Grimming


The Grimming is an isolated peak in the Dachstein Mountains of Austria and one of the few ultra-prominent mountains of the Alps.

Geography

Location

The Grimming rises between the Enns valley and Salzkammergut, east of the Dachstein massif, being separated from its eastern rim by the Salza Gorge.

Geology

Despite its topographical separation from the Dachstein, the Grimming is mainly made of Dachstein limestone and is, in effect, a slab of the Dachstein block that has broken off.
Southwest of the main summit is the Grimmingtor, a roughly 50-metre-high and 15-metre-wide recess in the rock face, capped by a 10-metre-thick rock overhang. To the east it is bounded by a large rib of rock, which is why, in certain light conditions, it has the appearance of a gate. According to legend, rich treasures have been hidden behind this "gate".

History

Thanks to its imposing appearance, it was long described as mons Styriae altissimus, the highest mountain in the Austrian state of Styria.
Very early on the Grimming was used as a survey mark for land survey. In 1822 Lieutenant Carl Baron Simbschen erected a wooden survey mark at the summit and a stone hut just below it as a shelter.

Access

The mountain is a popular destination for mountaineers and climbers.

Huts

Literature

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