importance of which has scarcely, as yet, been duly felt, either by the European public or by the rail- way directors themselves. On the com- pletion of this essential link in the chain of communication between the North and the South of Europe, it might have been expected that requisite arrangements would have been made to satisfy the general demand for rapid communication between the North and South, and that by the widest publicity travellers would have been invited to profit by the new facilities thus provided. Instead of this, the really important event of the opening for traffic of the railway over the Brenner took place on the 24th Aug., 1867, with scarcely a passing notice in the public papers. The arrangements for passengers from England, France, and North Germany, who all arrive via Munich, are still imperfect, and though there is now daily a direct train, with but one change of carriage for first- class pa .«engers, from Cologne to Verona in 32 hrs., much time is lost by the way. The construction of the line, favoured no doubt by the nature of the ground, which offers less difficulties than anj mountain railway has hitherto ROUTE C. SELRAIN. 175 encountered, reflects great credit on all concerned. The skill of the engineers "was exercised in avoiding— rather than in devising — gigantic works. The tun- nels are 17 in number, and their col- lective length not quite 3 miles ; and between Innsbruck and Botzen the line has been carried over only 11 bridges. Those familiar with the scandalous job- bery and wasteful extravagance of Eng- lish railway management will learn witli surprise that this first railway across the Alps was completed for less than 2y millions sterling, or at the rate of about 28,000/. a mile. The chief difhculty encountered in laying out the line arose from the steep- ness of the ascent from Gossensass, above Sterzing,to the summit of the pass. Fortunately the former village stands at the opening of the Pflerschthal, a glen whose floor mounts to the westward for some miles with a very moderate slope. Near the village of Ast, about 2^ m. from G-ossensass, the railway enters a tunnel very nearly ^ m. long, in which it de- scribes a curve not much less than a semicircle. The traveller who enters the tunnel in the bottom of the valley travelling eastward is astonished to find, on issuing from it, that he is moving in the opposite direction, and already at gome height, above the stream ; and, on returning to the valley of the Eisack, within a few hundred yards of the point where he left it, he finds that he has gained an elevation of about oOO feet. In a similar manner the steepness of the slope of the Sill valley, between Steinach and Gries, is much reduced by a lateral deviation at Stafflach. where the road enters the opening of the Eal- serthal, and returns to the Sill at a higher level. The traveller should endeavour to place himself on the rt. hand side of the carriage in going from Innsbruck to Bot- zen, and on the 1. hand when proceeding from Botzen to Innsbruck. Very little, however, is seen of the remarkable en- gineering works connected with the line. Besides the tunnel in the Pflerschthal, already mentioned, the most remarkable works are near Matrei, where the former bed of the Sill has been made use of for the passage of the railway, while the torrent has been turned aside through a tunnel, from which it issues lower down in a pretty waterfall, and near Gos- sensass, where another tunnel has been constructed to serve as a channel for the waters of the Eisack. Negotiations are said to be pending between the railway companies con- cerned for an express train from Ostend to Brindisi, via Cologne, Munich, the Brenner, and Verona, by which passen- gers for and from the East may travel without change of carriage, and without needless delay. EorTE C. INNSBRUCK TO IMST, OR OETZ, BY THE SELEAINERTHAL. The pedestrian going from Innsbruck to the Oetzthal, or to the upper valley of the Inn, may take a course little longer than the high-road, and avoid heat and dust, by following the Selrainerthal, which runs nearly parallel to the Inn, and is connected by a low pass with the lower end of the Oetzthal. The scenery is extremely pleasing, and from several points fine ^iews are obtained of the snowy peaks of the Stubay Alps. Starting from Innsbruck, the traveller may choose between the country-road running along the S. side of the Inn, from Wilten to Vols, and thence mounting to Ober-Perfus, or take a rougher track, that turns westward from the Brenner road about 2 m. above Wilten, and traverses the villages of Natters, Gbtzens (2,837'), and Axains. Either of these courses leads in about 3 hrs. from Innsbruck to Selrain (2,958'), the chief place in the valley to which it gives its name. It stands on the rt. bank of the torrent which, having flowed eastward to this point, now turns to NE., and soon joins the Inn a little below Zirl, which is reached from hence in 1^ hr. The village is locally called Rothenbrunn, from the red coloiu of the water of a mineral spring near at 176 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 49. STUEAT DISTRICT. hand. The arrangements for water- drinkers are on a poor scale, but there is a tolerable inn often visited in sum- mer by parties from Innsbruck. Avery steep path climbs the hill N. of Selrain. to the ancient church of St. Quirinus, commanding a fine view of the Stubay Alps. S. of the village is the opening of an uninhabited glen called Fatscher- thal, which leads up to the base of the Hoke nil fr spitz (10,141'). It is pro- bably not difficult to reach Neustift in the Stubaythal by traversing the ridge connecting that summit with the Eoih Wandspitz (9,218'). About 1^ hr. above Selrain is Gries (3,824') (svith a small inn), the chief place in the upper Selrain erthal, at the E. base of the Freihut (8,581'), a coni- cal peak, bright with green pastures that stands in the fork of the valley. The summit commands a fine view of the Stubay Alps. The southern branch, called Lisenzerthal, is described in the next Rte. The western branch, or Oberthal, opens on the N. side of the Freilitit. The path ascends somewhat N. of "W. on the 1. bank of the torrent to St. Sigismund (4,924'), about 1^ hr. above Gries. There is here a poor inn. The hamlet stands at the junction of the Gleirscherthal with the main valley. See next Rte. At Haggen (5,279'), 'a group of houses ^ hr. above St. Sigis- mund, another wild glen, the Kras- pesthal, sends a torrent northward from the Kraspesferner to join the stream. An easy ascent of about If hr. leads from Haggen to the nameless pass that forms the western extremit}' of the Sel- rainerthal. [On the way another path mounts NE. to the much hiarher rido-e connecting the Scharfl grspiiz (9,3-30') with the Kreuzjoch (8,773'). On the X. side it descends into the head of the Kanzthal, and, passing by the eastern base of the HochefUrspitz (9,152'), enters the valley of tlie Inn at Flauer- ling, about 1 hr. E. of Telfs.] The track from Selrain to Oetz soon reaches a larcre herdsman's chalet called Kiihthei (6,352'), only a few feet below the summit of the pass. Eefreshment, and night-quarters in case of need, may be found here, and the neighbouring scenery has attractions for the moun- taineer. On the N. side the Birkkopl (9,281') oiFers a noble view, which con;- bines the Oetzthal and Stubay Alps, with the ZuGTspitz and the other high limestone peaks N. of the Innthal. On the S. side the traveller should not fail to visit a short glen, called Finstcrthal, whose torrent issues from the Kilh- theier Seen, two lakes, the lower and larger of which is 7,421 ft. above th« sea. They lie in the centre of an amphitheatre of peaks that approach to, but do not quite attain, 10,000 ft. in height, and are fed by three small hanging glaciers. The torrents that unite below Kiihthei descend to the Oetzthal through the Stuibenthal. In 2 hrs. the path, which keeps all the way to the rt. bank of the Stuibenbach, reaches Ochsdigarten (5,170'), the only vil- lage in this very poor glen, whose in- habitants suffer at times severely from t}'phus fever. There is no inn, but the priest supplies refreshment, and has three beds available for travellers. A path crossing the ridge to the N. leads from hence to Sils. The Stuibenbach, on entering the Oetzthal about 2 m. from its junction with the Inn, forms the picturesque waterfall that is ad- mired by travellers going from Sils to Oetz (§ 48, Ete. B) ; but the shortest way to the latter village avoids the waterfall by crossing the torrent some way higher up, and follows a track that winds southward round the shoulder of the mountain. Taking that course, the tra.veller in 2 hrs. from Ochsengarten descends to Oetz. If bound for Imst^ his shortest way is to follow the path from Ochsengarten to Sils, and there hire a vehicle ; but if he would avoid the dusty hiffh-road, he may take the road from Oetz to Roppen, noticed in § 48, Rte. B. An active walker will not employ more than Ih hrs., exclusive of halts, on the way from Selrain to Oetz. which is thus reached in a long day from Innsbruck. ROUTE D. GKIES JOCH. 177 Route D. seleain to lexgexfeld in the oetzthat,. A more direct, but more arduo\is, course from Innsbruck to the upper part of the Oetzthal than that pointed out in the hist Ete., is found by turning aside from the main path of the Seh-ainerthal i through one or other of the lateral val- leys that descend from the higher peaks of the Stubay Alps. 1. By the Gries Joch. 9 hrs. The most direct and probably the most interesting way from Sebain to Lengen- feld is through the LisenzerthaJ, which joins the main branch of the Selrainer- thal at Grries (see last Rte,). A constant and rather steep ascent commences near the latter village. The path lies at first on the 1. bank of the Mclach torrent (whence this lateral glen is sometimes called Melachthal), but crosses to the opposite bank, and after passing Kniepes (5,102'), a cluster of Huttcn near a fine waterfall, attains the upper level of the Lisenzerthal, a broad reach of Alpine pasture, backed by a range of high summits, of which the most promi- nent is the Fernerkogl (10,704'). This shows on the N. side as a pyramidal peak of dark rock merely capped with snow ; but on the S. and E. sides its flanks are laden with an extensive glacier, the Lisenzerferner. In the middle of the upper valley is the Lisen- eer Alp (2 hrs. from Gries). Here the traveller finds a large and substan- tial buildinar, which serves not only for ordinary dairy purposes, but is used as a retreat in hot weather by the canons of Wilten. "When not thus occupied, the mountaineer here finds good night- quarters. The ascent of the Fernerkogl, which has been effected a few times from this side, passes for a ditficult and even dangerous expedition, owing to the sharpness of the ice-arete leading to the summit, which sometimes forms an over- hanging cornice. [A very rough path to the Stubaythal crosses the range SSE. of the Lisenzer Alp by the Lisinzcr Joch (9,211')— also called Horn Joch (?). The pass lies between the Horuspitz (9,605') to SW. and the Hohe ViUerapitz [^ 1 0, 141'). The ascent lies at last up a pathless slope covered with huge boulders,requir- ing some activity and caution. On the opposite side the descent is less trouble- some, though steep, to the Alp of Oberiss in the Alpeiner branch of the Stubay- thal. This way is sometimes taken as a detour from the ordinary route from Innsbruck to the Brenner by travellers who wish in two or three days to form some acquaintijnce with the valleys of the Stubay Alps. The ascent of the Hohe Villerspitz may (?) be combined with the passage of the Lisenzer Joch.] About ^ hr. above the Lisenzer Alp the Melach torrent at the foot of the Fernerkogl is joined by a stream flowing eastward out of a deep recess in the mountains locally called Langenthal. By that way lies the track to Lengen- feld in the Oetzthal. Passing the Langenthaler Alp (6,507'). the path mounts due W., by the N. side of a small glacier lying on the NE. flank of the Seberkogl (10,709'). Keeping close under the double summit of the Gries- Jcogl, of which the higher rises on the rt. hand to 10,638 ft., the traveller reaches in 5 hrs. the summit of the Gries Joch (8,652'). From the pass the way at first lies W, under rocks that bound on the N. side the ice- stream of the Grieaferner, which descends towards the Sulzthal. On reaching the lower end of the glacier the way turns S. towards a small tarn that sends a stream in successive cascades to the Sulzthal. On its rt bank a path descends rather steeply to Gries (5,121'), the only village in the Sulzthal, in about 3 hrs. from the pass. A beaten track leads trom thence along I the Fischbacii torrent to Lengenfeld in the Oetzthal (see next Rte.). 2. By the Gleirscher Jbchl. 9 hrs. to Umhausen, 10^ hrs. to Lengenfeld. This is the shortest way from Selrain to Umhausen, but a rather longer route to Lengenfeld and the upper Oetzthal than that jusL described. As mentioned 178 CENTHAL TVIIOL ALPS. S 49. STUBAT DISTRICT. in ihe last Rte., the torrent from the Gleirscherthal joins the main stream of the Sflraiuerthal ac St. Sigisuiuucl, the high..-st viUage in the latter valley. A track mounts thence along the rt. bank of the toiTent through the wild glen ot the Gleirscherthal, nut to be confounded with the Gleirschthal (§4.3, Ete. G), from whence flows one of the sources of the Isar. After ascending for about 2 hrs., the traveller sees before him to the S. the head of the glen, enclosed by a range of snowy peaks considerably exceeding 10,000 ft. in height, while a tributary toi-rent flows out of a recess I on the W. side of the valley. Taming! nearly due W., a rough track mounts on the S. side of this stream to the Gleirscher Jochl (9,214'). On the W. side this overlooks the Zwicselthal, a short glen through which a torrent from a comparatively large glacier flows northward, till it meets nearly at the same point three other toiTents, whose united streams descend WSW. towards the Oetzthal through the Hairlachthal. A path running along the rt. bank of the torrent through the Zwieselthal, but keeping to the 1, bank in the Hairlach- thal, leads to the village of Kiederthei (4,791'), standing near the point where] the latter glen opens into the Oetzthal. From thence the traveller may descend i in about 1 hr. to Umhs passmg close to the Stuiben waterfall, men- tioned in § 48, Rte. B. If bound for Lengenfeld, he may avoid the waterfall, and take a nearly direct path that leads from Niederthei to Au. EOTTTE E. INNSBKUCK TO LENGENFELD BT THE STUBAYTHAL. ASCENT OF THE SCHEAN- KOGL. The Stubay Alps derive their name from that of the main valley wliich pene- trates most deeply into the central mass, and round whose head arise most of the highest summits of the group. The Stubaythal is thei'efore the headquarters to which the mountaineer wishing to explore this group naturally resorts ; and as it is connected by high glacier- passes with the adjoining valleys to the S. and W., there is a considerable choice of interesting excursions. The beet guides are Pancraz GleiDser,of Fulpmes, and Urbas Loisl, of Neustift. However irregular may appear at first sight the disposition of the chief masses constituting the Stubay Alps, the paral- lelism of most of the chief ridges and corresponding valleys points to the ac- tion of mechanical causes acting on an extensive scale. Sinking minor irregu- larities, the main ridges run from SW. to NE., or at right angles to that direc- tion. If we fix our attention on the Wilder Pfaff, the highest of the group, we fiLud one high ridge, scarcely any- where subsiding to the level of 10,000 ft., that extends about 10 m. NW. to the Leuchtkogl (9,981'), while a much longer, but less loftv, range terminates to NE. in the Serlesspitz (8,898'). On the N. side, or within the elbow thus formed, another parallel sy.stem of two ridges diverges from the Wildes Ilinter- bergl (10,925'). The higher of these extends NW. to the Grieskogl, and there forks into diverging branches ; while at rt. angles to it a longer ridge runs NE. to the Saile (7,884') near Innsbruck. Some of the highest summits of the group are inserted in the space between the central points of these two elbow- shaped ranges, but these al.'^o aiFect a parallel disposition. From the Euder- hofspitz (11,393') a short ridge runs NW. to the Brunnenkogl, while a NE. ridge, terminating in the Milderauspitz ROUTE E. NEUSTIFT. 179 (8.930'\ divides the two main branches of the Stubaythal, and, in the opposite direction, a SW. ridge connects the Ru- derhofspitz with the Hochspitz (10,984'). The accessory ranges for the most part conform to tlie general plan, which is seen in the direction of the minor A^al- leys. By far the larger part of the drain- age of these Alps is carried to the Inn, either northeastward through the Wipp- thal, or NW. through the Oetzthal. It is only at the S. end that a few glaciers send their streams to the Adige through the Passeyerthal. or through the Eisack to Brixeu and Botzen. The passes mentioned in this Rte. are all somewhat laborious, and, excepting til at fii*st described, are little known even I to the native guides. { In going from Innsbruck to the Stu- I bajiihal, the traveller has a choice of ' ways. Tliat most frequently chosen is to follow the old Brenner road as far as Ober-Schonberg (Rte. A), and then take the track to Mieders (3,132'), f hr. dis- tant, a cheerful villao-e standing just at the opening of the Stubaythal at a con- [ siderable height above the rt. bank of ! the Etdzback, which has here cut a deep trench through the secondary rocks. The good inn (Blaue Traube) was for- merly frequented in summer by visitors from Innsbruck. The ordinary course is to cross the Rutzbach a little above Mipdfrs, and follow its 1. bank to Fulpmes (2,970'), with a good inn (Pfurtscheller's). An omnibus, con- venient for luggage, leaves this place daily for Innsbruck, returning in the afternoon. Instead of taking Fulpmes on the way, the pedestrian may follow the track which keeps all the way to Neustift by the rt. bank of the Rutzbach. A more direct way from Innsbruck to Fulpmes than that by Mieders is to follow a track by the village of Mutters (2,666'), which lies on the slopes W. of the Sill at the NE. base of the Saile. The path winds along the slopes above the junction of the Rutzbach with the Sill, and passes Te/fes (3,207'), a pretty | village at some height above the 1. bank ' of the former stream, 20 m. from Fulp- ! mes. From the latter village a path leads to Axams in the Selrainerthal, bearing a little E. of N. over a pass called Halsl (6,583'), between the Ampferstein (8,373') and the Saile (7,884'). The latter, which is the easternmost summit of the range dividing Selrain from Stu- bay, is sometimes ascended for the sake of its fine view. Although the whole zone between the Inn and the Eisack is broadly described as being composed of crystalline rocks, the rocks on either side of the lower Stubaythal are of triassic age, and partly of dolomitic limestone, whose characteristic forms will be recog- nised especially in the peaks on the S. side of the valley. In 1^- hr., steady walking, from Fulpmes the traveller reaches Neustift (3,210'), the highest village in the Stubaythal. Salzburger's inn supplies good country quarters — but the landlord died lately. Urbas Loisi ( to be heard of in summer at Ranalt or Barenbad) and Pancraz Gle nser are both good guides. They expect 8 fl. (without food) for the more difficult glacier passes. The position of the village is fine. It is indeed rather distant from the higher peaks at the head of the mam valley, but it stands close to the openinp- of two lateral glens which offer several interesting exciirsions. Both are formed by ridges running parallel to the general direction of the valley, but the streams that at first keep the same direction are turned aside, and finally joiii the torrent of the Rutzbach. The less considerable of these is the Pinneserthcil. It lies between the main ridge dividing Stubay from Gschnitz, and a short ridge terminating near Neustift in the Eifferspitz (8,217'). The latter branches o\it from the main ridge where it reaches its highest point in the fine peak of the Habicht. The scenery of this short glen is very wild and striking. 2 hrs. from Neustift the ti-aveller reaches the Pinneser Alp (5,012'), where those who make the ascent of the Habicht from this side usually pass the night. From thence a path is carried for seme distance SW., and then turns due S., and mounts to the Pinneser Joch (8,395'), a pasB 2 180 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 40. STUBAY DISTRICT. lying a short distance E. of the Habicht. From the summit the traveller may descend into the Gschnitzthal (Ete. H), which is reached a little way above the chief village. The ascent of the Habicht (10,746'), also called Hager, may be made equally well from Neustift or from G-schnitz. as in either case the summit is reached from the Pinneser Joch. The way is over a glacier lying on the E. slope of the mountain, and the only serious difl&culty is in crossing a Bcrg- schrwnd, near the summit, which has sometimes been found troublesome. The panorama is especially remarkable for the view of the neighbouring peaks of the Stubay Alps, nearly all of which are in view. It has been included among the illustrations to the above-cited work of 3DI. Earth and Pfaundler. The other more considerable glen opening near Neustift is described lower down. The glacier passes leading from that village to Lengenfeld are now to be noticed. They should be undertaken only with a good guide and a solid rope. 1. l^eustift to Lengenfeld by the Mut- terberger Joch {9,893'). 11 to 12 hrs. This pass, chiefly used by the native hunters, is approached through the main branch of the Stubaythal. The way lies for several miles about due SW., by a track which is passable for rough country carts as far as the hamlet of Volderau (3,742'), about 1^ hr. above Neustift. Following the track by the rt. bank, the traveller reaches Falbeson, W. of which a torrent issues from a deep recess in the mountains. It is fed by the Huhe Mooaferner, a large glacier lying on the E. slope of ihe nuderhoj'sp'ifz (11.393'), and S. of the Stespitz f 11,202'). which is acces- sible on this side. Above Falbeson the path tiirns for a while nearly due S. to RiiiiaU (4.185'), the highe>t hamlet in the main valley, 2\ hrs. from Neustift. There is now a very fair mountain inn here— no meat, but ei:gs and fowls. Those who do not intend to attack the peak of the Wilder Ptatl", or to make a detour to the Sulzenau (Rte. F), may enjoy an admirable view by mounting W. from Ranalt to the Pfandler Alp, and thence to a projecting point 8,054 feet in height. About ^ hr. above Eanalt the main torrent receives a considerable tributary flowing nearly due N. from a t short glen or recess in the mountains called Langenthal. Its S. end is closed by the Langenthalferner. a large gla- cier, several miles in width, formed by the snows accumulated on the N. side of the range extending from the Wilder i Freiger (11,253') to the Feueratein j (10,'713'). It is further noticed in Ete. I G-. From the jimction of the two tor- , rents the rough cart-track runs westward to the Hiitten oi Schbngelair (4:,5S1'), and ^ hr. farther reaches Graha (4,899'), a chalet conveniently placed for those I making the ascent of the Wilder PfaflF I by the Sukenau Glacier. Following the I main valley, nearly due E., the traveller I reaches the Mutttrberger Alp ( 1 1 hr. from Ranalt), whence a steep ascent leads ■to the Oberleger (6,219'), the highest ' group of hiiiten in the valley, about I 44 hrs. from Neustift. This lies at the I lower end of the Glamergrube, as is I locally called the uppermost trough- ; shaped depression forming the head of ! the Stubaythal. A very steep ascent I leads to the last basin at the foot of the : pass, Iving between the Bauvkogl : (10,561') and the Bockkogl (11,120'). A short way to the rt. of the track the traveller may visit the Mutterberger See, ' a little lake almndantly stocked w^th fish at the unusual height of 8,250 ft. Amid huge blocks of gneiss the traveller 1 reaches the last steep declivity by which, after crossing a neve-slope for ^ hr., he attains in 4 hrs. from Graba the sum- ■ mit of the Mutterberger Joch (9.893'). ' It commands a fine view of the I Wilder Pfaff, but in other directions the prospect is limited. The descent is \ commenced, through a steep couloir, ' which leads down to a slope of rotigh debris set at a high angle, and requiring caution ; and it is only after a con- siderable part of the way has been thus ' accomplished that the traveller finally \ lands upon the Sidzthalfcrner, a fine glacier filling the upper end of the ROUTE E. — ALPEINERTHAL. 181 Sulzthal. This is traversed diagonally from the rt, to the 1. bank, and the level of the valley below the glacier is at- tained at the SW. base of the Schrankogl, the second in height of the peaks of this group. Anotlier considerable glacier, the Schwarzcrbcrgferner, falls into the head of the valley a short way W. of the track. The descent is at first gentle, then much more rapid ; two very poor chalets are passed, and in 1^ hr. from the foot of the glacier, the traveller, keeping due NW. along the Fischbach, reaches Gries (5,121'), a very poor village, where the mountaineer now finds a friendly welcome at the house of Herr Trientl, formerly parish-priest of Grurgl, whose interesting account of that district is published in the first annual volume of the Austrian Alpine Club. The name Gries recurs very frequently among the valleys of the Tyrol Alps, and in this district there are two other villages of the same name, one near the Brenner Pass (Rte. A), the other in Selrain (Kte. C). If the mountaineer should not be satisfied with the long day's walk, and the noble scenerywhieh he has traversed, he may descend in | hr. from Gries to Lenqenfeld, and find good quarters at the'village-inn (§ 48, Rte. B). 2. Neustift to Lengevfeld throKgh the Alpeinerthal. Allusion has already been made to a glen parallel to the Stubay- thal, enclosed at its head by several of the highest summits of this district, whose torrent, after running for several miles from SW. to NE., turns to the rt., and descends somewhat S. of E, into the Stubaythal a little above Neustift. This is the Alpeinerthal, known at Neustift as the Oberberg, but not to be confounded with the glen of that name near the Brenner Pass. The torrent issues from the Alpeinerferner, one of the greatest glaciers of this district, whose main southern branch is locally called Thalferner. The beaten track mounts from near Neustift by the 1. bank of the Alpemerbach, but it is nearly as short a course to follow the opposite bank and pass Bdrenbad (4,125'), a rough but cleau establishment, visited for the sake of its mineral waters by peasants from the adjoining valleys. From hence or from Neustift the traveller is recommended to ascend the Hoher Burgstall (8,563'), a projecting peak commanding a vei-y fine view of the surrounding Alps. Of two summits, that to the SE. is the higher by a few feet. The right path to it is easily missed. The valley path on the 1. bank passes some clusters of stone huts, scarcely to be distinguished at a distance from the masses of rock fallen from the sur- romiding peaks that give a savage aspect to the scenery. This is scarcely relieved by the masses of dark pine forest that here and there clothe the slopes. The upper level of the glen ia fairly entered at the Alp of Seduck (4,752'). The path now keeps to the rt. bank, chiefly through pine forest, with the snowy peaks at the head of the glen gleaming here and there through the branches. On the rt. hand the foaming torrent springs from ledge to ledge over successive steps of mica slate-rock, com- pleting a thoroughly characteristic picture of high Alpine scener}'. Crossing to the 1. bank, the path mounts in 3 hrs. from Neustift to the Ober-Iss Alp (5,659'), standing on a gentle slope of upland pasture at the foot of the Hohe Villerspitz. From hence diverges the path leading to the Lisenzerthal over the ridge SW. of that peak (Rte. D). At one of the huts the stranger finds shelter and refreshment— wine, coffee, eggs, and sometimes bread. The Alpeinerbach flows in a deep channel to the 1., and a column of cloudlike spray marks from a distance the site of a fine waterfall. A steep ascent by the 1. hauic leads in f hr. to the highest chalets, called Alpeiner Alp (6,702), at no great distance from the waterfall. Above this point the valley seems to be barred across by a ridge of rock, but this is surmounted by a frequented cattle- track, and on reaching the summit the stranger gains a grand view of the noble amphitheatre of snowy peaks that enclose the head of the valley. This ia still more fully enjoyed when, 182 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 49. STUBAY DISTRICT. after passing a solitary unoccupied stone hut, he reaches the foot of the glacier, found by MM. Baxth and Pfaundler to be 7,307 ft, above the sea. The surrounding rang'33 form a quadrangle open to the XE., -whose highest summits may be noticed in the following order, beginning about due 8. and turning round to W, and N. : Krdlspitz (11,01 2'), Secspitz (11,202'), Ruderhofspitz (11,393'), S-hwarzirherg, Hocheisspitz (10,837'X Verborgener Berg (11,120'), Wilder Thurm (10,963'), Wildes Hinterhergl (10.924'), and Brunnenlcogl (10,901'). Between the Seespitz and Wilder Thurm all the snows of this great enclosure are finally united in the great ice-stream of the Alpeinerferner, and the usual object of travellers who reach its lower end is to make a short excursion on its surface, and enjoy its grand scenery. The pass of the Schwarztrberger Joch (10,09-i) lies at the uppermost SW. extremity of the neve feeding the glacier, at the S. side of the Hocheisspitz, and between that and the Schwarzerberg. It has been called difficult and dangerous, but those epithets apply to most high glacier passes when undertaken by inexpe- rienced persons, and without proper ap- pliances. In 1864 Dr. Ruthner traversed the pass, having on the same day made the first ascent of the Ruderhofspitz. That peak, ' commanding one of the finest views in this district' [R. P ]. may be reached without much difficulty trom the Alpeinerferner, and a steep des^cent effected by the Muttenberger Alp to Ranalt. From the summit of the Schwarzerbergev Joch the peak of the Schnnikogl (1 1,474'), the chief rival cf the Wilder Piatt, is seen rising beyond the upper neve-basin of the fSchwarzerbergferner, somewhat re- sembling, on a rather smaller scale, the peak of the Grivola as seen from Les Poussets above Gogne, In June, 1866, I\Iessrs. F. F. Tuckett and F. A. Brown reached the summit by the E. arete in 1 ^ hr. from the summit of the Schv\arz- erbt rger Joch. The descent from the la'ter to the head of the Sulzthal is effected mainly by the rt,, or northern, l)ank of the Schwarzerbergferner, and I the track from the Muttenberger Joch \ (see aliove) is joined a short way below ! the lower e^d of the Suiz'hal Glacier. 1 The writer has received from Mr. Holzmann an account of the passage of the Hmterbergler Joch (about 10,5.50'). which he effected from Ones, in the Sulzthal, to Neustift, partly in company with a chamois hunter from Gries, and par'ly alone and in bad i weather. Ascending the ISulzthal for I about 1^ hr. from Gries, he turned to !the 1. up the E. slope of the valley, and [in J hr. reached the opening of a wild glen — called Schraukor, lying on the [ NW. Bide of the Scl}rankogl. Mount- ing eastward for another ^ hr,, they I then turned to the "N from a rocky ' plateau where there is a small tarn, and in 1 hr. 20 m. more attained the ridge connecting the Brunnenkogl with the i Winnebachkogl, and overlooking the I head of the Langenthal, towards which j the descent seems practicable. Turning j E. over the neve close to the ridge they climbed a couloir that descends from ; near the summit of the Bruinietikogl \ (10,901'), and in | hr. more attained { the crest connecting that peak with the I Hinterb-rgl and looking down on the I head of the Alpeinerthal. There is a lower point in the same ridge lying more to the rt., but the higher one seems preferable. The summit of the ' Brunnenkogl — only 351 ft. above the pass — was gained in 25 min. The ] btrgsclirund below the pass being im- j practicable, it is necessary to keep to I the 1, over rocks, and descend by a 1 couloir on the E. face of the peak to the neve-basin below. This is a true ice lake, or closed reservoir, wherein the snow has accumulated until it par- tially overflows in one direction towards the I^isenzerferner. and in the other towards the Stubaythal, towards which it descends eastward in a steep ice-fall. 'I heie is a practicable couloir close to tne I. bank, down which a steep descent may be effected. The stream from the ice-fall disappears under the 1. moraine of the Berglesferner, and the easiest ROUTE F. BILDSTOCKL PASS. 183 way is to traverse that glacier, below which a track on the \. bank of the torrent leads down to the Alpeiner Alp — less than 3 hrs. from the sumrnit of the pass. 2^ hrs. (descending the valley) suffice to reach Neustift. In approaching the Stubaythal from Matrei on the Brenner road (Rte. A.), the traveller may ascend easily by an agreeable path to Waldrast, a pretty inn frequented by excursionists from Innsbruck, and then descend to Fulpmes, o: else follow another rather shorter track leading to Neustift by Medraz. Route F. neustift to soldex. ascent of the wilder pfaff. A pass leading from the head of the Stubaythal to the Winacherthal, which opens into the Oetzthal at Solden, has long been known to the nadve chamois- hunters. The bad reputation acquired bv previous fatal accidents was con- firmed in 1860 by the unfortunate fate of the Rev. W. G. Watson, who, in descending on the SW. side, accom- panied by a friend, and a guide named MuUer, of Neustift, was lost in a con- cealed crevasse. The behaviour of the guide on that occasion created an un- favourable prepossession, which was perhaps unjustly extended to Tyrolese guides in general. It must be remem- i>ered that a guide in Tyrol means a man who shows the way, but who is in no way responsible for the traveller's safety. The way from Neustift to Solden foliows the main branch of the Stubay- thal, described in the last Rte., as far as the Mutterberger Alp ; but a short way above it the path to the Mutterberger J,)ch is left on the rt. hand, and a path turns oflf to SSW., and ascends through a ravine called Wildgrube, along a tor- rent that is fed by the Schuu/elfemer and Fernauferner — two adjoining gla- ciers that descend into a recess on the SW. of the valley. The Wildgrube leads to a little basin called ['Uter-Fernau, and then by another short and steep ascent the traveller reaches the Ober- Fernau. a grassy plain, bright with Alpine flowers, just below the end of the Fernau Glacier. From thence the track runs westward along the base of the Egqesengrat (8.632'), the summit of which commands a fine view of the sur- rounding peaks. The way to the pass keeps to the N. side, or 1. moraine, of the Schaufelferner, above which, on the opposite side, rises the peak of the Schaufelspitz (10,924'), ascended in 1862 ijy Herr Specht with Urbas Loisl. Keeping a westerly course the traveller in 2 hrs. from the Mutterberger Alp attains to the moraine of the Bildstockl Glacier, which appears to be the local name for the upper part of the large glacier named Daunkoglferner on Earth and Pfaundler's map. Turning SW. an ascent of 2 hrs. more leads to the summit of the Bildstockl Pass (about 9,750'), which is marked with a cross. S. of the cross is a small pool, often frozen over. The pass lies about half-way between the Wi7iacherspitz (\0,9oS') and the Schaufelspitz. The descent by the Winacherferner is steeper than the ascent. Some guides preler to descend by the E. side, others to keep as much as possible to the rt., but all agree that the course marked on Earth and Pfaundler's map, running down the middle of the ice stream, is utterly ob- jectionable. The best course is ap- parently that bearing to the rt. side of the glacier. Very near to the pool, just below the summit, are rocks which lead down to the neve of the upper part of the Winacherferner. Crossing this in a direction but little W. of due S. the traveller returns to the rocks above the rt. bank, through which a ratlier steep descent avoids the most difficult part of the ice-fall. Eelow this the course is over the glacier, keeping close to the rt. bank to avoid crevasses, until the ice is left near a little level space where a 184 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 49. STUBAT DISTRICT. faint track is found that lea is down to the Winacherthal, iieeping near a small torrent that falls over the steep slope on its N. side. The level of the Wina- cherthal, a short and wild glen visited by herdsmen in summer, is reached about 20 min. above the Karlinger Alp, whence Solden is reached in 1^ hr. The distance between tliat place and tlie Mutterberger Alp is counted as 7 hrs., exclusive of halts, and 1 ^ hr. more must be allowed between the Alp and Raualt. It is reckoned a d;iy's work of 10 hrs., including halts. The guides ask 8 florins for leading strangers across this pass. MM. Earth and Pfaundler have pointed out the existence of another pass on the SE. side of the f^chaufelspitz, about midway between that peak and the Aperer Pfaff. It is higher but seemingly more direct than the Bild- stockl. This, which may be called Fernau Jock, is 10,041 ft. in height; it was reached by the above-named travellers by the strip of rock and moraine separating the Schaufel Glacier from the Fernau Glacier, in their ascent of the Wilder Pfaff, but it does not ap- pear that the descent into the Winacher- thal has yet been effected. This would lie over the NW. branch of the Pfaffen- ferner, which is much crevassed, and should bsundertaken only by experienced ice-men. The statements of MM. Earth and Pfaundler and other travellers respecting this and the Eildstockl Pass are not quite reconcilable with the map published by those writers. Further discrepancies between the rrtap and the text may be noted in the upper part of the Sulzenau Glacier. The most interesting route for the adventurous mountaineer between Neu- etift and the upper Oetzthal is doubtless that by the Pfafen Jock (about 10,600', F.F.T.), first traversed in 1865 by Messrs. Tuckett, Backhouse, Fox, and Freshfield, with which may be combined the ascent of the Wilder Pfaf {11,512'), the highest peak of the Stubay Alps. To this peak the name Schau'felspitz, properly belonging to the much lower summit overlooking the Eildstockl Pass, was formerly given. The designation now commonly adopted originates in the popular legend of a parson led away by his passion for the chase, who, with his curate, deserted his church and his flock on a holiday, preferring to hunt the chamois on the high glaciers. Bi^- wildered amidst the crevasses, the faith- less pastors never returned to the village; and on a stormy day their shades may sometimes be descried, still seeking in vain for an outlet from their icy prison. The principal peak, lying exactly in the axis of the main branch of the Stubaythal, has a double summit, of which the eastern (locally called Zv.cker- hutl) is higher by 18 ft. It is flanked on the E. and W. by two dependent peaks, of which the Oesilicher Pfaf measures 11,376 ft., while the western point of bare rock is the Aperer Pfaff (10,981'), To the SE. of the highest peak is the Sonklarspitz (11,410'), ard NE. of this, or about due E. of the Oestlicher Pfaff, is the Wilder Freigcr (11,253'). It is now ascertained that the watershed runs directly between t:ie last-named summits, and that a trans- verse ridge connects the former with the Sonklarspitz. It is less certain whe- ther or not there may be a continuous ridge connecting the Oestlicher Pfaff with the Aperer Freiger (10,67 o'), and dividing the neve of the Sulzenauferner from that of the Griinauferner. Five large glaciers diverge from the mountain. On the N. side is the Sxdzenauferner, and on the NE., the Grunauferner ; to the W., the Pfaf'en- ferner ; to the S., the Hohlferner ; and it now appears certain that the great Uehlethalferner (Rte. G) extends to the SE. base of the Oestlicher Pfaff. The first ascent, by MM. Earth and Pfaundler, was made from the Mutter- berger Alp. Having reached the above- mentioned pass of the Fernau Joch, between the Schaufelspitz and the Aperer Pfaff, they passed along the S. face of the latter till they reached the depression or pass— subsequently named Pfaffen Joch — between the Aperer and Wilder Pfaff. From hence the latter ROUTE F. ASCENT OF THE WILDER PFAFF. 185 shows as a ven- sharp snow pyramid about 900 ft. in height. Though not very steep, the arete is excessively sharp. Careful step-cutting and perfect steadi- ness on the part of all the travellers are indispensable. In the second ascent, ilr. Tuckett and his companions took a more direct and more interesting course by the Sid- zenau. As mentioned in Kte. E, a copious torrent descends from the S. in a very fine waterfall, and enters the main branch of the Stubaythal at the Graba Alp. A track mounts by the W. side of the waterfall, and in less than 1 hr. from the Alp reaches a grassy plain, the fiUed-up bed of a lake, 6,063 ft. above the sea, surrounded by several of the highest peaks of this dis- trict. It well deserves a visit even by those who do not intend going farther. This basin is walled in on the S. side by a range of steep rocks about 1,000 ft. in height. Down the face of these rocks the streams from the Sulzenau and Griiuau Glaciers descend in cascades that have cut a deep channel, and are seen full in front below the ridge of the Aperer Freiger, which separates the above-named glaciers. A faintly marked track leads up the rocks to the base of the Sulzenau Glacier. This is divided into two branches by a high shelf of rock that runs NNW. from the Oestlicher Pfaff, but does not extend so far as is shown on MM. Barth and Pfauxidler's map. The glacier is easily traversed as far as the base of the lower ice-fall, which is surmounted by keeping to the rocky slope on the right bank. Above this is the junction of the two branches of the glacier, and the uppermost, or western, branch is seen to descend in a still loftier ice-fall. This, like the former, is to be climbed by the rocks on the L hand (or rt. bank), forming the N. end of the ridge or shelf ab jve spoken of. Mr. Tuckett and his compinions this gained the summit of the Ffaffen Joch (about 10,600'), in less than 4 hrs. from Graba, excluding halts. Ha^Hng reached the western summit of the Wilder Pfaflf, and returned to the col, they descended SW. to a basin of neve, at the head of the Pfaflfen Glacier; before long this forms an ice-fall, and they were forced to bt-ar to the rt. along its brow for a considerable distance till they were able to cut their way down to some very steep rocks, whence they succeeded, but not without difficulty, m getting down i to the head of the Winacherthal, 2 hrs. above Solden. Future explorers may try whether it is not an easier course to keep due W. across the upper part of I the PfafFenferner, and then cross a ridge beyond which lies a small tarn whose stream runs down to the Winacherthal beside the path from the Bildstockl '' Pass. i In both the ascents above described ' the travellers found that time did not ■ allow them to reach the highest point, or Zuckerhiitl, which is connected with the W. peak by an extremely sharp arete, chiefly formed of ice. The higher point has since been attained by Herr Specht, and again, in 1867, by Herr Stiidl. The latter effected the extremely steep and rather dangerous descent from the summit to the Hohlferner, and so reached the highest huts in the j Winacherthal. [Messrs. R. and W. M. Pendlebury, 1 with Gabriel Spektenhauser, with some difficulty in the passnge of a large berg- schrund succeeded by a steep ice-wall, crossed the ridge connecting the Oest- licher Pfaff and Wilder Freiger from the Graba Alp to the upper neve of the Ueblethalferuer. This stretches south- ward nearly at a level for some dis- tance ; by bearing to the 1. close under the Sonklarspitz, they reached a second col — a slight depression in the ridge S. of that peak — and without further difficulty descended into the head of the Passeyertlial. and so reached Schonau (§ 48, Rte. B). The course followed was much the same as that of Dr. Ruthner (Rte, H).] 