Schladminger Tauern Excessive Path | The Climbing Life

The Schladming Tauern mountains are a subrange of the Austrian Central Alps. Crisscrossed by a community of rugged footpaths, the ambulatory spotlight of the world is its namesake excessive path (Höhenweg) which options sweeping glacial valleys, knife-edge ridgelines, lake-dotted plateaus, and eye-popping summit panoramas. The Schlaminger Tauern Höhenweg was the second of 4 excessive trails I did in Austria in the course of the fall of 2019, the others being the Wormser Höhenweg, Stubai Höhenweg (see Journey Report, Information & Gear Record), and the Berliner Höhenweg (see Journey Report & Information/Gear Record). 

Giglach Lakes (1,922m)

At a Look

Distance:  42.7 km (26.5 mi) (together with 5 phases)

Common Length:  4-5 days

• Word: A match and skilled hiker carrying a light-weight load can comfortably do the path over two or three days. Most hikers undertake a hut-to-hut itinerary and take 5 days to finish the journey.

Problem Stage:  Average to difficult

Excessive Level: Greifenberg – 2,618 m (7,933 ft)

Complete Elevation Achieve: 3,935 m (12,910 ft)

Begin:  Hochwurzenhütte

End:  Seewigtal Carpark

Closest City/Base: Schladming. Located within the coronary heart of Austria, this touristy mountain hub is conveniently positioned on worldwide prepare traces.

Sources:

• Route Data: 1. Outdooractive – consists of GPX Observe, primary trekking notes, various routes, elevation profile, and logistical particulars; 2. Moonhoneytravel.com features a detailed route description, together with helpful beta on hut costs, meals, and journey prices.
• Normal Data:  schladming.com (regional tourism web site),  planaibus.at (native bus occasions)

Overview map of the Schladminger Tauern Excessive Path.

Path Notes & Photographs

Situated in a beautiful basin ringed by a formidable assortment of jagged rocky peaks, Giglach Lakes is the place most Schladminger Tauern hikers spend the primary evening of their journey. The basin boasts two full-service mountain huts; Giglachseen and Ignaz-Mattis, the latter of which will be seen overlooking the lake within the heart of the photograph beneath. Each huts have been closed after I got here by in mid-October.

From the northeastern tip of Giglach lakes, the path climbed for two.5 km (1.6 mi) to the cairn-laden summit of Rotmandlspitze (2,453 m/8,048 ft).

From the excessive level, I descended eastwards for a couple of kilometer by contemporary snow, earlier than arriving on the signposted saddle of Kruckeckscharte (2,274 m/7,461 ft).

From Kruckeckscharte, it was an extra 2 km to succeed in Keinprechhutte (1,875 m/6,152 ft). Situated in a shocking glacial cirque, the principle constructing had been boarded up since late September, nevertheless, the winter room stays open all 12 months spherical (Word: Within the photograph beneath, the winter room is positioned within the annex on the left of the hut).

I used to be privileged to have this peaceable alpine amphitheater all to myself. After performing some exploring, I turned in for the evening, bunking down within the cozy winter room. Going by the variety of blankets readily available, and the truth that it solely sleeps three or 4 max, it will seem that Keinprechhutte can get a bit nippy in the course of the colder months (Word: It was a comparatively gentle -4°C/25°F throughout my keep).

For the gearheads, that’s a Montbell Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka and a Katabatic Alsek 22 quilt within the pictures.

The following day I used to be as soon as once more handled to clear blue skies. After climbing up and over Trockenbrotscharte Ridge (2,237 m/7,339 ft), I dropped right down to the country Landawirseehütte (1,985 m/6,512 ft), the place I ended for breakfast on the entrance patio.

Quickly after leaving Landawirseehütte, the going turned a bit more durable and rather a lot snowier. The ultimate ascent to Gollingscharte ridge (2,326 m/7,631 ft) was icier than a mother-in-law’s kiss, and I used to be more than pleased to have packed the Salewa spikes (much like Kathoola Microspikes), which I’d bought a few weeks earlier than at an out of doors retailer in Innsbruck.

After Gollingscharte, the path dropped round 700 m (2,297 ft) in elevation, switchbacking down a protracted scree slope, passing a small waterfall, earlier than finally bottoming out on the idyllic alpine meadows of Gollingwinkel.

A brief stroll north of the meadows is the enchanting Gollinghütte (1,651 m/5,417 ft), the place most hikers select to in a single day. Nevertheless, feeling good and desirous to benefit from the high-quality climate (inclement situations have been on the playing cards for the next day), I made a decision to proceed on for a couple of extra hours. From Gollinghutte, I started climbing once more in earnest, and after one other 4 km (2.5 mi), reached the summit of Greifenberg (2,618 m/8,589 ft), the very best level on the Schladming Tauern Excessive Path.

From the summit cross of Greifenberg, the path descended steeply alongside a jagged ridgeline, quickly dropping into a shocking lake-dotted plateau referred to as Klafferkessel. This bewitching relic of the final Ice Age was the scenic spotlight of the path and I felt lucky to expertise it in such lovely climate.

After winding by the Klafferkessel’s snow-ringed assortment of tarns and lakes, the path dropped precipitously right into a deep and slender valley earlier than reaching Preintalerhütte (1,656 m/5,433 ft). I spent my second and last evening of the hike within the hut’s tiny winter room, which was positioned within the attic of an adjoining storage barn, accessible through a brief ladder climb.

The ultimate 11 km (6.8 mi) of the Schladminger Tauern Excessive Path was hiked in dense fog and heavy rain. I wasn’t too bummed, as I knew that inclement situations have been on the playing cards, and I’d been blessed with superb climate the day before today and a half. From Preintalerhütte, the path climbed up and over Neualmscharte (2,347m/7,700 ft), earlier than skirting the western shores of pretty Obersee and Hüttensee lakes. After a bit underneath 4 hours I reached Seewigtal Automotive park, from the place I used to be lucky to acquire a journey again to my resort within the village of Schladming.

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