photo: Henryk Nowacki

The Kitzsteinhorn massif lies in the Hohe Tauren in the south of Austria. The highest peak, with altitude of 3 208 m, gives its name to the whole mountain group. Its upper part is covered with a glacier. The area is mostly built of mica-bearing carbonate schists (Kalkglimmerschiefer) intercalating with prasinites and phyllites. These rocks were deformed in the Alpine orogeny. The calcareous schists consist of alternating light and dark (rich in mica) layers which when seen in cross-section, have appearance of a zebra skin. The rock strata, at the surface and in the caves, dip regularly at ca 65° to the north.