The Schladming Tauern mountains are a subrange of the Austrian Central Alps. Crisscrossed by a community of rugged footpaths, the ambulatory spotlight of the realm 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 Period: 4-5 days
- Notice: 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: Reasonable to difficult
Excessive Level: Greifenberg – 2,618 m (7,933 ft)
Whole Elevation Acquire: 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 situated on worldwide prepare strains.
Sources:
- Route Data: 1. Outdooractive – contains GPX Observe, fundamental trekking notes, different 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.
- Basic 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 stunning basin ringed by a formidable assortment of jagged rocky peaks, Giglach Lakes is the place most Schladminger Tauern hikers spend the primary night time 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 via 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 via recent snow, earlier than arriving on the signposted saddle of Kruckeckscharte (2,274 m/7,461 ft).
From Kruckeckscharte, it was an additional 2 km to succeed in Keinprechhutte (1,875 m/6,152 ft). Situated in a shocking glacial cirque, the primary constructing had been boarded up since late September, nonetheless, the winter room stays open all 12 months spherical (Notice: Within the photograph beneath, the winter room is situated 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 night time, 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 little bit nippy in the course of the colder months (Notice: 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 images.
The subsequent 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 finished for breakfast on the entrance patio.
Quickly after leaving Landawirseehütte, the going grew to become a little bit more durable and lots 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 very happy to have packed the Salewa spikes (just like Kathoola Microspikes), which I’d bought a few weeks earlier than at an outside 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 ultimately 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. Nonetheless, feeling good and eager to take advantage of the effective 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 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 often known 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 stunning climate.
After winding via the Klafferkessel’s snow-ringed assortment of tarns and lakes, the path dropped precipitously right into a deep and slim valley earlier than reaching Preintalerhütte (1,656 m/5,433 ft). I spent my second and ultimate night time of the hike within the hut’s tiny winter room, which was situated within the attic of an adjoining storage barn, accessible by way of 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 gone by 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 little bit below 4 hours I reached Seewigtal Automobile park, from the place I used to be lucky to obtain a experience again to my resort within the village of Schladming.
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