186 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 49. STUBAY DISTRICT. Route G. NECSTIFT TO STEKZING. In describing the high-road over the Brenner Pass (Rte. A), reference -was made to two Alpine valleys, the one opening a few miles above Sterzing, the other just below that town. The active mountaineer may reach either of those valleys by fine glacier from the upper end of the Stubaythal, while making but a short detour from the road be- tween Innsbruck and Sterzing. It was mentioned in Rte. E that the torrent issuing from a short glen, called Laingenthal, flows northward to join the Rutzbach above Ranalt. This issues from the Ldngenthal/erner, a glacier of great breadth lying on the N. slope of the range connecting the Wilder Freiger with the Feuerstein (10,713'). It is not to be confounded with a much smaller glacier of the same name at the head of the Lisenzerthal, nor with the Laangenthal Glacier near Gurgl (§ 48, Rte. D). Over the glacier here referred to lie two Rtes. to Sterzing. 1. By the Pflerscher Hochjock (9,7 80'). This pass was traversed several years ago by Mr. Marshall Hall, more re- cently by Dr. Ficker of Innsbruck, and the Editor is indebted for full notes of the way to Mr. Holzmann, who crossed it with Anderl Pfurtscheller of Ranalt, son of the innkeeper, a good local guide. It is not a col, or depression between two peaks, but a passage over the ridge E. of the Feuerstein, at a point accessible from the Langenthal Glacier. Ascend- ing by the rt. bank of the torrent, in 2 hrs. from Ranalt, the highest hiitten of the Langenthal, called Im Griibel, are reached. Crossing the torrent and as- cending to SSW. yon arrive under a wall of rock that supports the W. branch of the Langenthal Gl. It is now necessary to turn to the 1. and as- cend to SE. over rocks and snow to reach the lower part of the glacier be- low the junction of its two main branches. Keeping the same direction, with the Feuerstein right ahead, the glacier and its moraines are crossed. The way then lies nearly due E. up a shallow ravine between the E. branch of the Langenthal Gl. and the S. wall of the valley. To avoid the upper ice-fall it is necessary to turn to the N. and climb the rocks above the rt bank. Having gained the snow-field above, the course is ESE. towards the snowy ridge that falls to NE. from the Feuerstein. As- cending amid partly covered crevasses you reach the edge, in places over- hanging, where the ridge falls in a pre- cipice towards the Gschnitzthal. Turn- ing to the rt., and traversing a snow arete between the precipice on the 1. and a bergschrund on the rt., you attain to the summit of the pass, where some projecting rocks mark the point of junc- tion of Stubay, Gschnitz, and Pflersch, and command a magnificent view. The descent lies down the arete connecting the Feuerstein with the Schneespitz. From the lowest point in that ridee it is possible to descend by a couloir to the Feuerstein Glacier, lying at the uppermost end of the Pflerschthal ; but it is a better way to keep at about the same height along the rocks forming the precipitous southern face of the Schneespitz. Passing through a gap in a ridge projecting SE. from that peak you attain the upper level of a great glacier (not laid down on any map) called Schneespitzferner, flowing nearly due E. This is traversed without dif- ficulty, and you then traverse two rock basins with remarkable glaciated sur- faces, and descend green slopes into the Pflerschthal, which is reached about 20 m. above the church at Boden. Time about 8 hrs. from lianalt exclusive of halts. [From the arete below the Hochjoch it is doubtless possible to descend into the Gschnitzthal by the westernmost of three small glaciers, all named Simming- ferner, and there is another pass from Pflersch to that valley between the Schneespitz and the Eisenspitz (^ 9,893') over the middle Simming Gl.] The traveller who descends into the head of the Pflerschthal by the Feuer- stein Glacier passes near to a remark- ROUTE G. — RIDNAUN. 187 able -waterfall, called HiJlle. -where the j main torrent springs from the level 1 ot the npper pastures to the much ! lower basin, -where ihe highest houses j are situated. From the hamlet of i Hinter.stein a path runs south-ward, | close by the EHcsspitz (8,608'), to St. | l^orenz ir IJidnaun, and another crosses | the ridge W. of the Tribulaun (10,1 fiS'), , and leads in G hrs. to Gschnitz. At the southern foot of the latter mountain, ! N^hich is the easternmost high peak of \ the Stiibay Alps, is the hamlet called j Borlni (4.123'), with the church and the j curates liouse, -where, in a case of need, j slit-lter and some refreshment may be had. From hence to its opening on the Brenner road the valley is nearly level and well cultivated, containing several hamlets and scattered houses. Above Aiiiclien the valley is locally called ItiTier-Pfl-rsch. The rail-way over the Brenner Pass is carried for about 2^ miles into th»' lower part of the valley, retum- inir along the slopes on the N. side, so as to regain the valley of the Eisack at a I onsiderable height above Gossensass (see Rte. B\ In less than 2 hrs. from Boden the tiaveller may descend gently nlong atolerable char-road to Gossensass on the Brenner road (Rte. A). Should the traveller intend to return to the N. side of the main chain, he may take a very agreeable -way, leading in 6 hrs. from AnicJien over the Grub Jnch (7,021') to Gries on the N. side of the Brenner Pass. The path on the N. side passes the Oherberger Seen, anddescends through the short but extremely pic- turesque glen of Oberberg. See Rte. A. 2. % the Ridnaunthal. The Rid- natmthal, -whose torrent joins the Eisack a little below Sterzing, in many re- spects resembles the above-described parallel glen of the Ptierschthal, but it is divided from the head of the Stubaythal by the highest peaks and most considerable glaciers of this district. 'ihere is but one known pass, the Gr'mdl JocK lying E. of the H(>jriiinl (10,262'), and considerably \V. of the Feuerstein. From the foot of tlie Liiiigenthal Glacier the -wav is at first SW., and then about due S. On the S. side the descent is by the steep and rather difficult Hiingendefemer, belo-w which it is necessary to bear to the 1., or SE.. until the head of the Ridnaunthal is reached at the Alp of A gels. About i hr. lower down a considerable lateral glen, called Liizz'ichcrlhal, opens to SW., at right angles to the main valley : through it a path leads over an easy pass to the head of the Passeyerthal (Rte. G). Descending to ESE., the highest houses in the Ridnaunthal, near the church of St. Lorenz, are soon reached, and in less than ^ h.r. more the village of Ridnann (4.379'). sometimes called for distinction Inner-Ridnaun, with a poor inn kept by kindly people. The church of St. Joseph at this place and the very ancient church of St. Magdalen, on a rock above the path descending the valley , are very picturesque, and deserve the traveller's notice. A defile separates Ridnaun from the lower part of the valley, and about ^ hr. descending are required to reach Mareit. the chief place in the lower Ridnaunthal. It is over- j looked by a large country-house that stands on the site of the ancient castle of Wolfsthurm. Passing below the ! pretty village of Tel/s. that stands on i the slopes above the 1. bank of the j Gailbach, the track traverses Thuins, and then turns northward to reach Sterzing (Rte. A). The Gailbach, which drains the Rid- naunthal, has its chief source in the I Ueblethalferner, the largest glacier of I the Stubay Alp**. It originates in an extensive neve-basin between the peaks of the Wilder Pfaflf, Sonklarspitz, and Wilder Freiger. and is bounded to the AV. and S. by a ridge connecting the Sonklarspitz with the Botzer (10,686';, and extending eastward fiom the latter peak. From the great ice-reservoir in- cluded within these limits a compara- tively narrow stream of ice flows east- ward into the head of the Ridnaunthal, terminating a short way N. of the .\gels- alp. M M. Bartii and Pfaundler effected 188 CENTRAL TYUOL ALPS. § 49. STUBAY DISTRICT. a fine pass over the head of this glacier, passing S. of the Sonklarspitz, and reaching the head of the Passeyerthal — locally called Hiiiterseethal — some way above the point where the path of t' e Tinibler Joch falls into that valley. They probably descended by the same couise afterwards taken by Dr. Kutimer, and later by Messrs. Pendlebury, in crossing from Sulzenau between the AViider Freiger and the E. peak of the Wilder PfafF. The first traveller who crossed directly from Ranilt to Ridnaun by the FlafFennieder and Uehlethal- fi-rner was Mr. Holzmaun in 1872. He reached Sterzing in \-J hrs. exclusive of hults. See Iltes. F. and H. Route H. FEND, OE GTTRGL, TO THE BRENNER PASS. There is an increasing disposition among mountaineers to arrange routes through the Alps so as to descend as rarely, andfor as short a time as possible, below the region of permanent snow and high Alpine vegetation. With that object numerous ' High-level Routes ' have been devised among the ranges of the Pennine and the Central Alps. The conformation of the Tyrolese Alps is less favourable to carrying out a similar design, but it may be convenient to point out the various routes that may be taken by a traveller wishing to keep as near as possible to the crest of the main chain. Most of the valleys and passes tliat may be taken for that purpose through the Stubay Alps have been noticed, in the foregoing routes ; but there is one rather considerable valley, Gschnitztna,!, besides two or three passes, not hitherto enumerated. In starting from Fend or G-urgl, the traveller will either cross the Timbler Joch (§ 48, Rte. B) to the head of the Passeyerthal, or descend to Solden, and remount towards the higher peaks through the Winacherthal. In the fol- lowing enumeration the routes are , arranged in the order of the various ; points on the Brenner, wh'^re the tra- veller would first reach the high-road which is described in Rte. A. 1. To Stcinack. Starting from Solden, the traveller may reach the Graba Alp in upper Stubay by the PfafFen Joch, or the Mutterberger Alp by the Bildstockl. Both passes are described in Rte. E. He will sleep at either of the above- named chalets, or else somewhat lower down in the Stuba}i:hal, at Schbnge- lair. As mentioned in the last Rte., the latter p)lace is but a short way above the junction of the Langenthal with the main branch of the Stubay thai. On the E. side the Langenthal is bounded by a shiirt range including the double peak of the Rothenspitzen, the Aeussere Wettersjntz (10,063'), and Innere Wet- terspitz (10,017'); and over this range are two unnamed passes leading to the Gschnitzthal. The shortest way is by the northernmost of these passes lying between the Aeussere Wetterspitz and the Southern Rothenspitz (9,974'). The former peak, commanding a fine view, is easily reached from the summit of the pass, and which is 9,143 ft. above the sea-level. To reach the more southern pass, it is necessary to follow the Lan- genthal to the base of the great glacier, and then ascend due E. along a torrent that flows from the foot of the pass. WTiichever of these passes be selected, the traveller descends to the head of the Gschnitzthal, and follows the rt. bank of the torrent to the Lapones-AIp (4,636'). The upper part of this valley is uninhabited save in summer, and but a solitary chapel is passed on the way to the principal village. To the 1. rises the Habicht, and E. of it the Pinneser Joch, noticed in Rte. E. On the oppo- site side rise the very bold limestone peaks of the Trihidaun (10,167'). These are extremely difficult of access, and the highest, or western, peak is said not yet to have been attained. [West of the Tribulaun are two passes leading to the Pflerschthal (Rte. G). One of these, l}'ing close to that moun- tain, is most convenient for the traveller going from Pflersch to Gschnitz. The ROUTE H. — FEND TO STERZIXG. 189 other, nearer to the head of the valley, is attained by bearing to the rt. a con- siderable way above the Lapones-Alp, and by that way an active walier may easily reach Pflersoh in one day from Schonpfelair.] The chief place in the Gschnitzthal is Gschnitc (4,070'). There is no inn, but strangers are received by che parish- priest. They find here two good guides for mountain excursions — Georg Pitt- racher, and Andreas Salchner. The scenery of the valley hereabouts offers much variety from the contrast between the limestone ridges dividing it from the Pinneserthal (Ete.E), and the crystalline slates that prevail at its upper end. In descending the path keeps to the 1. bank. On the opposite side, near the track lead- ing to the Oberbergthal, is the ancient chapel of St. M. Magdalen, or Magda- lenenkirchlein (5,338'), conspicuously perched on a rock. After passing through a defile between bold limestone rocks, the track approaches Trins, counted 2 hrs. from Gschiiitz. Eefore reaching the village, the traveller passes near to the modern castle of Schneeberg (3,960'), standing on a projecting rock above the torrent which separates it from the village of Trins (3,885'). Near j to it will be seen a ridge crossing the i valley, which is the remains of the ter- [ minal moraine of an ancient glacier, i Trins stands at the S. base of the Blaser (7,332'), well known to Tyrolese bota- nists for its varied and interesting vegetation. Less than 1 hr. suffices for the descent to Steinach (Rte. A) on the Brenner road, standing exactly at the opening of the Gschnitzthal. 2. To Gries. Reference was made in Rte. A to the short but picturesque glen, called Oberbergthal, which opens on the Brenner road W. of the hamlet of Gries. The traveller wishing to take it on his way from the Uetzthal may rt-ach Gschnitz bv the way above described, aud aftiT crossing to the rt. 1 bank of the torrent mount by a rough j pith througii the forest to a point] just below the Magdalenkirchlein. He I there enters the Magdaleuihal, a lateral glen leading to the Muftcr, Joch This is apparently 8,1.37 ft. in height, the adjoining summit, call d Mutter, reach- ing to about 4,(300 ft. TiiL-re is anotuer pass some way NK. of the last, called Oberberyer Joch (7,1(53') ; but this is better suited for a traveller starting frora Trins. From either pass the traveller may descend into th-^ Oberbergthal near the village of Obirberg (4,440'). An easy descent of 1 hr. leads thence to Vinaders (4,097'), the priccipal place in the valley, only \ hr. from Gries. The traveller who has readied the Pflerschthal by any one of the routes mentioned below may take the Grub Joch pass, leading from Anichen to Oberberg, mentioned in Ete.G, and thus reach Gries after seeing the finest scenery of both valleys. 3. To Gossensass. It was seen in Rte. P that the most direct way from Neustift to Sterzing is throngh the Pflerschthal, which opens on the high- road of the Brenner at Gossensass, the highest village on the S. side of the latter pass. The same route may be taken by a traveller coming from the head of the Oetzthal, who, having reached Schongelair from Solden by any of the routes mentioned above, may on the following day traverse the Pflerscher Hochjoch to Pflersch, and on the third morning descend to Gossensass, or cross the pass leading to Gries. 4. To Sterzing by Eidnotin. The route from the Oetzthal to the Brenner last described is circuitous, and involves two rather difficult passes. The way by the Gschnitzthal is preferable for the traveller whose aim is the N. side of the Brenner Pass, while he whosf direction lies S. of that boundary may find a more direct way by the Riduaunthal. Some light is thrown on thetopc^graphy of the district by an expedition made by Dr. Ruthner in 1867. Starting from Sul- zenau (Rte. F), and ascending by the j^lacier of the Aperer Freiger, he reacbe4 in .5^ hrs. the ridge, now known as the Pfaffennieder (9,8 ti^.'.'), forn^ing the I^. boundary of the Uebiethalferner a!i4 connecting the Oestiicher Pf^tf wjih 190 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 49. STUBAY DISTRICT. the Sonklnrspitz ; he finally descended into the Hinterseethal at the head of Passeyer, making a -wide circuit round the E. side of the latter peali. The easiest way to reach Ridnaun from Fend or Gurgl is to cross the Timbler Joch to the head of the Pas- seyerthal (§ 48, Rte. E), and thence follow a direct and steep, or else an easier and more circuitous, way to Schnetberg. That name was formerly given to some extensive mines, now scarcely worked, but is now used for the chapel and inn, considerably above the mine, almost enclosed by peaks, the chief of which (sometimes called Schwarzseespitz) is 8,995 ft. above the sea. The Frauenkirche, a chapel which must be nearly 7,000 ft. above the sea, is much frequented by pilgrims on the 5th August. Except at that moment, when it is overfull, the traveller finds tolerable quarters in a mountain-inn close at hand. An easy pass leads from Schnee'oerg to the upper end of the Lazzacherthal, but it is a still easier course to pass through a tunnel, nearly ^ m. long, formerly used by the miners, which opens on the E. side about 800 ft. below the top of the pass. It is necessary to take lights. The path descends NE. to the point where the Lazzacherthal joins the head of the Eidnaunthal (Ete. Gr), through which lies the way to Sterzing. The course above described is practicable for ordinary tourists : the enterprising mountaineer, with a good guide, may take a much more difficult, but more in- teresting, way, starting from Solden in the Oetzthal. Following the main torrent of the Winacherthal to its source at the foot of the Hohlferner, a considerable glacif^r that originates on the S. side of the Wilder Pfaff, and the SW. side of the Sonklarspitz, the traveller ascends along the S. bank towards the ridge of the S'hwarze Wand, which extends a little W, of S. from the Sonklarspitz, and forms the E. boundary of the Hohl- ferner By ascending to the head of the latter glacier to the point N. of the Sonklar.'^pitz attained by Dr. Kuthner, he would gain the upper nev6 of the Ueblcthalferner, and might on the same day reach the head of the Ridnannthal. But, according to MM. Barth andPfaund- ler, it is necessary to cross the ridge of the Schwarze Wand at its S. end, and to descend into the head of the Passeyer- thal, and seek shelter at one cf the highest chalets. Starting early on the following morning, the traveller ascends by a short but steep glacier to the Konigshofer Joch, a pass forming the lowest point in the range that encloses on the western side the head of the Uebhthalferner, the most extensive glacier of the Stubay Alps. It includes a number of branches that flow through openings between the surrounding peaks, and converge in a great basin, which is drained by an ice-stream that issues due E. towards the head of the Ridnaunthal. The highest summit on the S. side of the glacier-basin is the Botzer (10,686'). From this extends to NW. a ridge including several minor peaks, of which that nearest the pass, called Kbnig-^hof (about 10,370'), is easily ascended from thence. 'On the opposite side is the Sonklars'pitz (11,410') which is concealed from the head of the glacier b}' an intervening range of steep rocks called Becher. The map of Messrs. Barth and Pfaundler is undoubtedly incorrect in respect to this portion of the Stubay group ; and it is not easy to reconcile with it the account of the pass given by Dr. Ruthuer in the 4th ' Jahr- buch' of the Austrian Alpine Club. It may perhaps be doubted whether future travellers starting from the Sulzenau in Stubay may not find an easier and more direct way by the Griinauferner than by his route. The only informa- tion respecting the descent from the Konigshofer Joch into the Ridnaun- thal by the Ueblethalferner is that gleaned from the work of Messrs. Barth and Pfaundler, who traversed it late in tjae autumn. At that season it was somewhat difficult, owing to nu- merous and wide crevasses. They found it expedient to keep throughout some- what to the N. side of the glacier, twice ROUTE I. — JAUFEX PASS. 191 If-aving the ice for slopes of debris at ■ the foot of projecting rocks. Farther | east the glacier descends in an ice-fall, and at a point called ' In Lochern ' it is necessary to quit the ice on the 1. bank, and descend by the rocks, till the lower end of the glacier is attained below the ice-fall. It is here so level and vmbroken that it is locally CBMedEbncferfier, and a person approaching from the E. would not suppose that it was the outflow of so vast a mass of ice and neve. On the S. side a glacier-lake is formed in summer by the stream descending from a lateral glen, which finds the outlet barred by the glacier. The lower end of the Ebneferner is too steep to be conveniently passable, and the traveller leaves the ice for the last time by the 1. bank, and descends into the uppermost end of the Eidnaujithal a short way above the Ober-Agelsalp, where, in case of need, he finds tolerable shelter for the night. Some way lower down is a wider and more level basin, where stand the chalets of the Unter-Agelsalp, about 2 hrs. above Ridnaun. The Ridnaun- thal is more fully noticed in Rte, Gr. In taking the course above described, the traveller who has crossed the first pass leading from the head of the Winacherthal to that of the Passeyer- thal, and encounters unfavourable weather on the following day, has the advantage of being able to continue his route by the easy pass between Schnee- berg and the Lazzacherthal. 5. To Sterzing by Eatschinges. A little above the point where the Gail- bach issues from the Ridnaunthal into the open basin below Sterzing, it receives a considerable tributary torrent from the Ratschingesthal, a narrow glen nearly i parallel to Ridnaun, but less interesting to the mountaineer, as it lies outside the glacier region of these Alps. The easiest and shortest way from Fend or Gurgl to Sterzing is through that glen. Having crossed the Timbler Joch, and ascended from the head of the Passeyerthal to Schneeberg (see above), an easy pass leads thence to the head of the Rat- schingesthal. For the greater part of its length this is little more than a defile. At the widest part stands the village of Eatschinges. It is chiefly known for quarries of highly crystalline white marble, which would be more extensively used if it were less difficult of access. At its lower end the defile of the Rat- schingesbachis so narrow that the path is forced to mount to a great height above the rt. bank, after which it descends to the village of Gasteig, whence a char- road leads in | hr. to Sterzing (Rte. A). Route I. STEEZING TO MEEAN BY THE JAtTEN PASS. I Irs.' walking E. miles St. Leonhard . 6 18 Meran . 4 12 The mountaineer going from Inns- bruck to Meran will naturally select some of the routes through the Stubay 192 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 49. STUBAY DISTRICT. or Oetztbal Alps described in the present or the List section. The tourist -who selects the easiest way between those placos will prefer to follow the high- road over the Brenner to Sterzing, and thence take the beaten track over the Jaufen Pass. This is a frequented mule- path, easy enough on the east side ; but the descent from the pass to St. Leon- hard is so steep and rough for the first 1^ hr. that ladies and nervous persons can scarcely be recommended to ride. On leaving Sterzing the path crosses the G-ailbach, and ascends to Gasteig (Inn : fair), a village standing close to the junction of a slender stream from the Jaufenthal with the powerful torrent which bears down the drainage of the Eidnaunthal and Katschiugesthal. The Jauftnthal is a short glen, without a village, but it has a church and a small group of houses which bear the same name. A track runs thence due S. across the ridge dividing this from Pens in the Samthal (Ete. K). On reaching the summit of the ridge at the head of the Jaufenthal, the path descends a little, but a further ascent is needed to reach the summit of the pass. About ^ hr. before this is attained, the traveller passes a solitary stone house, called Jaufe7ihaus{6,o4:o'), intended as a refuge for wayfarers. In case of need better quarters may be found here than at a similar refuge, bearing the same name, which is found on the opposite side of the pass. The Jaufen Pass (6,872'), supposed to derive its name from the Eoman designa- tion, Mons Jovis, is reached in about 3^ hrs. from Sterzing. There is another path about equally short, but less fre- quented, which mounts from Grasteig along the slopes on the S. side of the Eatschingesthal, and joins the common track near the Jaufenhaus. The descent towards Passeyer appears very steep, but no fatal accidents are recorded since 3, eerbxin bishop, who had accompanied the Elector Louis of Bavaria on his way to Meran, broke his neck here on his way back to Germany. The way lies nearly due E. along the precipitous slopes on the X. side of the WalUnthal, a short glen which joins the Passeyerthal at St. Leonhard. On descending into the glen the path passes the hamlet of Walttn, where there is a poor inn. As the tra- veller approaches St. Leonhard he passes close to the ancient castle of Javfenhurg now in ruins, except a portion inhabited by a peasant. It commands a very fine view of the Passeyerthal. 1\ hrs. from the pass suffice to reach St. Leonhard ; but as that village is lower than Sterzing by 820 ft., 7 hrs. are allowed for the whole distance when the pass is taken from this side. The Passeyerthal, through wliich lies the remainder of the way to Meran, is described in ^ 48, Ete. B. EOL-TE K. BOTZEN TO STEIiZIXG, THROrGH THE SABXT HA T,. Hrs- Eng. walking miles Samthcin . . . 4i 14 Pens . . 4A 14 Sterzing . . 5| 15 14^ 43 The district included, and almost en- closed, between the two main branches of the Adige contains, along with the two high gi'oiips of the Oetzthal and ROUTE K.- 193 Stiibay Alpp, a more POTithern group of much lovver mountains. This is diviclKl into tMo eoual portions l)y the Sarnfhal. a valley originatino: in tlie mountains S. i of Sterzing, and opening into the broad ; valley of the Adige immediately N. of Botzen. A glance at the map sliows i that the most direct line between those • towns lies through this valley, and over one or other of the easy passes connect- ing it with the upper valley of the Eis- ' ack. Though the scenery is not of a : very high order, this course may be re- j commended to the pedestrian who would j avoid the heat and dust of the high road, j In descending the valley the traveller , may avail himself of the new road called Sarner Strasse. opened in ISo-i. by en- gaging a vehicle from the village of Sarnthein to Botzen ; but in ascending it does not save much time. The road keeps chiefly to the 1. bank of the Talfer- hach. but there is also a footpath by the rt. bank. The former is generally pre- ferred. Leaving on the rt. hand the road to Klobenstein. noticed in Rte. A, the new road turns nearly due N. The villages are for the most part perched on the slopes of the mountains on either hand, and many ancient castles, in more or less ruinous condition, are seen throughout the valley. About 1| hr. from Botzen two tributary torrents fall in opposite directions into the Talfer. From the W. comes the Dornbach, above which is seen the village oi Afiyig (3,383'), and nearly opposite is the junction of the Emmersbach. On the slope above it stands Wangen (3.468'). About | hr. farther the road enters the remarkable defile of the Marterloeh, passing under a nearly vertical rock, crowned by a pil- grimage church. Farther on (on the rt. bank) is the mineral spring of Schorgan, frenuented by the countrv* people ; the road keeps to the opposite side until close to the main village, and chief place of the district, Sarntheiji (Inns: beim Schweizer, and several others), 3,164 ft. above the sea. Since the opening of the new road it is resorted to by the people of c. T. ( Botzen during the Somrncrfris''}) season. On the heights above the 1. Itank of the stream opposite to the villair*^ are the castles of Reineck and Kranzenstein, and in the valley a more modern .resi- dence belonging to Count 8arnthein. As the mountains enclosing the valley are easily accessible, there are many paths leading in various directions, to find which, as a general rule, it is ad- visable to take a guide. One somewhat frequented track leads westward in 5 or 6 hrs. over the Kreiiz Jock ( 6,04-o') to Me- ran. In the opposite direction paths lead to Klausen or to Kollman in the valley of the Eisack. One of the most agree- able expeditions is the ascent of ti>e Sanier Srharte C8.2."Jo'), rising due W. of the village. The panorama is much the same as that from the Rittnerhorn (Rte. A). From the top the traveller may descend to Klausen, or else make his way southward to Klobenstein and Botzen. The Sarnthal, after widening out somewhat in the neighbourhood sf the principal village, narrows again as tlie tra*k runs northward along the 1. bank to Asffcld, where the main stream of the Talfer is formed by the junction of the torrents issuing from the two uppermost branches of the valley. The NE. branch, or Diirnholzthal, is briefly noticed below: the northern branch, called Pensertbal» affords the most direct way to Sterzing. The scenery of the P'nserthal is varied and pleasing throughout the ascent to "Weissenbach, where, about 3^ hrs. from Sarnthein, the traveller finds a tolerable country inn. Here the head of the val- ley opens, into view somewhat N. of E., while a path mounts westward, and leads in about 6 hrs. to St. Leonhard in the Passeyerthal. Nearly 1 hr. above Weissenbach is Fens (4.781'\ the highest villasre in this branch of the Sarnthal. It has a rough atid poor, but clean, inn. Fi-om this village a path runs due N. to the Jaufen- thal (see last Etc."), and is possi[)ly the shortest way to Sterzing. Another pass, lying a little way farther E., leads to Grasteig. Tl\e more frequented way is 104 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 50. ZILLFRTHAL DISTRICT. by a track which follows the torrent to the hamlet of Asten, and then turns northward to ascend the Tenser Joch (7,340'). On reaching the summit the traveller overlooks a short and deep glen ■whose torrent joins the Eisack near ! Mauls. The path to Sterzing winds | aiong the slopes on the N. and W. side | of the glen, and finally turns northward j over the shoulder of the mountain, and descends to Stilfs on the rt. batik of the Eisack, about 4 m. below Sterzing. The Durnholzthal, the opening of which was left on the rt. hand in ascend- ing from Astfeld. is a very picturesque glen, through which the traveller may find an agreeable way from Sarnthein to Brixen. About If hr. from Sarnthein he leaves on his rt. hand the hamlet of Jicinswald, where there is a decent inn, and 1} hr. farther reaches Durnholz (5,203'), where accommoda- tion is found at the house of the priest. Near this is a lake well stocked with trout, whose dark blue waters are ima- gined to be in connection with the la- goons of Venice. A pleasant path leads in b\ hrs. over the Schalderer Joch (about 7.500') to Brixen, passing thr' village of Schalders, with a rustic bath establishment. Another way leads to Klauson by the Lazfonser Joch. The l.-itter pass is most easily reached from Jieiuswald. [There is a direct way from Pens to Durnholz ''\\' the Durnhoher Joch (7.i8(f'), which may be accomplished in 2| hrs. from one village to the other.] SECTION .50. ZlLLEliTHAL DISTRICT. In the last two sections the portion of the main chain of the Tyrol Alps lying between the sources of the Adige and the Brenner Pass have been described. It was seen that this consists mainly of two masses of crystalline rock — a loftier and more extensive south-western mass enclosing the head of the Oetzthal, and a smaller and less elevated north-east- ern mass sui-rounding the Stubaythal and its tributary glens. It was re- marked that the Brenner Pass, which opens so deep a passage from the north to the south side of the Alps, corresponds rather to a dislocation than to a breach in the continuity of the main range. Taking into account the seneral disposi- tion of the masses, and that of the main valleys and minor ridges, the T}to1 Alps W. of the Brenner adhere to that SW. to NE. direction which prevails throughout the Western and Central Alps. On the other hand, the inspec- tion of any ordinary map suffices to show that in Eastern Tyrol, and the re- gion extending thence eastward to the borders of Hungary, the ruling direction of the ridges and valleys diverges little from due W. to E. In the space imme- diately E. of the Brenner, where the two systems, if prolonged, would inter- sect, we find interposed a lofty group mainly composed of two nearly parallel ridges that affect an intermediate direc- tion from WSW. to ENE. The longer ! and more considt^rable of these is nearly j continuous with the range of the High I Tauern to the E., but both lie somewhat I on one side of the axis of the western I main range, and the Brenner Pass cor- j responds to the dislocation thus caused, j A-ery much as the Malo;a, the Spliigen, ! and the Simplon passes corrrspond to j similar dislocatirms. The ridtros above ! spoken of enclose the pi'incipal branch i of the Zillerthal, and they are chiefly ■ drained by torrents that send their j w.-iters to the Inn through the. same val- ZILLERTHAL DISTRICT. [95 ley, which naturally gives its name to ; this portion of the Tyrol Alps. I The longer and loftier of the two j ridges that enclose the Zillerthal extends j westward close to the town of Sterzing, and, with but trifling dislocations, forms a continuous range from tlieuce to the Arlscharte, a distance of 100 English m.. measured along the nearly straight axis of the chain. In this space there is no pass falling below 8,000 ft., and but very few that even approach that limit, so that taking together the main range of the Zillerthal with that of the High Tauern, described in the following sections, they form a far more complete barrier between the North and the South than any part of the Alpine i chain of nearly equal extent. No engineer has ever proposed to carry a carriage- road over this part of the Alpine chain, and in a space of 85 miles there is but a single pass serviceable for beasts of burden. One of the slight disloca- tions above mentioned corresponds to the junction of the ZillertJial range ex- tending ENE. from Sterzing with the High Tauern, the point of junction be- ing the summit of the Dreiherrnspitz. : Here is the Krimmlertauern Pass j (9,071'), which forms the most natural division between the district described ; in this section and the High Tauern ; range. Southward the Ahrenthal, and northward the Krimmlerthal, form a : well-marked boundary between this and ; the district described in the next sec- i tion. Elsewhere its limits are traced by ; the valley of the Rienz to the S., by the road of the Brenner to the W., and on the N. side by the valley of the Inn be- tween Innsbruck and the Zillerthal — by the latter valley as far as the village of Zt'll, and thence by the road over the Grerlos Pass to Wald in Pinzgau. at the junction of the Krimmler Ache with the Salza. The way from Bruneck to "Wald. by the Ahrenthal and the Krimmlerthal, is described in Rte. E. Vmt the valley of the Rienz, between Brixen and Brun- .' eck, is more conveniently described in i the next section. The portion of TjtoI included within the limits above defined has until lately been almost completely neglected, not only by foreign tourists, but also by Austrian mountaineers. Most of the highest peaks remained, not only nnas- cended, but unmeasured ; and in this way it happened that five or six peaks in succession have enjoyed the reputa- tion of being the highest of the group. It is mainly to Colonel von Sonklar, whose name so constantly recurs in connection with the main chain of the Tyrol Alps, that we are indebted for such accurate information as we now possess. He has not indeed lavished upon this district the amount of labo- rious investigation which in the Oetzthal and Tauern groiips have almost ex- hausted the field of orographic enquiry', but his papers upon this district in the first and second volumes of the ' Jahr- buch ' of the Austrian Alpine Club con- tain the chief data requisite for a correct knowledge of the two main ridges that form the nucleus of this group. The longer and more southerly of these ridges, which we shall term the Ziller- thal main range, is that which extends, as already mentioned, from Sterzing to the Krimmler Tauern— about 36 m. On the S. side this range, through about half its length, falls abruptly towards the Ahrenthal, and sends out no lateral ridgps of considerable height ; but on the N. side the secondary ridges are of much greater dimensions. Prom the ENE. end of the range, near the Krimmler Tauern, a very considerable mass, whose mean height is little less than that of the main chain, diverges to N. and NW., and other considerable secondary ridges .are noticed in Rte. B. The highest peaks in the main Zillerthal range, reckoning from K. toW., are the Bauch- kogel (10,661'). Hnllen~koiif (10,492'), lAJfdspitz (11.108'), Schwarzenstein (11.04:6'), the five Horn Spitzm. which attain 10,842 ft., Thumerkamp (1 1.1 89'), Bossruckspitz (10,881'), Mosdc (called on the S. side Mbsdenock) (11,315'), Weisszmtk{10,84:V)Mochfcilcr (1 1.535'), Grn^esj^itz {II, Z93'), Grabqntz{10,0&d'), lOG CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 50. ZILLERTHAL DISTRICT. Wildkreuzspifz (10.271'), and lastly the Ebengruhspitz (9 J63'). The last, with the somewhat more northerly Kramer- spitz (9,658'), are succeeded by the much lower summit of the Trenserjoch, which forms the western termination of the main range close to Sterzing. The highest of the above-named peaks (Hoch- feiler and G-rasespitz) do not lie on the watershed, but in a short lateral ridge projecting northward from the "Weiss- zinth. In the mountain mass extending N. and NW. from the Krimmler Tauern the principal summits are the Eeichen- spitz (10,866'), &u;hprkopf (10,708'), Wildaerlosspitz {10,771'), and Gamssjntz (10.522'). The northern group of the Zillerthal Alps is mainly formed by the so-called Tuser range. This is nearly parallel to the main range, but is directed more nearly from XE. to SW., so that if pro- longed, the axes of both would meet a little W. of Sterzing. It is shorter, and it« mean elevation is less than that of the main range, but its highest peak falls only a few ft. below the Hochfeiler: Its chief summits, reckoning as before from E. to W., are the Grunhcrqlcor 0.397'), Blffler {lQm7'\ RippenMpfe (10,743'), Olpjercr Fuss-stein (11,451'), Alpeiner-Feriierspiiz (11,11 3'), Sdgewand (10,870') — not to be confounded with the much lower Hoch Sage (9,365'), one of the minor peaks of the main range. Somewhat S. of the Sagewand is the Hohcwand (10,780'), and to this succeeds a series of lower summits (none of which attain 10,000 ft.) till the Tuxer range terminates towards the Eisack between Grossensass and Sterzing in the low summit of the Saunjoch (6,844'). The two principal ranges are united to- . gether by a comparatively low transverse ridge connecting the Hochfeiler with the Hohewand. over which lies the pass of the Pjitscher Jock (7,297'). An extensive mountain tract lies to the N. of the Tuxer range, filling the space between it and the Innthal with ramifications that reach the Lower Zil- lerthal. The summits of this range fall for the most part considerably be- low 10,000 ft. One of the most cjn- spicuous is the Glungetzerspitz (8,756'), near Innsbruck. Till lately few of the higher summits of the Zillerthal Alps had been ascended. The Hochfeiler was reached for the first time in 1865 by M. Grohmann. and the { Moseleinthe same year by Mr. Tuckett. I The LofFelspitz was climbed in 1843 by I M. Lipoid, and since that date by some I German travellers, and by Dr. Erinton ; : the Schwarzenstein has been attained by I Dr. Ruthner; and in 1867 M. Grohmann j climbed the Olperer Fus.->-stein. There remain unascended, the Grasespitz, Ai- peiner Eernerspitz, and Tliurnerkamp, all exceeding 11,000 ft. in height. The last appears difficult, but promises a very fine panoramic view. Good quarters are found at Zell and Mayrhofen ir the main valley, but these places lie too low for the taste of moun- taineers. They will prefer the humbler yet clean accommodation at Ginzling or Lauersbach. Members of the Alpine Club, able to speak German, may safely venture to apply for hospitality at the "Widura, or priest's house, even in places where this is not accorded to all travel- lers. Of course in such cases the tra- veller should leave a suitable gratuity with the housekeeper. ROUTE A. — LOWER ZILLERTHAL. 19^ Route A. INifSBBUCK TO LE>rD, BY THE ZILLER- THAL AND PINZGAU. Eng'. miles Jenbach (by railway) . . . Ti^ Fiigen 5i Zell 8" Geiios mi Wald lO-f Mittersill 14 Lengdorf 7 Bruck 10 Taxenbach 7 Lend 5 lOOJ This is a route frequented by tourists ; and although the portion between Wald in Pinzgau and Lend does not lie within this district, it has appeared more con- venient to describe it here rather than refer the reader to another section. The valley of the Inn between Inns- bruck and Kufstein is described in § 43, Rte. B. Travellers approaching the Zillerthal usually leave the railway at Jenbach; but pedestrians from the Kuf- stein side may stop at BrLvle//_onie little acquaintance with the nrrniiier- and c-usronis of its inhabit- atiis. The people of this valley are consulered throughout Tvrol as in a spL'cial d 'gree ' racv of the soil.' The artistic eleni'jnt is strong in their com- posiiion. Tile valley has produced not a few painters and sculptors. The love of music and dancing is univeisai, anon opens into the Durh.^bodm, ! as the uppermost end of the G-erlos glen i is locally called. There is here a large \ Klause, or woodcutter's dam, near the I o^(^mngof the Wddfjerlo^thal. Throtigh | this the mountaineer may ascend due S. i to a little lake (Gerlos See), very finely | situated in the midst of a circle of high I peaks. The rough cart-track leading to the Piuzgau, keeps a little N. of E., through the Diirlosboden to the pass — Gerlos Sattel (4.717')) also called Pinz- i gauer Hohe, about 1.