Kamnik Alps
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008) |
| Kamnik Alps | |
| Savinja Alps | |
| Range | |
 Grintovec (left, background) and Skuta (right, foreground)
|
|
| Countries | Slovenia, Austria |
|---|---|
| Part of | Southern Limestone Alps |
| Highest point | Grintovec |
| - elevation | 2,558 m (8,392 ft) |
| - coordinates | 46°21′26″N 14°32′08″E / 46.35722°N 14.53556°E |
 Location of Kamnik Alps
|
|
The Kamnik Alps (Slovene: Kamniške Alpe), (German: Steiner Alpen), are a mountain range, part of the Southern Limestone Alps in north Slovenia and at the border of Austria. The name is derived from the town Kamnik. Because the main river of the chain is the Savinja, the mountains are also called the Savinja Alps (Slovene: Savinjske Alpe), (German: Sannthaler or Sulzbacher Alpen). The river Kamniška Bistrica has its source in the Kamnik Alps. There is also a small glacier under Skuta which is the most eastern glacier in the Southern Alps.
Contents |
[edit] Location
The Kamnik Alps are located at the border of Austria and Slovenia, between the rivers River Sava and Savinja. Historically they were the border between the duchies of Carinthia, Styria and Carniola. The tripoint was located on Uršlja gora.
[edit] Peaks
The most important peaks are:
- Grintovec – 2,558 m (8,392 ft)
- Jezerska Kočna – 2,540 m (8,333 ft)
- Skuta – 2,532 m (8,307 ft)
- Ojstrica (2,350 m or 7,710 feet)
- Storžič (2,132 m)
In total, 28 peaks surpass 2,000 m. The total area of the Slovene part is about 900 km². About three quarters of the surface are overgrown with forest while many of the higher peaks are bleak and rocky.
[edit] Borders and passes
To the east, the Kamnik Alps border the Celje Highland at the Dravinja River. The northwestern border is with the Karavanke Alp and the Vellach Valley.
The most important passes between the Carinthian and Upper Carniolian sides of the mountains are the Jezersko Pass (Slovene: Jezersko sedlo), (German: Seebergsattel) and the Pavlič Pass (Slovene: Pavličevo sedlo), (German: Paulitschsattel). On the Slovenian side, there is a skiing area, whereas tourism in the Vellach Valley focuses on health spas.
