ÖTZ VALLEY
HAIMING SAUTENSKÜHTAIOETZUMHAUSENNIEDERTHAILÄNGENFELDGRIESSÖLDENZWIESELSTEINOBERGURGLHOCHGURGLVENT

Other glaciers

Other glaciers of the Ötz valley Alps

Hintereis glacier

This glacier is in the Rofen valley which is accessible from the Venter valley and with more than 7km² is one of the biggest glacier areas of Tyrol. The Venter valley is a side valley of the Ötz valley and extends into the Rofen valley.

The glacier is surrouned by a number of three thousand mater summits like the Weißkugel (3 738m), Im Hinteren Eis (3 270m), Innere Quellspitze (3 514m) and the Teufelsegg (3 226m). The Langtaufererjoch glacier used to flow ino the Hintereis glacier, but this connection has been broken since 1999 because of the melting of the glaciers.

Hochjoch glacier

This glacier is also situated in the vicinity of the Hintereis glacier, between the Venter valley and the Schnals valley. It reaches up to the Rofen valley and lies at the midst of the imposing summits of the Fineilspitze (3.514m) and the Grawandspitze (3.251m). The difference in altitude between the highest and deepest point of the glacier is less than 950m.

Although parts of the glacier are used as a skiing region, this is becoming less from year to year due to glacier melting. During the last year the annual decline amounted to between 14 and 43m.

Niederjoch glacier

Although this glacier region is referred to as the Niederjoch glacier in maps, it is also often called the Similaun glacier. This unofficial name is due to the Similaun summit. This glacier is renowned not for its size, since it is a fast melting area, but because it is the setting for a historical find. In 1991, the well-preserved corpse of Ötzi was found here on 3.210 m above sea level. Nowadays, mountaineering tours pass the finding place of Ötzi on the way to the Similaun hut and the summit.

Gurgler Glacier

This glacier is also the setting for an historical event. It was the unintentional landing site of the altitude record holder Augustus Piccard, who was forced to land on the Gurgler glacier in 1931. After the setting the record with his hot air balloon and his exciting rescue from this point, a monument was built in his honor. The Piccard memorial is situated in the center of Obergurgl.

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