^ hr. from G-erlos. This deep depression, hnng in the axis ' of thp great line of valley that extends | hence to Hieflau on the Enns, divides | the Kitzbiihel (§ 44) from the Zillerthal } Alps. The portion of that long trough j forming the tipper valley of the Salza, \ and called Pinzgau, plays a part in the orography of this district, similar to { that of the Rhone valley in Switzerland, running transversely to the natural flow of the cb'ainage ot the main chain, with this additional circumstance, that on the N. side of the Pinzgau the low Thurn Pass (4,371'), and the still deeper open- ing at Zell am See (2.469'). left free course for the outflow of the drainage in that direction. The way lies nearly due p].. atid in less than ^ hr. the traveller reaches a rough-looking inn at Ronaeh (4.346'), and following the course of the infant Salza, that issues from a glen to the N. (§ 44. Rte. D), he reaches in about 2 hrs.' steady walking from the pass, the village of Wald (3,044') in Pinzgau. The road becomes practicable for liijht carriages at Ronaeh, but no vehicle is to be found there, nor is one always available at AYald. Travelling witli ladies, it is prudent to write be- forehand to that place or to Krimml. The great majority of travellers who cross the Gerlos Pass make a slight detoiu' to visit the waterfall of Krimml, perhaps the finest in the Alps. Even without that attraction, the scenery on the way to Krimml (see Rte, E) is much superior to that of the direct road by Wald. and involves a detour of only 3 or 4 miles. The high road along the N. side of the Salza runs for many miles nearly level. The most interesting spots on the way are those where the lateral valleys of tlie High Tauern open into the Pinzgau. Two of the finest of these, bearing down the clrain;ige of -the highest peaks of the Gross Venediger group {% 51. Rte. F), pour their torrents into the Salza nearly at the same point. The opening of both valleys is well seen from a smith's forge, built up against a huge erratic block, called the Teufelstein, little mo^-e than a mile below Wald. The legend connecting this block with the ruined castles of Hieburg and Pried- burg on the opposite slopes of the valley, may be read in the third vol. of Schau- bach. About 2^ m. from Wald is Neitkirchn (2.987"), with a decent coun- try inn (Bachmaier). and a very ancient castle, still inhabited. The village watchmaker is recommended as a guide. Scarcely 2 ra. beyond Neukirchen is the Weyerhof, an ancient house standing by a picturesque tower, all that remains of a ruined castle. The house is now con- verted into a very fair country inn, de- serving a visit for the sake of the wood- carving still contained in some rooms. The glrtss-p;nnted windows have been removed to the museum at Salzburg. The Weyerhof stands a little below the opening of the HahacherthaL one of the wildest glens of the Tauern Alps. In the background the Schwarzkopf (10.425') is seen risins; above the Habacher-kees, after the two Sulzbacher glaciers, the greate-st of those on this side of the range i% 51, Rte. F). About U ni. from AVeyerhof is the neat village of Brambcrg (2.874') with an old gothic church. After passing Bichl the road crosses a torrent and reaches Muhlbach (2,714'), about 8^ m. from Wald. The torrent descends from the MwMbnchthal. through which a path leads to Kirchberg, near Kitzbiihel, over the Stange, a pass lying close under *he peak of the Rettenstein. Near Miihi- bach on the S. side of the Salza are 200 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 50. ZILLERTHAL DLSTUICT. furnaces for smelting copper, and vitriol- works. About 1 ni. boyoiid Miihlbach j the road descends to the Salza, then crosses to the rt. bank, and in a few mi- nutes more reaches Hollcrshach (2,783'), at the opening of the Holltrsbacherthcd. The mountaineer may find his way through it to Windisch Matrei over a difficult pass (§51, Rte. F). The road now runs nearly straight for nearly 4 ni. along the meadows that fill the floor of the valley, and then turns to the 1. to enter Mittersill (2,622' Moll), the principal place in Upper Pinzgau. Grrundtner's Grasthaus, in the market-place, is the Vjest inn. The large house kept by the brewer (Eupp) is said to be ill managed. The little town stands on both sides of the Salza, and is united to the adjoining village of Velben by a bridge over the Velber Ache. Owing to the slight fall of the ground throughout the long reach V>elow Mittersill (about 60 ft. in 10 m.), the neighbourhood is very subject to inundations, and the inhabitants are forced to keep boats in readiness in order to cross the flooded meadows that separate the hamlets and farndiouses. Hence Mittersill is locally called the ' Venice of Pinzgau.' Save this serious drawback,the position is very fine. Many K)i the houses command views up and down the main valley, extending fully 1.3 m. to the westward, and nearly twice as far in the opposite direction. The view is much finer from the old castle on the slope to the N., about 600 ft. above the town. This has been pub- lished in panoramic form by Oberer, in Salzburg. The road to Kitzbiihel is described in § 44, Rte. C, and that to Windisch Mata-ei in ^ 51, Rte. E. The road from ^Mittersill keeps to the N. side of the Salza through a dreary swampy tract. Of late years, a more intelligent system than that of merely damming in the beds of the tributary torrents has prevailed, and tlie sand and gravel which they bring down has been made to contribute to the solidification of the swamps. The road passes a monument that commemorates, not the actions, but the good intentions of tho Emperor Francis, Avho passed tiiis way in 1832, and goes through Stuhlfelden ^ whence travellers sometimes ascend the Malitz Koyl (7,333'), commanding a fine view, not quite equal to that from the Geisstein (§ 44, Rte. C). Some way farther, the opening of the Stubachthal is seen to the S., and in the background a part of the fine range that encloses its upper end, culminating in the peak called by Sonklar Schneewinkel (1 1 ,580'). A pathway, chiefly supported on pine branches, is carried across the marshes to a wooden In-idge over the Salza that leads to the Stubachthal. The next place on the high road is Uttendorf (2,669'). On the opposite bank is Schwarzenbach, where there is a neglected mineral warm spring, said ty a track that crosses a bridge over the Ziller, and ascends di- rectly to Finlccnhcrij ; but the traveller who cares for grand scenery will make a detour by the Karlssteg, and return by an upper track along the "W. side of the Zemm Grund. Then crossing the spur of the mountain that divides the Zemmbach from the Tuxerbach, he reaches a slender wooden bridge, called the Teufelssteg, 100 ft. above the latter torrent, that carries him to its 1. bank. From Finkenberg, the old path mounts high above the 1. bank of the Tuxerbach, which rushes through a deep cleft for a distance of several miles ; but the slope being subject in wet weather to land- slips, a new track has been made along the rt. bank, which is reached a short way above Finkenberg. The views are finer from the old track. A vast mass of sand, clay, and gravel, the accumula- tion of many landslips, being thoroiighly impregnated with water, has formed a sort of mud glacier, which remains fixed in dry weather, but advances after rain or thaw, and is sometimes actually dan- gerous to traverse. In from 3^ to 4 hrs. from Mayrhofen, the travellf-r reaches Lanersbach, the chief of Yorder Tux, as the lower part of the valley is locally called. The village inn is said to afford clean though rough quarters, with a friendly reception. Up to this point the way through the Tuxerthal has lain about due W., along the N. side of the GrilnbergJcor (9,397'). which forms the NE. extremity of the Tuxer range. Henceforward the Tuxerthal follows its normal direction to SW., parallel to the Zemm Grund and to both the principal ranges of the Zillerthal Alps. The higher peaks are concealed from La- nersbach by a low projecting ridge, but they soon come into view in ascending to the head of the valley. The scenery is throughout interesting, as the snowy peaks are almost constantly in view. The object which "will most attract at- tention throughout the upper part of the valley is the great glacier which bears the appropriate name Gefrorne Wand, Though surpassed in size by many others in this group, and elsewhere in Tyrol, this glacier is one of the most remark- able for its extreme steepness and the imposing effect of the shattered columns and pinnacles of ice that seem to im- pend over the head of the valley. The most conspicuous of the higher siunmits is the northern of the twin peaks that form the E. boundary of the upper pla- teau of the Gefrorne Wand — called the Ri'ppenJtopfe. The northern peak, er- roneously named Olperer by Souklar, and Gefrorne-Wandspitz by Dr. Ruth- ner, surpasses its neighbour by 27 ft.,, and attains 10,743 ft. In about If hr. from Lanersbach, the traveller reaches Hinter Tux (4,839'), the highest hamlet of the Tuxerthal. The inn of- fers poor accommodation, and the land- 208 CKNTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 50. ZILLERTIIAL lord is not famed for civility or atten- tion. There is here a mineral bath, somewhat frequented by the peasants of the valley. Owing to the formidable steepness of the G-efrorne "VVand, this is not a favourable starting-point for the ascent of the high peaks on the S. side, but noble views might doubtless be ob- tained from the mountains on the oppo- site side of the valley, if the accommoda- tion were such as to tempt travellers to halt here. The path to the Tuxer Joch mounts by the 1. bank of the main branch of the torrent which issues from several different points at the base of the G-efrorne Wand, and crosses a small triinitary torrent that forms a pretty waterfall to the rt. A path moiTuts that way to the Geier Joeh (noticed below), or by a long circuit leads to the Tuxer Joch. If the traveller should have a little time to spare, it is worth while to make a slight detour to the 1. to approach the Gefrorne Wand, and for that pur- pose should follow a path leading to the Stock Alp, the highest sennhiitte in the valley. It is easy to regain the regular path higher up, and the near view of the glacier well rewards the slight ex- tra exertion. The latter part of the as- cent is rather steep and stony, but the track, which is much more frequented than the Pfitscher Joch, is well marked, and a guide is not required by any one used to mountain walking. On reach- ing a cross at the summit of this ascent, the traveller must be careful not to fol- low the track that leads at first straight forward, but gradually bears to the rt., and finally returns to Hinter Tux by the waterfall that was seen lower down. The true way lies somewhat to the 1., keeping for about ^ m. nearly at a level, till a second cross is reached which marks the pass of the Tuxer Joch (7,618'), dividing the ba- sin of the Ziller from that of the Sill. The path now descends to a herdsman's hut, lying in a hollow, and after passing it commences a steep and rather long descent into the xippermost branch of the Sohmirnthal, locally called Kaserer- tkal. This wild glen is closed at its up- per end by tlie Kascrcr Fcrncr, one of the numerous glaciers that flow from the vast snowfields th.it surround the 01- pi-rer Fuss-stein, the highest peak of the Tuxer range. It is possible to reach the Zamser Hiitten (Rte. E) by way of the KasererFerncr, and the upper neve of the Gefrorne Wanfl, descending on the E. side of the Olperer by the Schram- ma Ferner. This must be a fine glacier pass, and apparently does not present any unusual difficulty. Though it is the longest branch of the Schmirn- thal, the Kasererthal is in truth a late- ral glen which descends to NW. at rt. angles to the SW. direction of the main valley. This is reached at Ohcrn (o, 065'), also called Kaseni, where, along with a few scattered houses, there is a mountain inn, which combines the poorest accommodation with extortionate charges. What may be considered as the main branch of the Upper Schmirn- thal mounts steeply to NE. from Ka- sern, and leads to a pass called Gcier Joch, by which Hinter Tux is reached by a longer and less interesting route than that of the Tuxer Joch. Amid very agreeable scenery, the path descends the Schmirnthal by a path aboA'e the rt. bank of the torrent, pass- ing opposite to a group of houses at the opening of the Wildlahnerthal, through which savage glen there is a good view of the peak of the Olperer Fuss-stein. These houses are sometimes designated as Inner Schmirn, but incorrectly, as that name is locally given to the entire valley above the chief village of Schmirn (4,042'). which is reached in about 4^ hrs. from Hinter Tux. The inn is uninviting, but mountaineers may safely apply for hospitality to the parish priest, who takes a lively interest in the exploration of the neighbouring Alps. The Olpircr Fu^s-stein (11,451'), the highest of the Tuxer range, and the second in height of the Zillerthaler Alps, rises from the midst of the great snow- fields that divide the Schmirnthal and Falserthal from the Zamser Grund at the head of the main branch of the Zil- lerthal. There is a vazue tradition of ROUTE C. SCHMIRN. 209 an ascent in the last century, but it was effected with ease in 1867, from the liead of the Zamser Grund, bj M. G-roh- mann. In the 3rd vol. of the ' Jahrbuch' of the Austrian Alpine Club, Dr. Kuth- ner (who was accompanied by Felix Hans ofSchmirn, recommended as a good guide, and his brother Toni), recounts an unsuccessful attempt to scale it. There has been much confusion as to the proper name of this fine peak. Dr. Ruthner seems to have proved that the highest point ought to be designated Olperer, and that the name Fuss-stein, applied bySouklarto the latter, belongs more justly to a lower summit SW. of the first, whose height is 11,030' ft. ac- cording to Sonklar. The name Olperer haviug been given by Sonklar to the double summit of the Rippenkopfe, the best way to avoid further confusion is to call the greater mountain Olperer Fuss-stein. The vast snoT\^elds that encompass it send down glacier streams into the surrounding valleys. To the SW, the Alpcincr Fcrncr reaches the head of the Falserthal ; the Wildlalmer Ferner descends to the "Wildlahnerthal ; the Kaserer Ferner to the Kasererthal, and the Gefrorne Wand, sometimes called Tuxer Eismeer. to the head of the Tuxerthal. This is bounded on the E. by the ridge of the Rippenkopfe, and the glacier on the E. side of that ridge, called Bippen Ferner, descends towards the Zamser Grund below the Zamser Hiitten. The neve of the Kaserer Ferner and Gefrorne Wand does not reach the actual base of the Olperer. for the ridge forming the snowshed of the Wildlahner Ferner subsides to the E. and SE., and tlie snowfield that surrounds the peak for nearly half its circuit feeds the Schramma Ferner, the greatest of the glaciers that descends to the Zamser Grund. The S. face of the Olperer, seen from the upper end of the Zamser Grund, seems hopelessly inaccessible, and the Js W. face, fronting the Wildlahnerthal, presenting excessively steep snow- slopes, liroken here and there by rocks, is so forbidding that no attempt has yet been made that way. A sharp arete, descend- c. T. ing first SE. and then ESE. from the summit, and encompassed by the ne%'e of the Schramma Ferner, seems to offer a more hopeful prospect. The slope of the arete is, however, broken by vertical rocks which have formed the turning- point in two attempts at an ascent. Dr. Ruthner's guides led him by a very circuitous course. From the slope on the NE. side of the Wildlahnerthal they ascended diagonally above the Wild- lahner Ferner till they reached the ridge that divides this from the snowfield that is the common source of the Kaserer Ferner and the Gefrorne Wand. Thence crossing to the head of the basin drained by the Schramma Ferner they rounded the arete already mentioned, which is accessible only at its SE. end. In re- turning they took a shorter way, keep- ing nearer to the peak of the Olperer, and descended, through a very long and steep couloir, a vertical height of more than 1,500 ft. to reach the Wildlahner Ferner. This is easily traversed along the rt. (or NE.) side, the opposite por- tion being much crevassed. The extreme upper end of the Wildlahnerth?! is locally known as Hinter Holle, and the middle part, below the foot of the gla- cier, as Yorder Holle. The couloir, or Klamm, of the Hinter Holle, is practi- cable only when the snow is moderately soft, as otherwise it would cost hours of step-cutting. A fine glacier pass may be made from the Wildlahnerthal to the head of the Falserthal by the Alpeiner Ferner, or, -ndthout descending into that valley, the traveller may reach the head of the Zamser Grund near the Pfitscher Joch by traversing the ridge (about 10,000' ?) between the Fuss-stein proper (or SW. peak of the Olperer Fuss-stein) and the Alpeiner-Fernerspitz (11,113'). The latter is the Schrammaeherspitz of Sonklar. The stranger visiting Schmirn is strongly advised to mount to the little pilgrimage church ' An der kalten Her- berg,' g- hr. distant from the village, over- looking from the W. side the junction of the Wildlahnerthal with the main valley. The descent from Schmirn to Staff- 210 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 50. ZILLERTHAL DISTRICT. lacb, scarcely Hhr. distant, is through- out very agreeable. A singular contrast to the wild scenery through which the traveller has passed since leaving Mayr- hofen is presented by the railway via- duct that crosses the ravine of the Schmirn torrent just above its junction with that issuing from the Falserthal at the village of St. Jodok. Penetrating the ridge behind that village that divides Schmirn from Fals, the railway traverses the Falserbach by a second viaduct, and returns at a higher level to the valley of the Sill. Less than 1 m. from St. Jodok is Sfafflach (§ 49, Rte. A). The Falserthal, which joins the Schmirnthal at .'^t. Jodok, is a wild Alpine glen, containing no villages. As mentioned above, a fine pass may be effected by the Alpeiner Ferner, which closes its upper end, to the Wildlahner- thal, and another pass leads by a branch of the valley that opens to SE. below the Alpeiner Glacier over the ridge dividing this from Stein or St. Jakob in the Pfitscherthal. There is also a track passing over the ridge to the S., and then westward along the Vennabach to the Brenner. (See § 49, Rte. A.) Mr. J. Warner highly recommends a pass connecting the Falserthal with the head of the Zamser Grund. Starting from StafBach with a young guide named Anton Strichner, he reached ' a very narrow depression S. of the Fuss- stein' — apparently the same pass re- feiTed to in the last page. ' The double view of the ranges of the Stubayer and Zillerthaler Alps is most splendid.' The descent towards the Zamser Grund is quite obvious. EorTE D. DTNSBRrCK TO MAYRHOFEN-, BY THE TUXER GEBIRGE. The mountain district lying XW. of the Tuxerthal, and extending thence to the Inn and the Sill, is sometimes col- lectively called Tuxer Gebirge. It is penetrated by many valleys, some of which run westward towards the Bren- ner road, the others northward towards the Inn. Though bordered by two of the most frequented highways in the Alps, these valleys are amongst the most unfrequented in the T}Tol. The people of the Tuserthal, indeed, often pass by the AVattenserthal or the Weerthal to Schwaz or Hall, but the foot of a stranger rarely treads the green pastures of these upland glens For the sake of those travellers who love the b;)-ways of the Alps, we briefly notice the tracks that may be taken by one who would avoid the ordinary routes. 1. By the Navisthal. In ascending from Innsbruck to the Brenner Pass (§ 49, Ete. A), the opening of the Navis- thal is seen on the 1. hand a little beyond Matrey, and the church of St. Catharine standing on a projecting rock on the site of an ancient castle attracts for a mo- ment the attention of the traveller. At the hamlet of Navis, about H hr. from the opening, the valley divides. Mount- ing along the eastern branch, there is a track passing by the S. side of the Kreuzjoch (9, 060'), which either leads to Kaserer at the head of the Schmirnthal, or, by bearing to the 1., will enable the traveller to reach Hinter Tux without any considerable descent towards the Schmirnthal. For the way thence to Mayrhofen see last Ete. The main branch of the Naristhal mounts to NE. and then turns eastward along the N. side of the Kreuzjoch, ter- minating at the foot of the Geicrspitz (or Schehruck of the maps). This is the centre {Knotenpunkt) whence diverge several ridges,withas many intermediate valleys. On the W. and NW. side the drainage runs to the Navisbach ; on the N. and NE. to the Wattenserthal ; on ROUTE D. rATSCHERKOFEL. 211 the E. to one of the lateral glens of the Txixerthal ; and on the S W. to the head of the Schmirnthal. There is a track by the X. side of the Geierspitz that descends into the head of the "Watten- serthal, and thence, crossing a second ridge, attains the glen of the Nasstuxer- hach, -which joins the Txixerthal imme- diately belovv Lanersbach. The moun- taineer may possibly find a more agree- able route by ascending the Geierspitz, and descending thence to a little lake on its E. side, -^vhich sends its torrent to join the Tuxerbach, about halfway be- tween Hinter Tux and Lanersbach. The traveller wishing to reach the Innthal fi-om Navis may choose between two passes. The more direct leads nearly due X. to the head of the Voldererthal ; the other, a little longer, is reached by following the main branch of the valley nearly to its head, and then turning northward. The pass leads to the SW. branch of the Wattenserthal, locally called Molsthal. 2. B_q the Muhlthal. The Milhlthal is a short glen that joins the Sill, near a -village of the same name, about 5 m. below Matrey. It offers a very circuitous route for reaching the Tuxerthal from Innsbruck, but may well be taken in the way by a traveller willing to devote two or three days to the exploration of this and the neighbouring valleys. Erom the rly. station at Patsch the distance to Muhlthal is about 2^ m. Ascending for nearly 2 hrs.,the traveller reaches the Vigaralp, where the Miihl- thalbach forms a fine waterfall. The head of the glen is a wild hollow, co- vered with scattered blocks, in the midst of which are five tarns that feed the tor- rent. The pass of the Rosen Joch, on the N. side of the lireuzjoch (not to be confounded with the summit of the same name and nearly equal height that di- vides the t-n-o branches of the Navisthal), leads to the head of the Voldererthal, and the traveller wishing for good night- quarters will descend tlirough that valley to the Baths of Yolders, or to the village on the main road of the Innthal. The alternative is to cross the ridge dividing p I the head of the Voldererthal from the j Molsthal, and halt for the night at Wal- chen. (See below.) I Most travellers, moderately favoured ! by weather, will prefer to the path tbroxigh the Muhlthal the ascent of one ; or other of the summits on the N. side I of that glen, and may combine this with [ the track to Volders, The ridge di-viding i the Milhlthal from the Inn has tliree i summits. At the W. end nearest to Innsbruck the Paffecherkofel, in the mid- dle the Morgenkopf, and at the E. end the Glungetzer. Of these the most fre- q-uented is the Patsch rJwfd (7,368'), a green summit, easy of access, conspicuous in the neighbourhood of Innsbruck. The usual coui'se, both for foreign and native visitors, is to start from, and retiu-n to that city, the excursion taking about 8 hrs., exclusive of halts. A carriage- road goes as far as Lavs (Inn : Wilder Mann), a village lying S. of Schloss Amras, at the WNW. foot of the mountain. The shorter and steeper way is by Sis- trans; the easier and more frequented path passes by the pilgrimage chapel, 'zum Heiligen ^Yasser' (3,994'), where there is a fair counti-}' inn, for the benefit of those who would reach the summit for sunrise. The summit, reached in little more than 2 hrs. from the inn, is overlooked by many higher peaks to the E. and SE. Yet its position is so favour- able that the -view is, in some respects, superior to that from the Glungetzer. i The eye wanders along the Innthal, from I Telfs to Schwaz, with the bold limestone I ranges that bound it on the N. side, over the greater part of the Lowfr Wippthal, thi'ough which the locomotive now drags its burden across the central chain of the Alps, and ascending along I the Stubaythal rests on the snow}' peaks that enclose its upper branches. An active mountaineer would probably have no difficulty in reaching the peak of the Glungetzer (8,781') by passing along the connecting ridge over the sum- mit of the Morgenkopf, but the mountain is usually approached from the Yoldorer Bad. In addition to the horizon of the Patscherkofel, the x-iew include-s a great 2 212 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 50. ZILLERTHAL DLSTRICT. part of the Zillerthal Alps and part of tlu' High Tauern. On the E. side an easy descent leads to the Schafferhiitte, also known as Feld-Alm, above theYol- dererthal, whence a good path leads to the Baths mentioned below. A traveller wishing to return to the Brenner road should follow a SE. coiirse in descending the mountain, so as to reach the Vol- derertlial near its head, and thence, crossing the pass that divides that valley from Navis, he could descend in the afternoon to 3Iatrey. 3. By the VoldercrthaL The second- ary valley which opens to the S. atVol- ders in the Innthal is referred to in § 43, Kte. B, and repeatedly alluded to in con- Bection with the valleys above described. It does not afford a direct route from Innsbruck to the Tuxerthal, but it is the only one of the valleys of the district here described that offers to the stranger tolerably comfortable quarters. In en- tering the valley at Volders the traveller passes beneath two ancient castles. The torrent has cut a deep channel, and the path ascends rather steeply above the rt. bank to attain the Volderer Bad, a mi- neral spring, frequented in summer quite as much for the oool and agreeable po- sition as for its curative properties. As already mentioned, the upper end of the valley^is connected by passes of no difS- ctilty with the Miihlthal, the Navisthal, and'the MolsthaL or SW. branch of the Wattenserthal. The most direct way to the Tiixerthal and Mayrhofen is by Wal- chen, at the junction of the two branches of the Wattenserthal. 4. By the Wattrnserthal. From Wat- tens, on the S. side of the Inn, near the rly. station of Eritzens, the traveller may enter the Wattenserthal, an upland glen that penetrates deeply into the mass of the Tuxer Gebirge, and offers a more direct way for the pedestrian going from Innsbruck to Lanersbach or ^layrhofen than those above noticed, and is on that account somewlmt frequented by the Tuxerthal people. The distance from Wattcns lO the uppermost end of the valley, where it terminates at the NW. base of the Geierspitz, is counted 6 hrs.' walk. About halfway the main torrent of the valley, which preserves a direction somewhat W. of N., is joined by a tributary from the Mohthal, a la- teral glen, connected bj passes with Navis and the head of the Voldererthal. At the junction is Walchen, where, along with a few scnnhutten, there is a rough mountain inn for the accommodation of the Tuxerthal passengers. The highest Alp in the main branch of the valley is Lizum. A sinuous path, whose ultimate direction is due W., leads thence to the head of a glen called Xass Tux, whose torrent joins the Tuxerbach, a short way below Lanersbach. 5. By the Kolsassthal. The way through the Wattenserthal is more di- rect for a passenger boimd for Laners- bach than that now noticed, but if MavT- hofen be the traveller's destination, he will do better to follow the course of the Inn from Innsbruck to Weer. I The village inn here is frequented by I Zillerthal people, and a traveller may I here seciu'e a guide on more reasonable j terms than they usually exact. Weer stands at the opening of the Kolsassthal — sometimes called Wetrthal — whose stream is said to contain gold-dust. Eor a distance of about 4 hrs.' walk this mounts about due SE. — the Gilfertsberg (8,201') rising steeply on the NE. side. At its upper end the valley bends to the rt. towards its head, which lies some- what W. of S. It is necessary to follow this upper reach of the valley for a short distance before beginning to ascend its eastern slope to the pass leading to Mayr- hofen through the Zldavthal. The path follows the torrent through the latter glen to its junction with the Ziller, ^m. below Mayrhofen. If the traveller were to cross the ridge on the E. side of the Kolsassthal too near to the Grilfertsberg, he would find himself at the head of the Finsiiigthal, and following its torrent — the Pankrazenbach — would be led to Uderns, in the Lower Zillerthal, many miles distant from 3Iayrhofen. Eurther information as to the valleys mentioned in this Rte. will be thank- fully received. ROUTE E. ZELL TO KRIMML. 213 EOUTE E. ZELL TO BETIN-ECK, BY THE KEIMMLEE TAUEEX. Gerlos . Krimml . Kasern . Steinhaus Taufers . Bruneck . Hrs.' Eng. walking miles . S m H . & 17 . 3h 10 . 3i 10 . 3 10 25| 67 Frequented footpath, rough between Krimml and Kasern ; char-road fi'om St. Valentin to Bruneck. The distances are reduced a little below the usual estimate, but, in the \\Titer's opinion, that between Krimml and Kasern is Btill somewhat too great. The writer has carried his own knapsack from St, Valentin, nearly 1 hr. below Kasern, to Zell in l-5i hrs., exclusive of halts, reaching Krimml in Si hrs.' steady, but not fast, walking, including some delay by the way, and at the top. The route here described, which lies exactly along the eastern boundary of the district included in this section, is undoubtedly one of the most interesting that can be chosen by a traveller, who shuns glacier expeditions, for crossing the main chain of the TjtoI Alps. Ex- cept in xevy bad weather, the passage of the Krimmler Tauern is quite free from risk and difficulty, and in clear weather it does not even require the assistance of a local guide. There is no rock scenery on the way so impressive as that in the lower part of the Zemmthal, described in Ete. B, but the scenery is throughout very pleasing, and in some places beauti- ful ; while on the way, without the trouble of a detour, one of the finest, perhaps the finest, waterfall in the Alps offers an additional inducement. The distance can be conveniently accomplished in 2|- days, sleeping at Krimml and Stein- haus, but is rather too much for 2 days, even when taken from the S. side. The track over the Krimmler Tauern was at one time used for beasts of burden, and there seems to be no reason why a lady should not ride over it, dismounting in the steeper places, if it were possible to obtain a thoroughly reliable horse op mule; but the writer has little confidence in the fitness of the animals usually to be found in Tyrol for rough, steep, and slippery mountain-paths. The way from Zell to the Durlosboden is described in Ete. B. Soon after pass- ing a signal that marks the boundary between Tyrol and Salzburg, the traveller ascending from G-erlos sees a finger-post pointing to a track on the rt. hand that leads to Krimml over the Pinzgauer Platte (about 5,600'). As the name in- dicates, this is a flat ridge, with here and there a scattered tree, from whose eastern verge the traveller gains a long vista through the Pinzgau, with several peaks of the Tauern range on the rt., and the Kitzbiihel Alps to the 1., reminding him of the view of the Ehone valley from the Forclaz above Martigny. The path is good and frequently passed by ladies on horseback. The pedestrian rnay with advantage make a slight detour to the summit of the PlattcnJcogl (6,659'). This is the green eminence seen on the rt. hand forming the northern end of the ridge dividing the Wilde G-erlos- from the Krimmler- Thai. The way is to turn from the regular track close to a senn- hutte where passing travellers regale themselves with milk and cream. The mountain is perfectly easy, and in clear weather even a novice will in 1 hr., very easy walking, reach the summit. A wooden monument in somewhat di- lapidated condition is designed to com- 214 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 50. ZILLERTHAL DLSTRICT. mcmorate the visit of the Archbishop of ."Salzburg iu 1838. In addition to thf view of the Pinzgau and Krimmlerthal, he here gains several of the peaks and ghiciers of the Reioheuspitz group, and the noble pyramidal summit of the Drei- herrnspitz shows to great advantage. In descending, the regular track from Grerlos to Krimral may be regained about 2 m. from Krimml, so that the detour need not cost much more than 1 hr. The bridle-track descends the rather steep slope towards Krimml in many windings, through a wood composed of birch and alder, and in little more than 3 hrs. from Grerlos the traveller reaches Krimml (3,584'), a prettily situated village on the W. slope of the valley, about 200 It. above the level of the tor- rent. Kerschdorfer's inn, sometimes overcrowded, supplies very fair accom- modation. The charges for guides and horses are high, except that for a guide to the Falls. The best guide for mountain ascents is Josef Hock (there is another inferior Hock), and Matth, Poltiacher second. Krimml is connected with "Wald (about 4 m. distant) by a good road, so that travellers bound for the Pinzgau (Kte.B) lose little time by taking this way if a vehicle be forthcoming; but as only two or three are to be had here it is pru- dent to write or send in advance to secure one. The great object of attraction is the Watfrfall of the Krimmler Ache. This includes three separate falls, whose col- lective height is 1,478 ft. In approach- ing Krim7nl by the path from Gerlos, they are all seen at the same time, which is not the case from any spot near at hand. The traveller who wishes without loss of time to see all the falls from the most favourable points of view does well to take a guide. If bound for the Krimmler Tauern, he may visit them on the way with little loss of time, but if intending to return to Krimml, he should allow 2^ hrs. for the excursion, supposing him to ascend to the summit of the up- permost Ml. The track leading to the Tauern — known as the Tauernweg — en- ters the pine-forest which clothes the slopes of the valley, and about f m. from the village crosses to the rt. bank of the Krimmler Ache. The increasing roar of the waters, which is already heard long before reaching Krimml, an- nounces the near approach to the lower fall. A guide-post ' zum Wasserfall' indicates the path which in 3 or 4 minutes leads to it. To see it to perfec- tion it is well to cross a wooden bridge and approach as near to it on the 1. bank as the clouds of dense spray will permit. The mass of water, after springing over the upper ledge, strikes a mass of pro- jecting rock, and is shattered into m^-riads of water-rockets. It is well to carrj- an umbrella, for partial protection from the spray, and those who fear a chill will not linger long near the fall. Peturning to the Tauernweg, which is paved "with huge blocks of gneiss, the traveller moimts through the forest, accompanied by the hollow roar of the waters, now rising, now falling, as he approaches or recedes fiom the raging torrent. To get a favourable view of the second requires a considerable detour, and most persons content themselves with looking down upon it from the Jagersprung. At that spot the Tauernweg approaches the verge of the precipitous rocks above the tor- rent, and is guarded by rough pine-stems, to prevent cattle from falling over. The name of the spot is derived from the story of a hardly pressed poacher laden with a chamois, who attempted to escape his pursuers by a desperate leap, and was lost in the gulf below. Looking over the verge, the traveller descries little save a whirl of spray and foam driven upward by gusts of cold wind: of the roaring and howling waters scarcely an^-thing is seen. Over the wild scene, when the sun looks down upon it, the rainbow hangs sus- pended in a nearly complete circle. On reaching a hut that stands on a narrow shelf of level ground, the traveller sees a path to the rt., and a2:ain leaves the Tauernweg for a few minutes to visit the uppermost fall, by far the most re- markable, as its absolute height is about 700 ft. Taking into account its con- siderable volume, which is maintained in stimmer by the outflow of numerous ROUTE E. — KRIMMLER TAUERN. 215 glaciers, this is certainly not surpassed by any in Europe. It is advisable to cross to the 1. bank by a wooden bridge and clamber over the moss-grown blocks tliat border the torrent at the foot of the fall. Eeturning to the main track, the travel- er follows its windings that lead away a-om the waterfall, and then after about f hr. return to the rt. bauk just above it. The softened roar of the waters, and the never-ceasing cloud of spray that hangs above the forest, mark its position, and in the background is a pleasing view of Krimml and its little valley, enclosed on the N. side by the range connecting the Thorhelm with the Rettenstein. Passing through a narrow but short defile — a sort of portal to the upper valley — the track enters the upper level of the Krimmlerthal, which offers a singular contrast to the scenery just left behind. For a distance of about 5 m. this upland glen stretches nearly at a level between mountains of gentle nearly uniform slope, while the peaceful torrent meanders through the Alpine meadows. Not much is seen of the higher peaks on either side. The most conspicuous is the Huttelflialspitz {9.7 0-i') — corruptl}"- Hinthalspitz— one of the highest points in the range dividing Krimml from Sulzbach. The geologist will remark the vast amount of debris excavated by torrents from the crystal- line slates that constitute the prevailing rock in this valley. Sonklar has called attention to a steep pile of debris, about 1,000 ft. in height, brought down by a single small torrent from the last-men- tioned mountain. It overhangs the E. side of the valley a little way above the highest waterfall. In about 3^ lirs. the traveller ascending from Krimml reaches the Tauernhaus (5,235'), standing be- side a group of sennhiltten, a mere hut often filled at night bypassing peasants. It is a most undesirable stopping-place for the night, but a pleasant spot for a halt to hmch. From the opposite or western side, the Rcdnbach torrent de- scends from the Rtkhenspitz (10,866'), and forms a very picturesque waterfall, reached from hence in rather more than 1 hr. The imaginary Zillerspitz, said to be 19 ft. higher than the Reichenspitz, and placed S. of the latter at the source of the Rainbach, is one of the many blunders of the Austrian Kataster. For about ^ hr. the Tauernweg as- cends gently along the rt. bank of the main torrent to the Unlass Alp (5,589'), where the Windbach from the WSW. joins the Krimmler Ache. Here the great peaks that enclose the head of the Krimralthal, which for some time have been coming into view, form a curve, concave to NW., extending E. and NE. from the Bt'cihcrrnspitz (11,494'), through the Simonys'pitz (11,180'), to the Hmter- Maurerkopf (10,701'), and thence northward to the Schliefer spitz (about 10,580'?). In the centre the Krimml Glacier, also known as Prcttaucr- glctbcher, descends into the head of the valley after receiving several tributary ice-streams. It is extremely steep and much crevassed. The writer is not aware that any serious attempt has been made to reach Pregratten in the Virgenthal (§51, Rte. G.) over the ridge that divides the Krimml- from the Maurer-gletscher. On the N. side flank of the Dreiherrnspitz hangs tlie Purlox- gletscher, a rather large glacier of the second order, which does not descend to the level of the valley. West of this is a relatively deep gap in the transverse ridge connecting the Dreiherrnspitz with the Fcldspitz (9,637') in the main range of the Zillerthal Alps. This gap is called Birnlilcke. Its height, according to the Kataster, is 9,018 ft., but is given as only 8,491 ft. on the far more reliable axithority of Sonklar, who has fixed on this as the dividing-point be- tween the ranges of the High Taiiern and Zillerthal Alps, Considering that it is in some degree an arbitrary matter to fix the precise point in the connect- ing ridge that shall separate adjoining mountain groups, and the fact that the ridge in question is apparently impas- sable at the Birnliicke, the writer has adhered to the Krimmler Tauern pass 216 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 50. ZILLERTHAL DISTRICT. as the most eligible boundary. The way to it turus to the rt. from the Unlass Alp, and mounts through the lateral glen of the Windbach, command- ing at first very fine views of the above- named peaks and glaciers. Trees gra- dually disappear, and the slopes are more and more covered with scattered blocks. The stems of the creeping pine (P. mughus) writhe over the rocky slope, alternating witli the rhododendron, and the last cembra pine-stems are seen beside the highest sennh'utte. From the upper end of the Windbachthal a steep asjcent of 1 hr. leads to the summit of the Krimmlcr Tauern (9,071')- ^^ the autumn the snow-slope on the N. side is of slender dimensions, and as it is by no means steep, it opposes no serious diiSculty at any time. A few posts help the solitary traveller to find his way when the clouds lie low. The ancient mule-path, which lay farther west, over what is now called the Alte Tauern, was abandoned, owing to the formation of a small glacier on that part of the ridge. The present pass is but a slight depression in the transverse ridge spoken of above, which forms the natural link between the Zillerthal and High Tauern Alps. The view towards the S. is extremely interesting. The SW. prolongation of the Tauern range, which on one side bounds the upper Ahrenthal, is spread out before the traveller, rivalling in height, and in the extent of its glaciers, the opposite range of the Zillerthaler Alps. Commencing with the Dreiherrnspitz, the chief peaks are the Bosshuf (11,483'?), Virgcljoch{lO,%l^'),Eodts2>iiz (11,459'), or Weletz, Gross Glockhaus (10,546'), Affenthalspitz (10,103'), Hir- banock (9,854'), and Grvss Limbeck (10,325'), terminating in the Oher Stein- erholm (8,040'), above Luttach. A great part of the Upper Ahrenthal is also seen from the pass and during the descent. The slope on the S. side is steeper and more continuous than on the Krimml side, but the track is tole- rably well marked, and quite free from ' difficulty. About 2 hrs. suffice for the descent to Kasern (5,181'), the first in- habited place in the Ahrenthal, through \ which lies the remainder of the way to • ( Bruneck. This is one of the most con- ' siderable lateral valleys in Tyrol, being fully 30 m. in length, and containing many populous villages. From its head j to Luttach, a distance of 18 m., it de- ' scends from ENE. to WSW. parallel to the main range of the Zillerthal Alps ; and the western extremity of the Tauern ' chain ; but below Luttach its torrent ! flows SSE. through an opening between : the latter and the Miihlwalder range to the W. Entering a much wider channel ! at Taufers, and receiving two conside- i rable affluents, the stream descends nearly due S. to Bruneck. The in- convenient Tyrolese custom of applying different names to different portions of the same valley holds here. The upper portion, as far as the defile above St. Peter, is called Frettau, the middle part alone — from St. Peter to Luttach — is locally known as Ahrenthal, and the lower part from Luttach to Bruneck en is known as Tauferen-thal. The name Ahrenthal is here used to designate the entire valley, as being the most widely known, and that adopted in the best maps. j The inn at Kasern was formerly a mere Tauernhaus, and certainly inferior to the humble inn at St. Valentin, but the writer is informed that the former is now to be preferred. Anton Abner, of Kasern, is said to be a competent guide. The traveller who has started in good time from Krimml may well pxish on to Steinhaus. A little above Kasern is the ancient chui'ch of Heiligen Geist, perched upon a rock, to avoid avalanches. To encourage travellers, it is announced that the cemetery here is for the benefit of those who perish in crossing the Tauern. In the adjoining mountain is a mine, producing copper ore of excellent quality. The entrance to the shafts is in the little glen (called Eodtthal) opposite Kasern. In the Rodtthal is a considerable peat-bog, , more than 6,000 ft. above the sea. ROUTE E. — AIIRKXTHAL. 