Dachstein Mountains

The Dachstein Mountains (German: Dachsteingebirge) are a mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps.

Dachstein Mountains
Aerial shot of the Dachstein from ca. 3,600m. Left: the Lower Dachstein: Rear: the Gjaidstein
Highest point
PeakHoher Dachstein
Elevation2,995 m above sea level (AA)
Dimensions
Length50 km (31 mi)
Geography
Dachstein Mountains (in red) within the Alps.
The borders of the range according to
Alpine Club classification of the Eastern Alps
CountryAustria
StatesUpper Austria, Styria and Salzburg
Range coordinates47°31′N 13°40′E
Parent rangeNorthern Limestone Alps

The term is used by the Austrian Alpine Club in its classification of the Eastern Alps as one of the 24 sub-ranges of the Northern Limestone Alps (AVE No. 14).

The Dachstein range includes:

Extent

The Dachstein Mountains are bordered as follows:[1]

Divisions

The two individual peaks of Grimming and Sarstein were counted as part of the Dachstein range because both have been broken off the Dachstein limestone block, even though they are quite separate from a hydrographic and orographic perspective. This classification appeared as early as 1924 in the Moriggl Division of the Alps.

The dividing lines are:

  • Hallstättersee and Koppentraun to Sarstein
  • from Bad Mitterndorf on the Salzabach including the Salza Reservoir to Grimming – here the Dachstein Glacier has carved out another valley which is drained by the Kainischtraun to the north and the Grimmingbach to the south, and which forms the natural landscape division with the Totes Gebirge. In between the Salza crosses the valley in a curious way, and forms a narrow gorge (Salzaschlucht) between Grimming and Kemetgebirge, the eastern edge of the Dachstein plateau.
Panoramic view of the Dachstein with description of main peaks
Panorama of Dachstein as seen from Krippenstein

Climate

Climate data for Krippenstein
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 13.5
(56.3)
12.2
(54.0)
12.2
(54.0)
14.2
(57.6)
18.7
(65.7)
24.1
(75.4)
26.0
(78.8)
25.3
(77.5)
24.0
(75.2)
18.5
(65.3)
14.5
(58.1)
11.6
(52.9)
26.0
(78.8)
Average high °C (°F) −2.0
(28.4)
−2.6
(27.3)
−0.8
(30.6)
1.7
(35.1)
6.8
(44.2)
9.7
(49.5)
12.2
(54.0)
12.7
(54.9)
9.4
(48.9)
6.4
(43.5)
1.0
(33.8)
−1.0
(30.2)
4.5
(40.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) −5.4
(22.3)
−6.1
(21.0)
−4.4
(24.1)
−1.9
(28.6)
3.3
(37.9)
5.9
(42.6)
8.4
(47.1)
8.9
(48.0)
5.7
(42.3)
2.8
(37.0)
−2.4
(27.7)
−4.3
(24.3)
0.9
(33.6)
Average low °C (°F) −8.2
(17.2)
−8.8
(16.2)
−6.9
(19.6)
−4.4
(24.1)
0.6
(33.1)
3.1
(37.6)
5.5
(41.9)
6.0
(42.8)
3.0
(37.4)
0.2
(32.4)
−5.1
(22.8)
−7.0
(19.4)
−1.8
(28.7)
Record low °C (°F) −28.5
(−19.3)
−24.0
(−11.2)
−25.2
(−13.4)
−16.0
(3.2)
−11.0
(12.2)
−5.8
(21.6)
−3.2
(26.2)
−7.0
(19.4)
−7.2
(19.0)
−15.0
(5.0)
−20.0
(−4.0)
−24.0
(−11.2)
−28.5
(−19.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 112.5
(4.43)
110.1
(4.33)
160.3
(6.31)
132.7
(5.22)
140.4
(5.53)
219.3
(8.63)
257.8
(10.15)
211.3
(8.32)
155.7
(6.13)
104.1
(4.10)
124.9
(4.92)
123.7
(4.87)
1,852.8
(72.94)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 124.5
(49.0)
142.8
(56.2)
224.1
(88.2)
109.2
(43.0)
41.1
(16.2)
16.6
(6.5)
3.1
(1.2)
6.9
(2.7)
23.9
(9.4)
39.3
(15.5)
101.7
(40.0)
138.6
(54.6)
971.8
(382.5)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 12.0 12.1 14.5 13.1 13.3 18.1 17.5 15.4 12.8 10.4 12.6 12.9 164.7
Average snowy days (≥ 1 cm) 31.0 28.3 31.0 30.0 28.0 12.4 2.5 1.5 5.9 11.9 24.8 30.7 238
Average relative humidity (%) (at 0700) 68.9 74.3 77.9 81.4 77.1 80.6 78.8 76.2 77.3 68.6 72.0 70.7 75.3
Mean monthly sunshine hours 114.3 125.7 143.6 145.4 204.7 173.2 193.4 205.2 168.4 166.2 102.9 98.5 1,841.5
Percent possible sunshine 43.3 44.0 39.1 37.0 46.2 38.4 42.1 48.2 45.4 50.6 39.0 39.2 42.7
Source: zamg.ac.at

References

Media related to Dachstein mountains at Wikimedia Commons

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