Bielerhöhe Pass
| Bielerhöhe Pass | |
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Silvretta Reservoir from Bielerhöhe Pass
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| Elevation | 2,071 m (6,795 ft) |
| Location | Austria |
| Range | Alps |
| Coordinates | 46°55′5″N 10°5′44″E / 46.91806°N 10.09556°ECoordinates: 46°55′5″N 10°5′44″E / 46.91806°N 10.09556°E |
 Bielerhöhe Pass
Bielerhöhe Pass
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The Bielerhöhe connects the Montafon valley in Vorarlberg with the Paznaun valley in Tirol. At 2,037 m above sea level, the Bielerhöhe lies in the Vorarlberg region, due north of the Silvretta Reservoir.
The Bielerhöhe is the highest reachable point of the Silvretta high alpine road, a toll road over the Bielerhöhe. Due to its exposed location the road is closed to normal traffic in winter (from November to April) at which time it can be reached only by cable car from Partenen, and then, using a taxi service, through a tunnel owned by the Vorarlberger Illwerke AG, followed by the last stretch along the mountain pass road.
The Bielerhöhe lies on the watershed between the Rhine and Danube. The valleys on either side of the Bielerhöhe are called Vermunt; the Great Vermunt and the Swiss Vermunt on the Vorarlberg side close to what is known today as the Vermunt reservoir, and the Small Vermunt on the Tirol side. The former give rise to the upper reaches of the Ill on its way to the Rhine, the Vermunt brook flows into the latter on its way to the Trisanna and Inn rivers. The top of the pass lies in Vorarlberg, the state border with Tirol runs a little to the east and over the Zeinisjoch.
The lower reaches of the Ochsen valley, which branches off towards the Piz Buin in the south, are submerged in the Silvretta reservoir which dominates the Bierlerhöhe. In order to control the water discharge of the Ill, the reservoir has been extended from the Ochsen valley towards the top of the pass, and is secured with dams in both directions.
The name Bielerhöhe refers to two locations: the two kilometers of relatively flat landscape between two steep inclines along with the small rise on the northern flank of the pass (2,071m) over which a hiking trail leads, as well as the highest point of the road (2,032m). The original Bielerhöhe (2,021m) has also disappeared under the dam.
The Bierlerspitze (2,545m) is to the north of the Bielerhöhe, and to the south the Hohes Rad (2,934m) and the Lobspitzen (2,873m at their highest point). Between the two the Piz Buin dominates from a distance.
The Madlenerhaus, a German Alpine Club base, is situated close to the highest point of the pass, as well as guest houses and hotels, . Of architectural interest is the Silvrettahaus, built as a base for the Illwerk AG in 1991/92, and which also serves as a hotel. The little church, the Barbara Chapel, dates back to the power station construction activities in the 1960s. It was built between 1965 and 1967 to commemorate power station building workers who had died, is dedicated to the patron saint of mountain engineers, and serves as the chapel for the community.
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Wikipedia