217 producing much fuel for the miners. A descent of ^ hr. takes the traveller from Kasern to Si. ValentiJi (4,581'), the highest vil- lage in. Prettau, a naturally poor spot, but kept in some relative prosperity by the adjoining mines. Here begins the road, though narrow, tolerably well kept ; but the chance of finding a vehicle anywhere above Steinhaus is uncertain. Instead of following the main valley, the traveller may cross the Bretterscharte (§ 51, Ete. 31), and so reach Taufers through the Rainthal. There is scarcely a hovise on the way between St. Valentin and the next village. The road enters a narrow defile forming the lower limit of Prettau, on issuing from which it reaches St. Peter (3,939'), about 3 m. from St. Valentin. A guide named Anton Eauchenbichler is to be heard of here. The church is conspicuous from a dis- tance, on a lofty rock. Descending gently, for rather more than 3 m., through the open valley, which here shows no striking featiu'es, the traveller reaches St. Jakob (3,929'). The way from this village to Zell over the Horndl Pass, is noticed in the next Ete. The Hirbanock (9,854'), a summit com- manding a very fine panoramic view, and rising SE. of St. Jakob, may pro- bably be reached from this side (see § 51, Ete. M). The still higher peak of the G-ross Diirreck (10,325') is also •within reach, but no notice of the ascent has reached the writer. Paul Kaiser and Michael Oberhollenzer of St. Jakob are recommended as guides. About 2 m. lower down the Ahrenthal is Steinhaus (3,454'), with an inn, said to be the best in the valley, which affords a convenient stopping-place on the way from Krimml to Bruneck. It would also serve as a starting-point for exploring expeditions among the high peaks that enclose the valley. A pass — said to be difficult — may be effected from hence to the Stillup Grund (Ete. B), by the Keilbach Gletscher, on theE. side of the Keilbachspitz (10,169'). By that way Mayrhofen may be reached in 10^ hrs., exclusive of halts. Continuing his journey along the main valley, the tra- veller, in J hr. from Steinhaus, reaches St. Johaim (3,329'), and about 1 m. farther St. Martin (3,263'), the prin- cipal church of the upper valley. A little farther, on the opposite, or NE., side of the valley, the smelting-works of Arzbach, where the copper ore from the mines is reduced, are conspicuous. Up to this point the valley has been nearly straight, and for many miles has pre- served an uniform gentle slope. The road, which below St. Peter keeps con- stantly to the rt. bank, has traversed numerous torrents that descend through short steep glens from the main range of the Zillerthal Alps. Some of these no doubt lead to practicable passes over that range, that remain to be explored by competent mountaineers. Now the 1 torrent of the valley {Ahrenbach). swollen : by the contributions of many tributaries, j bends rapidly to the 1., and soon flows through a defile that leads SSE., at rt. angles to its previoiis coiu'se. Just beyond the turn of the valley, the road, after passing the Weissenbach, reaches Luttach (3,140'), a prosperous village, with an inn in a large stone house. [The traveller may here diverge from the direct way and make an interesting detour by the glen of the Weissenbach, which descends from the W. into the valley just above the village. It con- tains the small village of Weissenbach (4,312'), with the very ancient church of St. Jakob, well deserving a visit for its early German architecture, and the remarkable stone carving of the altar. Above the village the glen divides, and both branches doubtless deserve to be explored. The eastern branch originates on the E. side of the Thurnerkamp, while the torrent of the western branch apparently springs from a glacier on the ridge connecting that peak with the Mosele. Instead of returning to Luttach, the traveller may traverse the LapfU' cher Jock (7,763'), between Weissenbach and Lappach, or choose the somewhat easier pass of the Miihlwalder Joch {1,1QT) leading to Miihlwald (Ete. G).] 218 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 50. ZILLERTHAL DISTRICT. Below Luttach the valley is narrowed to a dotile which separates the upper valley from the lower portion, locally called Taufererthal, The scenery is very picturesque for a distance of about 3 m., when the road, passing under the ancient castle, enters the basin of Tau- fcrs. This lies in the intersection with the main valley of a transverse that crosses it neai'ly at rt. angles. To the ENE. is the Eainthal (§ 51, Ete. M), parallel to the upper Ahrenthal, and in the opposite direction the Miihlwalder- thal (further noticed in Rte. G). Five villages or hamlets lie near together in thissmilingbasin: Sand,Tai/fers(2,SSo'), a.ndJMi(hlen on the rt, bank, Moritzeii and Kematcn on the 1. bank— all but the last belonging to the commune of Tau- fers. There are several inns, the best of which is said to be at Sand. On the 8. side of the Eainbach, close to its junction with the Ahrenbach, is Winkd, where there is a little-frequented mine- ral spring with a decent inn. The most striking object at Taufers is the Burg, or ancient castle, built on the steep slope E. of the narrow defile leading to Lut- tach. Its grey towers and machicolated walls extending for a considerable dis- tance above the base of the hill, and backed by the sno'ny summits of the Mostnock range, form a striking picture. The lords of this castle, who, by means of a wall and gateway, literally held the keys of the Ahrenthal, were people of note in the 12th and 13th centuries. Since the old line died out the strong- hold has passed through many hands. It is still partly habitable. Besides the castle, there are several curious old houses in this part of the Taufererthal which at one time or other have been the seat, of noble families. The church of St. Catharine at Miihlen is the most ancient in the Taufererthal. Its organ is in local repute. About 3 m. S. of Miihlen is UttcJiheim, with a picturesque old castle on a rock, less extensive but still more ancient than that of Taufers. It is reached by a very steep path, partly by steps cut in the rock. Nearly 3 m. farther the road passes opposite to Gais (2,732'), a village on the 1, bank of the Ahrenbach. Here the geologist will observe one of the most striking ex- amples of the vast extent of the masses of transported matter brought down by the torrents in this district. Gais stands at the junction of the ]Miihlbaeh, an unimportant torrent issuing from the Miihlbacherthal which drains a small part of the Alps above Antholz (§ 51, Ete. L). The mass of transported mat- ter brought down into the main valley, and not washed downwards by the Ahrenbach, forms a hill about 600 ft. ! in height, and covers a space not much 1 less than a square mile. The charming scenery of the Taufererthal has perhaps gained in interest and variety by the insertion of these green promontories that almost bar across the main valley and make it resemble a succession of separate basins. The last place in the valley of any note is St. Georgen (2,710'), less than 2 m, from Bnmeck (§ 51, Ete. A). EOVTE P. ZELL TO THE AHRENTHAX, BY THE ZTLLEE- GETJXD, OR SONDEEGEtrXD. The tracks leading from Zell to the Brenner road through the western branches of the Zillerthal have been noticed in Etes, B and C, and in the last Ete. is described the course ordi- ROUTE F. — KORSCIIAMTE PASS. 219 Tiarily taken by travellers bound for the Ahrentlial. A much more direct way to the upper part of the same valley may be found by crossing one or other of the passes that are connected with the eastern branch of the valley of the Zil- ler. which for about 10 m. preserves the name Zillerthal. This tract is some- times called Ziller Grund, but that name properly belongs only to the uppermost eastern branch of the Upper Zillerthal. It is not likely that this course will ];e generally preferred to the way by Ivrimml, with its deservedJy famous waterfall, but it may sometimes be con- venient to a traveller pressed for time, or for one who wishes merely to make an excursion from Zell, going one way and returning the other. If the latter be the object in view, it will be best to go from Zell by Ivrimml, sleeping on the second night either at St. Peter or Steinhaus. In approaching the passes mentioned below from theN. side, he may sleep at Mayrhofen, but rough quarters for the night may be found at Haisling. 1 . By the ITorndl Pass. 1 1 hrs. from jMayrhofen to St. Jakob. As mentioned in Rte. B, the junction of the Ziller with theZemmbach is but a few minutes' walk from Mayrhofen. The stream of the Ziller is here used to drive a garnet mill — one of the largest of the many in this neighbourhood. Garnets are ex- ceedingly common in the mica schist of both branches of the valley, and the preliminary process of cleansing the stones from their outer crust and roughly rounding them is performed here, Tliey are then sent to Bohemia to be polished and set in ornaments that pass under the name of Vienna jewellery. The lower end of the upper valley into which the traveller now enters is con- tracted, and the path mounts steeply above the rt. bank of the torrent till it attains the upper level, which stretches upwards with an uniform and moderate slopie for several miles. Urcvidherg and Haidiiig (poor inn), the highest villages, arc left on the slope of the mountain to the 1. hand, and the track follows the stream till, about 3 hrs. from Mayrhofen, it crosses a wooden bridge at the base of an eastern buttress of the Ahornspitz. Eather more than 1 hr. above the bridge, the traveller, following the track by the 1. bank, reaches the junction of the two torrents that form the Ziller. The E. branch flows from the Ziller Griind — the S. branch from the Sonder Grund. Through the latter lies the way to the Horndl Pass (8,366')- Though steep and rough, the path is pretty v/ell marked, as this pass is that usually taken by the Zil- lerthal people bound for the Ahrenthal, or Bruneck, and in fine weather a guide may not be absolutely necessary. At the junction of the torrents is a hut, * In der Au.' originally intended for shel- ter for chamois-hunters. Thence to the summit, erroneously reported to be covered by a small glacier, is reckoned as a walk of 4 hrs. Though consider- ably lower than the Krimmler Tauern, this is better situated for a view of the Vv'estern Tauern range from the Drei- herrnspitz to the Gross Diirreck. The steep descent to St. Jakob in Prettau may be easily effected in 3 hrs. The proper charge for a guide between Mayrhofen and St. Jakob is 4 fl., but the Zillerthal guides often ask more. For the road to Bruneck see last Ete. 2. By the Kmscharte. This pass leads either to St. Peter or St. Valentin, at the upper end of the Ahrenthal. Though scarcely longer than the last, it is said to be a rougher and steeper Avay, and it will be prudent to allow \ hr. longer time — IH hrs., exclusive of halts, from ^lap'hofen to either of the above-named villages. Being very rarely used, it should not be attempted without a guide. For rather more than ^ hr. the tra- veller follows the path that runs east- ward from the hut ' In der Au ' through the Ziller Grund. A narrow stony glen called Hundskehle then opens to the rt. hand, and the path, leaving the Ziller Grund, moimts due S. It must be noted that the name Hundskehle is also given to a high peak rising due N. of the en- trance to the glen, and the same name is also, but incorrectly, applied to the CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. 220 pass. This lies over a depression Jn the Korscharte (8,451' Soaklarj on the W. side of the Rauchkofd (10,661'). The way is extremely rough, lying over huge loose masses of stone that cover the slopes at the head of the glen. Fur- ther information is much desired. 3. B>^ the Heiligengeist Jochl. 12 hrs. fi'om Mayrhofen to Kasern. The finest scenery of this branch of the Zillerthal is found at the upper end of the Ziller Grund, which comes to an end nearly 2 hrs. above the opening of the Hund- skehl, in the centre of an amphitheatre of snowy peaks. Though the fact is denied in the new edition of Schaubach, there is an easy pass leading in 6 hrs. from the Kiichelmoosalp, at the head of the Ziller Grrund, to Kasern. It is called Heiligengeist Jochl, and, being more circuitous than the passes above named, is little used. The summit (8,309' Sonklar) is marked by a cross. Dr. Euthner gives the height at 9,676 ft. — probably on the unreliable authority of the Kataster. It will not be forgotten that there is a way from Mayrhofen to St. Jakob, even more direct than tiiat of the Horndl, bv the Keilbaeh Joch at the head of the StiUup Grund (Ete. B). The objection to that way for a traveller starting from ilayrhofen is the fact that it would be impossible to reach the neve before a comparatively late hour. 50. ZILLF.RTKAL DISTRICT. EoUTE G. TAUFERS TO GIXZLIKG, BY THE ilUHh- WALDEETHAi. A glacier pass, fit only for practised moun- taineera. The Miihlwaldertkc/l enters the basin of Taufers (Ete. E) immediately oppo- site to the Eainthal, and its lower por- tion, about 5 m. in length, is e-\ndently the western continuation of the trougli marked by the latter valley, running parallel to the main ranges of the neighbouring Alps. It is interesting to the mountaineer, as it originates on the S. side of the highest peaks of the Zil- lerthal Alps, and offers what must be a very fine glacier pass to the Zamser Grund, through the Schlegeisenthal, with the alternative of making the ascent of the Mosele, and descending thence into the same glen. The scenery of the val- ley is so fine that an excursion to its head will well reward those who do not attempt glacier expeditions. They may return to the Ahrenthal by Weiss- enbach (Ete. E), or reach Pfunders (Ete. H) by a pass mentioned below. At the opening of the valley at Miih- len, the track, passable for country ve- hicles, mounts rather steeply by the 1. bank of the torrent, and then for another hr. along the nearly level troiigh of the vaUey to Muhlvjcdd (3,731'), a village scattered over the green floor of the val- ley. The modern ch\irch stands on an eminence. Here the valley again nar- rows and begins to bend gradually to the rt. The path, no longer passable for carts, ascends through the defile, keep- ing still to the 1. bank, and after about \^ hr., assumes the NXW. direction, which it maintains up to the base of the Mosele. Before long the valley opens a little, and here stands Lappach (4,634'), the highest village, with an inn and a good guide named Einspacher. No information has reached the writer respecting the direct route to Ginzling. The pass — called by Sonklar Ewis Sattel (9,808')— lies between the W. peak of the Mosele and the E. summit of the Ewis (1{!,228';. W. of ROUTE IT. PFUNDERERTHAL. 221 the latter is the hip;hest summit of the Ewis (10,-il)8'). From Lappach Mr. Tuckett ascended tlie Mosele (1 1,315') — here called Mciselenock— by one of the two glaciers, called Mosele Ferner, at the head of the valley. Two summits are visible from this side, but the eastern peak is tlie higher by about 200 ft. This was reached from the saitd between it and the Thurnerkamp. The descent on the opposite side was much more diffi- cult. Keeping at first N., and then NW., Mr. T. aud his companions reached in 2 hrs. the nere of the Furtsckldgel Glacier, and in 1 j hr. more quitted this by its rt. bank. Following the torrent from the g'acier through a short tribu- tary glen into the Schlegeisenthal, they reached Grinzling (Rte. B) on the same evening in lof hrs., exclusive of halts, from Lappach. As mentioned in Rte. E, there is an easy way from Lappach to the Ahren- thal over the Lapparhcr Jock (7,763'), and along the Weissenbach torrent, which joins the Ahrenbach just abov Further information is desired as to the passes mentioned in this Rte. Route H. st. jakob in pfitsch to the pusteethai,, by the pfundereethai.. The range of the Grubachkamm, men- tioned in the last Rte., running parallel to theMiihlwalderthal, follows a SSE. direction from the Napfspitz to the Kremspitz (9,354'), and thence extends nearly due E. to the BlanJccnstdn (7,991') above Uttenheim in the Tau- Luttach— reached in 5 hrs. from Lap- j fererthal. The lower portion of the pach. By a slight detour the traveller | range divides the lower Miihlwalderthal may reach the summit of the Bingel- stein (8,363'), on the S. side of the pass. It commands a tine view of the Ziller- thal Alps. In the opposite direction he may reach Pfunders (Rte. H) over the Eiegler Joch (7,987'), also called Zesen Joch, in about 4^ hrs. from Lappach. A rather longer way, through finer scenery, is over the Basner Joch (8,407'). The track enters the Miihlwalderthal about 10 min. below the church at Lap- pach. The range enclosing the Miihlwalder- thal on the W. and S. sides — called by Sonklar the Grubachkamm — diverges from the main Zillerthal range on the S. side of the Weisszinth (10,841'). Be- tween its highest northern peak — Napf- spitz (9,465') — and the Weisszinth is a comparatively deep cleft in the ridge known and by that way a pass that promises fine scenerv may be made from the head of " ~ " ■^" " " Pfundererthal, from the Pusterthal, the upper portion separates the upper Miihlwalderthal from the parallel valley of Pfunders •which joins the Pusterthal at Nieder- vintl (§ 51, Rte. A). Like the Miihl- walderthal, the Pfundererthal originates in the main range of the Zillerthal Alps. Its torrent springs from the snows of the Hochsdge (9,365'), and receives several tributaries that drain the glaciers on the S. side of the range connecting that summit with the Weisszinth. A travel- ler who, after passing the Pfitscher Joch (Rte. B) from Zell, wishes to take a di- rect route to the Pusterthal, may well select this as the easiest and shortest way. Pfunders may also be taken on the way from the Ahrenthal by a moun- taineer wishing to avoid the lower val- leys, who would take Weissenbach, Lap- as the £i66mc/-^r ^A^e^ (8,350'), j pach, and Pfunders on his way to St. Jakob in Pfitsch. Starting from St. Jakob, the traveller the Miihlwalderthal to that of the ' has a choice between two passes ; the -J .K_i rather more direct, but less fre- 222 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 50. ZILLEKTHAL DISTRICT. quented. steeper and rather higher, lies on the E. sido of the IToeli Siiire, and is approached by way of Stein. The sum- mit is 8,698 ft. above the sea. On the S. side it is necessary to follow a SW. course until the main torrent at the head of the Pfundererthal is reached. ' Here this rarely used track joins the more frequented path over the Drass Joch. This is approached from Kema- ten (Rte. B), 1 hr. below St. Jakob. The path aseends a little S. of E. through the tributary glen called Drassberg, and attains in 3 hrs. the summit o± the Drass Joch (8,422'), known on the S. side as Pfunderer Joch. It lies on the N. side of a summit called Sand joch (9,696'), which name is sometimes in- correctly given to the pass. In descending it is necessary to bear to the 1., somewhat N. of E.. to follow a torrent that descends towards the Hoch Sage, and then bends abruptly to the rt. and joins several other streams from that mountain to form the main torrent of the Pfundererthal. The valley is some- what sinuous, biat does not widely di- verge from the ruling direction towards SSE. The highest hamlet is Ban (4.830'), at the junction of the Eisbruck- erbach, descending from the Weisszinth, with the main torrent. In | hr.'s easy walking from Dan, or b\ hrs. from Ke- maten, the traveller reaches Pfunders (3,791'), the chief place in the valley, a picturesque village, with two very poor inns ; that near the church on the rt. bank of the stream seems px-efer- able. The passes leading to the Mlihl- walderthal are noticed in the last Rte. There is also a pass on the W. side of the valley, leadingfrom Pfunders to the upper part of the Valserthal (Rte. I). From hence, or Weitenthal, the traveller may ascend the Eidcchsherg (8,975'), locally called Hegedex, This crowns a project- ing ridge that extends to SW. from the Grubachspitz. and is said to com- mand a remarkably fine view. If bound for the Pusterthal, the tra- veller will follow the path along the E. side of the valley. Below Pfunders this ; is contracted to a narrow defile, said to be dangerous in bad weather, owing to falling bloi'ks. A fine waterfall I is passed, and in about 1 m. the valley widens out, and for nearly 1 hr. the path runs straight along the level floor to Weitenthal, near the footof theEidechs- j berg. Thence, amid agreeable scenery, ' the traveller descends to Nlcdervindl, on I the main road of the Pusterthal (§51 A), and finds good accommodation at the Post. ROTJTB I. KEMATEN IN PFITSCH TO BEIXEN, BY THE VALSERTHAL. The way through the Pfundererthal, described in the last Rte., is pjossibly the shortest way for a pedestrian from the Pfitscherthal to the Pusterthal, but there is anotlier way by which the valley of the Rienz is reached at Miihl- bach, a few miles above Brixen, which would be convenient for a traveller going to that town who shoidd wish to avoid the beaten track of the Brenner road. This lies through the Valserthal, a glen nearly parallel to Pfunders, and separated from the valley of the Eisack by the Eltzeilkainm, a short range which at first extends southward from the Wildkreuzspitz, but turns to SSE. when it approaches the junction of the Eisack with the Rienz. The mountain- eer may be more readily tempted to choose this route as he may take on the way the summit of the Wildkretizspitz (10,271')- As mentioned in Rte. B, there is a pass leading from Pfitsch to Vals by the SW. side of that peak, and its summit is accessible by the ridge w- t %• r r Ht GROSb GLOCKNER AND Xfh V I C 1 N ITT •^%.-„ <10^^ V i >:' ^1 1^ 3S - '<« ^ ^ «'« ^'^ :y"x. V ^«,.S« ^ ' ? §51. GROSSGLOCKiNER DISTRICT. 223 that descends thence towards the pass. The simiiuii may be reached in 4 hrs. from the Eiirgum Alp, and on rctui-ning to a point ntar the summit of the pas.s, the traveller may descend to the Wild- see, a comparatively large Alpine lake, ■which is the source of a considerable torrent flowing to the Valserthal. The principal torrent, however, or at least that which flows due S. in the direction of the axis of the valley, rises on the S. side of the Drass Joch (see last Ete.). From the "Wildsee the way lies westward for ^ hr. till the stream from the lake joins the main torrent, and the com'se of the united stream lies thenceforward nearly due S. After passing the Pfanna Alp the path passes through a strait in the valley, and when this opens he finds himself near the first houses of Vals. The village is scattered over a space of nearly 3 m., the church being 4,442 ft. above the sea. It is inhabited by a fine vigorous race, who have the name of pre- serving the simplicity and independence of character once universal in Tyrol, but now becoming rare there as else- where. Mounting through the Eitzeil- thal, a path leads over an easy pass to Mauls on the Eisack (§ 49, Ete. A). In 2 lirs. from Yals, descending during the latter half of the M'ay through a pictur- esque defile, the traveller reaches Miihl- bach, on the high road about 6 m. from Brixen (§ 51, Ete. A). This vaUey must not be confounded with the Falser- thai N. of the Brenner Pass, noticed in Ete. C, nor with the Valserthal in the Grisons (§31, Ete. F). SECTION 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. Ix the introduction to the last section, the eastern limit of the Zillerthal Alps was fixed at the pass of the Krimmler Tauern ; and it was remarked that the range extending eastward from that pass for a distance of about 62 miles is the longest continuous range, preserving a nearly straight course, and unbroken by any deep passes, to be found in the Alps. To this range, modern G-erraan writers have given the name 'High Tauern Alps,' and the same designation is adopted in the present work, although it has not seemed convenient to include the entire within a single section. Throughout the preceding portions of this work, the designation 'main range of the Alps' has, in accordance with general usage, been applied to what may more accui^ately be termed the dividing ridge, separating the waters of the Adriatic from those flowing in otlier directions — i. e. westward to the Medi- ten-anean, northward to the North Sea, or eastward to the Black Sea through the Danube. At its western extremity, the High Tauern range touches the watershed between the JDanube and the Adige ; but as we carry the eye east- ward from the Dreiherrnspitz, it will be seen that the drainage of the S. side of that range all flows to the Drave. The circumstance that at a point some hiuidreds of miles eastward of its source, and far beyond the limits of the Alps, the Drave pours its waters into the Danube, forms no solid objection to the conclusions derived from orography and geological structui-e, which alike point to the ridges dividing the Danube from the Drave, as constituting the main range in this portion of the Alps. Although a line drawn along the watershed from the Dreiherrnspitz to the Arlscharte diverges but little from a straight line bearing a httle S. of E., the reader who has not skipped the brief preliminary observations in the preced- ing volumes of this work will not ex- 224 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKXER DISTRICT. pect to find here a strictly continuous ridge, wliose separate portions preserve the same direction as the collective mass. Applying the figurative term commonly used in most European languages, we may say that the Alpine chain is formed of large and massive links, alternating with others much smaller and shorter. To represent the real structure of the Alps, we must imagine the larger links laid on the ground nearly parallel with each other, but in a direction more or less transverse to that of the chain it- self, and the smaller links placed so as to unite the larger at the points where these approach most nearly together. The •smaller links, elsewhere in this work spoken of as dislocations in the main range, almost invariably coincide ■nnth the lowest and most practicable passes. Allowing for some local disturbances, we have seen that the dominant direction of the separate masses that collectively make up the Alpme chain varies little from WSW. to ENE. throughout the Western and Central Alps, and the greater part of Tyrol. The same direction is found in the Zillerthal Alps, and again in the westernmost of the four groups that constitute the High Tauern range. Whatever may be the causes that have impressed this characteristic over so wide a region, they cease to operate at the Velber Tauern, which divides the western group of the High Tauern from the remainino- eastern portion of that range. The three groups lying eastward of that limit exhibit, both in their se- parate ridges and the con-esponding val- leys, a manifest tendency towards the direction WNW. to ESE., and the same direction is recognised throughout Carinthia, and in some other adjacent portions of the Eastern Alps. For this reason, the writer would be disposed, in a purely scientific arranarement of the Alpine chain, to consider the Velber Tauern (8,024'), which is the lowest pass over the main range between the Brenner and the Arischarte, as marking one of its most important divisions. In the present work, practical con- siderations, depending on the conveni- ence of travellers, demand the first con- sideration; and it has appeared best to include in the present section the two dominant groups of Central Tyrol lying on either side of the above-named pass. The western group, whose best known peaks are the Grossvenediger (12,053') and the Dreiherrnspitz (11,494'), forms the watershed betWL-en the Danube and the Drave for a distance of about 14 m. between the Velber Tauern and the Dreiherrnspitz ; but a prolongation of its main axis, including many lofty summits and numerous small glaciers, extends to WSW. parallel to the Ahreii- thal for not less than 16 m., its last high summit being the Grossmostnock (10,036'), E. of Luttach. On the E. side of the Velber Tauern extends the mass of lofty peaks distri- buted among numerous minor ridges, which the writer designates collectively as the Grlockner group, because it cul- minates in the beautiful peak of the Grrossglockner (12,455'), the highest summit of the Eastern Alps. This group is divided from the more easterly portions of the Tauern range by the Hochthor (8,551'), north of Heiligen- blut, which is taken as the eastern limit of the district described in this section. On the N. side of the range, extending from the Krimmler Tauern to the Hoch- thor, comparatively short valleys, divi- ded by secoudar}- ridges of no great di- mensions, descend towards the valley of the Salza, described in § 50. The case is different on the southern side. Two nearly isolated high groups rise on the S. side of the main masses already de- scribed. To the SW. is the Antholzer j group, whose highest peak is the Hoeh- gall (11,284'), and some 24 m. farther E. is the Schober group, so called from its best known summit, the Hochscho- ber (10,628'), tliough this is surpassed by the Petzeck (10,761'). Somewhat S. of the line, joining the Antholzer with the Schober group, is the longer, but less lofty, range known as the Defcreggen j ran^e, whose highest point, the AYeisse I Spitz, does not surpass 9,706 ft. As the ; Defereggen range approaches at its W. § 51. GROSSGLOCKXER DISTRICT. 225 end close to the Antholzer Alps, and at the opposite end near to Hoelischober, It will be seen that the three minor groups along with the two loftier masses to the N. form a great basin, wherein originates one of the most important lateral valleys of the Eastern Alps. Tlie waters of its four main branches, being united in the same channel at Peisch- lach, flow to SE. through an opening between the Hochschober and the Defer- eggen range. The district included in this section lies between the valley of the Salza on the N. and the Pusterthal on the S. The western limit is the way from I3run- eck to EJrimml, described in the last sec- tion ; and its eastern boundary is the path from Lienz to Heiligenblut, and thence to Bruck, in the Pinzgau, through the Fuscherthal. ' The writer, who beyond all others has contributed to a complete and accurate knowledge of this and the district de- scribed in the next section, is Colonel V. Sonklar, whose important work, ' Die Gebii'gsgruppe der Hohen Tauern,' con- tains a mass of accurate information, the result of many years' laborious ex- ploration, accompanied by observations which have made the orography of this district more thoroughly known than that of any other equally extensive part of the Alpine chain. Dr. Euthner, Mr. Keil, and other Austrian moun- tiiineers, have also contributed much to the exploration of the less easily acces- sible summits and passes. Although the upper valleys of the Venediger range offer much fine scenery and numerous considerable glaciers, there is no single point in that part of the district at all equal to Heiligenblut, with its one great peak — the Glockner, and one great glacier — the Pasterze. The preference shown by travellers to tliat spot is partly cause and partly ef- fect of better accommodation than is to be found in most of the other Alpine valleys of this district. In this respect it is perhaps surpassed by Fusch, where very fair quarters are found at the baths of St. AYolfgang, and at the village of Fusch. Tolerable accommodation is now found at Pregratten, and that place offers the best resting-place for a moun- taineer wishing to explore the S. side of the Venediger range. While conforming to the usage of re- cent German writers who have used the designation 'Tauern range' as a geo- graphical term, applicable to a certain portion of the central chain, the writer must express his opinion that no evi- dence has been produced to show that the word ' Taiiern ' has, or ever had, any wider meaning than that given to it by the invariable usage of the in- habitants of this part of the Alps. By them it is strictly confined to the prac- ticable passes over the central range that connect valleys on the N. side with those on the opposite slope ; the solitary- exception being in an outlying district on the border of Bavaria, where a moun- tain (§ 42, Ete. B) bears the name Tauern. The writer has little doubt that the ori- gin of the word is to be sought in the Gothic daur, which assumes the forms tur and tiiora in Old High German, toor or ttwr in the dialect of the Sette Comu- ni, and is scarcely altered in the English door. The same root (in Sanskrit dvdr, or dur) may be traced throughout the cycle of the Indo-Germanie tongues. If this view be correct, the use of the term in the Eastern Alps is the exact equi- valent of ■j)&'rte, applied in the PjTenees to the passes over the main range serving to connect France with Spain. An excellent map of this district on a large scale is annexed to Sonklar's work already mentioned. Mr. Franz Keil, who unites skill as a chartogra- pher with a minute knowledge of the entire region, has executed, on a still larger scale, a separate map of tho neighbourhood of the Grossglockner, extending from the Pinzgau to Kals and Heiligenblut for Dr. Euthner's interest- ing volume, ' Aus den Tauern ; ' and another, including the Grossvenediger group, with portions of the adjoining valleys, which is inserted in the second volume of the ' Jahrbuch of the Austrian Alpine Club.' Another good map oi 9-2C, CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GHOSSGLOCKNEK DLSTRICT. the Pcisterze Glacier and its neighbour- liood, hj M. Keil. is given in * Peter- mjinn's geographische aNfittheilungen for I860.' Sonklar's map "vrill be the mountaineer's best companion in this district ; but the finest districts are included in the map annexed to this v«^!ume, and in Keil's map of the Gross- venediger group. Besides the ancient rough inns found 6n most of the old-established passes, — known as Tauernhaiiser — the moun- tJiiiieer in this district finds shelter in many interesting l.ut out-of-the-way spots, in huts provided by the liberality of the Austrian Alpine Club or that of private individuals, such as Mr. Stiidl and other lovers of the Alps. EOUTE A. BBIXEN TO VILLACH BY THE PTJSTEE- THAX. Post English miles miles Untervnntl 2 9i Bruneck . 3 14 Niederndorf 3 U Sillian 3 14 Mitt€wald 2 H Lienz 2 H Oberdranburg . n 111 Greifenburg 2i Hi SaohBenburg 2i iif Spittal 2i io| Patemion 2 H Yillach . 3 14 29J 140 ; Railway open. 2 trains each way daily ; one I takes 8 hrs., the other 12 hrs. ! The road connecting Brixen with Vil- j Inch has always been one of the great ' lines of communication through the ' Alps, but has acquired additional im- \ ]iortance by the completion of the rail- : way between those towns. ] Taken together with the line from Bruck to Klagenfurt, by the valley of the Mur, it opens a direct channel for exchanging the mineral treasures of Styiia with the silk and corn cf Lom- bardy, shorter by at least 1.30 miles than the former line by Laybach and Gorizia. Of the road here described, only the por- tion between Bruneck and Lienz belongs to this district, of which it forms the southern boundary ; but it appears more convenient to unite the whole under a single heading. For fully three-fourths of the distance between Brixen and Villach, the road lies through one of those great longitu- dinal valleys — running parallel to the direction of the main chain, and to the line of outcrop of the crystalline rocks — which are so characteristic of the Alps as compared with other great mountain districts. If it be allowable to doubt whether such valleys as that of the Rhone and Vorderrhein, in Switzer- land, that of the Inn from its source to Kuffstein, or that of the Adda from Bormio to Colico, owe their origin to the same causes that have upraised the great mountain ranges Avith which they are connected, such a doubt is scarcely possible in regard to the great valley extending from Untervintl to Marburg, in Styria, or, at all events, as to its upper portion, which terminates near Sillian. Although the waters at its western end flow towards the Adige, while eastward from Innichen they go in the opposite direction to the Drave, this is so manifestly a single valley that it has from a remote period been known by the single name — Pusterthal — which it still bears. It is characteristic of the ignorance which until recent times has prevailed respecting the higher region of the T}to1 Alps that geographers should have sought the source of the Eisack, or east- ern branch of the Adige, in the compara- tively insignificant stream that descends from the long frequented Brenner Pass, instead of preferring the Eienz, whose main source is at the W. base of the D^'eiherrnspitz, whence it descends to Bruneck, bearing the name Ahren- bach. Still more perverse was the se- lection of the petty torrent that springs from the flat between Toblachand Inni- chen as the source of the Drave, when ROUTE A. — BRIXEN TO VILLACH BY THE "PUSTERTHAL. 227 it is seen that the Isel, -which joins it at Lienz, bears do-«-n tenfold the volume of water flowing from at least a hundred glaciers, and drains four considerable Alpine valleys with their numerous la- teral branches. The structure of the valley above Brixen well deserves the attention of the physical geologist. A few miles N. of the town, the Kisack issues from the upper valley, through which it has flowed south-eastward from Sterzing, and in thp open space below the Franzeusfeste it is separated from the Rienz by a nar- row isthmus of low ground where the streams might be expected to unite. The isthmus expands, however, into a cumparativeiy higli promontory of crys- talline (granite':') rock, round the E. side of which the Rienz descends through a narrow gorge, while the Eisack flows through a more open trough on the op- posite side, till the waters are finally united at the S. end of the promon- tory under the walls of Brixen (§ 49, Rte. A). The rly. to Villach branches from that over the Brenner Pass at l-'ranzensfeste, the first station beyond Brixen, and only 2 m. distant though considerably higher. Travellers who desire to see the country or to penetrate the lateral valleys will not be anxious to use a conveyance which offers little advantage in the way of saving time, and it 1 lows them small opportunity to enjoy the scenery. Light vehicles (einspannige Wagen) are to be had at all post stations, and may usually be hired in the country towns. Although the road to Bruneck is des- tined to follow the valley of the Rienz, it keeps to the rt. bank of the Eisack for about 2 m., crossing to the opposite side close to the abbey of Neustift. The church is richly decorated in the style of the last century. The library is said to be the richest in Tyrol, and the tra- veller may see here the tomb of the Minnesanger, Oswald v. Wolkenstein. Still keeping near to the Eisack, and to the W. side of the rocky promontory, the road goes northward to Schahs Q i (2,516'), on the site of the Roman Se- batum. The cultivation of the vino ; ceases, and the last chestnut trees are I seen on the low ground between the two streams. [The geologist, instead of following the road from Brixen to Schabs, will do well to take a way, little longer, though much rougher, which will enable him to study the course of the Rienz. Crossing the Eisack at Brixen, close to its junc- tion with the Rienz, he should ascend to Elms. This stands at the S. end of the promontor}', which is so nearly level that it may be described as a plateau. The church commands a fine view. A track leading northward from Elvas overlooks the deep cleft through which the Rienz descencls from the Pusterthal, and the opening of the Liisenthal (§ 60, Rte. Gr). Passing some small pools, he will rejoin the road at Schabs. The botanist taking this walk may gather Sempervivu'in arenarium, and other in- teresting plants.] Close to Schabs a road turns sharply to the W., and leads over the Ladritscher Briicke to the Brenner road, which is joined under the M-alls of the Franzeusfeste. By that way travellers coming from Innsbruck and Sterzing enter the Pusterthal with- out making the circuit by Brixen. The road to Bruneck now approaches the Rienz, and about 2^ m. N. of Schabs crosses the torrent from the Valserthal ! (§ 50, Rte. I), and enters the village of Muhlhach (Inn : Sonne, very fair), 2,542 ft. above the sea. On a terrace of the mountain W. of the Valserthal, is Spings (3,621'). From this important strategic position, held in 1797 by General Joubert, with a corps of 30,000 men, the Tyrolese peasantry drove the French foe after two days* desperate fighting. At a still higher level, on the opposite side of the Valserthal, is Meransei\ (4,645'), reached by a path so steep as to deserve the local name ' Katzenleiter' (cats' ladder). The slope rising S. of Miihlbach from the opposite bank of the Rienz, called Rodenecker Berg, covered with cornfields and manj 2 22'!) CENTRAL TYROL ALPS, § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. thriving hamlets, is guarded at its S. i end by tlie ancient castle of Bodeneck, once one of the strongest in Tyrol, standing on a projecting rock, and reached by a bridge over a deep cleft in the mountain. It -was in great part destroyed by fire in the seventeenth cen- tury, when precious collections of books, MSS,, pictures, and antiquities, were iie:irly all lost. It still contains some objects of interest, and especially the family papers of theWolkenstein family. The traveller wishing to visit it should cross the Rieuz near Schabs, and follow the road by Vils, afterwards reaching Miihlbaeh by Korburg, Miihlbach is counted as the first vil- lage in the Pueterthal, but orographically that great valley terminates a few miles higher up, and the course of the Rienz Uience to Brixen lies through a cleft at right angles to the direction of the main valley. The defile was formerly closed by a strong fort — called Miihl- l)acher Klause — about 1 m. N. of the village, which was blown up by the French. The road still passes through an archway of the ruined fort. On issuing from the defile, the traveller finds himself at the eastern end of the Piisterthal, and may travel hence to Marburg, in Styria, nearly 200 m. as the bird flies, diverging but little from a straight line, and without crossing any transverse ridge. The first village is Niedervintl (Inn : Post, not so good as it was formerly, and rather dear), standing at the opening of the Pfunde- rerthal (§ 50, Ete. H), 2,502 ft. above the sea, to which follows Obervintl. Numerous castles, for the most part in ruins^ are passed. One of the most ancient is the Sonnenhurg (2,778'), etanding on a rock opposite the opening of the e-aderthal (§ 60, Rte. G), which runs deeply into the dolomite region of S. Tyrol, and is also known as Abteithal, from the jurisdiction once held over it by the Abbess of Sonnenburg. Early in the eleventh century, the castle was converted into a Be-nedictine abbey for noble ladies, and preserved that destina- tion for nearly 800 years, till suppressed by Joseph II. A short way beyond Sonnenburg, but on the S. side of the Rienz, is St.Lorenzen (2.636'), a thriving village, in which the taste for painting and bright colours, characteristic of this part of Tyrol, is conspicuous. It is said to have a good inn, but strangers naturally push on about 2 m. farther to BrunecJc (Inns : Post, excellent and reasonable ; Goldenor Stern, also good ; Sonne), the chief place in the Pusterthal, athriving little town, 2,686 ft. above the sea. The church having been destroyed by lightning a few years ago, it was re- placed by a new building much admired by the Tyrolese. The castle, standing near 200 ft. above the town, commands a good view of the surrounding country. The position is rather remarkable. Due N. extends the wide level trough through which the Ahrenbach flows from Taufers (§ 50, Rte. E) to join the less consider- able stream that preserves the name Rienz. Nearly opposite is the equally wide opening of the Gaderthal ; while eastward, but at a higher level than these, the Upper Pusterthal mounts gradually to the height of land that separates the basin of the Adige from that of the Drave. Round the point of intersection of these great Alpine high- ways, the higher mountains recede, so as to leave a wider opening than is commonly found in the interior valleys of the Alps. Though not immediately surrounded by flne scenery, Bruneck is so near to many interesting spots that its excellent inn affords convenient head- quarters to the mountaiuter. Near Bruneck, the zone of granite, which has extended eastward along the N. side of the valley of the Rienz, from near its junction with the Eisack, comes to an end, and mica slate becomes the prevalent rock on both sides of the val- ley. The high-road returns to the rt. bank of the Rienz, and begins a rather longer ascent than any that has been met since leaving Brixen, rising nearly 600 ft. before reaching the first village, named ROUTE A. SOURCE OF THE DRAVE. 