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27-679: Parseierspitze is, at 3,036 m (9,961 ft) tall, the highest mountain and the only three-thousander of the Northern Limestone Alps . It is the main peak of the Lechtal Alps , located in the Austrian state of Tyrol , northwest of Landeck . The summit consists of radiolarite rocks preventing it from eroding. Due to its height, it is called the "Queen of the Lechtal Alps". The first documented attainment of
54-718: A peak of the Pennine Alps , overlooking Zermatt in the Swiss canton of Valais . At 3,883 metres (12,740 ft) above sea level, it is the highest place in Europe that can be reached by aerial tramway or gondola lift , as well as by any other means of transport. The Klein Matterhorn is part of the Breithorn massif and overlooks on its south side the almost equally high flat glacier named Breithorn Plateau , just north of
81-622: A few glaciated mountains are under 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) (the Dachstein , the easternmost glaciated mountain in the Alps, is, at 2,995 metres (9,826 ft), not a three-thousander). In the Mediterranean, however, the three-thousanders remain free of ice and, in the tropics, they are almost insignificant from a climatic perspective; here the snow line lies at around 4,500 metres (14,800 ft) to 5,000 metres (16,000 ft), and in
108-667: A few hours. These include the Breithorn and its subsidiary peaks, Pollux and Castor . On December 9, 2005, the ZBAG (Zermatt Bergbahnen AG, the owner of this station) announced plans to significantly expand the facilities at the Klein Matterhorn. They had ordered studies from five large Swiss architectural firms stating some of the following demands: new heating-, water-, waste- and electricity-installations, new toilets, shop and cafeteria, restaurant, mountain cabin (40 beds, SAC ( Schweizer Alpen-Club ) style), underground access to
135-569: A height above 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) will frequently lead to headaches or other symptoms of altitude sickness with sensitive people. Even before the construction license application was filed, the building promoter had to negotiate with the Swiss Alpine Club and with the Swiss Nature Conservation Society. These discussions resulted in two large natural reserve zones (the "Matterhorn" region and
162-568: Is well under it. Liechtenstein , despite being the only country lying entirely within the Alps, has no 3,000ers on its territory. Apart from the Alps, the dominant range in Europe – if one excludes the Caucasus , which otherwise, in Mount Elbrus (5,642 m), would have the highest mountain in the continent – only the following ranges have three-thousanders: Musala at 2,925 m, the highest mountain in southern Europe (i.e. excluding
189-701: The Dolomites (about 50 peaks). So the ranges of the Alps that contain mountains over the 3,000 m mark comprise roughly two thirds of the area, the 3,000er zone in the Western Alps coming much closer to the edge of the Alpin region than in the Eastern Alps with their extensive system of foothills. The easternmost 3,000er is over 200 kilometres (120 mi) from the Pannonian Alpine perimeter,
216-473: The High Tauern (from west to east: Großer Hafner 3,076 metres (10,092 ft), Lanischhafner 3,018 metres (9,902 ft), Lanischeck 3,022 metres (9,915 ft), Großer or Malteiner Sonnblick 3,030 metres (9,940 ft), and Mittlerer Sonnblick 3,000 metres (9,800 ft)). The northernmost 3,000ers are in the northern chains of the High Tauern , Zillertal , Ötztal , and Stubai Alps (as well as
243-612: The Iberian Peninsula ), does not come close to the mark. The Apennine Mountains reach 2,912 m in the Gran Sasso . The Dinaric Alps , Carpathian Mountains , Sistema Central and Cantabrian Mountains are less than 2,700 m high, and the other ranges in Europe are below 2,500 m. Klein Matterhorn The Klein Matterhorn (sometimes translated as Little Matterhorn ) is
270-706: The Lechtal Alps at 3,036 metres (9,961 ft) is the only three-thousander in the Northern Limestone Alps . In the Alps or Pyrenees, expeditions to areas of over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft), with their often steep mountainsides and sudden changes in weather conditions, require mountaineers to have considerable experience and weatherproof equipment, which distinguishes them from ascents of many two-thousanders. The term "easy three-thousander" ( Leichte Dreitausender ) or "Hikable three-thousander" ( Wanderdreitausender ) describes mountains above 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) with routes that do not pose any particular challenges. Typical "easy" three-thousanders, for example, include
297-805: The Piz Boe (3,152 metres (10,341 ft)) in South Tyrol, which is an hour's walk from the Pordoi Cable Car, or the 3,033 metres (9,951 ft) high Piz Umbrail , accessible from the Umbrail Pass . Amongst the highest easy three-thousanders in the Alps are the Üsser Barrhorn (3,620 metres (11,880 ft)) in the Wallis Alps and the Monte Vioz (3,645 metres (11,959 ft), southern Ortler Alps ). For ascents of these mountains
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#1732772326044324-527: The "Monte Rosa" region). The third area (the " Schwarzsee -Theodul Glacier-Klein Matterhorn" region) was designated as a tourist zone. Licensing was further delayed until 1969 by the citizens of Zermatt filing a complaint to the governing council of the Canton of Valais. In December 1970, the Swiss government finally gave permission for the cable way, but progress was further delayed until 1973 by objections from environmentalists. Eventually, on 17 December 1973,
351-615: The Federal Council rejected objections and granted a construction license. The next major obstacle proved to be the recruitment of a work force to build the lift system. At altitudes of 3,000 to 4,000 m (9,843 to 13,123 ft) above sea level, worker productivity would be reduced by up to 50% compared to normal levels, and workers would be required to live for weeks on end within the camps. The construction of this cable car started in August 1976 at all three construction sites:
