Climbing at Carinthia

Carinthia, Austria's southernmost state, combines the crystalline rock of the Hohe Tauern with the limestone ranges along the Italian and Slovenian borders. Its best-known area is the Maltatal near Gmünd, the "valley of falling waters" at the foot of the Ankogel group, with more than 350 sport routes, around 80 multi-pitch routes and about 200 boulders on compact gneiss, including slabs such as the Kreuzwand and Lackenkopfwand. The Nock Mountains offer gentler terrain and smaller crags, while the Karawanks and the Carnic Main Ridge on the southern border bring limestone walls with an almost Mediterranean feel.

Thanks to its southern location, Carinthia often has a longer season than the northern Alps: valley crags are climbable from spring well into autumn, while higher alpine routes are mainly done from June to September. Lakes such as the Wörthersee and Millstätter See make it a popular holiday destination for climbing families.