Stol

Stol or Hochstuhl, at 2236m, is the highest mountain of the Karawanks and straddles the border between Slovenia and Austria.EtymologyThe Slovene name Veliki Stol, meaning 'great chair', is derived from the visual appearance of the mountain, especially when seen from the east. The German name Hochstuhl ('high chair'), was not introduced until the late 19th century. In previous times, the German designation was Stou, a phonetic derivation of the Slovene name.GeographyThe Stol massif stretches from Žirovnica in Slovenia to the Austrian market town of Feistritz im Rosental in the north. The summit is part of the Karawanks main ridge and the watershed between the Sava and Drava rivers. In the north, the Dachstein limestone rocks fall steeply to an over 500m depth.The massif comprises several subpeaks, such as Mali Stol ('Little Chair'), at 2198m. In the east, the crest of the Karawanks leads to Mt. Vrtača and further down to Loibl Pass.AscentThe first ascent of the mountain was made on 17 August 1794 by the Carniolan count and mountaineer Franz von Hohenwart (1771–1844) following an invitation from Sigmund Zois (1747–1819). On 9 September 1906 two climbers first reached the Stol peak via the steep north face. A first mountain hut south of the summit was erected by the Austrian Tourist Club in 1883 and called Valvasor Refuge. The Stou Refuge north of the main ridge was opened by the German and Austrian Alpine Club in 1886.