229 Tcrcha (3,278'), beyond which the road crosses the Wielenbach, a torrent descending from the Schwarze Wand (10,179'), one of the peaks of the Ant- holzer Alps. From hence the ascent is very gentle, but continuous. To the S. is seen the opening of the Gaisel- bergerthal (§ 60, Rte. H), through which tlie mountaineer may reach a little- known district of the dolomite Alps, lying between the Grade rthal and the Ampezzo Pass. Nearly opposite is the opening of the Antholzerthal (Rte. L), which offers a convenient way for the pedestrian who desires to approach the inner recesses of the High Tauern Alps. Here the main valley is narrowed be- tween the bases of the opposite moun- tains, and the road ascends rather more steeply, crossing the Rienz, and soon returning to the rt. bank, before reach- ing the small village of Welsherg (3,544'), with a good inn (Rose) at the confluence of the Grsiess- bach, which here descends through a narrow cleft from the Gsiessthal (Rte. L). Welsberg stands on the site of a little lake which was drained in the four- teenth century by the lord of the adjoin- ing castle, whose name it received. It has two inns (Lowe, clean and good ; Rose). At some points on the road from Brixen, glimpses of the fantastic forms of the Dolomite Alps have already been gained ; but they come rather more fully into view near Welsberg, and es- pecially about 2 m. beyond the village, where the road passes opposite the opening of the valley of Prags ('§ 61, Rte. I), where rough but tolerable accom- modation is found at either of the es- tablishments for mineral baths. Here the road follows the 1. bank of the Rienz — now reduced to a trifling stream — and before long reaches yiederndorf (3,784'), a place of some traflB.c, as it lies near the junction of the Ampezzo road from Belluno with that from Villach. The Post is a tolerably good inn ; and the Adler, where the Stellwagen halts, is not a bad one. The Tyrolese peasantry have a whole- Bome faith in the efiicacy of mineral waters ; and there is scarcely one of the lateral valleys of the Pusterthal iu which there is not one or more estab- lishments of the kind, usually supplying the roughest accommodation at very low charges. From one of these baths, called Maktadt, on the slope of the mountain, about 1^ m. SE. of Niedern- dorf, there is a fine view of the Defer- eggen Alps. About \^ m. beyond the village, the traveller crosses the Rienz for the last time, near the point where it flows into the Pusterthal from its chief source in the Diirren See, near Hollenstein. Two massive outposts of the dolomite mass, standing one on each side of the narrow defile, form a noble portal through which the Ampezzo road runs due S. towards Belluno and Venice (§61, Rte. A). At the point where this highway leaves the road to Villach is a large cross, which at the same time marks the summit -level, or height of land, be- tween the Drave and the Adige, where the waters are parted between the Black Sea and the Adriatic. This level tract (3,951 ft. above the sea), called Toh- lacher FeJd, from the adjacent village of Toblach, slopes very gently, almost im- perceptibly, on either side. There is nothing in the landscape to suggest the idea of an Alpine pass. Barley and rye are grown to some height above the valley ; and though the winter climate must doubtless be severe, the remains of many castles show that it has not in past times been such as to deter wealthy men from dwelling here. On the down- fall of the Roman power, this region fell under the authority of the Bavarian (or rather Boyoar) dukes, who here ar- rested the western flow of the Slavonic invasion at its natural geographical limit. The name Victoribiihel, still given to a slight eminence, records a victory srained over these barbarous tribes in 709. A streamlet, flowing from the base of the mountain on the rt. of the road, is fixed upon as the source of the Drave (Grerm. Dmu, but locally called Drag), for no other reason than the fact that it 2;io CKXTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTKICT. l:es near a frequonted highway. It is joinfd a little farther on by a consider- able torrent from the Sextenthal, which, lifter fuliowintr the course of that valley towards WNW., turns round towards due E. on entering the main valley at I?i?iichen (3,701'), a small place, de- 8t^rving the especial notice of the anti- quary, who will find here good quar- ters (BeimNeuwirth). The Bar (? same house) is also recommended. The Stifts- kirche, rebuilt afrer a fire in 1284, is one of the most interesting of the early Tyrolese churches, having in many par- ticulars preserved the type of the most ancient Christian churches of Northern Italy. It has a vestibule for catechu- mens, a lower chapel or crypt under the raised choir, and a separate baptistery. An ancient crucifix was saved from the destruction of the earlier church, as also were the bones of St. Candidus — the gift of Pope Adrian I. in 780, preserved in a silver shrine. Two portals of some hard rock, miscalled porphyry, and an- cient carving in ihe walls of the church, alsodeserA-e attention. Other less impoi- tant ancient churches here have partially escaped the ravages of fire and barbarian invasion, that began with the Sclavonic hordes in the sixth and seventh cen- turies, and terminated, we may hope, with the French in 1809. Through the Sextenthal ran the Eo- man road to Aquileja, which here joined the great Noric highway through the valley of the Drave, and the still more important line over the Brenner. Fa- voured by this central position, the Ro- n-.an station of Aguntum rose to mu^h importance. It stood on the slope S. of the present Anllage, and appears to ha 7e fallen into decay after the destruction of Aquileja by the Huns. Numerous ro- cords of antiquity, and some objects cf art, which are seen in the museum at Innsbruck, have been found here, and doubtless many more would reward a systematic exploration of the site. ' The Sextenthal (§61, Rte. H) offers ready access to some of the finest scenery of t'.ie Dolomite Alps, and those who have ni;t time for a longer expedition may well give a day to an excursion to the upper part of that wild valley. The most prominent of the peaks seen from the main road is the Dreidckustcrspits (10,368'). The high-road follows the 1. bank of the infant Drave to Vierschach (3,832'), soon after crosses to rt. bank, but re- turns to the opposite side before reaching Sillian (Inns : Post, very fair ; Neu- wirth), 3,611 ft. above the sea. The scenery of the valley is rather dreary, but a fine view may be gained from the Hehnspitz {7,^7o'), a summit, easy of access, rising SW. of the little town. About a mile lower down, the main valley is partially barred across by the masses of debris brought down by the torrent from the Villgrattenthal (Rte.N), through which the mountaineer may reach the Defereggenthal. The swamps produced by this obstacle to the course of the Drave were drained through the interposition of the late Archduke John, with much benefit to the health of the inhabitants. The traveller following the high-road may pass without remark the junction with the Drave of a small stream from the Kartitschthal. The level of that valley being about 800 ft. higher than that of the Pusterthal, the stranger does not suspect that it forms the W. extremity of the great trough of the Gailthal, which is in truth the oro- graphic prolongation of the Pusterthal, while the course of the Drave from hence to Villach, though not without geological significance, does not follow the main line of depression. The direc- tion of the road, and the Drave valley, here changes to somewhat N. of E., and, after passing Strassen (3,595'), descends rather steeply to Abfaltershach (3,223'). The character of the scenery gradually changes as the mountains draw nearer together, and the road crosses the Drave, and recrosses to the 1. bank, before reach- ing Mittewald (2,950'), with a fair coun- try inn at the Post. Through the nar- row cleft of the Burgerthal, opening N. of the village, the mountaineer may reach Hopfgarten (Rte. K), over the ROUTE A. EXCURSIONS FROM LIENZ. 231 Bocksteinscharte (7,434'). Nearly 3 m. E. of Mittewald, the valley opens a little at the inn of Au (2,856'), at the junction of another short glen, descending from the N., called VUfernerthal. Here the Pusterthaljin its true geographical sense, comes to an end, though the designation is commonly extended to all that part of the Drave valley lying within the bounds of Tyrol. The valley is now contracted to a mere defile, well known in the his- tory of the Tyrolese struggle against the French invasion as the Lienzer Klause. At the narrowest point stands the an- cient castle of Burg fried, which, though partially in ruin, and garrisoned onlj by peasants, successfully resisted the French in 1 809. Later in the same year, another desperate and bloody striiggle occurred in this defile. On the S. side is the Spitzlcofcl (8,913'), one of the highest summits of the detached group of dolomitic mountains that divide Lienz from the Gailthal. A glimpse of some of these peaks is gained as the road, near the E. end of the defile, passes the opening of the Galizenbach (§ 62, Rte. F). By a rapid transition, the road passes from the midst of stern and rugged scenery to the richly wooded basin wherein the copious stream of the Isel descends from its parent glaciers to join the Drave. Traversing the village of Leisach (2,326'), the road turns NNE., and soon reaches the picturesque little town of Lienz (Inns: Post, very good; Lamm; Rose ; Fischwirth). It occupies a part of the site of the Roman city of Leon- tium, which is said to have extended for a space of 3 m. along the N. side of the valley, and to have been destroyed about the 9th century by a great Bergfall — a judgment, says the chronicler, on the wickedness of its inhabitants. Ancient foundation walls, portions of mosaic pavement, coins, and other remains, found here and there as far eastward as the hamlet of Dewant, give some colour to the tradition. For more than two centuries, it was the seat of the powerful Counts of G-orz (Grorizia), who dwelt in the castle of Bruck (now a brewery), overlooking the town on the W. side. The chief part of the town (Altstadt) stands on the tongue of land above the junction of the Drave with the Isel, 2,193 ft. above the sea. The Rathhaus (or town-hall), in the main street, with its four massive towers, is a stately building. It contains a portion of a Roman altar, with the figures of Venus, Leda, and the Dioscuri, removed from the castle of Bruck. On the 1. bank of the Isel is the suburb called Rinder- markt, and above it, on rising ground, the ancient Pfarrkirche, dating, at least in part, from the 12th century. It well deserves a visit, and the traveller should not fail to notice the eastern portal of the churchyard with two marble lions, which are believed to date from the Ro- man or pre-Roman period. The situa- tion of Lienz is charming. The rich valley, crowded with hamlets, half hid amid gardens and orchards, is circled round by steep slopes, forest-clad, or green with Alpine pasture. Above these, on the N. and E. sides, rise rugged ridges of crystalline slate, outliers from the ranges of the High Tauern Alps. But the chief attraction is found in the pic- turesque forms of the dolomite peaks S. of the town, visible from its streets, but seen to greater advantage from the slopes on the N. side of the valley. Lienz is the most convenient starting-point for many of the longer expeditions de- scribed in the follo\\'ingRtes., but is also a centre where manj' days may be well spent in shorter excursions of especial interest to the geologist and the botanist. The slopes on the N. side of the town offer the most interesting views, and at the Heidenhof, only ^ hr. distant, near the village of Grafendorf (2,453'), the traveller finds a frequented restaurant, where he may dine and enjoy the view at the same time. A little higher up is Thurn (2,797')) with the ruins of a castle. He who would command a wider view should ascend the S. peak of the Zetterfeld (6,939'), or the much higher summit oi iYiQ Schleinitz {^,522'). Though surpassed by some of the higher summits of the Hochschober group, of 2o2 CENTRAL TVRUL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. which it is a southern promontory, this commands a fine panoramic view, in- cluding all the higher peaks of the do- lomite Alpis. Less laborious than the ascent of the 8ohleinitz is that of the IjO^es Weibele (8,266 ), in the range W. of Lienz, di- viding the Isel from the Drave. The view is nearly as extensive, and it is reached in 2 hrs. less time. The excur- sion to the Kersehbaumer Aim. famous for its rare plants, is described in § 61, along with a notice of the dolomite peaks that divide Lienz from the Gail- thai. A short and very interesting ex- cursion is that to Tristach and the Jungbrunn, on the 8. side of the Drave. The latter is a mineral spring of local repute, about 3 m. from Lienz. In a recess of the mountains, only i m. dis- tant, is the Trutachcr See (2,686'), ly- ing at the base of the Kauchkofel( 6,261'). Fossils of the Kossen formation may be found near the lake, and some of the rare plants of the higher zone of these Alps (such as Saxifraya Burseriana) may be found on shaded rocks at a compara- tively low level. Astragalus leontinus is found near the village of Tristach. 3Iany Alpine species are found in the main valle}-, such as Oxytrapis pilosa and 0. v.roloisi^, Fhaca australis and P. alpiva, Sayina Linnm, &e. An agreeable excursion from Lienz, longer than those above noticed, is that to the head of the Dehantthal, which de- scends 8E., nearly parallel to the Isel- thal. to join the main valley of the Lrave at the village of Debant, about \ m. E. of Lienz. It originates in a cirque enclosed on three sides by the high peaks of the Schober group. As the lower part of the valley is not very interesting, it is scarcely worth while to visit it unless the traveller pushes on at least as far as the foot of the glaciers at The head of the valley, fully 5 hrs. from Lienz. It is said that glacial phenomena are here seen on a large scale, and near the junction of the torrent from the Klein-Gossnitz Glacier with the main torrent is an ancient moraine, so con- siderable that Souklar has thought it deserving of insertion in his map. Se- veral fine, but not easy, passes lead to the adjoining valleys. Beginning at the E. side, the more important of these may be thus enumerated : — Secscharte (8,4-52'), leading to the Wangenitzthal ; 1 Hofalnifcharte (9,028'), to theGossnitz- i thai: Glodkseharte (9,282'), and Schohcr- ' t/iorl (9,2.52'), both leading to Kals ' through the Lesachthal ; and the Leih- \ vitzscharfe (8.405'), to St. Johann im Wald (Ete. E). Below Lienz, the Drave, now grown to a river, flows through what is orogra- phically the prolongation of the valley of the Isel, which extends ESE. some way beyond the frontier of Tyrol. Leaving on the 1. hand the low pass of the iselberg leading toHeiligenblut, the road keeps to the N. side of the broad valley, below many remains of ancient castles, passes Xicohdorf (2,1^%'), 'Am\ I reaches Norsach, the last Tyrolese vil- li lage, about 10 m. from Lienz. There is here a good country inn, whence the traveller may make the ascent of the Ziethenlcopf (8,1.38'). This is one of the higher summits of tlie Kreuzeck range, which di^'ides the MoUthal from the Drave, and, being more detached from the highf-r ranges than the Schlei- nitz, or thf Boses Weibele. offers a panoramic view in many respects more complete. The ascent is easily made in from 4 to 5 hrs. No change in the asp^-ct of the valley, and no natural landmark, indicate the limit where the traveller quits Tyrol to enter Carinthia. He soon reaches the post-station at Oherdrauhvrg (1,992'"), a smnll place, with an indifferent inn, at the Post, overlooked by the ancient castle of Drau- burg, now belonging to Prince Porcia. Here the ancient Roman road to Aqui- leja, still an interestinsz, though no lon- ger a frequented, way, diverges south- ward. (.*^ee § 62. Rte. E.) The valley of the Drave now bends somewhat to the 1., and follows a nearly due E. course for nearly 20 m. Several torrents descend from the N. into the valley through fchort glens running into the Ivreuzeek EOUTE A. — SriTTAL ON THE DRAVE. 233 range. The most considfiable is that issuing from the Lrassnitzthcd, which opens at JJcUach, about 5 m. E. of Ober- drauburg. Ey that glen the traveller may reach a fine pass between the Sand- fdd (8,808') and the Krevzcck (8,851'), and descend thence to the Mollthal, through the "Wollathal. Keeping con- stantly to the 1. bank of the Drave, the road reaches the next post-station, Gi-cifcnhurg (2,054'), on a little emi- nence above the river formed by the de- tritus borne down by the torrent from the Gnopiiitzthal, a glen that drains the SE. side of the Kreuzeck. On the S. eide is the dolomitic peak of the Eeiss- kqfel (7,749'), said to command a very interesting panoramic view-. The pedes- trian may take a short cut from Grrei- fenburg to Villach by the Weissensee, rejoining the high-road atPaternion, an excursion of much interest to the geolo- gist (§ 62, Rte. G). Those who prefer to travel in light country carriages may, •without lengthening the way, see some- thing of the lower and less interesting part of the Gailthal by following the road to Hermagor by Weissbriach, and thence to Villach by Arnoldstein, The scenery of the main valley is, however, at least equally interesting. The course of the Drave, which from nearlnnichen to this point has kept close to the line of junction between the secondary rocks and the crystalline slates of the central chain, now quits that boundary, and enters a comparatively narrow cleft in the mica slate ridges which are the eastern prolongation of the Kreiizeck range. Keeping at first its easterly di- rection by Steinfeld and Lengholz, it tlien turns nearly due N., and amid very pleasing scenery, and the din of forges that accompany the traveller through Carinthia and Styria, reaches the next post-station at Sachseiiburg (1,843'), on the rt. bank of the Drave, just at the point where it turns eastward to join the Moll. It has been seen that near its source the Drave quitted the direction of the great line of valley, extending from Sillian through the Gailthal, and, after flowing through a narrow defile, entered the valley of the Isel at Lienz. Exactly in the eame way, the river quitted its normal course at Greifenburg, and, after passing through another cleft, enters the Moll- thal immediately below Sachsenburg. The course of the river from hence to Villach exactly follows the ESE. direc- tion of the Moll from Fragant to the junction, and is parallel to that of the main ridges and main valleys of this region. The high-road crosses both rivers im- mediately above their junction, and for many miles adheres to the 1. bank of the united stream, which here runs through a broad, level, and fruitful val- ley. The exact site of the Roman city of Teitrnia, or Tibumia, is now lost, but remains of antiquity have been found at many points. Numerous castles crown the heights, of which the most remarkable are the ruins of Ortenhurg. The Counts of Ortenburg, who flourished here for many centuries, held their do- main as an imperial fief independent of the Dukes of Carinthia. "When the race at length died out, their privileges, including that of conferring titles of no- bility, were held to pass to the owner for the time being of this castle. The latter right sui-vived till 1753, when it was sui'rendered by Prince Porcia to Maria Theresa. Kot far from this the traveller reaches the little town of Spittal (1,772'), at the junction of the Lkserhach with the Drave. Through that valley the highway from Salzburg by the Radstiidter Tauern (§ 52, Rte. E) joins our road. There is here a good country inn at the Post, a pretty church, restored of late years, and a stately Schloss belonging to Prince Porcia. Omnibuses ply twice a day to the rail- way-station at Villach. The pedestrian may, by a slight detour, take the Mill- stadter See (§ 55, Rte. F) on his way to Villach, or to the next post -station at Fatcrnion (1,704'), a small village with an indifferent inn, standing on the rt. bank of the Drave. The road crosses the river about 3 m. higher up, and near the bridge the traveller, in 234 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GHOSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. clear weather, gains a fine view up the ^Mollthal, with some of the peaks of the Ilochnarr range in the background. At Xickehdorf, less than a mile below Paternion, the traveller who has taken the way fromGreifenbui-gby theWeissen See rejoins the high-road. (See § 62, Ete. Or.) This henceforward keeps tx) the rt. bank of the river through the green and fruitful valley. The declivity on the rt. conceals from view the higher part of the Dobratsch (7,067'), which forms the last massive link in the chain di- viding the Drave from the Gailthal. Not being strictly parallel, these streams converge in an open space, traversed only by low hills, at the NW. corner of which, near the base of the Dobratsch, stands, 1,593 ft. above the sea, VUlach (Inns : Post, GoldenesLamm), described in § 55, Ete. A. Route B. LIEN'Z TO HEILIGEXBLITT — ASCEXT OF THE GEOSSGLOCIO'EE. Stunden ■Wiaklem . Dbllach . Heiligenblut English miles 8 21* Road passable for light carriages, A pedes- trian following the foot-path over the Iselsberg may easily perform the whole distance in 7 hrs. Heiligenblut is deservedly a favourite resort of tourists in the Eastern Alps ; and whatever rivals may hereafter arise, when the region is more fully known to travellers, this must ever remain one of those choice peculiar spots where the memory stores up images of grandeur and beauty never to be eflfaced. It cannot, indeed, riA'al in variety such centres as Zermatt, Chamouni, Lauterbrunnen, and others that occur to every Alpine traveller; the interest is here concentrated on a single peak and a single glacier. The picture is varied only by the changing lights and shadows of morning and evening, clouds or serene sky, sunshine and moonshine ; but it is hard to say how it could be imagined more per- fect. The exquisitely sharp cone of the Grossglockner, rising in an un- broken slope of 5,000 ft. above the Pasterze Glacier, is not surpassed for grace and elegance by any in the Alps. The ascent, though it cannot be called easy, is, with competent guides, per- fectly safe, and can be accomplished with little fatigue, so that it is annually achieved by an increasing number of travellers. The village is now acces- sible by road from the S. side, and by a moderately easy path from Gastein (described in § 52, Ete. B). Besides these ordinary modes of access, there are several mountain or glacier paths no- ticed in the following routes. It must be owned that the accommodation falls far short of what is found at equally frequented places in Switzerland ; but, except when overfull, the inn is tolerably comfortable. The pedestrian, starting from Lienz, wiU save little time by taking a car- riage to Heiligenblut ; but, of course, the case is altered in descending the valley of the MoU from that place to Wink- lern. It is, however, a good plan to avail oneself of any passing diligence or Stellwagen for the 3 m, of dusty road between Lienz and Dblsach (2,38-4'), a village on the 1, of the high-road to Villach, at the foot of the Isdsherg. This is a low isthmus, connecting the range of the Hochschober to NW. with that of the Kreuzeck to E„ and thereby ROUTE B. VALLEY OF THE MOLL. 235 separating the valley of the Moll from that of the Drave. It rises only about 1,600 ft. above the latter, and about 800 ft. above the former, stream. The carriage-road winds up the slope above Dolsach, while the path keeps to the rt., passing near the old castle of Wal- lenstein. The summit of the low pass is indicated by a cross marking the frontier between Tyrol and Carinthia, near a country inn called Auf der Wacht (3,820'). During the ascent, the tra- veller will not fail to turn round to enjoy the view over the valley of the Drave, and the fine group of dolomite peaks rising behind it, culminating in the Kreuzkofel (8,979 ). This is par- ticularly striking when the passage of the ridge is made in the opposite di- rection. Leaving, on the rt. hand, a mineral spring with baths, the road descends to Winklerii (3,186'), a village standing on the slope above the S. bank of the Moll, which, after flowing nearly due S. from Dollach, here turns sharply to the E. A post-carriage runs three times a week to Spittal (§ 52, Rte. C). A char hence to Heiligenblnt costs 4 fl. The inn, kept by Herr von Aichenegg, a small proprietor of old family, is very good and reasonable. The road to Heili- genblut, rough in places, descends to the level of the Moll, and then crosses to the 1. bank, running a little E. of N., as far as Mortsckack (3,185'). The valley is enclosed between two high groups of crystalline slate peaks. That on the E. side is a lateral branch of the Hoch- narr range, and the much higher mass to the W. is the Schober group, whose highest simimits are the Petzeck and Hochschober. Above Mortschach, the road returns to the rt. bank, and soon reaches the opening of the Wangenitz- thal, a steep lateral glen, whose torrent flows from a lake {Wangenitzsee), at the unusual height of 8,262 ft. There is said to be another smaller lake, or taxn (Kreuzsee), a still higher level, close to a pass, called Seescharte (8,452'), over the ridge dividing this from the Debantlhal. On the N. side of the Wangenitisee rises a high snowy range, crowned by the Petzeck (10,761'), the summit of which may be reached from the lake. In going from Heiligen- blut to Lienz, the active mountaineer may easily take the Seescharte on his way, descending to the Drave through the Debantthal (Rte. A). About 3 m. N. of the opening of the "VYangenitzthal, the road, after recrossing to the 1. bank of the Moll, reaches Dollach (3,372'), with a very fair country inn — Beim Ortner. The village was once a prosperous place, when the mines in the adjacent Zirknitzthal gave abundant occupation to the natives. Since these have been abandoned, the place has decayed. Several of the best guides in the valley live here, but are oftener to be found at Heiligenblut. The Zirknitzbach, which flows through the village, forms a remarkably fine waterfall in a deep ravine at the lower end of the Zirknitzthal. It is ac- cessible in 10 min., and should not be missed. For a notice of the glacier passes leading to Rauris, see § 52, Rte. B. A remarkably fine view of the en- tire valley, and the Pasterze Glacier, is gained from the Stanziwurdi (8,87 S'), the summit of which may be reached in 4 hrs. from Dollach. The road now follows the 1. bank of the Moll in a NNW. direction. At Putschal, about 2 m. above Dollach, the opening of the Grattenthal is seen on the W. side. It is a wild glen, whose head is enclosed by the highest snowy summits of the Petzeck and Schober group. The main valley is now narrowed between the bases of the mountains on either hand, barely leaving space for the Moll, which chafes and rages in its narrow channel, partly blocked up by rocks that have fallen from the adjoining heights. The road crosses and recrosses the stream, and passes opposite a pretty waterfall of the Staubbach family, called Jungfern- sprung. The BrennJcogel (9,894'), the easternmost of the high mountains en- closing the head of the valley, now comes into view, but, though near at hand, no part of the great peak is yet seen. It is onlj after passing the 23G CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. hamlft of Pockhorn (3,568'), and cross- ing the Flciss torrent, which descfnd.3 from the glaciers of the Hochnarr, that the valley opens to WNW., and the beautiful peak of the G-lockner is revealed to view. The exquisite appa- rition is soon lost again, as a low inter- vening ridge comes in the way. The road begins to mount rather steeply. A path to the 1. leads past a fine fall of the 31511, called the Zlapp, which can be seen by the pedestrian without any loss of time. From the waterfall, he should follow the path that mounts by the 1. bank, and rejoin the road a short way from HeUigenhlut (Inn : G-locknerhaus ; was burned down in 1864, has been rebuilt and improved in most respects ; charges ratherhigh, but accommodation very fair, when the house is not overfull), a small group of houses, with a very picturesque church in old German style, standing 4,26i ft. above the sea, on a terrace about 200 ft. above the 1. bank of the Moll. As already said, the situation of this place is perfect. The view of the Glockner surpasses anything of the 8ame kind to be gained from any in- habited place, not reckoning the moun- tain inns of Switzerland, and enough is seen of the lower part of the great Pasterze Glacier to excite, without fully satisfying, the traveller's curiosity and activity. The British traveller, smitten with the plague of haste, may accom- plish in one day the indispensable ex- cursion to the Pasterze Glacier, or may even combine it with the walk hence to Pusch or to Kaprun (Rtes. C and D) ; but the wiser few will linger many days, and may vary the enjoyment of the grand scenery of the main valley by excursions into the Gossnitzthal, and other recesses of the surrounding Alps. The visitor who can put up with rather rough accommodation, and pre- fers a quieter spot than the frequented inn, may find fair accommodation, civi- lity, and moderate charges, at a little inn in the hamlet of Pleiss, about i hr. above HeiligenVjlut. It is kept by Tribuser, ' der Pleissner,' commands a remarkably fine view, and is chiefly frequented by German artists. Heiligenblut is the only place in the Austrian Alps where there is a regu- larly organised corps of guides with a fixed tarilF. The charges are rather high for the country, but cannot be called extravagant, when it is remembered that, at the ordinary exchange, the florin is scarcely worth more than 2 francs, except that 15 lbs. is an un- reasonably low allowance for a porter. The following tariff contains also the charges for horses and chars. Some slight changes may have been recently introduced : — GriDES A^T) POETEES. Gossnitz Waterfall .... Leiter do. . . . . Wolfganghiitte, Brettboden, Franz- Josephs-Hohe, Johannes-Hutte . Johannes-Hutte and back across the Pasterze Glacier .... Kaiser Thcirl Kals Salmshbhe Dollach Mortschacb Winklem Hochthor ...... Fuscher "Wegscheide Fuscher Thor Ferleiten Fusch Pasterze Glacier and over Pfandl- scharte to Ferleiten Tauernhaus in Rauria Kauris or Bucheben Bucheben and over the Stanzer Scharte to Bad Gastein fl. kr. 20 80 1 60 \^ 2 3 15 3 15 70 1 40 1 75 1 5 1 30 2 4 20 5 80 5 3 5 l7 A guide or porter is obliged to carry 15 lbs. luggage for the above rates of pay, and for every lb. in excess 2 kr. per lb. per Stunde distance. No claim for Trinkgeld is allowed. HORSES (rIDIXG ANT) BAGGAGe). To the Leiter "Waterfall ,, Wolfganghiitte „ Brettboden or Wallnerhii ,, Hochthor „ Rauris or Bucheben ,, Fuscher Thor . ,, Ferleiten . .. Fusch fl. kr. 1 80 2 3 30 2 60 10 3 60 10 11 A horse cannot, at the same time, serve for riding and baggage, nor is the driver compelled to act as porter. ROUTE B. — PASTEHZE GLACIER. 23? CHARS {Ein Scanner). ! fl. kr. To Dfillach 1 f^O „ Mortschach 2 60 j „ Winklern 4 | „ Stall C 50 I „ Obervillach Id n | ., Lienz 9 1 Speaking generally, the Hciligenblut guides are good mountaineers, but fall far short of the better Swiss and Cha- iriouni men in general intelligence and information. For the ascent of the Glockner, the charge, not included in the tariff, is now 8 fl. 50 kr. per guide, and 13 fl. when taken over the Pfandel- scharte toFerleiten. They do not now in- sist on the unreasonable rule of requiring two guides for each traveller, but usually insist on three guides for two travellers. The guides most highly recommended for glacier expeditions are Josef Tri- busser (the best mountaineer), Anton Grauogger (who ranks as chief guide), Anton Wallner, Christ. Pichler, Josef Lackuer, Georg Bauerle, and Johann Fritz. The neighbourhood of Heiligenblut is, in an especial sense, classic ground to the lover of Flora. For nearly a centurj' Wulfen, Hoppe, Hornschuch, Schultes. and the succeeding generation of Austrian botanists, have made this their favourite resort. Unfortunately, the avidity of collectors has nearly, if not quite, extirpated some of the rarest Bpecies, but an ample harvest still re- mains to be gathered by an active ex- plorer. A list of the more interesting species is given lower down. Heiligenblut derives its name from a precious relic found on the person of St. Briccius. a pious Dane, who, after serving the Emperor Leo as a valiant general, was lost in a sno-w-storm on his homeward journey over the Hoch- thor. The legend, copied from a little work called ' i)er Fiihrer in Karnthen,' is incorrectly given by Messrs. Gilbert and Churchill in their well-known work. The correct version will be found in Sonklar's ' Eeiseskizzen aus den Alpen uud Karpathen.' The traveller should | not fail to viijit the church where the I relic is preserved in an elaborate richly carved shrine. AVhat may be called the indispaia- flWe excursion fromHeilig<-nblut is that to the Fastcrze Glacier (locally called Pasterzenkees); and. in truth, "whatever other expeditions a traveller may make, even though he should ascend the Glock- ner, or one of the other high summits that look down on the glacier, he will do unwisely if he fail to traverse at least some part of its surface. Though not nearly equal in dimensions to the greatest glaciers of the Swiss and Savoy Alps, this measures about 6 m.from its- lower end to the bounding ridge of the Hohe Riffl, which is as great a space as the eye can well take in at the same moment, and the view of the Glockner,- as seen from the lower glacier, is not- surpassed by any of the same character- in the Alps, The path from Heiligenblut to the glacier descends a little towards the Moll, and crosses to the opposite bank, but in about | m., on approaching a point where the torrent from the Goss- nitzthal joins the Moll from the SSW., and the Tauernbach from the N., the' track to the glacier returns to the L bank, and then traverses the last-named' torrent. At this spot, called Winkel (4,335'), the last group of houses is left behind. The ascent now becomes steeper, and, though the upper course of the Moll is nearly one con- tinuous cataract, it has cut so deep a cleft in the rocks that it is lost both to the eye and the ear. The Briccius-Ka- pelle (5,348'), a small oratory, is reached just opposite the spot where the Leiter- bach descends, in a very fine waterfall, to the level of the main valley. From this point, the head of the valley is locally called Pasterzenthal, and the stream issuing from the great glacier Fastcrze. The path ascends gradually along the steep slope, and, about ^ hr. 1 eyood the chapel, divides. That on the 1. hand, wliich is somewhat shorter, ■R'as formerly considered dangerous, and obtained the name Bose Platte; but it has been so much improved that ladies 238 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. may pass vdthout hesitation. The ascent continues over a rounded eminence called Ochsenbrett, and from the sum- mit the lower portion of the Pasterze Glacier for the first time comes fully into view. Since the visit of the present Emperor and Empress of Austria in 1857, this spot, reckoned 3 hrs. from Heiligenblut (very easy going), is called Elizabethsruhe. However fine the view from hence may be, it gives a very in- complete idea of the extent of the glacier, and the traveller who does not intend to prolong his walk much farther should at least mount to the Sattel, an adjoining eminence, whither on that occasion the Emperor was conducted, and which then received the name Franz-Josephs-Hohe (8,323'). Those who extend the excur- sion to the upper end of the main reach of the glacier will be well rewarded. A brief description of the Pasterze Glacier will be here in place. Like all great glaciers, it consists essentially of two portions — an upper basrn of neve, where the snow is stored up and gra- dually converted into ice ; and a lower ice-river, whose volume is proportioned to the extent of the reservoir. The basin — locally called Oberster Paster- zenkees — is in form a nearly rectangular parallelogram, with sides rather more than 2.^ m. in length. Beginning at the SW. corner, the boundary riins nearly due N. from the ScJmeewinkel (11,591'), over the summit of the Johannisberg (11,425') to the Hohe Eiffel (11,003'), dividing the Cai'inthian Mollthal from the Salzburg valley of Stubach. From the Hohe Eiffel, the bounding ridge runs eastward to the Vorder-Bdrenkopf (10.507'), and the Mitttl - B'drcnkopf (10, 976'), dividing the Mollthal from the Kapruner Thai. From the Mittcl-Bdren- kopf, the main range between Fusch and the Moll extends to SE. ; but the chief basin of the glacier is limited by a ridge, for the most part covered with ice, that extends a little W. of S. to the Gross- Burgstall. On the E. side of this latter ridge is a much smaller snow basin, which sends a tributary glacier to join the main stream on the SE. side of the Gross-Burgstall. On the S. side, the great neve basin is limited by a pro- jecting ridge extending eastward from the Eomai-iswand to the Klein-Burg- stall. The main outlet of this reservoir is through the opening between the Klein- and the Gross-Burgstall. These are two high rocky cliffs, covered at the top with neve, but presenting a bold front to the lower glacier. The upper ice-fall ter- minates between these barriers at a height of about 8,300 ft., and thence the majestic ice-stream flows in a straight course for about 3 m., preserving a gentle slope till it reaches the base of the Franz-Josephs-Hohe. From that point, where the height of the glacier above the sea-level is about 7,800 ft., it de- scends in two very fine ice-falls, of which the lower is visible from Heiligenblut, a height of more than 1,500 ft. in a hori- zontal distance of less than a mile. We have seen that the upper reser- voir of the Pasterze is enclosed on three sides by ridges that form part of the main chain dividing Salzburg from Ca- rinthia. The glacier proper, from the two Burgstalls to the foot of the lower ice-fall, flows between two parallel ridges, of which the shorter, biit by far the most remarkable, is the Gross- glockner range. This diverges from the main chain at the above-mentioned peak of the Schneewinkel, and extends SSE. a distance of rather more than 6 m. The first prominent point is the Eomanswa7idkopf (II, 6S2') ; to this, after a slight depression, succeeds a singular rocky ridge of excessive steep- ness, and nearly horizontal at the top, appropriately named Glocknerwand (12,182'), and then, after another de- pression, not seen from the lower part of the glacier, the range rises at once to its culminating point in the NNTV. peak of the Crrossglockticr (12,455'), scarcely separated, as seen from below, from the adjoining SSE. peak, some 50 ft. lower. A lontr slopf>. at first very steep, then gentle, leads downward to the Huhenwartsikart'^ ( 1 0,359' ), to which succeeds the Kdlerbirg (10,687'), and other sumiuita in gradually descending ROUTE B. — ASCENT OF THE GROSSGLOCKKEK. 