Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 47.02666°N / 14.33332°E
Activities Activities: Hiking, Skiing
Seasons Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Additional Information Elevation: 6207 ft / 1892 m
Sign the Climber's Log
Topographic isolation: 16 km
Nearest higher peak: Frauenalpe (1997 m)
Prominence: 717 m

Overview

Dritte Grebenzen Höhe
View from Dritte Grebenzen Höhe
View of Moserwinkl
View of Moserwinkl
Dritte Grebenzen Höhe
The highest summit
Metnitzer Berge is a mountain group of Gurktal Alps, and Grebenzen is one of the mountains of Metnitzer Berge. With its height of 1892 meter it is only the 11th highest peak of Metnitzer Berge. Not its height makes it interesting but more its prominence. With its prominence of 717 meter it is the 2nd most prominent mountain of Metnitzer Berge, just after Goldachnock. Grebenzen has rank #23 on the prominence list of Carinthia and it has rank #24 on the prominence list of Styria.

The state border of Styria and Carinthia goes across Grebenzen. And this mountain makes part of the drainage divide of the rivers Drau and Mur. Due to this situation the streams on the western and on the eastern sides of the mountain will meet very far from here: first they must flow across the countries of Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and finally they will confluence on the Hungarian/Croatian border.

There are two theories for the origin of the name of Grebenzen. According to both theories the origin of the name is Slovenian. Either it comes from Slovenian Kravenica including the word krava (cow) or from Slovenian Grebenc including the word greben (ridge).

Grebenzen has three summits, and each summit has its own character:

Erste Grebenzenhöhe (First Grebenzenhöhe)

This summit is the north summit, with height of 1870 meter. Ski runs of Grebenzen are here, with all the necessary infrastructure. And the two tourist huts of Grebenzen are also here (Grebenzen Schutzhaus and Dreiwiesenhütte). Near the summit there is an outlook, with good view to west and north. Among dozens of other peaks you can see Frauenalpe (1997 m) and Greim (2474 m) from here.

Zweite Grebenzenhöhe (Second Grebenzenhöhe)

This summit is in the middle, with height of 1874 meter. Mountain flora is the most intact here with Swiss pine (Pinus cembra) forests and with Rusty-leaved Alpine rose (Rhododendron ferrugineum) under the trees.

Dritte Grebenzenhöhe (Third Grebenzenhöhe)

This summit is the south summit, and it is the highest: 1892 meter high. This is a Karst world here. The top of the summit is a nearly flat karst plateau. This plateau is cut on its western rim. There is excellent view from this rim.

There are 9 karst-caves on Grebenzen. 7 of them are on Dritte Grebenzenhöhe. The best known caves are Wildes Loch, Drachenloch and Schneeloch.

+1   Scharfes Eck

Schrafes Eck (1818 m) can be considered as the 4th summit of Grebenzen. This is the only summit that has the shape of a real peak.

Activities

Hiking trail on Zweite Grebenzen Höhe
Hiking trail on Zweite Grebenzen Höhe
Ski run in summer
Ski run in summer
Hiking

Grebenzen can be accessed on marked trails north, from east, from south or from west. The most popular access is from north, from the direction of St. Lambrecht. You can choose one of the 2 trails starting from St. Lambrecht and ascending on Grebenzen. Both trails are approximately 8 km long, and elevation gain to the highest summit is 864 meter. If it is too much for you, you can start your hike at one of the tourist huts at Grebenzen Schutzhaus (1648 m) or at Dreiwiesenhütte (1770 m). Both tourist huts can be accessed with car. In summer you can shorten your way with chair lift that brings you to 1300 meter altitude.

Via Natura is a 120 km long thematic route on the area of Naturpark Grebenzen. One of its etaps (Étape 3) goes through Grebenzen. Étape 3 is 15.8 km long.
And there are other recommended hiking tours, too. Three examples:
• Grebenzen-Trail: 13.7 km with 851 meter elevation gain
• Kalkberg-Trail: 16.3 km with 383 meter elevation gain
• Scharfes Eck Trail: 10.7 km with 514 meter elevation gain

Mountain Biking

There is a total length of 150 km mountain bike roads in Naturpark Grebenzen

Skiing

Grebenzen is a smaller ski resort with a total of 23 km ski runs. Most of it is intermediate difficulty. Please click here for overview

Paragliding

More information please click here

Nature

As we are in Naturpark Grebenzen, we can expect to meet the beauty of nature here. Just some examples:

Spring GentiansSpring Gentians
Nigritella bicolorNigritella bicolor
Alpine ClematisAlpine Clematis
RhododendronRhododendron
Spruce treesSpruce trees

Red Tape

Drachenloch - one of the karst caves
Drachenloch - one of the karst caves
Wildes Loch and Drachenloch are vertical caves (holes) along the hiking trails, without notice and without protection. In conditions with bad visibility (fog or darkness) they represent big risk for mountaineers.

Tourist Huts and Camping

Grebenzen Schutzhaus
Grebenzen Schutzhaus
Dreiwiesenhütte
(1770 m a.s.l.)
Website: www.dreiwiesenhuette.at/
Opened both in winter season and in summer season

Grebenzen Schutzhaus (1648 m a.s.l.)
Website: www.touristenklub.at/huetten/18.htm
Opened only in winter season

The nearest camping:
Camping at Badesee (970 m a.s.l.)
Website: www.camping-am-badesee.at/

External Link

For an excellent online map of the area please click here

Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.

Gurktal Alps / NockbergeMountains & Rocks