Stubai Alps

The Stubai Alps (in German Stubaier Alpen) is a mountain range in the Central Eastern Alps of Europe. It derives its name from the Stubaital valley to its east and is located southwest of Innsbruck, Austria. Several peaks form the border between Austria and Italy. The range is bounded by the Inn River valley to the north; the Sill River valley (Wipptal) and the Brenner Pass to the east (separating it from the Zillertal Alps); the Ötztal and Timmelsjoch to the west (separating it from the Ötztal Alps), and to the south by tributaries of the Passer River and Eisack.

Stubai Alps
Lisenser FernerKogel, Rotgratspitze and Lisenser Spitze in July
Highest point
PeakZuckerhütl
Elevation3,507 m (11,506 ft)
Coordinates46°57′42″N 11°9′13″E
Geography
Location of the Stubai Alps.
The borders of the range according to
Alpine Club classification of the Eastern Alps
CountriesAustria and Italy
StatesTyrol and South Tyrol
Range coordinates47°05′N 11°10′E
Parent rangeCentral Eastern Alps

Geography

Important parts of the Stubai Alps show signs of glaciation. The northern part around the Sellrain valley and the Kühtai is now only lightly glaciated and a popular ski touring destination (Zischgeles, Lampsenspitze, Pirchkogel, Sulzkogel). The High Stubai around the upper Stubai valley is still heavily glaciated and a classic high mountain touring region in the Eastern Alps. Here there is a glacier ski area on the Stubai Glacier.

Together with the Ötztal Alps to the west, with which they are linked by the saddle of Timmelsjoch, the Stubai Alps form one of the biggest mountain blocks of the Eastern Alps.

Boundary and neighbouring mountain groups

In the Alpine Club classification of the Eastern Alps (AVE) the Stubai are no. 31. Their boundary follows the following line:

  • in the north, it follows the course of the River Inn
  • in the east, it is formed by the Wipptal valley:
    • in the northeast it follows the Sill to its confluence with the Schmirnbach (Schmirntal) near St. Jodok, opposite the Tux Alps (AVE 33)
    • in the southeast, it follows the Sill to the Brenner PassEisack to Sterzing, which separates the Stubai Alps from the Zillertal Alps (AVE 35)
  • in the south it follows the lower Ridaunbach – Jaufenbach (Jaufental) – Jaufen PassSt. Leonhard in Passeier, a line which divides it from the Sarntal Alps (AVE 32, which are counted as part of the Central Eastern Alps)
  • in the west, it follows the line: Passeiertal – Schönauer Alm – Timmelsjoch – Timmelsbach – Gurgler AcheÖtztaler Ache (the whole Ötz valley) to its confluence with the Inn, forming the boundary to the Ötztal Alps (AVE 30)

Subgroups

Gschnitzer and Pflerscher Tribulaun
Glacier on the Wilder Freiger

The Alpine Club guide to the Stubai Alps divides the range into 15 subgroups as follows:

  • Northern Sellrain Mountains (Nördliche Sellrainer Berge), highest peak: Rietzer Grießkogel, 2,884 m
  • Southwestern Sellrain Mountains (Südwestliche Sellrainer Berge), highest peak: Gleirscher Fernerkogel, 3,194 m
  • Southeastern Sellrain Mountains (Südöstliche Sellrainer Berge), highest peak: Hohe Villerspitze, 3,092 m
  • Larstig Mountains (Larstiger Berge) + Bachfallenstock, highest peak: Strahlkogel, 3,295 m
  • Alpein Mountains (Alpeiner Berge), highest peak: Schrankogel, 3,497 m
  • Habicht-Elfer-Kamm, highest peak: Habicht, 3,277 m
  • Serleskamm, highest peak: Kirchdachspitze, 2,840 m
  • Sulztalkamm, highest peak: Wilde Leck, 3,361 m
  • Western Main Chain (Westlicher Hauptkamm), highest peak: Zuckerhütl, 3,507 m (also the highest mountain in the entire Stubai Alps)
  • Central Main Chain (Mittlerer Hauptkamm), highest peak: Wilder Freiger, 3,418 m
  • Eastern Main Chain (Östlicher Hauptkamm), highest peak: Pflerscher Tribulaun, 3,097 m
  • Windach-Brunnenkogelkamm, highest peak: Jochköpfl, 3,143 m
  • Botzergruppe + foothills, highest peak: Botzer, 3,250 m
  • Aggls-Rosskopf-Kamm, highest peak: Agglsspitze, 3,196 m
  • Kalkkögel, highest peak: Schlicker Seespitze, 2,804 m

Peaks

The ten highest peaks in the Stubai Alps are:

There is a total of just under 500 named and surveyed mountains in the Stubai Alps. Amongst the better known are (in order of height and excluding the top ten above):

Annotated panorama of the Stubai Alps taken from the Daunscharte col on the Stubai Glacier.

Passes

The main mountain passes of the Stubai Alps are:

Mountain pass Location Type Elevation (m/ft)
Sonklarscharte Sölden to Sterzing snow 3327 10,916
Bildstockljoch Sölden to Ranalt snow 3138 10,296
Timmelsjoch (Passo del Rombo) Sölden to Meran road 2509 8232
Jaufen Pass/Passo di Monte Giovo Sterzing to Meran road 2094 6870
Brenner Pass Innsbruck to Verona highway, railway 1370 4495

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