The Karwendel is the largest

mountain range A mountain range or hill range is a series of mountains or hills arranged in a line and connected by high ground. A mountain system or mountain belt is a group of mountain ranges with similarity in form, structure, and alignment that have aris ...

of the

Northern Limestone Alps The Northern Limestone Alps (), also called the Northern Calcareous Alps, are the ranges of the Eastern Alps north of the Central Eastern Alps located in Austria and the adjacent Bavarian lands of southeastern Germany. The distinction from the ...

. It is located on the

Austria–Germany border The border between the modern states of Austria and Germany () has a length of , or respectively. It is the longest international border of Austria and the tied longest border of Germany with another country (the other one being the border wit ...

. The major part belongs to the

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

n federal state of

Tyrol Tyrol ( ; historically the Tyrole; ; ) is a historical region in the Alps of Northern Italy and western Austria. The area was historically the core of the County of Tyrol, part of the Holy Roman Empire, Austrian Empire and Austria-Hungary, f ...

, while the adjacent area in the north is part of

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. Four

chains A chain is a serial assembly of connected pieces, called links, typically made of metal, with an overall character similar to that of a rope in that it is flexible and curved in compression but linear, rigid, and load-bearing in tension. A ...

stretch from west to east; in addition, there are a number of fringe ranges and an extensive

promontory A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the s ...

(''Vorkarwendel'') in the north.

Geography

The term Karwendel describes the part of the

Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...

between the

Isar The Isar () is a river in Austria and in Bavaria, Germany. Its source is in the Karwendel mountain range of the Alps. The Isar river enters Germany near Mittenwald and flows through Krün, Wallgau, Bad Tölz, Munich, and Landshut before reaching ...

river and the

Seefeld Saddle The Seefeld Saddle () is a saddle and mountain pass, , in the Northern Limestone Alps in the Austrian federal state of Tyrol. Two major transport routes run over it: the ''Seefelder Straße'' (B 177) and the Mittenwald Railway. On the Seefe ...

mountain pass in the west and

Achen Lake Lake Achen () is a lake in Austria, north of Jenbach in Tyrol. Lake Achen is also called "Fjord of the Alps" and "Tyrolean Sea". The largest lake within the federal state, its maximum depth is . Together with the Achen Valley, it parts ...

in the east. In the north it stretches to the

Bavarian Prealps The Bavarian Prealps () are a mountain range within the Northern Limestone Alps along the Austria–Germany border. They include the Bavarian Prealp region between the river Loisach to the west and the river Inn River, Inn to the east; the range is ...

. In the south the

Lower Inn Valley The Lower Inn Valley () is that part of the Inntal valley through which the Inn river flows from a point a few kilometres west of Innsbruck near its confluence with the Melach downstream to a few kilometres before Rosenheim. A further distinctio ...

with the city of

Innsbruck Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...

separates the Karwendel from the

Central Eastern Alps The Central Eastern Alps (), also referred to as Austrian Central Alps () or just Central Alps, comprise the main chain of the Eastern Alps in Austria and the adjacent regions of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Italy and Slovenia. South of them is ...

. Other major settlements include

Seefeld in Tirol Seefeld in Tirol is an old farming village, now a major tourist resort, in Innsbruck-Land District in the Austrian state of Tyrol (state), Tyrol with a local population of 3,312 (as of 1 January 2013). The village is located about northwest of Inn ...

and

Mittenwald Mittenwald () is a German municipality in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria. Geography Mittenwald is located approximately 16 kilometres to the south-east of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It is situated in the Valley of the river Isar, ...

in the west, as well as

Eben am Achensee Eben am Achensee is a municipality in the Schwaz district in the Austrian state of Tyrol. Geography Eben lies in the Achen valley on the shores of the Achensee above the lower Inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers ...

in the east. Neighbouring ranges are the

Wetterstein The Wetterstein mountains (), colloquially called Wetterstein, is a mountain group in the Northern Limestone Alps within the Eastern Alps, crossing the Austria–Germany border. It is a comparatively compact range located between Gar ...

and Mieming Mountains in the west and the

Brandenberg Alps The Brandenberg Alps () are a sub-group of the Northern Limestone Alps, that run in front of the Eastern Alps for their whole length. They lie entirely in Austria between Achensee in Tyrol (state), Tyrol, the Inn Valley and the Bavarian Prealps. ...

in the east. The mountaineer

Hermann von Barth Hermann von Barth (5 June 1845 – 7 December 1876) was a famous German mountaineer. Life and career Hermann von Barth was born on 5 June 1845 at Eurasburg Castle. He initially studied law in Munich, where he was affiliated to the Corps Fr ...

