How to get by car to Edelweissspitze, the highest passable point of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road?
Austria, europe
1.7 km
2,571 m
hard
Year-round
# Edelweißspitze: Austria's Alpine Crown Jewel
Perched at 2,571 meters (8,435 feet) in Salzburg, Austria, Edelweißspitze is one of those bucket-list mountain drives that delivers on every front. The summit isn't just a scenic pit stop—there's a proper mountain hut called the Edelweißhütte (built way back in 1935), a souvenir shop, and a parking lot for those who've made the climb.
The real magic happens at the top: you're rewarded with views of 37 peaks over 3,000 meters and 19 glaciers stretching across the landscape. Seriously spectacular.
As for the drive itself, it's a fully paved route branching off the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, though it's not your typical Sunday cruise. The 1.7-kilometer ascent packs in 175 meters of elevation gain, meaning you're looking at a steep 10.29% average gradient with plenty of hairpin turns and tight switchbacks to keep things interesting. The pavement is solid (with some concrete sections mixed in), but here's the catch: the road gets genuinely narrow toward the summit, especially on the final stretch. That's why caravans and vehicles over 3.5 tons are banned from the route.
Challenging? Maybe a bit. But nothing that'll send your heart racing—just respect the curves, take your time, and soak in those Alpine views.
Where is it?
How to get by car to Edelweissspitze, the highest passable point of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road? is located in Austria (europe). Coordinates: 47.2770, 12.6831
Road Details
- Country
- Austria
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 1.7 km
- Max Elevation
- 2,571 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 47.2770, 12.6831
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