Rietzer Grießkogel 1.86

The Rietzer Grießkogel is a mountain, and the highest peak in the Northern Sellrain Mountains, part of the Stubai Alps in the Austrian state of Tyrol. The summit is easily climbed on path no. 153. The first documented ascent was undertaken in 1829 by Innsbruck botanist, Andrä Sauter, a brother of Anton Sauter. As a result of its easy accessibility on well marked paths from Telfs in the Inn Valley and from the Sellrain Valley, it is a popular destination. Its name is derived from the village of Rietz at its northern foot in the district of Imst in the upper Inn valley.Location and surrounding areaThe Rietzer Grießkogel lies just under eight kilometres as the crow flies south of Telfs, 27 kilometres west of Innsbruck and five kilometres northwest of St. Sigmund im Sellrain. Its neighbouring summits are the Bachwandkopf (2,758 m) to the west, the Hocheder (2,798 m) to the northeast and the Schartenkogel (2,603 m) to the southeast. To the southwest the Rietzer Grießkogel drops into the Alpine pasture of Oberer Zirmbachalm (2,100 m) with gradients of 30 to 50°.GeologyGeologically viewed, the Northern Sellrain Mountains belong to the Ötztal Gneiss, which forms the rocks here. Particularly strong elements of this rock are biotite-granite gneiss, a mixed crystal from the Annite-Phlogopite series. Because this rock is easily weathered and eroded, for example by frost weathering, the mountains in this region are less rugged and easier from climb from an alpinistic perspective.