created the tradition of naming the Karwendel chains ranges after the valleys limiting them in the south: Karwendel valley,

Hinterau valley The Hinterau valley (Rear Meadow Valley, German: ''Hinterautal'') is a valley crossing the Karwendel range from east to west. The Isar has its official source in the Hinterau valley. The valley stretches from its western end at Scharnitz Scha ...

and Vomper Loch, Gleirsch valley,

Hall In architecture, a hall is a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age and the Early Middle Ages in northern Europe, a mead hall was where a lord and his retainers ate and also slept. Later in the Middle Ages, the gre ...

valley, and

Inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway. Before the advent of motorized transportation, they also provided accomm ...

valley: *

Northern Karwendel Chain The Northern Karwendel Chain () is the northernmost of the four great, largely parallel mountain chains in the Karwendel in the Alps. It is made from very pure Wetterstein limestone, which has its heart in the Karwendel and runs for a total len ...

Hinterautal-Vomper Chain The Hinterautal-Vomper Chain (), also called the main chain of the Karwendel (''Karwendelhauptkette''), is the longest mountain chain in the Karwendel Alps in Austria. It has numerous peaks that reach heights of 2,500 m, including the highe ...

(a.k.a. main Karwendel Range), *

Gleirsch-Halltal Chain The Gleirsch-Halltal Chain () or Gleirsch-Halltal Range is a mountain chain in the Karwendel in the Northern Limestone Alps. It follows to the south of the Hinterautal-Vomper Chain, the longest mountain chain in the Karwendel. South of the St ...

Nordkette The Nordkette, also variously called the North Chain, Northern Range, rarely the Inn Valley Range or Inn Valley Chain (''Inntalkette''), is a range of mountains just north of the city of Innsbruck in Austria. It is the southernmost of the four gr ...

(a.k.a. Solstein Range or Inn Valley Range). Side ranges are the

Erlspitze Group The Erlspitze Group (), also called the Seefeld Group, is the southwesternmost side range of the Austrian part of the Karwendel mountains in the Alps. It forms a horseshoe-shaped highland around the valley of Eppzirler Tal and is joined in the so ...

, Soiern Group and Vorkarwendel, Falken Group, Gamsjoch Group and Sonnjoch Group.

Peaks

There are 125 peaks in the Karwendel that reach heights of over 2,000 metres. The most important are listed below together with some notable peaks between 1,800 and 2,000 metres high. * Birkkarspitze 2,749 m * Ödkarspitze, middle top 2,745 m * Kaltwasserkarspitze 2,733 m * Großer Bettelwurf 2,725 m * Großer Lafatscher 2,696 m * Große Seekarspitze 2,679 m * Hintere Bachofenspitze 2,668 m * Grubenkarspitze 2,663 m *

Kleiner Solstein The Kleiner Solstein is a mountain, high, in the Nordkette in the Karwendel Alps in the Austrian state of Tyrol. Despite its name ("Small Solstein") it towers above its western neighbour, the Großer Solstein ("Great Solstein") () by almost an ...

2,637 m * Speckkarspitze 2,621 m *

Hintere Brandjochspitze The Hintere Brandjochspitze () is a summit roughly 200 metres northwest of the Vordere Brandjochspitze in the Nordkette range above Innsbruck. It rises above its "forward" neighbour by around 40 metres. The summit may be reached in 20 minute ...

2,599 m * Hohe Warte 2,596 m * Laliderer Spitze 2,583 m * Jägerkarspitze, south top 2,579 m * Sonntagkarspitze 2,575 m * Pleisenspitze 2,567 m *

Vordere Brandjochspitze The Vordere Brandjochspitze is a peak, high, in the Nordkette in the Karwendel range and is one of its highest and most striking peaks. In its immediate vicinity to the north-northwest is its sister summit, the Hintere Brandjochspitze, which is ...

2,559 m * Hochnissl 2,546 m * Stempeljochspitze 2,543 m *

Großer Solstein The Große Solstein is a mountain, high, on the western corner of the Nordkette range in the Karwendel mountains near Zirl in the Austrian state of Tyrol Tyrol ( ; historically the Tyrole; ; ) is a historical region in the Alps of Northe ...

2,540 m *

Östliche Karwendelspitze The Östliche Karwendelspitze (2,537 m) is a mountain formed from Wetterstein limestone in the Karwendel mountains on the border between Bavaria and Tyrol. It is the highest mountain of the Northern Karwendel chain and the highest German peak ...

2,537 m *

Vogelkarspitze Vogelkarspitze is a mountain of Bavaria, Germany. Mountains of Bavaria Mountains of the Alps {{Bavaria-geo-stub ...