23a order, till the range terminates in the ■ I'^d r-Le.ie'-/copf i^SASO'), which over- 1 looks the junction of the Leiterbach ; with the Moll. On the opposite side of ! the gbicier, the valley of the Moll is i divided from that of Rauris by the range extending from the Mittol-Ba- i renkopf to the Hochthor (see next | RtH.), whose chief summits are the j Brfitkopf [10,220'), Fuschtr Kahrkopf (10.957',). Sinewellcck (10.732'), 5^^^/- mnnn (9,9G0'), and BrefDikoqel {9,S9o') ; but the glacier stream is immediately confined by a s-teep ridge called the Frei- tvand (9,960'), that diverges from the Fuscher Kahrkopf nearly parallel to the main range, and excludes from view all the other summits named above. Between the Ochsenbrett and the Franz-Josephs-Hohe the Pfandelbach, descending from the Pfandelscharte (see next Rte.), crosses the path to the glacier. It is traversed by a wooden bridge, beyond which is the Wallner- hiitte (6,762'), a rude stone hut. Then commences the moderately steep ascent, leading in 1 hr. to the summit of the Franz-Josephs-Hohe, a point which will remind the traveller in many respects of the Pavilion on the Mont Anvert, near Chamouni. A descent of about 400 ft. leads to the lateral moraine, whence access to the glacier is quite easy. Here the traveller must decide as to his course. The guides usually lead strangers to the Hoffmannshutte, formerly called Johannishutte (8,026'), a stone hut on the slope of the Freiwand, reached from hence in | hr. Above it, towards the peak of the Fuscher Kahrkopf, is a stony slope called Garns- grube, famed as a habitat for many rare plants. The hut, originally built at the cost of the late Archduke John, was rebuilt at the expense of the late Mr. Hoffmann, who fell in the war of 1870. It affords comfort;ible night- quarters. From hence the summit of the Fuscher Kahrkopf may be attained in less than 3 hrs. Except for the botanist, the best way of employing 3 or -t hrs. which are devoted to the Pasterze Gla- cier, is to traverse the centre of the great ice-stream to the base of the up- per ice-fall. With ordinary caution the excursion is free from risk or difficulty. In about 3 hrs. from the time when he first touches the ice, thfi traveller may reach the base of the upper ice-fall be- tween the Grross- and Klein-Burgstall, visit the base of both, which are found to be more considerable cliffs than they appear at a distance, and return to his stariag-point. In warm weather, ice- avalanches constantly fall over the face of the Grross-Burgstall, and care should be taken to avoid tlieir track. Among the other excursions from Heiligenblut, mo^t of which are noticed in the following Rtes., the Gossnitzfcdl deserves especial mention, not only for the waterfall itself, but for the striking scenery of the savage glen leading to it : 1 hr. suffices for going and return- ing. To the mountaineer, the most at- tractive excursion from Heiligenblut is the ascent of the Grossglockner. Like other expeditions of the same kind, this long enjoyed the prestige of difficulty and danger, but of late years it has been often accomplished by travellers who possessed little pre* vious training. There are now four ways for making the ascent, two start- ing from Kals, and two from Heiligen- blut (see Rte. H). The old course from Heiligenblut lay by the head of the Leiterthal, whose torrent joins the Moll opposite the Briccius-Kapelle, mentioned above. The path crosses the torrent from the Goss- nitzthal opposite Winkel (see above), and mounts diagonally along the slope on the SW, of the main valley, till, at the Sennhiitten of the Trogalp, it enters the Leiterthal at a high level, much above the waterfall that is admired oa the way to the Pasterze Glacier. Tra- versing the torrent about 1^ hr. from Heiligenblut, the path turns about due W. along some steep rocks. This pas- sage is called the Katzensteig, and has somehow acquired a reputation for difficulty which can scarcely be detected by anyone accustomed to mountain walk- 210 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. §51. GROSSGLOCKNER DLSTRICT. ing. About 1 hr. from the bridge over the Leitei-bach, the traveller reerosses the torrent to the Leitcrkuttc (6,640'), 8U] 'plying rough quarters for the night ; better, however, than in the Ochsen- hiitte, another hut rather higher up in the valley. It is advisable to start hence before daylight, as the remainder of the way through the Leiterthal, as far as the foot of the glacier, may be easily accomplished with the aid of a lantern, and better still, in the writer's opinion, without it. The opening seen in the range to the 1. is that of the Peischlagthal, through which lies one of the paths to Kals. Tiie ;iscent becomt'S rather steeper, but nowhere difficult, and in less than 2 hrs. from the Hiitte the traveller reaches the moraine at the foot of the Lciter Glacier (locally called Leiterkees). Here formerly stood a stone hut, built at the cost of Count Salm, Prince Bishop of Gurk, to whose active personal intervention the first ascents were mainly due. It was de- stroyed several years ago by the advance of the glacier. The Leiter Glacier is divided into two branches by a buttress of rock pro- jecting from the steep mass of the IIoke7nvartkopf (10,792'); between this and the equally steep rocks of the Kel- lerbtrg, a couloir leads from the E. branch of the glacier to the Hoh:nwartscharte (10,359'). This is the lowest point to which the ridge of the Glockner sinks on the ESE. side, and to this the travel- ler's steps are directed. The glacier is easily traversed, but as it rises towards the couloir it increases in steepness, and finally attains a slope of nearly 40°. If the neve be hard frozen, as usual in the early morning, reasonable care is re- quisite, as a slip might have awkward consequences. On reaching the summit, the traveller stands on the ridge leading by a continuous ascent to the highest peak. For a considerable distance, the slope is so gentle, and the ridge so broad, that the course is remarkably easy. TheHohenwartkopf, which looked so conspicuous from the Leiterkees, here shows as a mere snow-hillock, which the traveller passes on his 1. hand. The name was given in compliment to Count Hoheuwart, a canon of Klagen- furt, who, in 1799, reached the E. peak of the Glockner for the first time, and three years later also attained the high- est summit. The last halt in the ascent is usually made at the Adlersruhe (11,339'), a point where some shattered rocks slightly project through the cover- ing of neve, elsewhere continuous along the ridge. Here are seen the roofless walls of a little hut, erected by the earlier explorers. From the Aldersruhe, the Glockner peak shows itself in full beauty, as an excessively shai-p snow cone, sloping on the S. side at an angle of 60°, while on the other hand the somewhat irregular edge of the arete, in places actually overhanging, is seen against the sky. For some distance, the slope is still moderate, but increases rapidly after crossing the Bergschrund. When it reaches -iO-', if not sooner, it is expedient to cut steps, taking care not to approach too close to the edge over- hanging the Pasterze Glacier. The steep part of the arete is about 600 ft. in vertical height, and the maximum in- clination observed by the writer 47° (49° according to Schlagintweit). The slope on the 1. hand, towards the Kodnitzkees, in some places attains an angle of 67°, while on the rt. hand it approaches still more nearly to the vertical. The first peak, about 12,400 ft. in height, had always been found a snow-ridge, vary- ing in sharpness and in form with the season; but in 1861 it was for the first time seen bare of snow. The difficulty of the Glockner ascent formerly lay in the passage from the first to the second peak. The arete is excessively narrow, and at the gap between the two peaks there is an awkward drop of from 15 to 20 ft., which lands the traveller on what may be truly described as a knife-edge of hard-frozen snow, that bridges over the chasm. A wire rope iiistened to the rock now makes the descent easy and safe. A more direct and, on the whole, a more interesting way to ascend the Glockner is that from the side of the ROUTE B. — EXCURSIONS FROM HEILIGENBLUT. 241 Pasterze Glacier. The E. face of the i introduction to this section. In their highest peak appears, indeed, to be im- j work, entitled ' Untersuchungen iiber practicable, but the portion of the ridge ■ die physikali.sche G-eographle der below the Adlersruhe is less steep, and j Alpen,' the brothers Schlagintweit have a small glacier there fiiUs rapidly to- given the results of their laborious ex- warJs the Pasterze. Though the lower i amination of the Pasterze Glacier and the part of this glacier is steep, and in some seHSons a good deal crevassed, it does not oppose a serious obstacle to prac- tised ice-men. The course now pre- ferred by most mountaineers is to sleep at the Hoftniaiinshiirte, and then, cross- ing the main glacier, ascend to the Adlersruhe, and thence by the course above described to the summit. With the snow in good order active walkers have made the ascent in less than 4 hrs. from the hiitte. After cross- ing the snow bridge, the ascent of tne final peak is a mere bit of pleasant rock climbing. Everj traveller knows that the view from a peak 12,455 ft. in height, and with no loftier rival within more than 100 m., must be of almost boundless extent, but the view from the Glockner has the further advantage of showing a vast region which is im- perfectly known to ordinary travellers. The dolomite Alps, from the Marmolata to the Terglou, are amongst the most interesting objects ; westward the eye reaches to the Bernina ; northward, over the plain of Bavaria to the neighbour- hood of Eatisbon ; and to SE. to the mountains on the Bosnian frontier, fully 170 m. distant — the Klek, above Ogulin, S. of Karlstadt, being easily recognised. For such distant views, exceptionally favourable weather is, of course, the first requisite. The ascent of the Grossglockner is briefly recounted by the late Dr. Brin- ton, in the 2nd series of ' Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers.' A more detailed nar- rative will be found in Colonel v. Son- klar's pleasant volume, 'Reiseskizzenaus den Alpen und Karpathen,' and in Dr. Buthner's work, ' Aus den Tauern.' The reader who desires accurate infor- mation as to the topography and hypso- metry of this and other portions of the High Tauern range will refer to Son- klar's important work mentioned in the C. T. ] surrounding ranges ; but, unfortunately, that work and the accompanying map contain many errors of nomenclature, and some of their determinations of al- titude differ widely from the results subsequently obtained. The height given by them for the Grossglockner, derived from a single barometric observation, is 12,958 ft. That adopted by Sonklar, which is the mean of four closely con- cordant trigonometric observations, dif- fers by more than 500 ft. Of other expeditions from Heiligen- blut that may be recommended to prac- tised mountaineers, the ascent of the Brennkogel is noticed inRte. C; and the chief glacier passes are mentioned in that and the following Etes. For the ascent of the Hochnarr see § 52, Ete. B. The only excursion of any importance that remains to be noticed is the ascent of the Johannisherg (11,425'). This is the snow-clad cone seen in the back- ground from the Franz-Josephs-Hohe, and, from the neighbourhood of Heili- genblut, to the rt. of the Glockner range. The only account of the ascent known to the writer is that given by Dr. Euthner, save a brief notice in the travellers' book of the hotel at Heiligen- blut, of a previous ascent in 1844. The chief interest of the excursion lies in the experience that is gained of glacier scenery and glacier travelling in all its forms, and the view from the summit is remarkable rather for the vast tract of snow and glacier, that is seen on every side, than for the distant panorama. In these respects it appears to the wi-iter that the Mittel-Barenkopf is at least as ■well situated, while it is far more con- veniently accessible from Fusch than the Johannisberg from Heiligenblut. The way to the latter summit is by the steep and crevassed branch of the Pasterze Glacier that lies between the base of the Glocknerwand and tha 242 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. Klein-Burgstall, and then by the convex snow-covered ridge that descends from the summit towards the Klein-Burgstall. Of coiirse, the usual appliances and pre- cautions for high glacier expeditions should not be neglected. The local guides here are not sufficiently aware of the importance of the rope as a safe- guard. The main objection to this ex- pedition rises from the rather tedious return along the great glacier over the same course that had been taken in the ascent. There can be no doubt as to the possibility of effecting a pass from Hei- ligenblut to the head of the Stubachthal (Rte. H) by the Oedenwinkelscharte (10,473'), which is the lowest point in the ridge connecting the Johannisbei^ with the Schneewinkel, and the ascent of the former peak might well be taken on the way. Dr. Euthner passed a miserable night at the Wallnerhiitte, near the lower end of the Pasterze Gla- cier. Most travellers will prefer to start from Heiligenblut some 2 or 3 hrs. be- fore daybreak. To the botanist who may devote a few days to the neighbourhood of Heiligen- blut, a notice of the localities for some of the rarer species will be acceptable. The steep slope on the 1. side of the path, just below the lower end of the Pasterze Glacier, is called Die Marga- ritzen. Here may be found Juncus cas- ianeus, Tofieldia bo?'ealis, Kobresia cari- cina, Carex hicolor and C ttstulata, Festtcca Scheuchzeri, &e. The slopes on the NE. side of the Pasterze, and espe- cially the Gamsgrube, produce many of especial interest, e.g. Ranunculus pyre- ficBus, Braya aljnna, Draha ZahlhrucTc- neri, D. Johannis, and B. Wahlenhergii, Bianthus barbatus and B. glacidis, Phaca australis and P.frigida, Semper- vivumBraunii, Cineraria longifolia, Sa-us- svrea alpina and S. discolor, Leontodon Taraxaci, Soyeria tnontana, many forms of Hieracmm, Gent tana nana and G-. prostrata, Pedicularis asplenifoUa, An- drosace alpi?ia, Prinmla longiflora, Al- lium victoriale, Carex fuliginosa, C. Gebhardi, and G. clavceformis. On the Way towards the Hochthor (Rte. C), and on the slopes on either hand, are found Oxytropis triflara, Leontodon Ta- raxaci and Lomatogonium carinthiacmn, with other rare species. The last-named plant flowers about the beginning of September, and is scarcely to be detected at other seasons. Towards the head of the Leiterthal may bo gathered Eanuncultis rutaifolius, Viola pinnata, Lychnis alpina, &c. The localities here cited, and the ravine of the Fleiss, also produce many very rare mosses. The Apollo butterfly is common on the way to the Pasterze, and a great variety C'f alpine coleoptera will reward the re- search of the entomologist. Here, as elsewhere in the Alps, a varied flora in- dicates variety in the mineral structure of the surrounding ranges. The Gross- glockner and the adjoining ranges are now held by geologists to be composed of metamorphic rocks of palaeozoic age, which are distinguished from the crys- talline slates and gneiss, that prevail throughout the central range, by the presence of a larger proportion of lime and magnesia. There is a considerable outburst of serpentine on the N. side of Heiligenblut, and it seems to form part of the Glockner range. BOUTE C. — ST. WOLFGANG IN THE FUSCHER THAL. 243 EOUTE C. BRUCK, IN PINZGAU, TO HErLIGEXBLUT, BY THE FUSCHER THAL ASCENT OF THE VISCHBACHHORN. In the last Rte., the most frequented road for travellers who visit Heiligen- blut from the S. has been described. Of those who approach that place from the N. side, probably the larger number take the way by Gastein (§ 52, Ete. A), attracted by the European reputation of that fashionable watering-place ; but those who travel mainly to enjoy grand natural scenery will doubtless prefer the far more beautiful route through the Fuscher Thai, locally called die Fusck, which pours a copious torrent into the Salza, at Bruck (§ 50, Ete. A), in the Pinzgau. It has the advantage of offer- ing a variety of passes across the main chain to suit the taste and strength of different classes of travellers. Leaving the high-road at Bruck, the traveller crosses the bridge over the Salza, and keeps due S. along the rather rough road leading to the chief village of the valley. Some glimpses are gained of the glaciers of the Brennkogel, the summit of which is well seen from Bruck ; but there is no object of special interest in the space — about 1 hr. in a char, or 1|- hr. on foot — between that Tillage and Fnsch (2,631'), only 187 ft. above the bridge at Bruck. It has a very fair, though somewhat rustic, inn, but strangers are much better oflF at the baths. The village stands at the junc- tion of the Hirzbach with the main torrent. That torrent originates in a glacier on the N. declivity of the Hoch- tenn (11.059'), and, after flowing about 3 m. a little E. of N. to the Hirzbach- alp (5,633'), turns due E., and descends to Fusch, near which it forms a fine cascade. The Hirzhachthal contains much to interest the mineralogist and the botanist, and the scenery at its upper end is very fine. The road is just passable for light ve- hicles as far as Em-pachcr, about 2 m. I above Eusch, bxititis so rough that most j travellers prefer to walk. Those bound for the baths should prefer the very agi'ee- able path on the E. side of the valley, partly shaded by fine sycamores. This leads in 1| hr. to the baths at the hamlet of St. Wolfgang (3,750'), which is more generally known as FxiscTier Bad. St. Wolfgang stands at some height above, and nearly a mile E. of the main valley, at the lower end of the lateral glen of the Weichselbach. The baths have long been kno\vn, and a fine church formerly stood near to them. This, with the ancient bath-house and other buildings, were utterly destroyed by a great ava- lanche at the beginning of the last cen- tury. The present church was then built in a securer spot some way from the older edifice. Three buildings for the reception of guests are near at hand, all belonging to Gr. Mayer, who is an experienced chamois-hunter, and is well acquainted with the neighbouring Alps. Wlien these buildings are full, as sometimes happens in the height of summer, accommodation may be found in another house belonging to J. Holzer, better known as Euscher Hans. He is an excellent guide, and acquainted with the habitats of many rare plants. His daughter also follows the profession of guide. Besides those who resort to this place for the sake of the baths, usually as a sequel to the regular coiu'se of G-astein waters, it is in increasing favour with German tourists, either as head-quarters for Alpine excursions, or for the more tranquil enjoyment of the beautiful scenery of the neighbourhood. The preference shown to it is well deserved : for though no single peak here equals the Glockner, and no glacier approaches in beauty or extent the Pasterze, most mountaineers will prefer this for a pro- longed stay. The rock scenery of the upper valley is of the highest order, and the immediate neighbourhood is laid out with some regard to the enjoy- ment of visitors, while admirable points of view, in which the noble peak of the Yischbachhorn is the most prominent 2 244 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. object, are near at hand. The water of the mineral sprin^ is used both for ■warm baths and internally, and perhaps the beneficial effects experienced in cases of weak digestion and delicate nerves are not diminished by the fact that the mineral ingredients exist only in minute quantities. To the taste the water dif- fers in no respect from that of the purest spring. 31. Mayer, the Eadmeister, rents the shooting of the valley, and readily gives his guests permission to follow game, and to shoot at, and even to kill, chamois, if they can. The best guides here are Anton Hutter, Jakob Erlinger (otherwise Win- tinger), and the above-named Fuscher Hans. Among the many excursions to be made from the baths, it is enough to point out those most likely to interest travellers of various capacities. Those ■who cannot undertake more than a mere stroll may best ascend the Kasercck (o,24:o'). easily reached in li hr. It lies northward of the baths, and imme- diately overlooks the main valley of Fusch. A much more extensive pano- rama is gained from the KuhAahrJccypf (7,443'), NE. of St. Wolfgang, reached in 3 hrs. by an easy walk over Alpine pas^ tures. This is better suited for ladies than the ascent of the SchwarzJcopf {^,012'), which rises nearly due S. of the baths, exactly opposite the Vischbachhorn, and is the highest point in the range dividing Fusch from Eauris. There is no diffi- culty in the ascent, but a snow slope of some extent usually must be crossed, and the way, over shattered rocks, is in places very rough. The panorama is one of the finest to be gained from a summit of such moderate height, and decidedly superior to that from the G-amskahrkogel above Gastein (§ 52, Ete. A). The view from the Grosskoff (7,290') is not quite equal to that from the Kiihkahrkopf, but it lies convenient for the traveller taking the pass of the Weichselbachwand (§o2, Ete. B), andean be ascended ■wnth very little loss of tinip. The ascent of the Vischbachhorn, which I is for a practised mountaineer the most j attractive object in this valley, is noticed I lower down. Those who do not attempt I any of the glacier passes described be- j low should on no account fail to go as 1 far as the Trauner Alp, and visit the j adjoining glen of the Kaferthal. I Whichever route to Heiligenblut the traveller may intend to take, he muht follow the main valley for a distance of fully 2 hrs. above St. "Wolfgang. If he start from that place, he should take a path along the E. side of the Fuscher Thai, which at first keeps at a great height above the stream. It is narrow, rough in places, with many ups and dowus, but very agreeable, at times I enjoying the shade of fine old pine trees, at others commanding fine -views j of the snowy peaks at the head of the ; valley. It finally approaches the level of the Fuscher Ache, and crosses to the 1. bank, where it joins the ordinary J track from the village of Fusch, a short '\ way below [ Fcrleiten (3,772'), a hamlet ■^^th a few ! poor-lookirig houses. Formerly there I was no accommodation for strangers I except at the TauernJiaKs, a sort of I chalet inn which is to be found in most i of the valleys of this district at the i foot of each of the frequented passes I leading across the main chain. Of late ! years, an inn has been opened, which [ supplies tolerably good Cjuarters. There I have been some complaints of excessive i charges. The situation is very fine, i commanding grand views, and con- i venient for glacier excursions. The head of the Fuscher Thai is divided from that of the 31511 by the portion of the main chain extending from the Mittel- Barenkopf to the Brennkogel. (See description of the Easterze Glacier in last Ete.) Though it does not include any first-rate peak — the highest being the Fuscher Kahrkopf (10,957')— this opposes a formidable barrier between the adjoining valleys. It sinks at one point only — the Efan del sch arte — below the level of 9,000 ft., but that depression is guarded by a small glacier, and the only way practicable for beasts of bur^ ROUTE C. — PASS OF THE PFANDELSCHARTE, 245 den is liy traversing the ridge on the I X. side of the Brennkogel to the head, of one of the branches of the adjoining ■ valiey of Kauris, and thence reaching I Heiligenblut by the Hochthor pass. ' Prom the ]Mittel-Barenkopf, a very high ! range extends to NE., wliich culminates ' in the Vispachhorn, and divides the : upper part of Fusch from Kaprun. ! The passes leading from Ferleiten to j Heiligenblut are now to be noticed. 1. JJi/ the Fuschci' Thbrl and Hoch- thor, 7 to 8 hrs., exclusive of halts. — The path follows the 1. bank for about ^ hr. above Ferleiten; and, on reaching the first group of Mitten, crosses the main torrent, and commences the ascent to the Fuseher Thorl. It should be remembered that no house of any kind is passed between this point and Heiligenblut, and the prudent traveller will carr}^ some provisions for the jour- ney. The slope is rather steep, but the path makes many windings, and is not easily missed. Half-way in the ascent is the Petersbrunnen (7,014'), an excel- lent spring. Beyond it, the ascent is more gentle, and in 3 hrs. from the point where he leaves the torrent, the traveller reaches the summit of the Fuseher Thbrl (7,998'). Throughout the ascent, and at last from the summit, | the traveller is often tempted to turn i round and enjoy the grand views of tlie snowy peaks which he leaves behind him, and on this account this pass is taken to much more advantage from the Heiligenblut side. It lies on the Is. side of the Brennkogel, and crosses the range that divides Kauris from Fusch. An outline sketch of the view from the summit is given in the ' Jahr- buch of the Austrian Alpine Club for 1867.' The traveller must beware of de- scending from the Thorl to SE., along the course of a little stream that flows into the head of the Seidelwinkelthal (§ 62, Kte. B). His true direction lies ne irly due S., along the stony slopes E. of the Brennkogel. The path at first descends a little, but remounts nearly to the level of the Fuseher Thorl before it is joined by the path from Kauris, passing, on the way, a cleft in the rocks called Mitter Thorl. At most seasons of the year, considerable snow slopes lie on the N. side of the Hochthor ; but in autumn these nearly disappear. The guides point out a place where a pro- cession of pilgrims, going from Fusch to Heiligenblut on June 28, were sur- prised by a snow-storm, accompanied by piercing wind, and all but two were frozen to death. Posts are placed at short intervals, to mark the path when it is concealed by snow. About H hr. from the Fuseher Thorl, or oi hrs. from Fer- leiten, the traveller reaches the Hochthor (8,0.51'), the easiest and most frequented pass over this part of the main range. On the S. side, Alpine pastures extend nearly to the summit, and the botanist will find many inter- esting plants (see last Kte.). The descent is at first gentle, gradually in- creasing in steepness. The view, which was not extensive as long as the track lay at the head of the Seidelwinkelthal, now opens over a wide range of distant peaks, in which those of the Schober group are the most prominent. About 1 hr. below the summit, the Gross- gloekner is for the first time uncovered, and no true mountaineer can behold that beautiful peak without longing to attain its summit. Amid very pleasing scenery, the sinuous path descends to Heiligenblut (described in the last Kte.). 2. By the Tfandclscharte. — Under ordinary circumstances, 7 hrs., exclusive of halts, from Ferleiten, is amply suffi- cient ; but, -with fresh and soft snow, another hour should be allowed. The local estimate of 1 1 hrs. from St. "Wolf- gang to Heiligenblut is certainly ex- cessive. The pass of the Pfaudelscharte and the small glacier leading to it are almost constantly in view as the tra- veller ascends to the valley above Fer- leiten, and, in clear weather, the prac- tised mountaineer has no need of a local guide for this pass. He should take care not to approach too near a spot where masses of ice fall from a higher level on the glacier near the 24G CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. point where he first enters on it. Cross- i ing the stream of the Fuseher Ache by j the same bridge that leads to the Fu- t^cber Thcirl, the broad track, passable for carts that carry cheese down to Bruck, ascends gradually along the E. side of ' tiie valley — the views of the grand rock | scenery opposite constantly increasing | in beauty — till the traveller, in l^- hr. 1 from Ferleiten, reaches the Trauncr ■. Alp (4,948'). The Sennhiitte here, be- i longing to the innkeeper, Trauner "Wirth, | in Hundsdorf, near Bruck, is a large j establishment, very superior to ordinary ' chalets, and would be found a good stop- 1 ping-place for the night by a traveller | intent on a glacier expedition. Imme- ' diately "W. of the Alp opens the grand rocky glen of the Kciferthal, in which ; Dr. Euthner counted fourteen water- j f;ills of the Staubbach family. The range at the head of the Fusch Valley, over \ which the traveller seeks a passage to j Heiligenblut, extends nearly due east- | ward from the Fv.scher KahrJcopf (10,9o7') to the Brcnnlcogd (9,895'), the chief summits (reckoned from "W. to E.) being*;he5met/x7ZcfA-( 10,733') and 6^G//i.s- knhrkapf (9,349'), then the adjoining pf^aks of the Spillmann (9,959') and Klohen (10,011'), which are connected I by a high snow plat'^au with the Brenn- ; kogel. The Pfandelscharte lies W. of I the latter peaks, dividing them from ; the Gamskahrkopf. The soutliern and highest summit of this latter mountain | is sometimes called Barenkopf ; but, as j there are already four adjoining peaks \ bearing that name, it is highly desirable that it should be laid aside. Going at ; a moderatf^ pace, 1^ hr. (or 3 hrs. ; from Ferleiten) suffice for the ascent from the Trauner Alp to the point \ ■where it is expedient to enter on the glacier, which is called Schartenkees. ! With moderate care, there is neither j risk nor difficulty in the passage. To the 1., a secondary glacier descends , from the flanks of the Kloben, and : masse.? of ice from above occasionally fall. The fragments seen on the glacier fihow the places which ought to be \ avoided. Towards the summit the ice ! gives place to neve, which is easily tra- versed, as crevasses appear to be few and narrow. The slope diminishes in steepness, and the channel of the glacier, which has been confined between a range of rocks belonging to the Spillmann on the 1., and another from the Gams- karkopf on the rt., opens out to the S., as the traveller attains the summit of the Vfandchcharte, 8,817 ft. above the sea, in 2^ hrs. from the Trauner Alp. The view from the top of the pass is confined, and it is advisable to descend at least \ hr., bearing towards the slopes of turf on the rt. of the glacier, in order the better to enjoy the admir- able view of the Glockner range and the great Pasterze Glacier, which is no- where else seen to greater advantage. The active traveller, who has started in time from Ferleiten, or even from St. "Wolfgang, may find time to make the slight detour to the Johannishiitte, but most travellers content themselves with what they see without leaving the direct way. The faintly marked track descends by the rt. bank of the torrent, sometimes called Pfandelbach, some- times Schartenbaeh. passing the Schaf- lochhiitte, to the Wallnerhiitte, where the traveller joins the beaten track leading from the Pasterze Glacier to Heiligenblut. That village is easily reached in Z\ or Z\ hrs. from the sum- mit. In fine weather, this pass, which is practicable for all per.sons moderately used to mountain excursions, offirs two of the finest views in this region, and deserves to be reckoned among the finest in the Alps. 3. By the Bockkahrscharte, 8 hrs. from Ferleiten. — Although it is difficult to overrate the attractions of the Pfandel- scharte Pass, many mountaineers will prefer a route leading more directly through the heart of the great mass of glacier Ipng between the 3Ioll, Fusch, and Kaprun valleys. From the Fusch side, this must be approached by either of the considerable glaciers that descend into the K'dferthal, which has been al- ready mentioned as the highest SW. ROUTE C. PASS OF THE BOCKKAHRSCHARTE. 247 branch of the Fuscher Thai, and is often visited by tourists from the baths of St. Wolfgang. To make the description of the route more clear, it is necessary to refer to the great range extending NNE. from the Mittel-Barenkopf between Fusch and Kaprun, whose peaks exceed in height those of the adjoining portion of the main range. It will be seen by re- ference to the maps of Keil or Sonklar that this is a chain whose separate links are disposed in a direction transverse to itself, the chief summits being arranged in pairs, connected by four short parallel ridges, running WNW. to ESE. Be- ginning at the end nearest the main range, we have first the ridge connecting the Gross-Bdrenkoirf (11,470') with the Hohe Dock (10,909'); next that joining the Glockerin (11,356') with the Brat- schenkopf{ 11,126"); followed by the less defined ridge which terminates towards Kaprun in the Fochezkogel (10,118'), and towards Fusch in the great peak of the V-ischbachhor?i {11,7 S8'); and finally that connecting the Klem- Vischbackhorn (10,790') with the Sandbode7ikogel. A promontory extending northward from the Klein-Vischbachhorn includes the peaks of the Hochtenu (11,059') and the Braehkopf {1Q,QW)- As the southernmost of the ridges here mentioned is much higher than the pa- rallel portion of the main range between the Mittel-Barenkopf and the Breitkopf, it was long believed that the former con- stituted the NW. limit of the neve-basin of the Pasterze; and on Schlagintweit's and other maps that glacier is made to extend to the foot of the Hohe Dock. Through recent explorations, especially those of Dr. Euthner and M. F. Keil, a considerable glacier, fully 2 m. in length, lying between the main range and the Hohe Dock ridge, has been made known and mapped. This is the Bockkahrkees. Descending to ESE. by the N. side of the Breitkopf (10,320')— also called Bockkahrkopf — it meets the Fuscher Kahrkees,\f\u.c\\ flows to NNE., by the E. side of the same summit, and the united ice-streams descend into the head of the Kaferthal in a fine ice-fall, known as the Wasserfall-Glctscher, where it reaches the level of 6,194 ft. The name is de- rived from the many waterfalls fed from the upper level of the glacier that fall over the rocks into the Kaferthal. It was supposed in Fusch that the AYas- serfall - Gletscher and both its upper branches were impassable, but Mr. Tuckett, with Christian Aimer, in the course of an expedition made in bad weather in 1866, being misled by a local guide in a sno«'-storm, proved the pos- sibility of traversing both the Bockkahr- kees and the Fuscher Kahrkees. Having ascended by the latter to the F^ischer Kah7-scharte (9, 4:36'), they passed by the W. side of the Breitkopf to the Bock- kahrscharte, descended the Bockkahrkees nearly to the junction of the two glaciers, and, having thus lost 4 hrs., reascended to the Fuscher Kahrscharte, and thence descended to Heiligeublut, The course described by Dr. Euthner — the most persevering and successful explorer of this district — under the guidance of Eoderer, an excellent local guide, now deceased, is probably a little longer, but appears to the writer to promise more variety and interest. Keeping constantly to the path along the 1. bank of the Fuscher Ache, and ascending the slope on the rt. hand as it approaches the opening of the Kaferthal, the traveller reaches in 1^ hr. from Fer- leiten the Judenalp, lying just opposite to the Trauner Alp, mentioned above on the way to the Pfandelscharte. Above the Judenalp, the W. declivity of the Fuscher Thai rises in very steep slopes, intersected by transverse bands of still steeper rock. To the NW. these slopes lead up to the base of the precipices that miist be climbed in the ascent of the Vischbachhorn ; due W. they lead up to the Etniskopf, which is connected with the base of the Hohe Dock by a ridge called Eemsschartel. The S. face of the Hohe Dock shows towards the glacier a range of formidably high and steep precipices, intersected transversely by a ledge covered with lo se debris. Along this a man with sure foot and steady head may pass without difficulty, 248 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS ^51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. but the unpractised traveller 7night find it danjrerous. The length of this ledge, known to the hunters of the valley as the Hoy. Gang, is counted as | hr., or about a mile. At its W. end it gradu- j ally approaches the level of the glacier I at a point far above the ice-fall. Here, j by a short descent over debris, and with | some trouble from lateral crevasses, the traveller enters on tJie glacier, and tra- \ verses it in a SW. direction to the de- i pression of the Bock/cohrscharte (9,991'). A few ft. above the lowest point, and on the 1. hand, are some bare rocks at the W. base of the Breitkopf, which afford a pleasant halting-place, whence the traveller may survev the surrounding glaciers. Of distant view, there is little to be seen. He wdll at once perceive that he has entered on the neve-basin of that eastern branch of the Pasterze G-lacier which joins the main stream on | the SE. side of the Gross-Burgstall (as j described in the last Rte.); while the j main neve-basin of the Pasterze is sepa- i rated by an ice-covered ridge — a mere | convexity in the surface of the upper j glacier — that extends NXE. from the Hohen Burgstall. At the point where that ridge intersects the main range, ^STW. of the Bockkahrscharte, this rises into a slightly projecting eminence called the Emrandbiihl (10,395'). In the de- scent from the Scharte, it is best to keep to the 1. under the slope of the Breitkopf, and then, leaving on one side the Fus- cher Kahrscharte, along the W. base of the Puscherkahrkopf. There are many concealed crevasses, and the rope should not be cast aside till the glacier is left high above its junction with the main stream. Descending the slopes of the Gamsgrube, the traveller reaches the Johannishiitte in about -ii hrs. from the Judenalp, and thence descends by the ordinary way to Heiligenblut. Inasmuch as the object of choosing this route is to obtain a thorough ac- quaintance with the great glacier region rf the Bockkahr and upper Pasterze, it appears that this would be more com- pletely attained by crossing the main range near the head of the Bockkahrkees. It is likely that this may be effected by the 8E. side of the Mittel-Barenkopf ; and if time permit the ascent of the latter summit, where the frontier of Carinthia meets the valleys of Fusch and Kaprun, the view cannot fail to offer much inte- rest. The easiest way thence would doubtless be by the X. side of the Hohen BurgstdU, crossing the E. branch of the Pasterze to the slopes of the Gamsgrubf, but in the early summer experienced ice-men may cut their way down the great upper ice-f;ill of the Pasterze, be- tween the Klein- and Grross-Burgstall, as did Mr. Tuckett's party in 1865, with P. Devouassoud and Peter Michel as guides. It will be seen from what is said above that the Fuscher Kahrscharte is to be added to the list of passes leading from Fusch to Heiligenblut. When better known, it will probably be found little longer than the Pfandelscharte. In addition to the list of passes properly so called, the mountaineer, in favourable weather, may also include among possi- ble routes that over the summit of the Brennkogd (9,895'). Of late years this has become a common excursion ; it is no way difficult for anyone moderately used to mountain walking, and is but little longer than the way over the Fu- scher Thorl and Hochthor. The shortest way to reach the summit is by the ridge that mounts to it from the Fuscher Thorl, but this involves some stiff scrambling ; and the more usual andeasier way is by the slopes above the Mitter Thorl, about half-way between the Fuscher Thorl and Hochthor. From the summit, which is formed of shattered rocks, a very fine view is obtained of the peaks enclosing the Pasterze Glacier, and those of the Fuscherkamm, but to SSW. the pano- rama is interrupted by the somewhat higher summits of the Bacherin (10,158') 'ji.vAKaseroclclcopfi^.^1^'), which form a short ridge (parallel to the 3Iollthal), that here rises between the head of that val- ley and the main range. A rather con- siderable glacier, fed by the snows of the Brennkogel and the adjoining peak of the Kloben, flows northward on the ROUTE C. ASCENT OF THE VISCHBACHIIOnN. 249 W. side of the rid<;e leading to the Fu- scher Thorl; and another, less consider- able, originates on the 8. side of the ridge connecting the Brennkogel with the Spiilmann. The latter is drained through the narrow glen of the Giitthal, which runs due S. towards the Moll. After joining the Tauernbach, that descends from the Hoehthor, this torrent joins the main stream at Winkel, above Heili- genbhit, where it is crossed by touris;s on the way to the Pasterze Glacier. Tlirough the Gutthal lies the way from the Brennkogel to Heiligenblut, It is better not to descend due S. into the head of the glen, but to bear a little to the 1., and pass along the W, side of the Brettersee, a tarn whose^stream joins that of the Gutthal. Following the 1. bank of the torrent, the highest alp in that glen is reached, and then the track to the 1. is taken, which crosses the Tauernbach above its junction with the Gutihal. Immediately beyond it is the Muriahilf- Kapelle (5,197'). where the traveller joins the bridle-track from the Hoehthor to Heiligenblut. The mountaineer who does not object to a stiff scramble, and to add fully 1 hr. to his day's walk, may well follow the example of Dr. Euthner, and take the summit of the Kloben on his way from FerleHen to the Brennkogel. The way is \,y the Trauner Alp and the track mounting thence to the Pfandel- scharte (see above). Bearing to the 1., the traveller enters a ravine, and then ascends a long and steep slope, called the Schwarze Leiter. The crumbling nature of the rock — a calcareous mica- schist — makes this rather difficult, and even dangerous, for unpractised climbers. After gaining the ridge, he follows it eastward to the peak of the Klohcn (10,011 '). Though surrounded on every side by glacier or snow-slopes, the sum- mit is covered with vegetation, which here reaches an unusual height. In 1857, owing to the unusual heat of the season, a ridge of rock lying somewhat S. of E. from the summit was stripped of the snow which had long concealed it, and the process was repeated in 1859. Here, at 9,580 ft. above the sea, were found the ruins of a miner's hut (Knap- jjcnhaus), with the opening of two shafts, and a quantity of iron-ore that had been extracted. Among the ruin;?. Dr. Euth- ner found fragments of cloth clothing, and several large bones, but he failed to ascertain whether these were human re- mains. It is most i:)robab]e that thi.s was one of the many spots in this part of the Alps where gold has been extracted ; but though most of these are well known, no record or local tradition re- lating to a mine on the Kloben has been discovered. The fact s must be reckoned among the numerous evidences of an increasing accumulation of snow in the higher regions of the Alps during the last 300 or 400 years. The mine, as well as the summit of the Kloben, He on the N. side of the dividing range, which passes from the summit of the Spiilmann to that of the Brennkogel. Before closing the account of the Fu- scher Thai, it is necessary to add a short notice of the ascent of the Vischhachhom (11,738') — perhaps more correctly writ- ten Wiesbachhmm ; but we follow the local pronunciation. This is not only the highest peak of the Fusch range, but one of the highest and noblest in the Eastern Alps ; the only one which by its extreme steepness and the boldness of its form maintains an imposing ap- pearance as seen from the summit of the Grossglockner. On the Fuscher Thai side, it shows ranges of formidably steep precipices, surrounded by glaciers lying on the upper shelves of the mountain, that are broken at their lower end into threatening crags of flue ice. The as- cent may in many respects be compared to that of the Finsteraarhorn, to which mountain it bears much resemblance, save that: instead of rising on either side above surrounding glaciers, it pluncjes its roots into the comparatively deep valleys of Fusch and Kaprun, whence it rises very abruptly through a vertical height of about 7,000 ft. The first ascent was made some fifty years ago by hunters of the valley; the second, in 1841, by Prince Schwarzenberg, Car- 250 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. dinal Archbishop of Salzburg. The third, by Dr. Ruthner and Count D. Andrassy, -nras effected in 1854, and is recounted by the former in his often- quoted work, * Aus den Tauern.' The place in the Fuscher Thai nearest the base of the mountain is the Vogallalp, about ^ hr. above Ferleiten ; but as it is necessary to attack the peak from the S. side, it has been found expedient to pass the night at the Judenalp, some miles farther up, on the N. side of the entrance to the Kaferthal. The main peak falls in nearly vertical cliffs towards the valley, and sends out to NE. a rather long ridge, whose SE. face of bare rock appears absolutely inaccessi- ble ; while its northern slope sustains a glacier called Sajidhodenkecs, which ap- pears no less hopeless. To the S. of the highest peak is seen the Bratschenkopf (11,126'), which is in fact the ESE. end of a ridge whose "WNW. summit is the Glockerin (11,356'). The outlet of the great snow-basin between this ridge and the highest part of the mountain is by a glacier called TeufelsmuMkees\ which, on reaching the verge of the precipices facing the Fuscher Thai, breaks away so as to form a range of high ice cliffs. Although the precipices on the E. side of the Bratschenkopf are very high and extremely steep, they are passable to a mountaineer with a perfectly steady head, accustomed- to stiff rock climbing. Having attained a considerable height above the final ice-fall of the Teufels- miihlkees, that glacier may be traversed with little difficulty ; and by this, and by steep snow-slopes above it, the base of the final arete is reached. This mounts NXE. to the highest peak, and is apparently neither so steep nor so narrow as that of the Glockner. The ahe main valley, where the tor- rent of the Kaiser Thai (Rte. H) enters it from the NNE. Up to this point, the road ascending the valley has kept a NW. direction, and the slope has been insensible. Here it turns a little to the rt., about NNW., and begins to mount rather more steeply through the much narrower valley, which gradually con- tracts to a defile, but soon opens again into a comparatively wide basin, backed by the Ki-ystallkcypf (9,859'), which is the easternmost summit of the Eicham range dividing Virgen from Frosnitz, and the more distant WildenJcogel (9.900'), rising N. of the Frosnitzthal. In the midst of this picturesque basin, over- looked by the old castle of Weissenstein, stands Windisch-Matrey (3,237'), the chief place in the Iselthal, with a good inn (Rauterer's), which may serve as head- quarters for excursions among the neighbouring valleys. As the name expresses, this place was originally founded by a Slavonic (Wendisch) tribe, who were, perhaps, allowed to settle here when the Germanic population, under the Boyoar dukes, successfully resisted the onward tide of Slavonic invasion, through the Drave valley, in the seventh century. L. Stocker, Joh. Kraissler, and Andra Eder are recommended as guides for the neighbouring passes. Due W. of Matrey is the opening of the Virgenthal (Rte. Gr), which drains the S. side of all the highest peaks of the Venediger group, and is to the moun- taineer the most attractive of the tri- butary valleys of the Iselthal. In the opposite direction mounts the path that leads eastwards from Matrey to Kals, described in Rte. I. Above Matrey, tlie name Isel is preserved by the torrent that flows from the Virgenthal, and justly so, as it is the most copious branch of the stream ; but the writer agrees with Sonklar in regarding as the main branch of the valley that which leads to the Velber Tauern. It is not, perhaps, an unimportant fact that the deepest depression in the range of the High Tauern should correspond with the head of the principal valley on the S. side of that range. The northern branch of the valley, described below, is locally best known by the desig- nation Tauern thai, though the upper end is also called Gschlossthal. [The antiquary should on no account omit to visit two ancient churches in this neighbourhood. That of St. Nicho- las, on the S. side of the Isel, at the opening of the Virgenthal, is easily reached in ^ hr. from Windisch-Matrey. The building suffered from an earthr quake in the seventeenth, and from a fire in the eighteenth century. The E. end dates from the firsthalf of the fourteenth century, and was built over a crypt of perhaps still earlier date. In this part of the building, now used as a belfry and con- siderably lower than the pavement of the 256 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. modern church, are the n mains of some very curious frescoes in Byzantine style, the greater part of which are apparently still concealed by the -svhite-wash •which was laid over them at the time of the rebuilding of the church, and may pro- bal'ly be still removed. Of still grf-ater interest is the church of Obcr-Mauer, about half-way to Pregratten (Kte. G). This is also very ancient, but repaired or altered at various subsequent periods. Outside, the most remarkable feature is the complete absence of windows on the N. side. This is explained on entering the church by the fact that the entire wall on that side is covered by paintings in fresco, which evidently date from the earliest period of German art. On one of the most ancient. Prof. Fenzl, who has given a notice of these churches in the 'Mittheilungen of the Austrian Al- pine Club for 1S63,' traced the date U-16, while others may probably belong to the latter part of the fifteenth century. Of greater artistic merit are other frescoes in the same church, especially a votive picture on the S, side near the high altar.] The char-road ends at Windisch-Mat- rey, and soon after leaving that place, the Tauernthal gradually narrows until, after passing Proseck (3,578'), it becomes a mere defile, through which the track keeps to the rt. bank until, after passing opposite a fine waterfall of the Steiner- bach, it crosses to the opposite side of the Tauernbach. The valley opens a little at the junction of the fine lateral glen of Prosnitz, noticed in the next Ete. ; but the path keeps to the 1. bank until about ^ ra. beyond the entrance of that glen, when it returns for a short time to the W. side of the torrent, but before long — at the junction of the Petersbach— for the last time recrosses that stream. Thenceforth, till it reaches the Tauernhaus, it remains on the E. side of the valley. Rather more than 2| hrs. from Matrey, the traveller reaches the Landecksacre (4,219'), where the torrent from the LandecJdhal, after rushing through a narrow cleft, descends in a waterfall to the level of the main valley. [Through the Landeckthal lies a very unfrequented way to the W. branch of the Stubachthal (Rte. H) over the Ocdscharte (about 8,300'?), on the E. side of the LandeckAopf (9,439'). The passage is said to be difficult and dangerous, owing to the crevassed con- dition of a small glacier that must be traversed.] Here the Tauernthal, which had bent aside to the N., resumes its NNW. direction, and the track leads in less than H hr. to the Matrey ir Tauernhaus (4,957')? where refreshments, and, in case of need, rough accommodation for the night may be found. In fine weather, a guide over the Velber Tauern is not required hy anyone well used to mountain walking, but when clouds lie low, the track may easily be missed. At first the path keeps parallel to the main torrent, cross- ing the Meselinbach — a stream that descends from the NE. close to the Tauernhaus — but it soon leaves on the 1. hand the cattle-track that goes nearly due W. to the Gschlossalp (see next Rte.), and begins to mount diagonally in a NW. direction till it approaches the streamlet that descends from the Velber Tauern. Here the course bends round to NE., parallel to that streamlet, and at some height above its 1. bank, and finally turns nearly due N. Two huts, intended as refuges for travellers, are passed on the way, at the higher of which {\ hr. below the summit) a store of firewood is kept to relieve those who attempt the passage in inclement weather. During the ascent, the traveller gains fine views of the great Schlaten Glacier, and enjoys a distant prospect both to N. and S. on attaining the summit of the Velber Tanern (8,024'), in about 3 hrs. from the Matreyer Tauernhaus. The scenery of the head of the Velber Thai, through which lies the way to ]\Iittersill, is impressive from its extreme wildness. Blocks of hornblende slate, intermixed with patches of snow, cover the slopes, and small dark tarns lie in the hollows, while on the W. side the sombre rocks of the Freiwand, terminating in the peak ROUTE F. — WIXDISCH-MATREY TO THE PINZGAU. 