378-771: The Parseierspitze in the Lechtal Alps ). The southernmost 3,000ers are on the main chain of the Maritime Alps (Argentara Group), the Mercantour and the Pelat Group with about a dozen main peaks over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) above sea level. In the eastern Alps the southern boundary lies in the Bergamo Alps (3 main summits), of the Adamello–Presanella Group (about a dozen) and
405-430: The cables on their reels. In December 1978, all four track cables were installed, and all remaining operations were completed by the spring of 1979. In the fall of 1979, the two 100 passenger cabins were flown from the village of Täsch to the valley terminal, attached to the hanger frames with the carriages lifted onto the track cables, with operations starting on 23 December, the start of the winter season. The Cable car
432-649: The dry continental areas (Trans-Himalayas, Andes) it may be up to 6,500 metres (21,300 ft) high. The designation "three-thousander" is often used for touristic reasons where only a few individual summits exceed this height – e. g. in the Southern Alps , in the eastern part of Austria , in the Limestone Alps , in the Pyrenees or the rest of Europe . For example, the Parseierspitze in
459-552: The gletscher palast (ice cave) and spare room for 2 cableways: one from Trockener Steg (3-cable gondola) and one from Testa Grigia (double cable car). Additionally: a private investor (Heinz Julen) launched the idea of a hotel. Official press announcement (in German) [1] It was announced in July 2006 the winning design for this construction was to consist of a pyramid of glass, with an observation platform at 4,000 meters with sky lifts on
486-578: The international border with Italy. The name "Klein Matterhorn" is a reference to its much larger neighbour, the Matterhorn , which lies 7 km (4.3 mi) away across the Theodul Pass . The Klein Matterhorn, with the adjacent ski-lifts to the slightly higher Gobba di Rollin , is also a year-round ski area, marketed as "Matterhorn Glacier Paradise", and part of the international ski area between Zermatt and Breuil-Cervinia . Fast ascents to
513-641: The main risk is the lack of acclimatisation at these heights. The highest technically accessible three-thousanders in the Alps (and also the highest cable cars in Europe) are the Klein Matterhorn (3,883 metres (12,740 ft)) near Zermatt and the Aiguille du Midi (3,842 metres (12,605 ft)) on Mont Blanc. The easternmost three-thousanders in the Alps are in the Hafner Group in the east of
540-399: The summer of 1977 the track, hand and counter cables totalling 35.8 kilometers (22.2 mi) in length and weighing to 300 tonnes (295 long tons; 331 short tons) were dragged from Schweigmatten to Trockener Steg, a massive undertaking in itself. It took several weeks to cover the distance of 3,600 metres (11,811 feet), with a vertical altitude of almost 1,000 metres or 3,281 feet and to rewind
567-596: The summit was made in 1869 by the Vienna entrepreneur Joseph Anton Specht (1828–1894) and his guide Peter Siess from Grins . This Tyrol location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Three-thousander Three-thousanders are mountains with a height of between 3,000 metres (9,800 ft), but less than 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) above sea level . Similar terms are commonly used for mountains of other height brackets e. g. four-thousanders or eight-thousanders . In Britain,
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#1732772326044594-406: The term refers to mountains above 3,000 feet (910 m). In temperate latitudes three-thousanders play an important role, because even in summer they lie below the zero degree line for weeks. Thus the chains of three-thousanders always form important climatic divides and support glaciation - in the Alps the 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) contour is roughly the general limit of the "nival step"; only
621-470: The tunnel—followed by a 10 m (33 ft) climb up stairs. The Ice Cave ("Glacier Grotto") is just outside the southern entrance with a view into the glacier below. As of 2005, over 14 million passengers had visited since completion, an average of 560,000 per year. The carriages were refurbished in 2005. The station is a high-alpine environment, and in the thin air one must use caution when making any physical effort. If possible, take time to acclimatise on
648-601: The valley terminal, the three tower sites and the mountain terminal. Creation of the mountain terminal was a difficult undertaking. Some two thousand cubic metres (2,600 cu yd) of concrete were used in the mountain station, all of which had to be transported there by helicopter in specially insulated tanks, mixed with warm water and 2% anti-freeze. Weather conditions at the work site (3,820 metres or 12,530 feet above sea level) in high mountain terrain were extreme: temperatures falling to −40 °C (−40 °F), snowfalls, and high winds of over 100 km/h (62 mph). In
675-495: The way to the Klein Matterhorn. There are plenty of warnings about this on the way up. The lift serves the largest and highest summer-ski area in Europe . During summer months one can find many professional, as well as beginner, skiers here. Access to the ski slopes is via a tunnel blasted straight through the mountain. The Klein Matterhorn is a starting point to several 4,000-metre (13,123 ft) summits that can be reached within
702-483: The westernmost only about 60 kilometres (37 mi) from the Rhone valley. A large part of this sensitive, high Alpine region is protected by conservation areas, but it also forms the touristic heart of the Alps. Switzerland , France , Austria , and Italy have many hundreds of Alpine peaks over 3,000 metres. Germany's Zugspitze , at 2,964 metres (9,724 ft), just falls below the line, whilst Slovenia 's Triglav
729-503: Was built by Von Roll LTD Bern Switzerland. The Klein Matterhorn is at the end of a multi-stage cable car journey from Zermatt, via Furi and Trockener Steg . The last station lies at a height of 3,820 metres (12,530 ft), on the north side of the peak. A tunnel connects it with the Breithorn Plateau on the south side. There is also a panoramic view platform on the top which can be reached by elevator—located midway through
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