The characteristically pyramid-shaped peak actually consists of two pinnacles, the Grossglockner and the Kleinglockner (3,770 m (12,370 ft), from German: klein, "small"), separated by a saddle-like formation known as the Glocknerscharte.
We're headed to the Hochalpenstrasse!
The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a panoramic road in Austria, in the state of Salzburg. It connects the state of Salzburg with the state of Carinthia. It is named after the Großglockner, Austria's highest mountain.
The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a panoramic road in Austria, in the state of Salzburg. It connects the state of Salzburg with the state of Carinthia. It is named after the Großglockner, Austria's highest mountain.
Mountain valley flowers.
D and C by the mountain road entrance.
I'm pretty sure this isn't a real place, and I'm just sitting in front of a backdrop. It's just too beautiful!
The hilllllllls are aliiiiiive, with the sou... Oh, oops!
D spotted this snowpack across the valley that looks as if it could let go any moment, causing an avalanche down to the valley. I'm hoping no one is in its path!
D and C on the snowpack.
D and a stuffed chamois observing each other.
Winter vs. Summer coats in ptarmigan and hares at the museum.
Snow at the side of the road. The blacktop heats up quickly, so all the snow melts on the road first. In shadowed areas not covered with blacktop, the snow can stay piled and unmelted all summer!
Whole slew of gorgeous, tiny alpine flowers.
A pretty little alpine flutterby that landed on me and liked the taste of my sunblock.
Great camouflage from a pretty little butterfly.
We stopped at a small ice melt on the side of the road. D didn't believe me when I described how cold it was, so he had to come check for himself. It was COLD!
Finally - the Grossglockner! That mountain top on the left side is it - no way we were getting up there without special gear, as the snow is several meters thick. The valley below is home to the Pasterze glacier (our first glacier!). Nowadays, the glacier almost completely recedes from the valley due to global warming (scientists have been measuring its yearly descent and ascent through the valley since the early 1900s). you can see the watery edges of it all the way at the top right of the valley. It's almost gone. As a testament to the brute strength of the snow and ice of the glacier, though, you can make out the rough line of its maximum size along the sides of the valley. It was so big at one time that it would have covered the present visitor's center and most of the hiking trails we went on!
1 cm high alpine wildflowers on one trail.
Hiking the trail through mountain tunnels towards the waterfalls - we were stymied by a closed trail!
Ibex looks at marmot screaming at D. The end.
Ibex! I hope you can make them out. Trying to photograph through a magnifying lens is difficult!
Batman in the snow.
Another lovely view.
At the Kaiser Franz-Josef Hohe. Thanks to this man, my family immigrated to the United States. He was a terrible dictator to the people of Galicia!
More alpine flowers. It is worth mentioning that this photo is unedited in any way. Real "true blue" flowers are rare!
Standing by the Swarovski viewing tower!
Copper boat.
Snow fields heading down the mountain.
Back in the valley! Such a lovely place!
My new buddy at the bottom of the mountain. When I approached, this guy brayed loudly and ran over from the middle of the field to say hello. He closed his eyes and leaned up against the fence to be scratched. :) Very sweet!
For more information, see: http://www.grossglockner.at/en/
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