Gesäuse

Gesäuse Valley, northern Styria, 16 km long, transverse valley of the River Enns, which is unregulated in this section; its course leads through the high limestone Alps from Admont (more precisely Himbeerstein and Haindlmauer) in the west to Hieflau in the east; access to the valley is provided by train, Selzthalbahn railroad (Amstetten- Bischofshofen), and by road. The River Enns divides the rugged Ennstal Alps; the northern side of the G. is made up of the Buchstein group with the Großer Buchstein mountain (alt. 2,224 m) and the Tamischbachturm mountain (alt. 2,035 m). To the south the Reichensteinstock group (Reichenstein mountain, alt. 2,251 m; Kalbling mountain, alt. 2,196 m) is separated from the Hochtor range (Hochtor mountain, alt. 2,369 m; Großer Ödstein mountain, alt. 2,335 m; Planspitze peak, alt. 2,117 m) by the narrow Johnsbachtal valley. There are very few settlements in the G., the only exception being the small village of Gstatterboden, which lies halfway through the valley. Enns dam with Hieflau power station subsidiary; road to Johnsbach. The mountains of the G. valley are a paradise for experienced climbers. Mountain refuges: Oberst-Klinke-Hütte (alt. 1,486 m), Heßhütte (alt. 1,699 m), Haindlkarhütte (alt. 1,121 m).