The Großer Rettenstein is a mountain with multiple peaks in the

Kitzbühel Alps The Kitzbühel Alps ( or ''Kitzbühler Alpen'') are a mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps surrounding the town of Kitzbühel in Tyrol, Austria. Geologically they are part of the western slate zone ( greywacke zone). Location Two-thirds of ...

in Austria. The main summit reaches a height of Although not the highest mountain in the Kitzbühel Alps (that honour goes to the

Kreuzjoch Kreuzjoch (German: ''cross col'') is the name of many summits and several mountain passes, predominantly in the Eastern Alps. Summits: * Hohes Kreuzjoch, 2992 m, in the southern Ötztal Alps in South Tyrol * Kreuzjochkogel, 2746 m, between the Sel ...

at ), the Großer Rettenstein is the most striking in this range of otherwise gentle grass-covered mountains. It also has a mighty, craggy, summit block made of

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

, four hundred metres high, that stands atop base of

grauwacke Greywacke or graywacke ( ) is a variety of sandstone generally characterized by its hardness (6–7 on Mohs scale), dark color, and poorly sorted angular grains of quartz, feldspar, and small rock fragments or sand-size lithic fragments set i ...

and primary rock (''Urgestein'' -

quartz Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica (silicon dioxide). The Atom, atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen Tetrahedral molecular geometry, tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tet ...

phyllite). The Rettenstein is the dominating peak of the Spertental valley. Its isolated location also makes the summit an outstanding viewing point and it is therefore a popular destination. To the north the Rettenstein sends a long ridge out to the Spiessnägel, that separates the ''oberer Grund'' and ''unterer Grund''.

Nature

The Rettenstein lies in the Spertental-Rettenstein

protected landscape IUCN protected area categories, or IUCN protected area management categories, are categories used to classify protected areas in a system developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The enlisting of such areas is part ...

and so

Pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. ''World Flora Online'' accepts 134 species-rank taxa (119 species and 15 nothospecies) of pines as cu ...

Spruce A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' ( ), a genus of about 40 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal ecosystem, boreal (taiga) regions of the Northern hemisphere. ''Picea'' ...

Gentian ''Gentiana'' () is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family ( Gentianaceae), the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With over 300 species, it is considered a large genus. Gentians are notable for thei ...

, Willow Gentian, Platenigl,

Edelweiss ''Leontopodium nivale'', commonly called edelweiss () ( ; or ), is a mountain flower belonging to the daisy or sunflower family Asteraceae. The plant prefers rocky limestone places at about altitude. It is a non-toxic plant. Its leaves and f ...

Monkshood ''Aconitum'' (), also known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, devil's helmet, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefl ...

Rock Ptarmigan The rock ptarmigan (''Lagopus muta'') is a medium-sized game bird in the grouse family. It is known simply as the ptarmigan in Europe. It is the official bird for the Canadian territory of Nunavut, where it is known as the ''aqiggiq'' (ᐊᕿ� ...

Black Grouse The black grouse (''Lyrurus tetrix''), also known as northern black grouse, Eurasian black grouse, blackgame or blackcock, is a large Aves, bird in the grouse family. It is a Bird migration, sedentary species, spanning across the Palearctic in m ...

and

Capercaillie ''Tetrao'' is a genus of birds in the grouse subfamily known as capercaillies. They are some of the largest living grouse. Feathers from the bird were used to create the characteristic hat of the bersaglieri, an Italian ace infantry formation. ...

Red Deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or Hart (deer), hart, and a female is called a doe or hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Ir ...

Chamois The chamois (; ) (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of Caprinae, goat-antelope native to the mountains in Southern Europe, from the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Apennines, the Dinarides, the Tatra Mountains, Tatra to the Carpa ...

Ibex An ibex ( : ibex, ibexes or ibices) is any of several species of wild goat (genus ''Capra''), distinguished by the male's large recurved horns, which are transversely ridged in front. Ibex are found in Eurasia, North Africa and East Africa. T ...

and

Marmot Marmots are large ground squirrels in the genus ''Marmota'', with 15 species living in Asia, Europe, and North America. These herbivores are active during the summer, when they can often be found in groups, but are not seen during the winter, w ...

all occur here.

Tour options

The simplest ascent starts from Aschau in the Sperten valley and crosses the ''unterer Grund'' and the ''Schöntalalm'' in 3 to 4 hours.

Sure-footedness Sure-footedness is the ability, especially when hiking or mountain climbing, to navigate difficult or rough terrain safely. Such situations place demands on a person's coordination and reserves of strength as well as requiring sufficient appreciati ...

is required for this route. As a variation on the descent, fit hikers can take the long ridgeway over the Spiessnägel. Another approach option is possible from the Mühlbach valley ( Bramberg municipality) in the upper Pinzgau to the south. Here the way runs initially along a drivable forest track (close to the public) through the ''Baumgartenalm'' almost as far as the ''Stangenjoch''.

Gallery

File:Gr._Rettenstein_001.jpg, View of the NE flank of the Großer Rettenstein. The summit is in the centre of the 3 rock pinaccles. File:Summit Gr. Rettenstein.001.jpg, Summit cross on Großer Rettenstein. Behind: Kleiner Rettenstein. File:Gr._Rettenstein 3.JPG, View from Gampenkogel of the mighty summit block of the Großer Rettenstein. Background:

High Tauern The High Tauern (plural, pl.; , ) are a mountain range on the Main chain of the Alps, main chain of the Central Eastern Alps, comprising the highest peaks east of the Brenner Pass. The crest forms the southern border of the Austrian states of Salz ...

and Großvenediger. File:Großer Rettenstein seen from the Pengelstein.jpg, View of the Großer Rettenstein from the Pengelstein in winter.

External links

Tour description and map

Mountaineering on the Großer Rettenstein

Information about the protected landscape with interactive map
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rettenstein, Grosser Mountains of the Alps Mountains of Tyrol (federal state) Mountains of Salzburg (federal state) Two-thousanders of Austria Kitzbühel Alps Kitzbühel District