257 of the Taiiernkogd (9,790') enhance the stern effect of the whole. A rapid de- scent leads down to a little level marshy space called — like many similar spots in the Tauern Alps — Nassfeld. Lower down, the track passes at some height above the E. side of the Hmtersee (4,354'), a comparatively large lake, said to have been caused by a Bergfall at the time of the earthquake of 1495, which was severely felt in this part of the Alpine chain. Numerous torrents, de- scending the steep walls of the valley in brawling cataracts, converge towards the basin of the lake. Henceforward the track descends gently along the rt. bank of the Velber Bach to the upper Tauem- haus, called Spital. Better accommoda- tion, how'ever, is found at Schosswend (3,537'), about 20 min. lower down, on the 1. bank of the torrent. This, which is also known as the Vorder-Tauernhaus, offers the best accommodation between 3Iatrey and Mittersill, Half an hour's walk below Schosswend, the torrent joins a rather more considerable stream that issues from the E. branch of the Velber Thai — locally called Ammerthal, or more commonly, die Oed. Some way below the junction, the path, which since Schoss- wend has followed the 1. bank, crosses to the opposite side of the valley, and for some miles lies over a nearly level tract, part of which appears to be the bed of an ancient filled-up lake. The path keeps near to the main torrent, which is crossed three times before it finally descends into the valley of the Salza. At its mouth the Velber Thai appears to be barred across by a transverse ridge, partly cut through by the torrent, which at last descends, in a leap of nearly 300 feet, to the level of the Pinzgau. In the angle between the Salza and the Velber Bach stands Mittersill (§50, Rte. A). The way from the Matreyer Tauernhaus to the head of the Velber Thai may be varied by taking the now abandoned track of the Alte Tauern, lying about ^ m. E. of the pass above described. From the Tauernhaus the way mounts NE., by the 1. bank of the Meselinhach. till it reaches a tarn called Grimer See. Here the course turns to NNW., and, after passinganother Alpine lake, ascends over slopes of debris to a little glacier that covers the ridge. The course was for- merly marked by poles, but some caution is needed, as there are some concealed crevasses, which led to the abandonment of this route. A more interesting, but perhaps diffi- cult, pass may probably be effected from the Griiner See to the head of the Am- merthal, or E. branch of the Velber Thai, on either side of the Thorlkopf (9,583'). The scenery of that glen, which may be visited from Mittersill or Schosswend, is said to be very fine, and it offers many attractions to the botanist. EOUTE F. WIXDISCH-MATREY TO NEUKIRCHEX, OR WAXD, IN PINZGAU. ASCENT OF THE GROSSVENEDIGER. In the last Rte. was described the easiest and most direct way for a tra- veller wishing to reach the Pinzgau from Lienz, but, if moderately favoured by weather, the lover of fine scenery will scarcely be content to pass near to 258 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. a considerable glacier region without gaining a further glimpse of it than he may do in the ascent of the Velber Tauern. For the practised mountaineer, there is a choice among various passes by which the Pinzgau may be reached in two days from Lienz, but as none of these can be descri'ied as easy, the ordinary tourist may content himself with a visit to Gschloss and the Frosnitzthal, and then explore the southern glaciers of the Venediger group from the Virgenthal. A few notes on the topography of the district may be useful, nay, even essen- tial, to those who do not possess one or other of the maps named in the intro- duction to this section. In regard to the nomenclature of some summits and ' passes, and slight topographical de- j tails, there are dififerences between F. | Keil's more highly finished map, pub- j lished in the ' Jahrbuch of the Austrian j Alpine Club for 1866,' and Sonklar's i map on a smaller scale, annexed to his i ' Hohe Tauern.' The writer has followed \ the one or the other according as the ; author appears to be supported by direct | observation on the spot. j It was remarked in the introduction to j this section that the western portion of I the High Tauern range, which culminates \ in the Grossvenediger, extends about 14 m. EXE. from the Dreiherrnspitz to the Velber Tauern, between the basin of the Salza and that of the Isel, and, in the opposite direction, for about 16 m. WSW. from the same peak, dividing the Ahrenthal from the western affluents of the Isel. From the neighbourhood of the Drei- herrnspitz and the Grossvenediger, but especially from the latter, numerous ac- cessory ridges, rivalling in height the i peaks of the main range, diverge to NNW. towards the Salza, or in the op- posite direction towards the Virgenthal, and hence it happens that the confor- mation of this group is very favourable to the formation of considerable glaciers, but not so to that of prominent peaks. Although the actual summit of the Gross- Tenediger is a very sharp ridge, the i peak is only the highest central summit i out of many surrounding rivals, one or other of which may easily be taken for it when seen from different sides. But on the other hand, few mountains of such moderate height display so ample an ice-mantle. From the peak, and its closely adjoining subordinate summits, no less than nine great glaciers descend into the surrounding valleys. Most of the higher summits of this group appear to be accessible without much difficulty, and the practised mountaineer -n-ill find here scope for many new excursions, al- though M. F. Keil, Prof. Simony, and other Austrian mountaineers have al- ready done much towards its thorough exploration. Under the present heading, the expeditions are briefly noticed that may be made by a mountaineer wishing to cross to the Upper Pinzgau from the Isel-Tauernthal. It will be remarked that no less than four valleys descend from the main range towards thp Salza between the Velber Thai and the Krimm- ler Thai. It is most probable that, when the range is more fully known, each of these will offer at least one practicable pass to the mountaineer, but as these are «till imperfectly known, we give precedence to that which is likely to at- tract the larger number of travellers — the way over the summit of the Gross- venediger (12.053'). Though it appears certain that the high- est peak was reached at the end of the last century, the mountain was in the neigh- bouring valleys supposed inaccessible, and its reputation was confirmed by an accident which happened in 1828, when the late Archduke John attempted the ascent, and one of his guides was carried down a steep incline by an avalanche. In 1841, the summit was at- tained by MM. Lasser, Euthner, Graven- egg, and a numerous party from the Pinzgau, who ascended from the Obersiilz- bachthal. A much shorter and easier way from the S. side has since been frequently followed (see Ere. G), and another equally easy route has more recently been found from the Gschloss Alp at the head of the Isel-Tauernthal. The summit is the meeting-point of ROUTE F. — SCHLATEN GLACIER. 259 three rirlges that connect it with as many neighbouring peaks. One of these extends ENE. to the Klemvenediger (11,649'), another SE. to the Raincrhoni (11.703'), -while the third, after sinking to the Dorfer Sulzbach-Thorl (9,438'), rises again to the peak of the Gross- Geiger (10,915'). The highest ridge, ■which is almost precipitous towards the N. and NW., seems to be accessible only by the EXE. or SE. ridges above men- tioned. Owing to the sharpness of the highest ridge, the snow accumidates there so as to form an overhanging cornice, which, becoming over-heavy, breaks away at intervals of three or four years. Hence the actual summit is at times positively unsafe, and is never a com- fortable resting-place for the traveller who loves to spread his maps, and study at his ease the topography of the sur- rounding region. In other respects, the mountain is singularly easy of access. In describing the path over the Velber Tauern (see last Ete.), it was mentioned that above the Tauernhaus the head of the Tauernthal turns westward towards the base of the Grossveuediger. Fol- lowing the upward path along the N. side of the Tauernbach, after passing a narrow place in the valley where the ascent is somewhat steeper, the traveller, having surmounted this last thalstufe,m about f hr. enters the uppermost basin, wherein stand the Sennhiitten of Gsckloss, clustered in two groups, of which the farther — called Inner- G-schloss — is 5,423 ft. above the sea. At the Birnbaumer Hiitte, the travel- ler finds better accommodation than usual in such places, when it is not already occupied by tourists, or by citizens of Lienz, who come in hot weather to enjoy the pure air and grand scenery. This, in truth, is of a high order. The head of the valley is closed by the Schlaten Glacier — except- ing only the Pasterze, the greatest ice- stream of the Tauern range — seen from its uppermost head under the summit of theGrrossvenediger to its base, which reaches a lower level than any in the Eastern Alps, being only 117 ft. above Inner-Gschloss. To the rt. of the highest peak is seen the Kleinvenedi^er, and to the 1. the Hoher Zaun (11,439'), or Krystallkopf of Keil's map. The glacier is guarded on its 1. flank by the conical rocky summit of the Kes- sclkopf (9,448'), and on the N. side of this, not seen from Gschloss, another considerable ice-stream — the Villragcn Glacier — reaches the level of the valley. This originates on the KE. side of the lOeinvenediger, and is divided from the Unter-Sulzbach Glacier by the ridge connecting that peak with the Hohe Fiirl eg (11,114'), and receives tributaries from the ridge eastward of the latter peak that divides the basin of the Isel trom the Habachthal. In his often-cited work, Sonklar mentions some ciirious particulars respecting the structure of this glacier, and states that, at the time of his visit, it had advanced within a few years no less than one-third of a mile, leaving only a short space intervening between its lower end and that of the Schlaten Glacier, Gschloss being, to the lover of nature, one of the most attractive spots in this district, it may be hoped that a mountain inn may, before long, be opened here, which will, doubtless, become a favourite resort of travellers. The best point of view in the neighbourhood is the JRothe Sael (9,728'), an eminence in the range di\-iding this from the Hollersbachthal, easily reached in 3| hrs, Eather more difficult of access is the Wildefikogd (9,901'), rising S, of Gschloss, the highest point in the range dividing it from Fros- nitz. [The traveller who may visit Gschloss fi-omWindisch-Matrey,without intending to cross the main range, should visit the Frosnitzthal either in going or returning. It offers much fine scenery, especially at the upper end, where the Frosnitz Glacier descends from a high semicircular basin enclosed by the Krystalhcand (10,831'), the Klcxerho]if{\ 1 ,021'), and the Hinicr- Eichamspitz (10,836'). The path to it leaves that leading from "Windisch-Mat- rey to the Tauernhaiis (last Ete.) about 1| hr. above the former place, and crosses 2 260 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51- GROSSGLOCKNER DISTRICT. the Tauernbach, to the hamlet of Grubcn, just above the junction of the Frosnitz torrent. The path ascends westward very gently along the 1. bank of the tor- rent to a considerable group of Senn- hiitten, standing about l^- hr. from Gruben. Sere the valley turns north- ward, and a steep ascent leads to the upper basin, where the pastures of the Frosnitz Alp surround the lower ex- tremity of the glacier. Ascending to NXW., the traveller may reach the Lobben-Thbrl (9,156'), a depression in the ridge connecting the Krystallwand with the Wildenkogel, and descend thence to G-schloss. The pass is said not to be very easy, and it would be prudent to take a local guide.] Host of those who have ascended the Grossvenediger from Gschloss have been accompanied by a guide named Patterer, but more commonly known as Staller Nandl. He is somewhat ad- vanced in years, but appears to be a good mountaineer. He is content with 4 florins as daily pay for glacier expe- ditions. In fine weather the use of a local guide in the ascent is almost con- fined to the preliminary portion of the way, which is \isually accomplished be- fore daylight. The true coiu'se to be taken is sufficiently obA-ious to any practised mountaineer who views the mountain from the Gschloss Alp. The Schlaten Glacier descends from the neve region in one continuous ice-fall, about 2,500 ft. in vertical height; but there is no difficulty in ascending along its 1. bank, partly by the lateral moraine, and partly by the slopes of the Kesselkopf. As; these slopes gradually bend to the rt., and shut out the view of the Gschloss Alp, it is best to bear nearly due N., and ascend over debris, and finally by a snow-slope, to the ridge connecting the Kesselkopf with the Kleinvenediger, and dividing the neve of the Schlaten from that of the Viltragen Glacier. Being now nearly on a level with the great neve-basin of the f -rmer glacier, this is traversed in a WSW. direction, and before long the traveller sees before him the pyramidal summit of the prin- cipal peak, with the Kleinvenediger on the rt., and the Eainerhorn, or Hennen- kopf, to the left. The best course is to ; aim at a slight depression (about 11,200 I ft. in height; in the ridge connecting the i latter with the central peak, and, follow- j ing this, the traveller, in about 5 hrs. ' from Gschloss, if the snow be in g the chief vil- lage of the lower valley, often called G-siess ; but that name is also given to St. Martin. M. Huter, the priest of this village, is an excellent botanist. A path leads hence over the Speikrirdl to Xiederthal, in the valley of Antholz. Above Pichl, the Gsiessthal turns to NE., with a gradual ascent; and, in about H hr. more, St. Martin (about 4,500' ?) is reached. This remote village is remembered as the birthplace of the Capuchin Has- pinger, whose fiery spirit so often led the Tyrolese to victory against the French and Bavarian invader in 1809. There is an inn ; but few travellers will break the journey to St. Jakob. Here the valley is somewhat contracted ; but it opens again, and forms a green basin round St. Magdalena (4,664'), about f hr. above St. Martin. A path runs | from this, the highest village in the j valley, to Kalchstein, in Villgratten j (Rte. N). The head of the Gsiessthal ! now lies nearly due N., and the ascent i is continuous, but not steep, to the [ summit of the j Gsiesser Joch (7,353'), the deepest i depression in the Defereggen range. It lies between tlie Pfannhorn (9,242 ) — also called Kaschkosel — and tii- Planl-fdd (8,651'). The^'descent to St. Jakob (about 7^ hrs.' steady walking from Welsberg), follows the Lapcsthal, a short sinuous glen, whose torrent flows at first N., and then westward, to join the Defereggenthal at Lapp — less than i hr. above St. Jakob. EOUTE M. TAUFERS TO ST. JAXOB IN DEFEREGGEN, BY THE EAINTHAL. About lOi hrs.' steady walking, exclusive of halts. In the last Rte. two paths leading from Bruneck to St. Jakob, the highest village in Defereggen, have been de- scribed, and in the preceding route is a notice of the glacier passes connecting the head of that valley with that of the Ahrenthal. There remains a xevy agree- able and interesting way, passable on horseback, intermediate between those already described, which leads from Tau- fers, in the lower Ahrenthal, to the head of the Defereggenthal, through the Bainthal. This lateral valley, dividing the Antholzer range from the western extremity of the Tauern chain, opens into the beautiful basin of Taufers at Winkel (§ 50, Ete. E), in a narrow- cleft that leaves space only for the Rainbach torrent. To reach the path, which follows the heights above the K 280 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 51. GROSSGLOCKNTER DISTRICT. side of this cleft, the traveller crosses the main valley to Moritzen (2,841'), and immediately commences to ascend by a rather steep horse-track, -which commands fine views of the rich valley that stretches hence to Bruneck, and the more Alpine scenery of the Miihlwalder Thai (§ 50, Rte. Gr). After a hot climb up the sunny slopes, the traveller vrill- ingly follows the path to the 1. bank of the Eainbach, along which he ascends for fully 3 m., amid the frequent shade of pine trees, and near the brawling torrent, but without any distant view. Another pleasant change occurs when thp path returns to the rt. bank, at a point near a saw-mill, where the torrent springs over a ledge in a waterfall. Here the first view of the glaciers of the Antholzer Alps is gained on the SSE. side, through the opening of the Gdt- thal, and tte traveller sees before him tfi ENE. the picturesque Alpine basin of St. Wolfgang (5,238'), evidently the filled-up bed of an ancient lake. It is a dead level space, marshy in places, enclosed on every side by high peaks. The village, which is sometimes called Eain, stands about f hr. from the bridge mentioned above, or 3 hrs. from Taufers, and immediately below the meeting of the two Alpine glens, whose torrents form the Rainbach. Of these, the most attractive to the mountaineer is the Bachenxthal, which originates at the base of the glaciers of the Hochgall and the adjoining peaks, and through which lies a pass, said to be difficult, to Xitterthal, in Anthok. The NE. branch of the vaUey, called Knutten- thal, leads to Dofereggen. St. "Wolfgang offers many attractions to the lover of nature. The scenery is of a high order, and many interesting excursions afford scope for the activity of the mountaineer. The inn is very poor, and travellers are received at the priest's house, or Vidum, close to the church. Johann Bacher, the teacher of the village school, and G-eorg "Weiss are recommended as guides. Sonklar recommends the ascent of the Stutten- nock (8,991'), for the sake of the pano- ramic view, which includes all the higher peaks of the neighbouring Alps. The most remarkable of these, and the most attractive to the motmtaineer, is the Schneehige Nock (11,068'), ov Rv.thner- horn of Sonklar. This bold obelisk of rock crowns a short promontory that extends NNW. fr^om the main ridge of the Antholzer Alps, between the head of the Geltthal and that of the Bachern- thal. It was climbed for the first time in 1866, by the Archduke Rainer, with Coimt "Wurmbrand and the two guides above named. They reached the steep ridge from the Bachernthal side, and thence, with little further difficulty, attained the summit. The way from St. "Wolfgang to Defer- eggen lies through the Knuttenthal. The scattered houses that make up the village extend some way into that glen, and also into the Bachernthal, with the difference that the latter is level for some distance, while the floor of the EJiuttenthal ascends rapidly. The sce- nery is not interesting, as the slopes are bare, and no remarkable objects are in view. In about 1^ hr. the huts of the Knuttenalp, at the head of the glen, are reached. A beaten track mounts nearly due E. from the alp by gentle slopes to the KlammlJoch (7,606'), one of the easiest passes in Tyrol. The crags of the G-raunock (10,118'), rising S. of the pass, above a little tarn called Elammlsee, are striking objects. From the oratory that marks the summit of the ridge, above 2^ hrs. from St. "Wolf- gang, several of the high peaks that enclose the head, of the Uefereggenthal are well seen. A very short descent leads to the Affenbaeh, and following that torrent, the traveller in \ hr. from the pass reaches the Jadghausalp. ra- ther less than 2^ hrs." steady walking from Erlsbach (see Rte. K). A comparatively easy pass — though rougher and steeper than the Klaraml — leads northward from the Knuttenalp over the Bretterscharte (8,242') — also known as Ochsenlenk — and descends into- the upper Ahrenthal, about \ hr. above St. Peter (§ 50, Rte. E). By this ROUTE N. STLLIAX TO HOPFGARTEX, BY THE VILLGRATTENTHAL. 281 way a traveller may reach St. Valentin, or Kasern, in a moderate day's walk from St. AVolfijang, or a long day from St. Jakob, in Defereggen, as the latter involves the passage of the Klamml as well as the Bretterscharte. Among the excursions from St. Wolf- gang, not above specified, is the ascent of the Hirhanock (9,85-i'), rising nearly due X. of the village. It is higher and more difficult than the Stuttennock, and scarcely so well situated, except for the view of the Zillerthal Alps ; but, if the descent on the NW. is not too troublesome, this would aiFord a very interesting way from St. Wolfgang to Steinhaus, in the Ahrenthal. EotTTE N. SILLIAN TO HOPFGARTEX, BY THE YILL- GRATTENTHAL. The traveller who enters the Puster- thal from the Gailthal, or the Ampezzo road, somewhere not far from Sillian, and whose aim is to reach Heiligenblut or Windisch-Matrey, may be glad to find a direct way by which to avoid the detour through the main valley of the Drave, or that by Antholz or Grsiess. The Villgrattenthal, which opens into the Pusterthal about 1 m. E. of Sillian, and soon divides into two branches of about equal length, offers a convenient way for this pm-pose, as through its E. branch Hopfgarten is reached in 8^ hrs. By following the path through the W. branch leading to St. Jakob, in Defereg- gen, it is equally easy to reach the head of the Ahrenthal, or Pregratten, in the Virgenthal. Like many other valleys of this dis- trict, the VillgraUentlial, at its lower extremity, shows a narrow cleft merely giving space fur the torrent, and the track (practicable for country carriages?) mounts by Heimfels, above the 1. bank, and then ascends very gently to Ausser- Villgratten (4,205'), little more than 1 hr. from the opening of the valley, or 1^ hr. from Sillian. This village is often called Brucken, and thence the lower part of the valley Brucker Thai. There is a poor but tolerable inn, and travel- lers may also seek accommodation from the priest. The village stands at the junction of the two upper branches of the valley, of which the NE. branch, or Winkelthal, is the way to Hopfgarten. For about 2 hrs. the path ascends through this narrow glen — where many saw-mills are cutting into planks the timber that once clothed the slopes — and then begins to mount in a NE. di- rection to the Villgrattner Jock (aboiit 8,300'?), by which Hopfgarten is reached in about 7 hrs. from Aust-er-Villgratten. With a good local guide, it is likely that Hopfgarten may be avoided, and a more direct course taken to reach the inn, 'In der Huben,' at the junction of Defereggen with the Iselthal. By fol- lowing the Winkelthal for nearly 2 hrs. farther than the point where it is left to reach Hopfgarten, the traveller may reach the Weiherwand (8,-lro8'), a pass lying at the extreme northern end of the valley, and leading to St. Veit (Ete. K). The chief torrent of the Winkel- thal does not originate in the Defei'eg- gen range, biit flows eastward from the short but lofty range which extends thence southward, between the two branches of the Villgrattenthal, culmi- nating in the Hochgrabe (9,673'). At the base of the Weiberwand, the torrent turns southward, and finally flows SW. 282 CK;NTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 52. to meet the other principal torrent of the valley at Aiisser-Villgratten. The western branch, which for some distance preserves the name Villgrattenthal, is more thickly inhabited than the Win- kelthal. For about 6 m, the track ascends gently to WNW., passing Inner- Villgratten (4.506'), to Senfte (4J04'). Just below this latter hamlet, a lateral glen opens to the W., wherein stands the remote village oi Kalchstein (5,370'). Easy passes lead thence to Toblach over the Kiihbacher Thbrl, and to St. Martin, in G-siess. Above Senfte, the Villgratten- thal ascends for nearly 4 m. somewhat W. of due N., and comes to an end at a point where two torrents unite. The lesser of these flows eastward from the range dividing this valley from Grsiess ; while the more important stream de- scends westward, through an upland glen called Arnthal, from the same range whence, on the opposite side, rises the main torrent of the Winkelthal. From the point where the Arnthal turns ab- ruptly southward, two tracks cross the ridge that forms the northern boundary of the valley. That hang farther W. leads to St. Jakob, the other to St. Leonhard. Both are said to be rough and fatiguing passes. Following the Arnthal to its head, the traveller may cross the range dividing this from the head of the "Winkelthal — called Ober-Arnthaler Lenke — and so descend to Ausser-Yillgratten ; thus making the tour of both branches of the valley in one hard da/s walk from the latter village. GASTEIN DISTRICT. SECTION 52. GASTEIN DISTRICT. I In the preceding sections, the main chain of the Eastern Alps, which we have de- I signated the Central Tyrol Alps, have I been described, -with the exception of the I eastern extremity of the chain, which I happens to lie beyond the political I boundary of Tyrol, and to be divided ' between the ancient territories of Salz- burg and Carinthia. It was observed in the introduction to this chapter that the eastern limit of the central chain should, on orographic grounds, be fixed at the Arlscharte, where originate the two ranges that enclose the valley of the Mur. For the purposes of this work, it is more convenient to extend the bound- ary of the district now described a few miles eastward, to the far better known pass of the Eadstadter Tauern; while its western limit, as fixed in the last section, is the track from Lienz to Bruck, in the Pinzgau, over the Hochthor Pass, which divides t£ie great group of peaks surrounding the Pasterze Glacier from the summits rising farther east. These are distributed in two ridges running from "WXW. to ESE. The westernmost, dividing the MoUthal from the upper valleys of Eauris and G-astein, culmi- nates in the Hochnarr (10,692'), and includes five or six other summits that slightly exceed 10,000 ft. in height. The eastern range, connected with the former by a transverse ridge of moderate height, has one peak — Hochalpenspitz — that exceeds 11,000 ft., and four or five surpassing 10,000 ft. Still farther east, and separated from the Hochalpenspitz range by the Arlscharte, is the much smaller group culminating in the Haf- nereck (10,044'), which sheds its drain- age eastward to the Mur, northward to the Salza through the Grossarl Ache, and southward to the Drave through the Malta. This group is remarkable as being the eastern limit at which con- Biderable glaciers are found in the central chain, and as the origin of the double lange enclosing the valley of the Mur. ROUTE A. — SALZBURG TO BAD GASTEIN. 283 It •will be seen that, at its eastern end, the High'Tauern range attains an altitude much inferior to that of the portions hitherto described, and, though not deficient in fine scenery, the district now to be noticed certainly does not rival, in this respect, the choicer spots pointed out in the four preceding sections, unless the head of the Maltathal, with which the writer is not personally ac- quainted, should form an exception. For this reason, it is expedient to take this dis- trict at the beginning rather than the end of a tour in the Tauern Alps. While the remaining valleys are almost unknown to strangers, that of Gastein has, through various causes, acquired European cele- brity. It, therefore, naturally gives its name to the entire district; the more especially as it affords very good head- quarters for the traveller, whose aim is to enjoy fine natural scenery, as well as for the invalid and the politician. The eastern and western boundaries of the district comprised in this section have been already mentioned. To the N. it is limited by the line of valley tra- versed by th.e road from Bruck, in the Pinzgau, to Eadstadt on the Enns ; and to the S. it is equally well defined by the valley of the Drave between Lienz and Spittal. The reported suspension or abandon- ment of the mines of Eauris may be inconvenient to mountaineers, who may fail to find expected food and shelter. EOUTE A. SALZBrRG TO BAD GASTEIN, EXCURSIOXS FROM GASTEIN, Lend . Hof Gastein Bad Gastein Austrian miles English miles 49i 14" 7 70i Post-road. The distances charged between Lend and Bad Gastein are somewhat exagge- rated. The baths of Gastein have enjoyed a high reputation for their healing virtues during the last three centuries, and the valley has been famous for its gold mines from the remotest period ; but of late years the celebrity of the place has been much increased by the accident that it has been resorted to by sovereigns and ministers of state. The telegraphic wire that penetrates this remote Alpine valley, instead of discharging its cus- tomary ofl&ce of ordering rooms or horses for invalids, has been engaged in carrying messages on which depended the peace of the civilised world. It is easy of ac- cess for travellers approaching from the N. side of the Alps, and the diligence from Salzburg, which plies daily in sum- mer, brings the tourist to this convenient starting-place for a tour in the Eastern Alps on the third day from London. The road from Salzburg to Lend is described in § 45, Ete. E. At the latter village, the road turns aside from the Salza to enter the Gasteinerthal, one of that long series of nearly parallel valleys through which the drainage of the High Tauern Alps is borne northward into the great transverse valley of the Salza. As happens in many other valleys of this region, this is not locally known by any single designation, but the name ' Die Gastein' is given to its lower portion, containing the greater part of the popu- lation, and has been appended to the designation of its three chief villages. The real distance from Lend to the baths is not more than 18 m. = 6 hrs.' walk, ascending the valley, cr 3j hrs. in 284 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 52. GASTEIN DISTRICT. a carriage. The charge for vehicles ■with two horses is 8 florins. A small carriage that carries the letters takes one or two passengers, but no luggage beyond a knapsack. The narrow defile through which the Grasteiner Ache descends to the level of the Salza is called the Klamm. Those who would approach near the series of fine cascades formed by the torrent may follow a very rough path ; while the road winds up the steep rocky Bide on the 1. side of the gorge. The present road, made in 1832, is quite safe in summer, but exposed to avalanches in winter and spring. Though the ascent is not great, the scenery is unexpectedly grand, and the traveller will be glad to mount it on foot. Before issuing from the defile, the road passes to the rt. bank by a bridge (2,473')— 265 ft. above the post-house at Lend — leading to the ruined castle of Klammstein, which once completely commanded the entrance to tlie valley. A short additional ascent of about 150 ft. carries the road to the level of the lower valley. Through green fields, along the rt. bank of the now tranquil stream, the road goes nearly at a level to Dorf Gastein (2,649'), a scattered village, with a tolerable country inn, whence a path runs eastward over the mountain in 3 hrs. t9 Grossarl (Kte. F). Here the road makes a slight circuit, and the pedestrian finds a short cut over the meadows. The general direction hitherto followed has been about SSE. ; henceforward, as far as the baths, it is nearly due S., bending somewhat to the W. as far as Hof Gastein (2,846'), the chief village in the valley, whose records go back to a period of remote antiquity. The earliest church was built in the ninth century on the site of a still more ancient chapel. It has several inns (Moser's, good ; Blaue Traube; Schwarzer Adler; and others). Since the waters from the famous mineral spring have been led here in wooden pipes, still retaining a tempera- ture of 93° Fahr., many invalids prefer this place, either for economy, or because of the greater certainty of fi.nding accom- modation. The position is, however, much less favourable for mountain excur- sions, excepting only the ascent of the G-araskahrkog^^i, which is rather nearer this village than the baths. The chief existing evidence of the wealth once de- rived from the neighbouring mines is found in the stately monuments preserved in the church and adjoining cemetery. Moser's Hotel, whose architecture recalls that of Venice, once the home of the Strasser family, adjoins the new baths. An outburst of serpentine through the surrounding mica schist is, as usual, associated with the appearance of many rare minerals. It is on reaching Hof G-astein that the traveller, for the first time, gains a view of the high peaks at the head of the G-asteinerthal, among which the Ankogl, crowning the high range that divides the main branches of the valley, is the main object of attrac- tion. The old road to the baths — rather shorter for the pedestrian — kept to the rt. bank of the torrent, but the modern road crosses to the opposite side a short way above Hof G-astein, near the point where the path to Eauris mounts west- ward through the short glen of the Angerthal (Ete. B). After passing the so-called Englische Kaffeehaus, much resorted to by visitors, the road soon reaches Bad Gastein — often called Wildbad Gastein. The position of this place is very singular, just at a high step in the valley, where the torrent descends about 600 ft. in two waterfalls connected by rapids. Between the waterfalls is a narrow shelf whereon stand most of the houses and baths, while the remainder are scattered over the slopes on either side of the valley. Save a house built by the late Archduke John, and a few others of less note, all the buildings here are either hotels or lodging-houses for the accommodation of visitors. Of the former, the first in rank is Strau- binger's, with table d'hote, reading-room, and various modern comforts, rather dear for Germany. The landlord is the present representative of a family which has here exercised the same profession ROUTE A. BAD GASTEIN. Bince 1602. To him also belongs the Schweizerhaiis, prettily situated, but some way from the Laths. Tolerably good accommodation is also found at Grruber's inn, the Hirsch, Grabenwirth, and Mitterwirth, not to name others of lower rank. Many visitors prefer to engage lodgings, and take their meals at Straubinger's or some other hotel. The handsomest rooms, for which the charges are rather high, are in the Badeschloss, built by an Archbishop of Salzburg; they are let only when not required for royal or imperial visitors. The lodging- houses called Bellevue and Solitude are recommended. As there is not accom- modation here for more than about 500 %'isitors at a time, every room is often occupied during the season ; and families intending a visit should not fail to write beforehand to the Bade-Director, to secure necessary rooms. In the hotels the baths are made of wood, and alto- gether rather rough ; in the Badeschloss are a .few baths lined with porcelain tiles, but these are often secured before- hand, and are not always accessible. As a general rule, all charges here are regu- lated by tariff, and visitors can suit themselves as to their expenses. The mineral springs, seven in num- ber, all issue in the immediate neigh- bourhood, one of them in the midst of the cascade. They seem to have iden- tical properties, and are remarkable for their high temperatui-e— 116° to 120° Fahr. Chemical analysis fails to ac- count for the energetic action of these tasteless waters, which contain ordinary- earthy salts in quantity little greater than in most spring water. It is, how- ever, worthy of note that the water is found to possess unusually high con- ductivity for electricity. The usual course of cure recommended to patients includes twenty-one baths, and they are sometimes advised to conclude by a short course of the waters at St. Wolfgang, in the neighbouring valley of Fusch (§ 51, Kte. C). The climate of Grastein, espe- cially in July, is often wet and rather cold ; and visitors are not seldom reduced to take exercise in a long gallery covered 285 with glass — called the Wandelbahn — which is a conspicuous but not pictu- resque object from a distance, as it is carried along the verge of the rocks immediately above the great waterfall of the Grasteiner Ache. The latter is the ruling genius of the place. The ceaseless clouds of spray bedim the windows of the Wandelbahn, and of many of the houses ; and the hollow roar of the waters is found by some to be soothing, while it irritates the nerves of more delicate persons who are lodged in the adjoining houses. The church of St. Nicholas, dating from the fourteenth centuiy, and the adjoining cemetery, are interesting to the antiquary. Numerous paths enable visitors to visit with ease the more at- tractive spots in the immediate neigh- boui'hood, but not without a little climb- ing up or down hill. Above tne baths, the cascade and rapids of the Ache have excavated a deep and impassable cleft in the slate rocks, above which a pic- turesque bridge — the Schreckbrilcke (3,524') — is thrown over the torrent. Having gained this elevation, the visitor may, without further labour, wander along the nearly level reach of the upper valley that extends some way beyond the village of Buckstein (see below). Another favourite stroll is to descend to the opening of the Kotschach- thal, and follow the path up that glen. The junction of the Kotschachbach is about ^ m. below the baths, and 2,870 ft. above the sea, but a path winds along the slopes, so that to enter the glen, it is not necessary to descend so low. The bridge above the great water- fall, near to Straubinger's hotel, is 3,152 ft. above the sea. A glance at the map shows that the upper valley of Gastein runs transverse to the general direction of the main ridges of the adjoining Alps. It comes to an end in the Nassfeld, at the base of the ScharrecJc (10,277')» and receives from the ESE. three tributaries from as many parallel glens. The highest of these — the Weissenbachthal — ap- proaches the Malnitzer Tauern(Ete.C); 286 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 52. GASTEIN DISTRICT. the next is the Anlaufthal (mentioned in the same Rte.) ; and the lowest the Kotschachthal, which joins the main valley below the baths, and is further noticed in Rte. Gr. The charges for guides at Grastein are quite unreasonable, and there is a heavy extra demand for carrying baggage. Johann Freyberger is recommended as intelligent, and a good walker. For the Ankogl, and other high summits towards the head of the valley, the best man is probably the Schmied (Komeck? ) at Bockstein, but he is now advanced in years. Of the easier excursions from G-astein, by far the most interesting is that to the Nassfeld, for which see Ete. C. The favourite mountain excursion from Bad Gastein is the ascent of the Gamskahrkogel (7,91 7')» a summit rising nearly due E. of Hof G-astein. A bri- dle-path leads from that place to the summit, and many persons therefore descend thither, and engage horses — charged at the unreasonable rate of 8 fl. per horse, and 2 fl. for the guide. A much more direct way from Bad Ga- stein is found by crossing the lower part of the Kotschachthal, and following a nearly direct course to the summit, for the most part up steep grassy slopes. A person used to mountain walking does not require a guide. "With favour- able weather , the panoramic view is extensive and interesting, but, in the writer s opinion, it has been somewhat ovei^i'aised by German writers. Eather more laborious, and in many respects more interesting, is the ascent of the Badhausberg (often written Eathhaus- berg). This is a considerable mountain mass that rises S. of Bockstein, between the above-mentioned glens of Anlauf and Weissenbach. The NW. summit, conspicuous from Gastein, measures 8,218 ft. but the highest, SE., summit, locally called Kreuzkofel, attains 8,804 ft. The mountain has been fiimous for its mineral wealth from the most remote antiquity ; the fame of its golden pro- duce having led the Eomans to drive out the Noric tribes, who had already established themselves in this remote corner of the Alps. The highest shaft — long since abandoned — is 8,170' ft. above the sea. The mineralogist may here find many rare minerals and ores of lead and copper, associated with silver, antimony, and arsenic, with oc- casional particles of gold. The gneiss of which the mountain is chiefly formed varies much in structure, and often assumes a porphyritic character. Crys- tals of beryl have been found in the quartz veins of the Ivreuzkofel. The botanist may gather Sileae immilio, LinncBa horealis, Primula Ion qi flora, and other rare plants. The most direct way is to ascend from Bockstein, by a well- traced path that begins to mount a short way above the bridge. As the working of the mines is said to be suspended for the present (1869), travellers may no longer be able to return in a miner's car on a very steep slide, which shot down a slope of about 2,300 feet vertical height in a few minutes. Although the shaft, called Christoph-Stollen, which once produced gold and silver to the annual value of 80,000 ducats, has been long unworked, it may be easily traversed with a miner for guide. Entering at the N. end, the traveller comes out at a point l^- m. distant, and 7,205 ft. above the sea, just below the topmost ridge of the mountain. From the summit of the Kreuzkofel, which in fine weather commands a very fine view of the neigh- bouring snowy peaks, the traveller may descend eastward through the Hiekahr to the Anlaufthal, or AVSW. through the Weissenbachthal to the Xassfeld (Ete. C). The miners show a house on the mountain — called Christophen-Berghaus — built more than 300 years, which has survived the annual fall of at least one avalanche every spring, while all the other buildings have been repeatedly destroyed. The mountaineer who may make a halt at Gastein will be tempted to undertake the ascent of the AnJcogl (10,674:'), This fine peak sends nearly all its drainage to the Drave through ROUTE B. LEND TO HEILIGENBLUT, BY KAURIS. 