Ötztal Alps

Ötztal Alps
Hintere Schwärze
Highest point
Peak	Wildspitze
Elevation	3,774 m (12,382 ft)
Coordinates	46°53′49″N 10°52′31″E
Geography
Location of Ötztal Alps (highlighted in red).
Countries	Austria and Italy
Range coordinates	46°45′N 10°55′E
Parent range	Central Eastern Alps
Borders on	Stubai Alps

The Ötztal Alps (Italian: Alpi Venoste, German: Ötztaler Alpen) are a mountain range in the Central Eastern Alps, in the State of Tyrol in southern Austria and the Province of South Tyrol in northern Italy. In Baske language: 'Otz', 'Otze' means: 'Cold'.

Geography

The Ötztal Alps are arrayed at the head of the Ötztal valley, a side valley of the Inn river southwest of Innsbruck, Austria. One line of summits forms part of the border between Austria and Italy.

The Ötztal Alps are bordered by the Reschen Pass (1504 m) in the west and the Inn river in the northwest and north. In the east the range is separated from the Stubai Alps by the Ötztaler Ache in the Ötztal, the Timmelsjoch (2474 m) and the Passer river in the Passeier Valley. On the south and southwest, the range is limited by the deep valley of the Etsch river, here known as the Vinschgau.

In September 1991, Ötzi the so-called "Iceman" was found on the Hauslabjoch between the peaks Fineilspitze and Similaun.

Peaks

Brandenburger house and Weißkugel

The highest point of the Ötztal Alps is Wildspitze 3,774 metres (12,382 ft), which is also the second highest mountain in Austria (after Großglockner). Wildspitze is on one of several arms that extend north and northeast from the main ridge.

Some of the main peaks of the Ötztal Alps are:

Peak	Elevation
	m	ft
Wildspitze	3,774	12,382
Weißkugel	3,739	12,267
Hintere Schwärze	3,628	11,903
Similaun	3,603	11,821
Ramolkogel	3,551	11,651
Schalfkogel	3,540	11,614
Hochvernagtspitze	3,535	11,598
Watzespitze	3,533	11,591
Weißseespitze	3,518	11,542
Fineilspitze	3,514	11,529
Hochwilde	3,480	11,417
Hinterer Seelenkogel	3,472	11,391
Bliggspitze	3,454	11,332
Lagaunspitze	3,439	11,283
Hochfirst	3,403	11,237
Verpeilspitze	3,425	11,165
Ehrichspitze	3,420	11,220
Hohe Geige	3,395	11,138
Valvelspitze	3,360	11,020
Glockturm	3,355	11,007
Rofelewand	3,353	11,001
Hochalt	3,285	10,778
Grawand	3,251	10,666
Remsspitze	3,205	10,515
Nederkogel	3,163	10,377
Hundstalkogel	3,080	10,100
Nauderer Hennesiglspitze	3,042	9,980
Wildnörderer	3,015	9,982
Endkopf	2,652	8,701

A panorama from Hohe Mut, above Obergurgl.

A panorama from the Gaislachkogel, above Sölden, with the Stubaier Alps on the left

Passes

The main mountain passes of the Ötztal Alps are:

Mountain pass	location	type	elevation (m/ft)
Gepatschjoch	Vent to the Kaunertal	snow	3243	10,640
Ramoljoch	Vent to Gurgl	snow	3194	10,479
Langtaufererjoch	Vent to the Reschen Pass	snow	3167	10,391
Gurgler Eisjoch	Gurgl to Schnals	snow	3137	10,292
Langthalerjoch	Gurgl to Pfelders-Plan	snow	3058	10,033
Niederjoch	Vent to Schnals	snow	3017	9899
Pitztalerjöchl	Mittelberg (Pitztal) to Sölden	snow	2995	9826
Eisjöchl am Bild	Pfelders to Schnals	snow	2908	9541
Venter Hochjoch	Vent to Kurzras	snow	2885	9465
Timmelsjoch (Passo del Rombo)	Sölden to Meran	road	2509	8232
Reschen Pass (Passo di Resia)	Landeck to Meran	road	1494	4902

See also

• Banker Kirchenkogel
• Geography of the Alps