2,523 m * Lamsenspitze 2,508 m * Hoher Gleiersch 2,491 m * Wörner 2,476 m * Sonnjoch 2,457 m * Gamsjoch 2,452 m * Erlspitze 2,404 m * Kuhkopf 2,390 m *

Westliche Karwendelspitze Westliche Karwendelspitze is a 2385 m above sea level high mountain in the Karwendel on the border between Bavaria and North Tyrol North Tyrol, rarely North Tirol (), is the main part of the Austrian federal state Tyrol, located in the wester ...

2,385 m *

Steinfalk Steinfalk (German: Stone Halcon) (elevation ) is a summit in the Falken Group, a subgroup of the Karwendel range in the Austrian state of Tyrol Tyrol ( ; historically the Tyrole; ; ) is a historical region in the Alps of Northern Italy an ...

2,348 m * Freiungen, west top, 2,332 m * Suntiger Spitze 2,321 m * Schaufelspitze 2,308 m *

Hafelekarspitze The Hafelekarspitze is a mountain in the so-called North Chain (''Nordkette'') north of Innsbruck in Austria. Location and landscape Below and west of the summit is the top station of ''Hafelekar'', the second section of the Nordkette Cable ...

2,269 m *

Soiernspitze At 2,257 metres, the Soiernspitze is the highest mountain in the Soiern Group in the Bavarian Karwendel range. Its summit may be climbed either from ''Seinsbachtal'' or from the ''Soiernhäusern'' by the lakes of Soiernseen in an easy mountain ...

2,257 m * Rotwandlspitze 2,192 m * Brunnsteinspitze 2,191 m *

Schafreuter Schafreuter or Schafreiter is a mountain at the border of Bavaria, Germany and Tirol, Austria in the Karwendel The Karwendel is the largest mountain range of the Northern Limestone Alps. It is located on the Austria–Germany border. The majo ...

2,102 m * Fleischbank 2,026 m * Grasbergjoch 2,020 m * Torkopf 2,012 m * Hölzelstaljoch 2,012 m * Kompar 2,011 m * Mondscheinspitze 2,106 m * Juifen 1,988 m * Schönalmjoch 1,986 m *

Demeljoch The Demeljoch (1,924 m) is a mountain at the border between Bavaria, Germany, and Tyrol, Austria. The summit can be reached through a hiking trail starting near the easternmost point of the Sylvensteinsee. File:Boundary stone on the Demeljoch - ...

1,924 m *

Stierjoch Stierjoch is a mountain at the border of Bavaria, Germany with Tyrol, Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of A ...

1,908 m * Dürrnbergjoch 1,835 m

Alpine huts

In the Karwendel, of the 21 Alpine huts, 18 are run by the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

Austrian Alpine Club The Austrian Alpine Club () has about 700,000 members in 194 sections and is the largest mountaineering organisation in Austria. It is responsible for the upkeep of over 234 alpine huts in Austria and neighbouring countries. It also maintains ove ...

s: *Aspach Hut (OeAV Innsbruck) *Bettelwurf Hut (OeAV Innsbruck) *Brunnstein Hut (DAV Mittenwald) *Dammkar Hut (private) *Falken Hut (DAV Oberland/Munich) *Hallerangerhaus (DAV Schwaben) *Hochland Hut (DAV Hochland/Munich) *Höttinger Alm (private) *Karwendelhaus (DAV Männer-Turnverein Munich) *Krinner Kofler Hut (DAV Mittenwald) *Lamsenjoch Hut (DAV Oberland/Munich) *Magdeburger Hut (new) (DAV Geltendorf) *Mittenwalder Hut (DAV Mittenwald) *Nördlinger Hut (DAV Nördlingen) *Pfeis Hut (OeAV Innsbruck) *Pleisen Hut (private) *Rotwandl Hut (DAV Neuland/Munich) *Seewald Hut (DAV Achensee) *Soiernhaus (DAV Hochland/Munich) *Solsteinhaus (OeAV Innsbruck) *Tölzer Hut (DAV Bad Tölz)

External links

Alpenpark Karwendel

Karwendel travel guide

Wikivoyage Wikivoyage is a free web-based travel guide for travel destinations and travel topics written by volunteer authors. It is a sister project of Wikipedia and supported and hosted by the same non-profit Wikimedia Foundation (WMF). Wikivoyage has ...

Northern Karwendel Chain

Karwendel on kamdoalp.cz - Hikes description, prominent peaks
{{Authority control Mountain ranges of the Alps Northern Limestone Alps Mountain ranges of Tyrol (federal state) Innsbruck-Land District Mountain ranges of Bavaria