287 tlie IMaltarha], or through the Seethal, which is one of the tributaries of the MoUthal, but its NE. slope rises above the head of the Anlaufthal ; and from the Eadeckalp (5,657'). at the head of that glen, the ascent may be effected. It is an expedition for practised moun- taineers, involving (it is said) some stiff glacier work ; and the final climb is along a very narrow arete of treacher- ously loose rocks. The view is not equal to that from the Hochnarr. For a notice of the ascent from Maluitz, see Rte. C. EoirrE B. LEXD TO HEILIGEXBLrT BY BAURIS, OE HOF GASTEIN. The valley of Eauris, lying between those of Fusch and G-astein, offers the most direct route for a traveller ap- proaching Heiligenblut from Salzburg ; but it is little frequented. The superior attractions of the scenery of the Fuscher Thai, and the great resort of strangers to Bad G-astein, leave few to follow the intermediate route. This is, however, by no means uninteresting ; and it enables the traveller to reach Heiligen- blut on the second day from Salzburg, sleeping at Eauris. The mountaineer, travelling in the opposite direction, who may take the summit of the Hochnarr on his way from Heiligenblut, can de- scend to the Salza either by way of Eauris or of G-astein. 1. By Eauris and the HocMhor. Carriage-road to Eauris — about 11 m. Bridle-track thence to Heiligenblut — about 10 hrs. The high-road of the Pinzgau (§ oO, Ete. A) is followed for about 5 m. from Lend to Taxenbach. From that place to Eauris a little time is saved by taking a carriage. The traveller, on entering the valley of Eauris, should on no account omit to visit the Waterfall of the Kitzloch, re- markable not only for the volume of water of the Eauriser Ache, which here springs from the level of its own valley to that of the Salza, but especially for the imposing effect of the dark and savage cleft, in which visitors are enabled to approach the waterfall by steps and wooden planks attached to the rocky walls. After this slight detour, the traveller follows the road above the rt. bank of the torrent, leaving to the rt. the village of Enihach (3,325'), which commands a noble view along the Pinz- gau, and northward to the crags of the Uebergossene Alp, rising behind the Dienten mountains. The pedestrian coming from Lend may take this vil- lage on his way to Eauris, by a slight short cut ; but he thus loses the re- markable waterfall. On reaching the level of the valley of Eauris, the fine snowy peaks at the head of the valley come into view. They are here indis- criminately known as the Hohe Gold- berg. The very small but ancient market-town of Eauris (3,141') is said to have a good inn (Beim Brauer). The landlord possesses three fine dishes of Urbino majolica ware, one of which bears the date 154:2. Two paths lead from hence E. and SE. to the valley of G-astein. About 1 hr. above Eauris,' the main valley, which mounts due S. to the mines at the foot of the Goldberg Glacier, is joined by a considerable lateral glen from the SW. The way to Heiligenblut is through this, which is known as the Seidelicinkelthal. Leav- ing the nearly level cart-road on the rt. bank of the main torrent, the traveller crosses to the opposite bank some way below the junction, in order to reach 2«8 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 52. GASTEIN DISTRICT. the hamlet of Worth {^A9T), at the open- | ing of the Seidelwinkelthal. This is a I nnrrow glen not offering any very re- ■ markable object, yet the scenery is pleasing, and the frequent shade of \ pine trees makes the walk the more I agreeable. Nearly 3 hrs. of steady | walking from Worth are required to reach the Tauernhaus (5,049'), locally called Taurach. This is a humble Alpine hostelry of the same kind as those mentioned in the last section. It is one of the best of its class, offering tolerable refreshment, and endurable, though far from comfortable night- quarters. The forest which clothes the lower part of the glen comes to an end a short way above the Tauernhaus ; but for some way the ascent is still gentle, keeping a SW. direction till, on rounding a corner, the path begins to mount to- wards S., winding up a rather steep stony slope. The solitary traveller must take care not to choose a path to the 1., which leads to the Fuscher Thorl, and to keep a general direction but little W. of S. till he reaches the last slopes that lead to the Hochthor. That pass, as well as the path from Fusch over the Fuscher Thorl, is described in § 51, Ete. C. From 5|- to 6 hrs. suffice to reach Heiligenblut from the Tauernhaus. The traveller wishing to vary the or- dinary way from the Tauernhaus to Heiligenblut may cross the Weissenhach- scharte (8,651'), a pass lying about 1^ m. E. of the Hochthor, and involving about an hour's walk more than the usual route. The descent lies through a wild glen called Grosse Fleiss, which joins the Kleine Fleiss (mentioned below) about 1 hr. from Heiligenblut. 2. Bi; Hof Gastein and the Hochthor. Carriage-road to Hof G-astein — 14 m. Bridle^track thence to Heiligenblut — about 15^ hrs. The only frequented path between the valleys of Gastein and Kauris is that mentioned in Ete. A, which mounts to SW. through the Aiujerthal. This is a short open glen that joins the main valley of Gastein, nea' the hamlet of Aigen, between Hof and Bad Gastein. Those who start from the latter place need not descend to Aigen ; but they must allow half an hour more time than from Hof. A broad track, practicable for light vehi- cles, mounts through the lower part of the Angerthal. The glen originates at the N. base of the Bockhardtscharte, but the way to the Eauriser Thai lies through a western tributary that joins the main branch of the glen rather more than 1 hr. above Aigen. Keeping to the track along the N. slope, usually at some distance from the stream, the traveller gradually attains a considerable height, without thereby obtaining a wide view, until, on attaining the summit of the pass — Auf der Stanz (6,920') — a grand scene is suddenly opened before him. The peaks at the head of the Eauriser Thai, and the range dividing the latter from Fusch, are reduced to comparative insignificance by the nobler summits of the Glockner and the Wies- bachbom that tower above the nearer mountains. The botanist will do wisely to allow abundant time for this walk, as he will find many rarities. In ascend- ing from Gastein, Willemetia apargioidcs is abimdant in marshy Alpine meadows; on the opposite side, near the top, Lo- nuitogonium carinthiacum is found on the dry grassy slopes. Fully 4 hrs. must be allowed to reach the summit from Hof Gastein, and less than half that time is needed for the rapid descent to Biichehen (3.641'). This ranks as a village — the highest in Eauris — because it possesses, along with half a dozen houses, a church and an inn. The latter has undergone several vicissitudes, but the latest accounts that have reached the writer are favourable. The stranger seeking information as to the neighbour- ing mountains will find a friendly recep- tion from the parish priest. An easy walk of I hr. down the main valley, keeping always to the 1. bank, leads from Bueheben to Worth, at the opening of the Seidelwinkelthal, where the travel- ler joins the regular track from Eauris to Heiligenbhit, already noticed. [The traveller wishing to reach St. ROUTE B. BL'CHKBEN TO THE MIXES OF RAURIS. 289 Wolfgang, in Fusch (§ 61, Rte, C) from Kauris or Gastein mt\y take a rather steep, but very agreeable, path that mounts on the rt. hand from the Seidehvinkflthal to the pass of the Weicksdbachwand (7,258') (also locally called Schiitterriedl ?). The summit, commanding a noble view of the Wies- bachhurn, is reached in 3 hrs. from Worth, and H hr. suffices for the de- scent to St. Wolfgang.] Those who may not be inclined to undertake the laborious and somewhat difficult passes next described will do well to make an excursion from Buch- eben to the mines at the head of the Eauriser Thai. The scenery is fine, and will well reward the sliglit excursion ; but it is a still better plan to take the mines on the way from Bad Gastein to Bucheben (see below). In descending from Auf der Stanz to Bucheben, it is not easy to lose the way, but those who tra- vel in the opposite direction should take a local guide, as there are many cattle- tracks in various directions. 3. Bi/ the -/nines of Rauris, and the Goldzech-Tav.ern. Eoad or bridle-path to the Neubau — 9^ hrs. Grlacier-pass thence to Heiligenblut — 7 hrs. This is undoubtedly the most interesting route for a mountaineer going from Rauris to Heiligenblut, especially in clear weather, when the ascent of the Hochnarr may be combined with the expedition, and involves only about 1 hr.'s addition to the day's walk. It is, however, far more easily accomplished by starting at an early hour from Heiligenblut, where Pius Granogger and other guides are acquainted with the way. On the Eau- ris side, the only guicle who is recom- mended is the Hutmann Stockl at Ivolm- ♦Saigurn. The writer has been informed that the so-called gold mines at the head of the Eauriser Thai have been recently (1869) closed, and it is unsafe to count on the rough accommodation formerly found at Kolm-Saigurn. The pass is sometimes difficult, owing to the cre- vassed state of the glacier, and at times there is some risk from falling rocks. The mines are, or were, if not the c. T. highest worked in Europe, certainly thosa carried on in the face of the greatest difficulties. One of the ancient shafts is now covered over by a glacier, and even the path leading to the works, which appears so easy in sum- mer, is in winter much exposed to j avalanches. The portion of the High Tauem range that forms the boundary between Salz- burg and Carinthia at the head of the valleys of Eauris and Gastein, and may be called from its highest summit the Hochnarr range, preser^-es that general direction from WNW. to ESE. which is characteristic of the region E. of the Velber Tauern. For a distance of abou'" 11m. from the Weissenbachscharte to the Goiselspits (9,739'i, it forms the dividing ridge between the Salza and the Moll. From the last-named sum- mit, a much lower transverse ridge con- nects this with the parallel range of the Ankogl and Hochalpenspitz, but the axis of the Hochnarr range extends 6 m. farther to ESE., terminating in the- Lonzaberg (7,088') over Ober-Vellach (Ete. C). The Hochnarr (10,692') con- siderably overtops all the other summits of this range ; the other most conspicu- oi;s points are the Goldberqspits [10, OQo) and the ScluD-reck (10,277'). A short way above Bucheben, the cart- track from Eauris passes to the rt. bank of the Ache. The way along the main branch of the valley — locally known as Hidtwinkelthal — is rendered the morg interesting as the peaks and glaciers at its head are almost constantly in sight. At the Zottbriicke (about 4.200'), near the junction of the Krummelbach, which issues from a narrow cleft on the W. side of the valley, the track returns to the 1; bank, and soon after ascends a projecting eminence, that commands a fine view in both directions along the valley. Here begins the region of Al- pine pastures, -with which, in unusuul combination, are seen various build- ings connected with the mines. The Bo- denhaus, where refreshnients are found, served as a she'.ter in bad weather for the miners travelling to or fro. Amid u 290 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 52. GASTEIN DISTRICT. very fine scenery the traveller continues to ascend to Kolm-Saiffurn{r), Z78'), the head-quar- ters of the miners, where the gold-bear- ing ore is crushed, and the precious metal extracted by amalgamation. The chief Hutmann. or foreman, keeps a sort of rude hostelry, where refreshments, and, in case of need, rough night-quar- ters, are found. Fine specimens of rare minerals are often to be obtained here. The most direct w'ay from Kolm-Sai- gurn to the Hochnai'r is by the Lange G-asse and the Keestrachter, but re- cently travellers have usually passed by the Neuhau (7,115'), a building intended mainly to afford a shelter for the por- ters who carry down the freshly ex- .tracted ore. Although a little circuit- ous, this course probably saves time, as there is a beaten track as far as the Xeubau. The highest shaft now worked is about h hr. higher up. On a rock rising but little above the level of the surrounding glacier, just 7,700 ft. above the sea, stands the miner's house {Knap- penhaus), * Am Boden.' Here, under physical conditions of extreme difficulty, the miners labour throughout the year. Those who see these regions during the short summer season have no adequate idea of what the life here must be during the remainder of the year. According to M. Reissacher, the director of the mines in this district, the diminished density of the air is the chief cause of the inju- rious effects of the labour on the health. It is necessary to allow the men weekly periods of absence to descend into the valley. He has found it impossible to keep dogs or cats alive for more than a few weeks. There may, however, be local causes at work in addition to that which he regards as alone important. [From the house ' Am Boden,' an ac- tive mountaineer may in 3 hrs. reach the summit of the Sckarrcck (10,277')> which is easy of access from this side, and commands a very fine view.] Of the glaciers that are drained into the headof the Rauriser Thai, by far the most considerable is the Goldberg- Glet- ^cJver, which is fed by. the snows lying within a great semicircle extending from the Herzog Ernst (9,695') on the E. to the Hmfer-Sonnblick (9,591'). The way to Heiligenblut lies westward across this glacier, and along moraine, tiU the much crevassed Hochnarr Glacier is reached. The lower part of this, which bears the singular name Pilatus-See, is crossed, and thenceforward the course is cliiefly over neve, passing under the N. side of a steep ridge of crumbling rock, whence loose blocks are not sel- dom detached. It wovdd appear (?) that this part of the route may be avoided by a traveller aiming directly at the pass to Heiligenblut, which lies S. of the peak of the Hochnarr. This, however, commands so fine a view, and is so easy of access, that no mountaineer can willingly leave it on one hand. The pass of the Goldzech-Tauern does not seem to have been accurately measured, but must be at least 9,500 ft, in height. It immediately overlooks the head of the wild glen of the Kleine Fleiss, whose torrent, after uniting with that of the Grosse Fleiss, joins the Moll at Pock- horn, below Heiligenblut. Both these glens were formerly the scene of mining activity, but most of the shafts, which extended as high as 9,400 ft., are now covered by glacier. The descent is over glacier to a small lake called Zirmer See, which lies in the midst of scenery of the wildest character. This is ap- parently the same as the Goldzech-See of Sonklar, 8,602 ft. above the sea-level. Following the remains of an ancient horse-track, the traveller descends to St. Anton, a hamlet jixst below the junc- tion of the Grosse Fleiss, and in another ^ hr. reaches Heiligenblut. There is another glacier pass, some- times followed by native cliamois hunt- ers, which leads from Rauris through the Krummelthal (mentioned above), and over the Weissenbacher Kees to the head of the Grosse Fleiss. This is probably quite as laborious a route as that by the Goldzech-Tauern, and apparently much less interesting. 4. Bi/ Bad Gastein, Neiihau, and the Goldzech- Tauern. By road to Bad G-a- ROUTE C. — BAD GASTEIN TO SPITTAL, BY MALLNITZ. 291 stein, 21m.; thence to Heiligenblut, on foot, 11^ hrs., exclusive of halts. By the coui'se here indicated, an active mountaineer may accomplish the dis- tance between Bad Grastein and Heili- genblut in one rather long day's walk ; but, in the absence of any guide at G-a- stein well acquainted with the route, it is scarcely practicable except from the Heiligenblut side. The writer was fa- voured with a note by the late Dr. Brin- ton, who made the exciirsion in 1861 with Herr v. Mojsisovics. Having ascended through the Kleine Fleiss, they gained the summit of the Hochnarr, and de- scended thence to the Neubau by the course already described. From the Neubau a track, called Verwaltersteig, oiten used by the miners in simiraer, leads to the Riffelscharte (8,103'), a slight depression in the range, which diverges northward from the Herzog Ernst between the valleys of Gastein and Kauris. This way should not be taken late in the autumn, nor at any season after much fresh suow, as it is much exposed to avalanches, and numerous accidents from that cause are recorded. The descent on the E. side is through the short glen of the Siefflitcthal, where- in are seen several ruined buildings, connected with now abandoned mining works. On reaching the Moserhiitte, at the N. end of the Nassfeld, the travel- ler joins the beaten track leading from the Mallnitzer Tauern to Bad Gastein (see Ete. C). The following times were noted by Messrs. Brinton and Mojsisovics, both fast walkers : Heili- genblut to the summit of the Hoch- narr, 5 hrs. ; descent thence to the Neu- bau, 3 hrs ; ascent to the Eiffelscharte, f hr. ; descent to the Moserhiitte, nearly 1 hr.; thence to Bad Gastein, 1^ hr. Travellers who do not undertake diffi- cult excursions may very well make the circuit from Bad Gastein to Bucheben by the route here described — reaching the Neubau by the Sieglitzthal, and descending thence to Bucheben. This is in fine weather quite free from diffi- cidty, but involves a rather long day's walk. A rather shorter course is to mount from the Ober-Bockhardt See (Ete. C), to the pass of the Ober-Lrk- hardtschartc (7,445'), which, as well as the Eiffelscharte, commands a very fine view. Thence a path leads down to Kolm-Saigurn. v2 EOTJTE C. BAD GASTEIX TO SPITTAL, ON THB DRATE, BY MALLNITZ. The valley of Gastein is connected with that of the Moll, in Carinthia, by the most frequented pass over the main range between the Brenner and the Ead- stadter Tauern. Thougli higher by 14 ft. (?) than the Yelber Tauern (§ 51, Ete. E), it is much easier of access, and in summer is traversed daily by beasts of burden. This important pass is most generally known by the name Mall- nitzer Tauern, which it bears on the Carinthian side, but at Gastein it is better known as the Nassfelder Tauern. Two other passes, rather shorter in distance, but much more laborious, con- nect the baths of Gastein with Mallnitz. These, though noticed below, are little used, but apparently deserve more atten- tion than they have hitherto obtained from travellers. 1. By the Mallnitzer Tauern. 7| hrs, on foot, or 8^ hrs. on horseback, to Mallnitz; about 26 m. thence to Spittal. Although the easiest pass over the High 292 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 52. GASTEIN DISTRICT. Tauern Alps, this is not a light under- taking for ladies. Those who prefer that course may engage horses (at 10 fl. each) for the whole distance from Bad Gastein to Ober-Vellach — reckoned 10 hrs. ; but as the descent on the S. side is very steep, those who can walk a few miles do better to take the horses only to the summit of the pass (5 fl. each), and descf-nd on foot. From Mallnitz there is a road to Ober-Vellach, and a vehicle of some sort is usually to be had ; but the way is so rough that those who can do so may better walk, the distance being about 6 m. It is possible to go in a char from Bad Gra stein to Bockstein (about f hr.), and to engage the horses required from the landlord of the inn at that place. A singular contrast is presented to the visitor at Bad G-astein, where he lives between the roar of the great water- fall below the baths and the angry whirl of the foaming cataracts above, when, after a short accent, he passes the Schreckbriicke (Rte. A), and a few steps farther gains the level of the upper valley, which stretches peacefully to the S., with a range of partially snow-clad summits, stern rather than grand in aspect, rising in the background. Here, about f hr. from the baths, is tke mining village of BbcJcstein (3,607'). ''^ith a tolerably comfortable inn, which some mountain- eers find preferable to the crowded hotels of Bad Gastein. Here the ore from the Eadliausberg (Ete. A) is crushed and washed, and the gold ex- tracted. Leaving to the 1. the opening of the Anlmifthal, noticed below, the way lies SW. through the valley, now contracted by a buttress projecting from the Radhausberg. Keeping to the rt. bank of the torrent, the path ascends gradually through a long and narrow defile, and unexpectedly leads to the very fine waterfall called Kesselfall. This is, however, only the first of a series that enliven the scenery of this part of the valley. A path made by the late Arch- duke John, which turns to the rt. from the main track, leads, with very little loss of time, by two other waterfalls' whose effect is much heightened by the grandeur of the surrounding scener3\ These are called the Bdrcnfdlle. In the back -ground, the Scharreck, which here presents a bold pyramidal outline, is a striking object. Scarcely has the tra- veller left the Barenfalle when another cascade comes into view. Behind the precipitous rocks that rise above the 1. bank of the main torrent, lies an upland glen called BockJiardt, but often written Poekhart, containing two Alpine lakes. The stream that drains the lower lake, not finding a channel through which to reach the level of the Gasteiner Ache, attains the verge of the precipitous rocks enclosing the defile, and springs or slides down their face in a singular fall, called SchleurfaU. Returning hence to the bridle-track, the traveller soon crosses the torrent to its 1. bank, by the E'lg- thorhriicJce (4,950')- One path mounts the very steep rocks to reach the level of the Bockhardt glen, while the main track follows the 1. bank of the Ache. [The Bockhardt well deserves an ex- cursion from Gastein. It is a short, comparatively broad, glen, or rather hollow in the mountains, resembling, though on a larger scale, those often seen in N. Wales, and there called cwm. To such hollows the designation Kahr is commonly given in the Eastern Alps ; and the name is probably in its original form Pochkahr, the first syllable refer- ring to the crushing process to which the gold-bearing ore of this region is sub- jected. The mines, which formerly pro- duced both gold and silver, have been long since abandoned. The traveller may mount directl}- by the path near the Engthorbriicke, or, after visiting the Nassfeld, take a less steep way by a track, anciently used by miners, that diverges from the main valley near the Moserhiitte. Another path, shorter than either, leads back to Bockstein. The Bockhardt is divided into two terraces, each partly occupied by a lake. The Unter-Boc'khardtsce (6,069') is a com- paratively large sheet of waicr, about 150 ft. in depth. A comparatively steep ROUTE C. MALLXITZER TAUERN. 293 ascent leads thence to the Oher-BocJc- hardtsee (6,679'), a smaller basin, sur- rounded by Alpine vegetation, in which the botanist will recognise Saxifraga planifoUa. It is surrounded by rugged stony slopes wherein are seen very numerous 'openings of the shafts for- merly worked here. Like most of the other mountain lakes of this neighbour- hood, these contain no fish, doubtless owing to the presence of metallic salts. From the npper lake, the traveller may reach Kolm-8aigurn in Rauris, by a pass mentioned in the last Rte. Another pass — Unter-BockhurdUcJutrte (7,383') — lies ]NNE. of the lower lake, and leads to the head of the Anger thai. By that way an active walker may return to Gastein.] After passing the Engthorbriicke, a short ascent leads the traveller to the N. end of the Kassfeld, a level basin, 2 m. long and about ^ m. broad, doubtless the area of an ancient lake. The name Nassfeld is often locally given to similar spots in the Eastern Alps ; but this, happening to lie in the way of a fre- quented highway, is the only one gene- rally known by that name. The timber that once clothed the slopes having been consumed centuries ago by the miners, it is perfectly bare of trees — a green carpet, through which meander many gentle streams, surrounded by stern slopes, above which, to the S. and SW., rise the snowy summits of the Hochnarr range, extending from the Scharreek to the Goiselspitz. It is so nearly level that the Moserhiitte, at the N. end, close to the opening of the Sieglitzthal, is only 16 ft. lower than the Straubingcrliillte (5,403'), more than a mile farther S. At these Sennhiitten, wayfarers find the usual dairy refreshments, for which they are expected to pay handsomely. Besides several glacier streams de- scending from the higher peaks, the Isassfeld receives at its upper end a tor- rent that flows from ESE. through the Wcisscnbachthal, vrhich may be con- sidered the chief source of the Gasteiner Ache. The traveller bound for the Mall- nitzer Tauern must avoid the path that follows the torrent through iho last- named glen, and leads across the ridge dividing this from the Anlaufthal, and should keep the more beaten track that winds up the slopes on the S. side of the glen. The ascent is easy, and, after winding round a hollow just below the top of the ridge, in 2^ hrs. from the Moserhiitte, or o hrs. from Bad Gastein, the traveller reaches the Mcdlnitzer Tauern (8,038'), marked by a wooden cross. It commands an ex- tensive view on the Carinthian side, extending to the Terglou, and this may be increased by a slight ascent to an adjoining eminence. A few min. below the summit, on the S. side, is the Tauern- haus, the highest of the refuges bearing that name. The person who keep*; it is occasionally absent, but, as a general rule, there are found here wine, coffee, bread, butter, and milk, ample refresh- ment for an Alpine tourist, and a hay couch for the benighted traveller. Posts mark the track when the ground is covered with snow ; otherwise no diffi- culty is found until lower down, where care is required not to be misled by the numerous cattle-tracks. The Kreuz- Kapelle (7,221') is passed in descending to a large group of Sennhiitten — called Manhartalp (5,810') — at the head of the Mcdlnitzer TAa/. a trilnitary of the Moll- thai, through which lies the way to Ober- Vellach. Keeping mainly to the rt. bank of the torrent, 2^ hrs.' steady walk- ing suffice to reach 'Mallnitz (3,860'), the first village in Carinthia, with a tolerable mounUiiu inn, improved of late years. The landlord is well acquainted with the surrounding mountains, especially the neighbourhood of the Ankotrl (.see below). A very rough road leads hence to the Mollthal, and equally rough vehicles are usually to be found by those who prefer severe jolting to travelling on foot. After pass- ing Lassach (2,980'). the road crosses to the 1. bank of the 3Iailnitz, and the eye accustomed to tho stern scenery of this part of the Tauern range rejoices in the 294 CENTUAL TYROL ALPS. § 52. GASTEIN DLSTRICT. i-icli foliage of fine walnut trees as the ]o;id descends rather steeply to Oher-Vellach (2,221'), a small town, the chief place in the Mullthal, nearly one m. below the junction of the Mallnitz with the Moll. There are two inns (Zum Prinzen Lichtenstein ; Post), of which tlie first is said to be the best, but rather d^'ar. A chamois-hunter, named Guri, is well acquainTed with the neighbouring Alps. A small post-carriage plies three times a week up the valley from Spittal to "Winklern, and returns on the alternate days : but the chance, even of a single seat, is uncertain. From this place to its junction with the Drave, the Mollthal extends nearly straight to ESE., although the road, which crosses the valley twice, and winds along the base of the bound- ing slopes, is very sinuous. The scenery is throughout very pleasing, but more interesting in ascending than descending, as some of the peaks of the Ilochnarr range are often m view. IS^umerous Roman remains have been found here ; the way through the Anlaufthal, noticed below, having been a frequented Eoman road. On the top of a hill, called Danlehberg (3,188'), that rises imme- diately above the 1. bank of the Moll, about 6 m. below Ober-Vellach, stands a chapel which was once a temple of Her- cules, as is testified by an inscription built into the wall. This spot commands a fine view up and down the valley, and the pedestrian does well to avoid the road, which here follows the rt. bank of the Moll, and follow a path from the village of Penk which passes over the Danielsberg. He rejoins the road where it returns to the 1. bank, at the opening of the Einkenthal. The detour scarcely costs an hour's additional walk. After passing KoJmitz (1,993'), aiid Miihldorf, tlie road from Ober-Vellach joins the high-road through the valley of the Drave at Mvllhr'ucke ( 1 ,829'), rather more than 13 m. from Ober-Vellach. Tra- vellers intending to ascend the valley of the Drave cross the Moll just above its .junction with the latter river, by the bridge, which is only \\ m. from Sach- eenburg (§ 51, Kte. A), while those I bound for Villach follow the road along the 1. bank of the Drave to Spittal. [The wi'iter has not seen any notice of the ascent of the PoZm?V7^ (9,123'), a fine peak that rises about 4 m. SW. of Ober- Vellach. As it is the highest summit in the mountain range that divides the val- ley of the Moll from that of the Drave, it must necessarily command a very fine panoramic view.] 2. BytheWoigstensc'karte{^,OW). If the height of the Mallnitzer Taueru has not been, as the writer suspects, some- what exaggerated, this is, by a few feet, the lowest pass over the main range be- tween the Pfitscher Joch and the Arl- scharte, and is, at the same time, the most direct way from Gastein to Mallnitz, In spite of these apparent recommenda- tions, it is rarely, if ever, used by travel- lers ; the writer has never heard the pass named at Bad Gastein, nor has he seen any notice of it seeming to be derived fr6m personal observation. The cause of this disfavour seems to be the existence of a small glacier on the N. side of the pass, which may possibly make the passage difficult. The WoirX IN POXGATJ TO VILLACH, BY THE EADSTADTEB TAUEEN. Radstadt . Untertaiiem Tv.-eng St. ilichael Austrian miles f 4 3 English miles 3 14 Rennweg . Giniind . Spittd YiUach . 2 2 2 9i 9 9 Post-read. Diligence twice a week between Salzburg and Yillach, passing by Kadstadt, but ' not by St. Johann. Extra horses are required for rhe passage of the Piadstadter Tauem and the Kaischberg. We have already seen that for a dis- tance of more than 100 m. eastward of I the Brenner Pass no carriage-road tra- verses the central range of the Eastern I Alps. It is only on the E. side of the I mountain mass that culminates in the I Hafaereck, where the main chain divides I into the two parallel ranges enclosing the valley of the rilur, that the barrier between the waters flowing to the Drave and those of the Danube subside low enough to permit the construction of the road which is known as that of the Eadstadter Tauem. That name belongs to the higher pass traversed by that road, connecting the valley of the Enns with the head waters of the ]Mur, and a second pass (the Katschberg) must be surmounted before the traveller can de- scend to the valley of the Drave. The traveller who takes this road from SaLzbm'g to Villach does not keep to the main road along the Salza to St. Johann in Pongau (§ 45, Kte. E), but: quits that stream a short way above Werfen, and follows the post -road through the Fritztbal, which is noticed in § 46, Ete. F. The distance from Werfen to Eadstadt is 4|- Austrian, or 21 English, miles. Those who come from Gastein or the Pinzgau will natirrally take the road here described from St. Johann in Pongau to Ea-^Istadt, which shortens the distance by 14 English m. ROUTE E. — PASS OF THE RADSTADTER TAUERN. 299 That portion of the road, formerly very rough, has been recently improved, hut the postmaster at St. Johann sometimes objects to supply horses, so that it is often a better plan to hire a carriage from Lend to Eadstadt, From the latter place, the traveller may pursue his journey either by diligence or post- ing. Although the road from St. Johann to Eadstadt traverses the water-shed between the Salza and the Enns, it lies along the great line of valley which, with trifling exceptions, forms the northern boundary of the crystalline rocks in the Eastern Alps. The height of land over which the road is carried is only about 900 ft. above the level of the Salza, and scarcely 200 ft. above the Enns at the point where it is first approached. For some miles from St. Johann, the new road mounts at a con- siderable height above the Kleinarl- bach, gaining a fine view over the Pongau, backed by the crags of the Uebergossene Alp ; it then runs nearly at a level till it reaches Wagraiit (2.743'), a village about 7 m. from St. Johann, with a tolerable country inn, at the opening of the Kleinarlthal (Ete. I). A very easy ascent leads hence to the pass, or height of land, dividing the basin of the Salza from that of the Enns, 2,933 ft. above the sea. An interesting view is gained along the upper Ennsthal, especially when clouds do not cover the bold peaks of the Pachstein group, here seen to great advantage. A short descent along a gentle slope leads to the Enns. This is here an insignificant mountain stream that issues from the Flochau. its parent glen, further noticed in Ete. I. The first village on the Enns is Beit- dorf (2,751'). A little farther, on the rt. bank of the Enns, is Altenmarkt (2,707')> supposed to be the Eoman sta- tion Ani, and certainly the original site of Eadstadt, which stands about 3 m. lower down, on the opposite bank of the Enns, just above its junction with the Tauern Ache. It is noticed in § 47 Ete. A. The lladsladter Tauern is one of tliose Alpine routes that deserves more ceie- brity than it has hitherto obtained. The scenery offers i-AV more of variety and interest than the more famous pass of the Brenner, and has special attrac- tions for the geologist and the botanist, who should arrange their journey so as to pass some hours at the summit. The ascent commences close to the town of Eadstadt, where the stream of the Tauern Ache, descending from the pass, unites with the Enns. ^Eirst by the 1., then by the rt. bank, the road ascends gently through the lower part of the glen to the pictiu-esque village of Unter- Tauern (3,338'). The nearer wooded slopes are backed by the rugged mass of the Wmdsfdd (8,532') which rises to the rt. of the pass. Here the ascent becomes more rapid, and the road passes through a defile— the Tau- ernklamm — close to the foaming rapids of the Ache. Higher up, that torrent forms a high waterfall, but partially seen from the road. Tourists usually make a_ slight detour to visit it, ba may enjoy the view of a second, less lofty, but more picturesque fall without quitting the road. Higher up, on reach- ing the level pastures of the Gnadou- alp (4,055'), the road bears to the 1. away from tlie torrent, and begins to mount the slope of the mountain. To attain the vippermost shelf in the valley, the road turns abruptly eastward, nearly at rt. angles to its previous direction, while the torrent disappears altogether from view. It is usual to halt where a path turns aside with a finger-post in- scribed ' Nach dem JohannsfalL' It is worth while to follow the indication, not so much for the sake of the water- fall as for the remarkable conformation of the rocks around it. Issuing from a narrow cleft, the torrent springs into a hollow abyss 600 ft. deep, and is turned into a cloud of spray before it reaches the bottom. A last ascent leads from this point to the Tauernhaus, locally known by the name WicsenecJc. The group of houses, including the large inn and refuge, a chapel, and a priest's 300 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. 52. GASTEIN DISTRICT. h: undertaken except from the E. side, where, at the village of Mur, severaJ. competent guides are to be found Leo- pold Genser, Peter Simmerl, KuperC Schiefer, and Paul Konig are all re- commended. .Che pass here mentioned as well as thzu over the Eothgilden- scharte, next en ^merated, are not likely to be selected b} a traveller going from St. Johann to St. Michael, or vice versa, as they involve a considerable detour, yet show nothing of the finest portions of the Maltathal. But the way through the Moritzenthal offers a very direct route from St. Michael to Bad Gastein ; going on the first day to the Eechen- biichlhiitte, and on the next crossing the Klein-Elendscharte to the Kot- schachthal (Rte. 0). Supposing that the distance from Mur to the Rechen- i biichlhiitte can be accomplished in 7 hrs., the whole distance from Mur to Bad Gastein rpquires 15 hrs., ex- clusive of halts. This was accomplished in one day by the late Archdulie John, before Alpine Clubs had come into existence. The opening of the Moritzen- thal is about 3 hrs. above Mur. It is said to be a short wild glen, encom- passed by rocks and snow-slopes, in the midst of which lie three small lakes. Above these lies the pass which leads to the head of the Maltagraben at the Samerhiitte. The way is said to be laborious and rather difficult ; but no details have reached the writer. 4. By the Rothgildenscharte. Eor the reason above mentioned, this pass must be approached from the E. side. The Bothgildenthal is the finest of the lateral glens of the upper Murthal, and the traveller whose course lies eastward along that river or its tributaries may here bid adieu to the characteristic scenery of the high Alps. In this glen are important mines of arsenical ores, from which as much as 100 tons of white arsenic are said to be annually extxacted. The process is carried on 314 CENTRAL TYROL ALPS. § 52. GASTEIN DISTRICT. in winter, when the ground is covered with snow, in order to avoid poisoning the cattle pastured on the surrounding slopes. The glen contains two lakes, of which the larger, called Rogeler See, is enclosed between steep faces of rock, above which rises the rugged peak of the Hafnereck, and others scarcely in- ferior in height. Masses of permanent snow rest in the rifts ; while in the uppermost hollow, N. of the main peak, lies a rather considerable glacier. To the rt. of the Hafnereck is the pass of the Bothgildenscharte. It is described as difficxilt, and even danger- ous, on account of a crumbling mass of steep rocks, a little below the summit on the E. side, which must be climbed in order to reach the ridge. The descent is to the Wastelalp in the Malta- graben (Rte. F), It is said that those bound for the lower part of the Malta- thai may reach that valley at a point lower than the Wastelalp, by bearing to the 1. to the Mairalp. But by ta,king this course the traveller would lose some of the finest scenery of the Maltagraben. The ascent oi t\ie Hafiicreck (10,044') is said to be impracticable from the side of the Murwinkel, and the course taken by the few travellers who have climbed the peak has been to mount from the village of Mur, along the ridge dividing the Murwinkel from the head of the Lieserthal, and, passing round the peak, to reach the summit from the SE. side. The ascent may probably be shorter and easier from the Traxhiitte, in the Maltagraben. The pass from Mur to the head of the Lieserthal by the Buchlwand is said not to be difficult, and a fine walk may thus be made to Eennweg, on the high- road from St. Michael to Gmiind. Much information respecting the Lun- gau district, including the upper valley of the Mur and its tributaries, is fouiid in a paper by Dr. Wallmann, in the ' Mittheilungen of the Austrian Alpine Club for 1864,' but more detailed and accurate information as to the passes connected with the Maltathal and the upper branches of the Mur Valley is much to be desired, and will be thank - fully received by the writer. BALL'S ALPINE GUIDES, LATEST EDITIONS. The Alpine (jUide. By John Ball, M.R.I.A. late Presi- dent of the Alpine Club. Post 8vo. with Maps and other Illustrations, in Three Volumes, as foUows : — The Guide to the Eastern Alps, price lOs. 6d. The Griiide to the Western Alps, including Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, Zermatt, &c. price 6s. 6d. Grnide to the Central Alps, including aU the Oberland District, price 7s. Cd. Introduction on Alpine Travelling in general, and on the Geology of the Alps, price Is. 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