Austria–Grossglockner

101_3160Our drive along Grossglockner Alpine Road today takes us over one of the most scenic mountain roads in the world.  
The farmer where we are staying advised us that the weather would not be so good on the other side of the mountain today but would be sunny again tomorrow.


We considered waiting an extra day but decided to continue on.

10-13-11 Austria - Grossglockner

This alpine road is in the Hohe Tauern National Park and there is a EUR 26 toll to use the road.  It is 48 kilometres of high alpine road with 36 bends, and an altitude ascent to 2,504 metres which takes you to the highest mountain in Austria, the Grossglockner (3,798m) and its glacier, the Pasterze.
The view back down the valley on the long ascent was indeed magnificent but it was not long before we were driving in and out of the clouds, light rain showers and then snow showers. The snow steadily got thicker on the ground the higher we went.SANY0054
SANY0055We arrived at at the Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Hohe which is where the road ends above the glacier and were virtually the only ones here. 
It was snowing and very cold and we had a great time here. SANY0047


The clouds came and went, white out for a while then views of the Pasterze glacier and mountains.
We went for a walk along the trail to a waterfall however found the trail closed by snow.

Grossglockner



The exhibition centre at Kaiser-Franz-Josefs-Hohe was great, with the expected information on mountains and glaciers, we did not expect to be wandering around a great vintage car and motorbike display.


Click more read below for a series of photos up over and down the alpine pass.







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