| Kühtai Saddle | |
|---|---|
 The winter sports resort Kühtai. The pass road starts in the bottom left corner, running through Kühtai. | |
| Elevation | 2,017 m (6,617 ft) |
| Location | Austria |
| Range | Alps |
| Coordinates | 47°12′58″N11°01′49″E / 47.2161°N 11.0303°E /47.2161; 11.0303 |
  Kühtai Saddle Location of Kühtai Saddle | |
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Kühtai Saddle (German:Kühtaisattel) (el. 2,017 m (6,617 ft)) is amountain pass in theAustrianAlps in theBundesland ofTyrol.
It connects theÖtz river valley fromOetz withGries im Sellrain. The road from Oetz is 16 km and has a maximum grade of 16 percent. This side is closed to trucking. The road from Gries im Sellrain is 17 km long and also has a maximum grade of 16 percent.
Thewinter sports resortKühtai is situated in the saddle. A small village, it is part of the municipalitySilz. Population numbers and economic activity in Kühtai are highly seasonal. As of 2001, the number of permanent year-round residents was only 29, but due to the many tourists and seasonal workers, the population is much higher over the winter months.
The name "Kühtai" is derived from theChutay (literally: cow alp), analpine pasture farm first attested in 1288.
A road leading up to Kühtai was first completed in 1628, whereupon the alp farm was converted to ahunting castle/lodge. Holidaymakers first arrived in the eighteen-thirties, and towards the end of the nineteenth century, the hunting castle was converted to a hotel. After the end of theSecond World War, Kühtai was developed into a winter sports resort.
TheLängental, Kühtai andFinstertalpumped storagefacilities are located in the valley, at different altitudes.[1][2]
