Rax#

Rax Mountain, limestone massif northwest of Semmering pass, high-mountain plateau situated at the border between the provinces of Lower Austria and Styria, popular destination for day trips for the Viennese, in the northeast separated from Schneeberg Mountain by the deep narrow valley of the River Schwarza ( Hoellental Gorge). The vast karstified plateau dips toward northeast from Heukuppe mountain top (alt. 2,007 m, in the south) and is bordered by steep rock faces. In the northeast the dry valley (2 km) of the Grosser Hoellental gorge is bordered by 1,000 m high rock faces; at the foot of Rax Mountain there are many springs which supply the first Vienna Hochquellenleitung water supply lines; landscape conservation area. The mountain is very popular with hikers and mountaineers, offering ascent routes of all degrees of difficulty, it is accessed by the Rax cable-car in the east (valley station Hirschwang an der Rax, alt. 535 m, top station with hotel, alt. 1,547 m), and by the Preiner Gscheid Pass. Winter sports resort. Mountain refuges: Otto-Schutzhaus (alt. 1,644 m), Karl-Ludwig-Haus (alt. 1,804 m), Habsburghaus (alt. 1,786 m) etc.